Christmas 2010

CHRISTMAS, celebration of the birth of Messiah - Jesus Christ - the Savior, the birth which happend in time and place decided by God the Father - not quite like in the popular traditions regarding this Heaven-reaching Event.

- About time - you know that December is a very conventional time...

- So about the place - it's a matter of that little Bethlehem- stable, about which we are so sentimentale and moved, that - o, my God! - He had to be born in a stable?!(or something like that), that "there was no place for them in the inn" ... Well, it was not. And that was supposed to be that "it was not." And very well that it was not. So God didn't know where is the best, healthiest place for the birth of His Son? Had He better, you think, be born in that crowded, noisy, stinky of booze, tobacco and not quite wasched bodies of travelers inn, possibly full of coughing, snotty and screaming children, as well ? They rather didn't dispose luxury apartments with private bathrooms. Imagine a place like that to give birth to a child - horror! Thanks God, He did not allow it! He protected Mary and Josef giving them more privacy for so intimate situation.
 
But there were angels and shepherds - the most worthy ones to represent two so different worlds (what a meeting!) - the first messengers of the Good News!

There is another reason yet that Mary didn't bear Jesus in the inn. It had to be an extraordinary place. The inn manger, where the shepherds had to find the baby, was mantioned by God as the sign for them to recognise for sure the RIGHT ONE - the newly born King, the Messiah. And they were very hurry to reach the place. And it is obviouse, they didn't drove floks of sheep with themselves(!).

In the place there could be some travelers animals, like horses, donkeys ...

And there were stars, and fresh air (it certainly was not winter, and no snow!), and open space ... This is the correct setting!

So, in this amazing Christmas time I want to be amazed again by the wisdom of God and His generosity towards us - His grace. God is AMAZING! "Our God is an AWESOME GOD" - as we sing, and only to Him this term should belong.

I want to wish all of us that it truly will take our breath away and like those shepherds - just for a while - stand up with fear, and awe and joy! (Łuk.2.6-20)

Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to men,
in whom His favour rests"(Łuk.2.14)

With the best wishes of blessing - also for New Year 2011 - from this AWESOME God who became flesh - in His time and place (!), and made his dwelling among us. (Jan.1.14)

Immanuel - God with us! May His fever really rest in us!

Krystyna and Åsmund

BOŻE NARODZENIE...

BOŻE NARODZENIE, czyli narodzenie Mesjasza - Jezusa Chrystusa - Zbawiciela,
o czasie i miejscu zdecydowanym przez Boga-Ojca - i nie zupełnie według popularnej tradycji odnośnie tego Niebo-tycznego Wydarzenia.

- O czasie - wiadomo, że ten grudzień jest mocno umowny...

- Zatem o miejscu - chodzi o tę betlejemską stajenkę, co to tak roztkliwiamy się, że na co to przyszło Bogu - w stajni (czy czymś w tym rodzaju)!?, że “nie było dla nich miejsca w gospodzie”... No, nie było. I tak miało być, że “nie było”. I bardzo dobrze, że nie było.

Czyż Bóg nie wiedziałby gdzie jest najlepsze, najzdrowsze miejsce dla narodzin Jego Syna? A co, miał się urodzić w tej zatłoczonej, hałaśliwej, zaczadzonej gorzałą, tytoniem i niedomytymi ciałami podróżników karczmie, pełnej też może kaszlących, zasmarkanych i wrzeszczących dzieci? Luksusowych apartamentów z łazienkami raczej tam nie mieli. Wyobraźmy sobie takie miejsce porodu - zgroza! Nie daj Bóg! I nie dał. Zatroszczył się o Marię i Józefa, aby mieli trochę prywatności w tak intymnym przecież momencie.


Byli za to aniołowie i pasterze - uznani za najgodniejszych przedstawicieli dwóch tak różnych rzeczywistości (co za fuzja!) - pierwsi posłańcy Dobrej Nowiny!

Jest jeszcze jeden powód dla którego Maria (Miriam, Marysia...) nie rodziła w gospodzie. Bóg zdecydował, że ma to być niezwykłe miejsce, jako znak rozpoznawczy dla pasterzy, żeby byli absolutnie pewni, że to niemowlę leżące w żłobie, jest Tym właściwym - właśnie narodzonym, oczekiwanym Królem, Mesjaszem.

I bardzo się spieszyli, a więc na pewno nie gnali tam owiec!

Mogły tam być za to jakieś zwierzęta transportowe (konie, osły...).

I było świeże powietrze (to na pewno nie była zima, i śnieg!), i gwiazdy, i przestrzeń...Oto właściwa sceneria dla narodzin Syna Bożego i Człowieczego !

A więc na te Dziwne Święta chcę się znowu zadziwić mądrością Bożą i Jego wobec nas wspaniałomyślnością, Jego łaską. Bóg jest NIESAMOWITY! “Yes, our God is an Awsome God” - jak śpiewamy, i tylko Jemu to określenie winno przynależeć.

Chcę życzyć nam wszystkim, aby nam szczerze dech zaparło, abyśmy choć na chwilkę zaniemówili - jak ci pasterze - z bojaźni, podziwu i radości! (Łuk.2.6-20)

“Chwała Bogu na wysokościach

a na ziemi pokój ludziom,
w których ma upodobanie” (Łuk.2.14)

Z najlepszymi życzeniami błogosławieństwa - również na Nowy Rok 2011 - od tego Niesamowitego Boga, który wcielił się, w swoim czasie i miejscu (!), w Jezusa Chrystusa, i zamieszkał wśród nas. (Jan.1.14)

Immanuel - Bóg z nami - oby miał w nas upodobanie!!!

Krystyna i Åsmund

Congratulation - Realna Actja in Łódź

Vice President Marcin Bugajski in Łódź gives honour to the leaders of Realna Ackja in Łódź. One of them is Mission New Hope leader Piotr Karas (No. 2 from the right in front) Picture from halolodz.pl

Great to read about the great sucess of Realna Ackja in Łódź. That about 250 young people from Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, America, England, Ukraine, and Switzerland in such a wonderfull way have given a people in Łódź a great experience og God's love and care...

Great to have good friends

Once more is the value of good friends confirmed. Messages of encouragement have reached us after sharing the message Strong challenge with friends in Poland. The message above is from Cieszka and Tomek in Crakow. All the messages have the same conclusion: We are praying for you. Great. Thank you - and PRAISE the Lord!

Inspiration from Cieszyn

Ela and Marek Cieslar from Cieszyn is back in Poland after one week in our Shelter. They returned home on Friday after a week with us and left a lot of inpiration. Marek is journalist and responsible for Christian editted by Center for Mission and Evangelism - www.cme.org.pl in Dzięgielow near Cieszyn. The city south east of Poland which is both Polish and Czech, only divided by boarderline river.
.
We have known Ela and Marek for about 20 years since Dzięgielow also is site for one of the largest annual summerconference for mission and evangelism in Central Europe.
.
Krystyna a Christian in Dzięgielow in -84 and I got my renewal as a Christian in -89. Great place.
.
Ela and Marek endjoyed to be out in the Hurdal enviroment - and then together with us a lot of inspirating conversations - espesially about the future for our Shelter in Hurdal...

Strong challenge

We have got a strong challenge regarding the coverage of our operating expenses – renting / running of our Hurdal base, car, office and salary costs are mainly covered by own activity. Above is a summary of our challenges in covering operating costs.
.
Main activity is offer of information service since I as foundation manager is journalist by profession. Information department in county Akershus has for many years been main customer. Some income is also received by renting out rooms to temporary workers in Hurdal.
.
This message was received yesterday: Stop in the delivery to the county. Reason is limited budget for using freelance journalists...
.
The consequence for Safety Shelter is a proximately loss - this year - of about NOK 100.000 or about 12.000 €. Very obvious: we have to look for alternative solutions...
.
It's also true that the journalist work is time demanding and has resulted in lack of capacity for important ministry challenges.
.
New solutions have to be worked out. We need God's wisdom and intervention and ask for prayer support...
.
We – I have STOP in delivery of journalistic report to the county’s web page because of budget problems… Could be a loss of about 50.000 PLN for the rest of the year… The countie's webpage with one story made of me...