A Precious Gift  
 
By Esther Schaeffer  
Serving in Burkina Faso  
 
Many years ago our family lived in a very remote part of West Africa. Christmas was approaching, and we knew that there would be no packages arriving until long after December 25.  
 
To help make Christmas special for our children, together we crafted snow flakes out of construction paper and strung popcorn around the living room. I took down a mirror and made it look like a skating pond; we then built a little Christmas village with our Legos™.  
 
I also colored some plain white paper and carefully wrapped cookies for the children’s stockings. Later, I placed their presents—a few books and school supplies—under the tree.  
 
"Good Things Come in Small Packages" 
 
On Christmas morning we gathered to open our meager gifts. Under our humble tree I was surprised to discover a small present that I had not wrapped. It seemed to be covered in more tape than paper. Looking closer, I found one of our sons’ names scribbled on the small package.  
 
When the tape and paper were torn and the gift unwrapped, I was overwhelmed. My young son was giving his older brother a medal that he highly prized. He had won the medal at Vacation Bible School a couple of years before, and he hardly let it out of his sight.  
 
He proudly wore it around his neck, and he was careful to keep it under his shirt so it wouldn’t get dirty. He even wore it to bed at night.  
 
As I watched my son give this cherished gift, I had to fight back my tears. I wanted to say to him, "No, don’t give that away. You have so many other things; don’t give what is so precious to you."  
 
The Greatest Gift 
 
But I realized that my young son had managed to understand the true spirit of Christmas: God has given to us what is most precious to Him, His only Son. 
 
I wish I could tell you that the older brother cherished the medal as much as his younger brother had. For a while he was thrilled to have it and wore it proudly.  
 
But one time he forgot to take it off when he got into the tub, and the colors smeared and ran together. Another time he left it outside, and the dog had a good chew on it before we could pry it away from him. Eventually it was lost for good. 
 
Most of my ministry is among Christian women whom I disciple, encourage, and teach to help them grow in their faith. I want them to understand the great love God has for them, the high cost He paid for their salvation.  
 
It is of indescribable value, this gift He offers them and each one of us. This wonderful truth my young son illustrated so beautifully to me, those many years ago in remote West Africa.  
 
May you have a very Merry Christmas, one filled with wonder as you reflect upon the indescribable gift God has given you in His Son. 
 
Donate to Alliance Great Commission Ministries and bless missionaries like the Schaeffers this Christmas and in the New Year.  
 
 
 
 
 

"We just received news that Guinea's President Lansana Conte died this morning," reports Alliance worker Jim Derksen.  
 
Elements of Guinea’s government have since staged a coup. They have proclaimed the dissolution of the government and the suspension of the constitution and all political and union activity until further notice.  
 
So far, there have been no reports of fighting or casualties in Conakry, but the situation remains fluid and uncertain at this time. The security situation remains unpredictable.  
 
"Please pray specifically that God would use this time to open the door so that people would become ready to hear the good news," Derksen continues.  
 
Pray also that: 
 
• God would protect his servants who are in Guinea  
 
• National believers in Guinea would be a bright light to those who do not yet know Jesus 
 
"Please pray for Guinea in the coming days and weeks, as we will see lots of changes," Derksen concludes. "Thank you in advance for your prayers!" 
 
Learn More  
 
Check out the BBC for more information about the situation in Guinea. 
 
For additional information, see the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Web site.  

A rash of robberies in Quito has Alliance missionaries and their national partners on the alert. "This season is one of the most dangerous in Quito," says Alliance missionary Teri Newburn, who serves in Ecuador on special assignment to the Alliance Academy, a school for missionary kids (MKs).  
 
Newburn and her husband, Keith, report that several of their friends and colleagues were robbed or assaulted, including a teacher at the school. In addition, Teri's identification papers (including her driver's license) were stolen.  
 
"It seems like every day there's a story of someone who got robbed or assaulted," says Newburn. One student at the Academy had his cell phone stolen in front of a church building. While another MK was talking about Jesus and sharing his lunch with an inebriated man, a thief approached and demanded money from the boy. "The drunk man got between them and prevented the robbery," Newburn continues. 
 
Thieves broke into the home of a friend of the Newburns, stealing his camera and computer. "A few houses down from where he lives, thieves held a woman hostage one morning while robbing her house," says Newburn. 
 
"These are our friends, our students, our colleagues. We need your prayers for safety and protection! Thank you for praying with us for safety and peace. We are so grateful for each one of you being a part of our lives." 
 
How You Can Help 
 
Pray that the stolen items, including Teri Newburn's documents, will be replaced quickly. Also, pray that God will protect the innocent and bring the thieves to repentance.  
 
Donate to support the work of Alliance churches and missionaries around the world, including Teri and Keith Newburn. 
 
 
 

“Is Camp South Africa worth all the time, toil, and treasure we are investing during these difficult economic times?” asked Jim Blake, director for Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds (ARCG) in northern California. In spite of ministry budget cuts because of the dismal economy, Blake was determined to moved forward with the international outreach to Cape Town's "street kids." “For me, the answer is a resounding YES!” But he did inform the Camp South Africa (CSA) organizing team to reduce its budget by 10 percent.  
 
Knowing budget cuts translated into some kids not having the opportunity to hear the good news of hope in Jesus, Blake was thrilled when "a ministry partner who heard of the funding loss donated two weeks pay,” he said. “This reduced the short fall, but the last day camp still would need to be cut from the schedule.”  
 
Camp South Africa was founded by ARCG staffers Mervyn and Abigail Coetzee, who grew up in the country. Their dreams of one day hosting day camps for Cape Town's "least of these" became a reality under the direction of ARCG.  
 
Most of the children who attend the camps are social outcasts, “abandoned as babies,” says Abigail. “They are hungry, have no shoes and only the bare minimum of clothing. Some come from extremely abusive homes; surviving a fatherless childhood runs as a common thread for many of our South African counselors and most of the children.”  
 
At the closing of one camp, at least 95 percent of the campers went up for prayer, indicating that they want to know Jesus personally. They were met by Germaine, one of the local camp counselors, who was saved nearly five years ago at the CSA outreach. “Words cannot express how God has used Germaine to bless these campers,” said Mervyn. “I shared how Christ had moved through Germaine’s life and that even though he still lives in a squatter’s shack, he has a joy that only Christ can give.” 
 
Blake, who participated in the camp ministry last year, is firm in his commitment to the annual December outreach. Trusting God to provide, he told his CSA team to go forward with the full schedule. "I remembered when I dropped Germaine off at his ‘home,’” he said. “He put his hands on my shoulders, looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Don’t give up on us.’”  
 
Read more about Alliance camping ministries in the March 2009 alife.  
 
Donate to Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds and Camp South Africa. 
 
 
 

A flood that crashed through a housing complex in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, caused severe property damage for many Alliance church members in early December. A number of C&MA churches were affected.  
 
A pastoral family took up residence in the church, going without electricity for six days, until the water in their home receded. Another family moved to the second story of their house and used a rubber raft to navigate the waters when they needed to go out. One Alliance church was flooded, its musical instruments immersed in water. 
 
The local government traveled by boat to distribute basic supplies to the victims. "At least one of the C&MA churches also passed out food supplies to church members in flooded areas," said Alliance worker Ann Grinnell. "Many of the people shop daily, so they have few reserves stored up for emergencies."  
 
The flood destroyed several houses in its path and dragged any movable objects with it, including cars and motorcycles, according to The Jakarta Post. The flood was the result of a week of almost continuous rain in the city of Samarinda. It lasted around 30 minutes, with no casualties reported.  
 
Grinnell stated that another severe storm and possible flooding are expected in mid–December. 
 
"The recent flood was the worst to hit Samarinda since 1998, with major roads still submerged five days after the downpour. As the flood waters have receded, the city has been inundated with rotting garbage," said Grinnell. "Pray for protection from disease." 
 
Donate to support the work of Alliance churches and missionaries around the world, including Ann Grinnell.  
 

Christians from an Alliance national church in a Guinea, West Africa, village are in the throes of severe persecution because of their faith. Approximately six miles from N’Zao, where CAMA’s Hope Clinic provides medical and dental help for the poor and needy, is Yalenzou, where believers have refused to participate in a traditional religious ritual of “tattooing” young men.  
 
“They take the young men behind a palm thatch fence and mark their chests with 40–50 cuts that will become permanent scars,” said a CAMA worker. “They say that these are the devil’s teeth marks, and it signifies that they have been killed and eaten by the devil.”  
 
The Yalenzou church is strong, and the majority of its members refuse to obey orders given by the sect, sparking confrontation between the two religions. The believers also refused to pay fines issued for their refusal to participate in the ritual, knowing that paying the fines would render them subject to the demands of the sect. But their refusal to pay brought about a legal injunction against buying or selling from a Christian. 
 
“Christians have been stoned and beaten,” said our worker, “and the church was destroyed.” One church member, Jeremy, and his wife were severely beaten when she tried to get water from a well. Jeremy’s brother ran for help, but the crowd stopped police from coming to Jeremy’s rescue. In the shroud of darkness, the couple was able to escape through the crowd and make their way to N’Zao, joining other Christians who found refuge from the persecution with the clinic’s national staff members. 
 
The national church president met with government authorities, hoping to bring an end to the hostilities against Christians. “But little has been accomplished,” said our worker, “as no official wants to be responsible for a decision. Many belong to the cult and don’t want to risk angering the ‘bush devil.’”  
 
The Yalenzou believers who found refuge in N’Zao “are not bitter,” said the CAMA worker. “They realize the battle is not against flesh and blood and are praying for those who were responsible for the pain and destruction.”  
 
Call to Action: The N'Zao, Yalenzou, and Godi churches are meeting Friday, December 12, for an all day prayer and fast. Join them in prayer for protection for national believers who stand firm in their faith in Christ as well as for CAMA workers. Pray for justice through the legal system. 
 
Donate to support CAMA work.