December 3, 1999
Dear Friends,
Nearly 2000 years ago Jesus came to us as a helpless and vulnerable baby, born into poverty.
Today there are thousands of helpless and vulnerable babies born into poverty every day.
They come to us.
Their needs are our opportunities to give back to the baby who has become our King.
In a culture saturated with overindulgence, excessiveness and materialism, the simplicity of the birth of Christ brings balance and perspective. It is His historical and continued incarnation among us that we honor each year at Christmas by bringing Jesus to the center of our holiday celebrations.
As our thoughts are brought back to the birth of a vulnerable baby in Bethlehem and the significance of that event today in our lives, let us always allow that child -the baby Jesus- to born anew in our hearts.
As we celebrate this baby Jesus, I would like to introduce another baby to you.
His name is Daniel.
Much like the baby Jesus, baby Daniel was born in India into poverty, also vulnerable and helpless. But Daniel was abandoned shortly after his birth. This precious child was 26 days old and weighed less than 4 1/2 pounds when he was found. Daniel is HIV+ and may not live to celebrate his first birthday.
Soon it will be Christmas.
Many of us will share time with friends, family, and loved ones. Many of us will be blessed by gifts and warm wishes for a happy new year. Many of us will be so taken by all the holiday festivities that we'll forget about the little babies, much like the baby Jesus, who have little to celebrate as their suffering won't give them a holiday.
As the birth of Jesus is celebrated this Christmas, let us remember those babies whose births will not be celebrated. Let us allow Jesus to celebrate His birthday through our love and sacrifice this year. He is alive in us! Through us may His life be shared.
Daniel is one of thousands whose Christmas celebrations will be very different than most of ours. Let's make sure that there is a place for him and others like him to be included in our lives as we honor the birth of our Lord and it's relevance to His world in 1999 and into the next millennium.
Merry Christmas,
Chris and Phileena Heuertz