The wonder of Christmas. That's the theme of this year's Buckner Advent Guide. That makes me think of the Christmas carol, "Joy to the World." 

In the song, the line "and wonders of his love" is repeated three times. 

John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” 

That is the wonder of God’s love for us – and the love of his son, Jesus, for us.  

For children, the wonder of Christmas is often in the anticipation of gifts. And that can be the case for many adults too.

But the real wonder is in the pure gift of his love. It’s perfect love. A love that promises us salvation.

That love motivates our work at Buckner International. We don’t just serve vulnerable children, families and seniors. We serve them in the example of Jesus Christ. We try to model that perfect love, and in doing so, we create hope. 

There is an African proverb that says, “Love is like rain after a long drought.” So many of the children, families and seniors we serve need love to rain down on them. And thanks to you, many this year experienced drought-breaking love. 

Thank you for the role you play in our mission. 

Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad.