A tiny one-room church, most likely smaller than your living room, heat coming from a small wood-burning stove in the middle of the room, snow a foot deep outside the door, more wetness coming down, temperature around freezing.....smell, a mixture of wet hair, body odor, and instant coffee.

The scene: 

A tiny one-room church, most likely smaller than your living room, heat coming from a small wood-burning stove in the middle of the room, snow a foot deep outside the door, more wetness coming down, temperature around freezing.....smell, a mixture of wet hair, body odor, and instant coffee.

The characters: 

12 Roma (gyspy) boys about 10 years old, with shining smiles, dirty clothes, and lots of energy, 15 Roma girls between 5 and 14 years of age with long dark hair, hand-me-down clothing, and bright, excited eyes.

Aaron, playing a cheap keyboard that keeps shorting out.

Melody, our introverted colleague who is standing in the middle of all of the children.

Me, standing in the back with tears in my eyes.

WHY AM I STARTING TO CRY?

The action:

25 Roma children "singing" Joy to the World  for the first time in their lives.  All the little boys have been handed percussion instruments that they BANG, RATTLE, SHAKE, and CHIME at random moments as Melody tries desperately to get them to play all on the same beat and Aaron attempts to keep the keyboard from shorting out.  All the while, the girls singing "JOY TO THE WORLD, THE LORD HAS COME" at the top of their lungs...

 …and all I can think, is that THIS is the most beautiful Christmas song, I have heard!

 Then they begin to sing a song that was written specifically for them that says, 

"IF GOD IS FOR ME, THEN WHO CAN BE AGAINST ME!"  Even the boys join in the sing/shout as they pound on their instruments.

 When is the last time you picked up a tambourine and started shouting about the glory of God? Because HE is for you! 

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