Merry Christmas From the Babcocks!

Everyone wants a perfect Christmas. That may mean different things to different people. But none of us wants anything to spoil Christmas. The first Christmas, however, was far from perfect, if we judge by circumstances. It started with a long day of travel and that wasn't by plane, train, or automobile! We imagine that Mary and Joseph may have had a donkey, but we aren't actually told that detail. Either way, whether riding or walking, at full term, that couldn't have been an easy day for Mary!! The accommodations weren't even rated by the Automobile Association, and the welcoming committee, well... they acted like they'd been born in a barn! The royal herald and the welcoming choir, however... well, they were simply angelic! How precious and renewing it must have been for Mary and Joseph to be reminded, by the shepherds fresh story of the angelic announcement, that God was in all of this. In fact, God was right there with them. And by His very presence He sanctified the most ordinary and fretful of circumstances, and brought peace. That is the real meaning of Christmas. Christ has come, and God is with us! And, once again, no matter how wonderful, or painful, or just plain disappointing your Christmas is this year, you've still got a reason to celebrate! Christ has come, our salvation has been purchased, and GOD IS WITH US!! Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift. Our past year hasn't been particularly perfect, but it has been full of blessings. In January we were informed that we needed to move, as our landlord wanted much more rent than he had originally agreed. We hadn't planned on that, and we didn't want to move! Especially just three months before our return to Canada. But, all kinds of blessings flowed from that. With the Lord's help we were blessed with a temporary home much closer to friends of our children, at which we enjoyed lower rent, country living, and many other blessings too numerous to list. And, as inconvenient as it was, it really helped to have most of our belongings stored long before we actually had to leave for our visit to Canada. On our return, having no permanent place to call home in Ontario, we landed temporarily at Maple Grove Christian Retreat Ctr. in Thamesford, ON, where we all enjoyed seeing friends & relatives, recalling happy memories, and lots of space for the kids to play. But without a winterized home there we would have to move again. And again, God provided, through friends at Pine Grove FMC near Seeleys Bay, who have blessed us with rent free living in their parsonage. We're also blessed to be closer to many of the churches we visit, which cuts down on a lot of driving. And we shouldn't be surprised that God also knew we needed furniture and took care of every last detail! (Thanks also to Kevin and Bev, Alan and Donna, Glen and Mary Lou!). Within a space of three years we've had seven different addresses, a lot of adventures, and a new way of looking at things. People say Home is where the heart is. But our hearts are in five different countries and three continents. So for us, home is where we are. And wherever we are, God is with us.

He was with us the day in early December when our van caught fire and we lost all our passports in the fire, along with certain birth certificates, Stephanie's immigration papers, and other documents. On our way to Toronto, several hours from home, we were waved off the highway by someone who saw the smoke coming from our van. There was fire on top of the muffler, which must have overheated, causing oil undercoating (rust proofing) to drip down and catch fire. We all got out in time, and no one was hurt. So we're really praising God for that! But the loss of our passports sort of put us into panic mode, with a trip to the U.S. coming up, and only two weeks to get new passports. The next day found us at the German Consulate in Toronto, applying for Steffi's passport. We were told that it usually takes at least three, if not four weeks for urgent applications, and that this is a very busy time of year for them. One day later our Canadian applications were filed, and many hundreds of people were praying with us for a miracle. When all of our passports arrived on the same day, only one week later, we knew that God had heard our prayers and come through with impeccable timing! Steffi's passport application had been sent to Germany, processed, and sent back within one week! God was in control, and he even saved us an entire week of waiting and wondering. So why had we been worried? That's not the only amazing part of this story. The tow yard our van was taken to (and where we picked up a rental van) was only minutes from our Free Methodist Church in Courtice, ON. Steffi had just attended a course there and knew exactly how to find it. So we headed there to ask if we could use their phone and figure out how to proceed. When we got there, however, we found much more than helpful office staff. We were met by many friends, and a whole group of concerned ladies who had met for a Christmas brunch. They fed us lunch, took up a collection, and prayed for us on the spot. The office let us use two phone lines and internet to connect with govt. offices, etc. Before we left the church a prayer group was arriving, and they also lifted us up in prayer. Our children then stayed with good friends of ours who live near there (and who attend the church) while we drove back home (5 hrs. round trip) to retrieve necessary I.D. for our passport applications. And then we all stayed there overnight to get an early start in the morning. If it had to happen, the timing and location couldn't have been better. Through it all, God was showing us His loving-kindness and tender mercy. We serve an awesome God! So, our Christmas hasn't been perfect. But in some ways it has been even better. We wouldn't have chosen to lose a van and important papers, and be forced to do a lot of extra work, shop for a van, jump through bureaucratic hoops, deal with insurance, etc. But we have seen God's hand of blessing, protection, and provision, and have also been blessed by generous people who wanted to help (Thank you so much!). And, no matter what is going on in our lives or yours, we can still thank God for sending Jesus, and we can still choose to celebrate. Because... we really do have a reason to celebrate! Please pray for safe travel, God's blessing on speaking engagements, and inspired learning as we head for the U.S. in a few days. We will be traveling to Michigan, Florida and Connecticut, and have speaking engagements and two courses to attend (one week long each, to better prepare us for future mission work). So our time will be very full. We also plan to visit Dean's family for just a few days, on our way through. Please also continue to pray for Malawi many people are experiencing hunger season there right now. And pray especially for the church, that it would follow Jesus whole-heartedly, that the leaders would be Spirit led, and that ministry would be effective. May God bless each and every one of you with a deeply meaningful Christmas this year, and a wonderful celebration, as well. Thank you for all of your love, prayers, and support. Merry Christmas, with love,

Dean and Stephanie Babcock, Christopher, Jonathan, and Sarah

P.S. We probably should also mention that our visits to churches have been going well. We're enjoying our time in North America, but are also eager to get back to the field.