The Christmas Edition

“That manger, poor in everything yet rich in love, teaches that true nourishment in life comes from letting ourselves be loved by God and loving others in turn.”

Pope Francis

Every year when Christmas comes, we relate to this manger Nativity scene.  We have been privileged to enter countless traditional homes in Ethiopia and Kenya to meet families living similarly to the setting in which Jesus was born—-mud walls and thatched roofs, families sharing space and warmth with animals, a thick bed of straw for comfort, houses devoid of running water for cooking or cleaning, no electricity for light, nor any of the comforts we consider essential.  We know that the poor understand hardship and fortitude in ways we never will, and we honor their position on the world stage.  To the billions who live so simply, we wish you a very blessed Christmas!  We know God shines his light on you in a special way.

This Manger Scene is our Christmas gift to you.

Each one is a hand carved relief sculpture of the Holy Family carved from a single piece of wood with the bark still intact, a unique item from Kenya that will surely compliment, if not be the highlight, of your Christmas decorations. We’re sure you’ll be impressed by how innovative the artists were when carving them and adding hinges so that you can close it up and store it away safely until next Christmas. Although we might just leave ours out year-round as a reminder of how precious our family is and how blessed we are to have each other.

ETHIOPIA UPDATE

Please remember the people of Ethiopia this Christmas, as their nation grapples with violence.  We have removed our volunteers from the country for the time being, with the hope to return soon.  Our clinic and children’s operations continue with our loyal local staff, curing the sick and providing support to vulnerable children who are victims of political conflict beyond their control.

JOIN OUR TEAM

AND BECOME A PART OF THE LONG AND BEAUTIFUL LALMBA STORY

Lalmba is searching for strong, compassionate, and adventurous volunteers to work at our projects.  If you or someone you know would like to give 1-2 years of service in exchange for lifelong memories and rewarding experiences helping some of the neediest people on the planet, please get in touch with us. We need project managers and medical volunteers (doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant) to help train, lead and manage our clinic and public health programs.  If you have a love for children and are interested in working at our children’s projects, that position will be opening within the next year.

Jeff & Hillary JamesThe Christmas Edition