When The Children Lead Us

There are fewer things more wonderful than a Children's Christmas Pageant.  Ours was yesterday and it was fabulous!  The storyline followed an angel who wanted wings and she eventually got them by showing a sheep, a donkey and a dove acts of kindness as they all made their way to the manger.Several kids sang solos and all were spectacular in their costumes, singing like cherubs and delivering their lines like pros.  Of course, an army of adult volunteers made this happen and we are so thankful for the hard work that so many put in to make this wonderful afternoon possible, especially those who worked with the acting, the costumes and the music.  And really, what warms your heart more than 2 and 3 year olds dressed up like angels and sheep?
There were the usual unplanned, hilarious moments.  One of the 4 year olds was dying to get her hands on the microphone and so she kept positioning herself in front of it.
Finally, she just grabbed it and got her 10 seconds of fame.
I would not be surprised to see this little one trying out for Idol a few years down the road.
We had a camel, requiring two people to walk almost blindly down the center aisle and up on the stage.  The cuteness factor jumped way up when they finally found their way to the manger.
What I really love about Immanuel International's program is the diversity of children participating.  Angels from Nigeria, the U.K., Uganda, the Philippines, the US and Eritrea to name a few.  An Indonesian Mary and an Eritrean Joseph.  Shepherds from the U.K., Pakistan, and Uganda. Animals from Kenya.  Wise men from Indonesia, Ghana, and Kenya.  The whole wide world coming together to tell the story of Jesus' birth and to let us know that the greatest gift we can give to Jesus is to love one another.  If only the real world could learn this.
The whole afternoon was filled with laughter, joy, meaning, and delight.  The children were so proud to participate.  The congregation was so filled with joy to see the pureness of the story unfold before them.  And everyone was thrilled to witness the old, old story in a brand new way...through the eyes of children once again.