The three friends had almost finished their Christmas dinner and were really enjoying talking and spending time with each other. Mike told the others how he used to enjoy hearing the Christmas story at church when he was younger. The tale of Mary and Joseph looking for somewhere to stay in Bethlehem, of Mary riding on a donkey because she was pregnant, and the journey was a long one.

Alpha said she used to like doing the nativity play at school, and she was the donkey one year.

‘A giraffe dressing up as a donkey!’ laughed Foxtrot, ‘that must have been funny to see!’

‘I pretended I was a rare long-necked donkey!’ said Alpha, laughing with her friends. ‘But that reminds me of a flight I did in Kalimantan, Indonesia. MAF’s mission is not just to help bring people medicine, food and equipment, but also to encourage them and let them know that Jesus loves them.’

‘So, what did you do there?’ asked Mike. 

‘We trained Sunday school teachers how to share the Word of God with the children in their villages, so they can receive the joy of the Lord in their hearts.’

‘There’s a lovely Bible verse, in the book of John verse 8, that says “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,”’ Foxtrot said with a smile.

‘So those Sunday school teachers can share the Bible stories with the children just like I enjoyed hearing the stories at my Sunday school,’ said Mike.

‘That’s right,’ said Alpha, ‘and because the teachers live in the villages, it’s their community that they are helping. It’s their friends and neighbours, and the children are improving their reading and writing skills at the same time!’