Sunday, December 09, 2007

Christmas traditions

We have asked some of the young people in our church where they are going to celebrate Christmas this year, and how they celebrate Christmas in their home countries.

Evelyn Owomugisha and John Ssali
from Uganda are two of the international students at NLA, Norwegian Teacher’s Academy in Sandviken. Both of them stay at Fantoft and worship in Bergen International Church.

- We plan to celebrate in St. Markus church this year, together with Bergen International Church, Evelyn answers. John too confirms that this is his plans. – Since we started to come here, we have found a good fellowship in this congregation.
- In Uganda Christmas is an important holiday time, John continues. People go home from their work in the cities to connect with their families in the villages. The 25th of December is the most important day. Churches are usually open all night from the evening before.


Joseph Kau from Hong Kong, China studies environment science with University of Bergen this year.
- I am going to Eastern Europe on a holiday with a couple of friends this Christmas. I don’t know exactly which country I will be in. If I had been in Hong Kong, I would have gathered with my friends to have a party together on Christmas Day. Many churches only celebrate Christmas with some Christmas carols on the Sunday before or after the 25th. Some Christians go out on the streets to sing Christmas carols and share the gospel with people during Christmas time.


DS Martin lives in Singapore, but comes originally from South India. This fall he has been on a short term stay in Bergen with his company, Unitech Offshore.
- This year I will celebrate Christmas in Singapore. On Christmas Day I will first go to church, and then I will take some friends out for lunch. Ten percent of what I spend, I will send to my family in India, who will distribute it to the poor.
This is definitely an idea we can support. What would happen if all Norwegians gave ten percent of what they spend for Christmas to the poor?






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