{"id":797,"date":"2018-01-03T16:34:06","date_gmt":"2018-01-03T16:34:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/cjhoskins\/?p=797"},"modified":"2018-01-03T16:34:06","modified_gmt":"2018-01-03T16:34:06","slug":"falling-christmas-hams-miracles-extra-ordinary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/cjhoskins\/2018\/01\/03\/falling-christmas-hams-miracles-extra-ordinary\/","title":{"rendered":"falling Christmas hams: miracles in the (extra) ordinary"},"content":{"rendered":"

words by Chris<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Many of us enjoy the age-old tradition of watching holiday movies during the break.
\nThese often entail a plot that inevitably involves some \u201cChristmas Magic\u201d to remind
\nus all of the \u201cspirit\u201d of the season. Whether it be ghostly visitors in A Christmas Carol
\nor an enormous express steam train in one\u2019s front yard as in Polar Express, the
\nsupernatural bursting into the ordinary or mundane is to shock the viewer into
\nconsciousness, care, and concern of and for others. We watch the films because they
\nmake us smile and we can nod our heads in affirmation of the beauty of the story.
\nHowever, there are times when we hear or see of seasonal miracles in the ordinary
\nand mundane routines of our own holidays.<\/p>\n

You may or may not be aware that Colombia and Ecuador are hosting hundreds of
\nthousands of Venezuelans fleeing their country. Since the death of Hugo Chavez, the
\nnew head of state in Venezuela has become increasingly desperate and violent. The
\nsocial and economic situation for the majority of Venezuelans has been unbearable,
\nand the neighboring countries have opened their borders with special consideration
\nfor the dire political situation. Christmas Eve saw protests in the streets of
\nVenezuela because there was no food to purchase for a holiday meal. The minimum
\nwage has continued to plummet from $12.50 in July to $3.75 USD \u2026PER MONTH. So
\nthose who have resources to leave, leave. Arriving in neighboring countries with
\ndifferent manners, different speech, different food, and a population begrudgingly
\nopening its borders to foreigners. While they may make more than $3.75 a month, it
\nisn\u2019t much and fleeing on a bus with only a suitcase, migrants arrive with nowhere
\nto go and little to celebrate Christmas with.<\/p>\n

Our church here has hosted many migrants who have chosen Rios de Agua Viva as
\ntheir faith home in their new country. The congregation has helped with ways that
\nthey can, even though the majority of our congregation is in equally difficult
\nfinancial situations.
\nChristmas Eve morning w<\/p>\n

e gathered to worship and celebrate the birth of Jesus
\nChrist, and the connection and love it represents for each of us. We sang carols,
\nplayed in fake snow, and then gathered together for a meal as a faith family. It was
\nthen that we heard of a story to make us conscious again, to awaken us to the light in
\nthe midst of darkness, of the joy within the ordinary.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Christmas Eve at Rios de Agua Viva<\/p><\/div>\n

A Venezuelan member of our congregation was walking along the street in the
\nevening with two other men recently arrived when they came across a package of
\nham, a whole pork leg, and a full rack of ribs lying in the street. Traffic was slowing
\nand going around it, and she entered the street looking around for the butcher shop
\nor freezer truck that had dropped it. Nothing or no one indicated that they had lost
\ntheir pig. It must have fallen out of the butcher truck on its way to delivery.<\/p>\n

She called to her new friends to help her pick it up waving traffic around.
\nPassersby\u2019s were wishing them luck and telling them to enjoy the meal. A taxi driver
\nstopped, not to take some for himself, but to hand them trash bags so they could get
\ntheir newly discovered Christmas meal back to their apartment. These immigrants
\nhad only been hoping for a few simple corn tamales to share at Christmas, and
\ninstead now had pounds and pounds of meat to cook and share.<\/p>\n

While a pork leg, ham hock, and rack of ribs might not be a ghostly visitor or red
\nrobed Saintly spirit, the good will expressed by Ecuadorians, the joy of a very large
\nmeal to share with fellow congregants and immigrants, and the peace that comes
\nwith sharing laughter can be found in the very ordinary act of the unexpected gift.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

playing in “snow” at church<\/p><\/div>\n

Report This Post<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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