Joyful Celebrations
For most of us, Christmas is a time of year filled with joy and happiness. Homes are decorated with colorful lights and decorated trees. Children are excited as they anticipate opening gifts on Christmas morning. Churches and communities hold special services or programs, filling the air with music as the stages are set with nativities, angels, and other signs of the season. But, what we’re describing is an American Christmas. The days of celebration are often very different in countries like India and Brazil. While they will celebrate with gift-giving, it will be on a much smaller scale. This past Christmas (2025) was no different.
Fifty-four men and women in two individual Indian leper colonies were blessed with a Christmas Celebration Banquet, a supply of fresh vegetables and staples (rice and flour), new clothing, and a delicious hot meal. Along with the gift of nourishment, the men and women each received a much-needed gift of new clothing. Pastor P shared a powerful, well-received Christmas message at each location. Celebration and expressions of praise and worship rang through the villages as great testimonies of God’s provision, compassion, and love filled the air. But, that’s not all …
Sixty-four men and women serving as pastors in 32 individual churches were blessed with special Christmas gifts and a celebration meal honoring the birth of our Lord! This would never have been possible without the generous gifts of friends and families like you. Pastor P sent his sincere thanks:
“Please convey our sincere thanks to the brethren who made our Christmas celebrations possible this year. God has blessed all the lepers and the pastors, especially through the generosity of the ministry of Bridges. We love you and pray for your work to continue to prosper and increase with much fruit to the glory of God!”
We want to thank everyone who prayed with us that God would make a way to provide a special Christmas celebration for our friends in Brazil and India, and here at home in Ohio. As always, God made a way where there seemed to be no way! We had a budget in mind, a specific amount we would need for each ministry. While we fell short in some respects, unexpected gifts came in to help meet the needs we wanted to address. Thank You, Lord!!!
Here are some pictures of celebrations with our Pastors and the two leper colonies in India. We are so grateful for everyone who prayed with us and gave generously to make this Christmas season special in so many ways! A special thank you to a recent donor who made it possible to provide blankets for every leper in both colonies.
Your generous gift, no matter how big or small, means so much to those who are the forgotten, rejected, and outcast. Please consider making it possible to encourage those society overlooks but whom God loves (click here)! Thank you, and God bless you!!
