(My script for a Christmas report that I will file today.)
Christmas this year is not that merry for many in some parts of the world.
In the southern Philippines, people continue to mourn for their dead, while others are still searching for missing loved ones after a strong tropical storm hit several cities, washing away homes, cars, farms and livelihoods last week.
The number of missing people has been estimated at more than a thousand, while more than a thousand others were reported dead.
In New Zealand, strong earthquakes struck the city of Christchurch on Friday, rattling buildings, sending goods tumbling from shelves and prompting terrified holiday shoppers to flee into the streets. The city is still recovering from a devastating February earthquake that killed 182 people and destroyed much of the downtown area.
In India, Christians in Orissa are seeking protection after a tribal group called for a general strike during the Christmas period in Kandhamal district. They said the strike call “has caused panic among Christians who are planning to celebrate Christmas for the first time in four years.”
In Pakistan, the government is deploying snipers and hundreds of extra police at churches this Christmas to prevent possible attacks on the persecuted Christian minority. The bulk of Pakistan’s tiny Christian community live in and around the eastern city of Lahore, where police said there were 433 churches.
Indonesian authorities are also strengthening their forces nationwide, especially in conflict-prone areas, in a bid to be prepared to act against terror activities prior to, and during, the Christmas and New Year holidays. The police will deploy 83,457 officers, 18,000 of them from the Indonesian Military and related institutions, during the Dec. 23-Jan. 1 operation.
In China, Christmas, although not officially celebrated, has become an occasion for shopping sprees and fun-seeking. In Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi’an and even second-tier Chinese cities, Christmas has become an important celebration for urbanites.
Some Christian leaders, however, are complaining that the government is trying to stop celebrations by religious communities that are not officially sanctioned.
In Korea, an alliance of religious groups opposed to the lighting up of a Christmas tree-shaped tower near the border with North Korea has welcomed a government order to scrap the plan. The alliance said the decision was a good one and warned against reviving the plan again next year. South Korea revived the Christmas tradition last year following two attacks by North Korea that killed over 50 people.
Christmas in Bangladesh is often referred to as Bara Din, which means the “Big Day”. Churches are illuminated with lights and the festive spirit in anticipation of Bara Din while streets and homes start taking on the form of Christmas wonderlands, with trees, branches and lights adorning houses and lining streets.
In northern Thailand, in the mountains of Chiang Mai province, tribal people celebrate Christmas for a whole week. This is the amount of time it takes the PIME missionaries to reach all the Catholic villages of the area. In the city of Bangkok, Christmas is a day to go shopping.
And in Japan, aside from celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Japanese people are celebrating a legend – by erecting huge Christmas trees in the shape of Godzilla! It’s not uncommon to spot Gojira (his native name) towering over the rooftops or popping up in the shopping centers during the annual gift buying rush!
So there you are, despite all the challenges that people face, it’s still Christmas, a time to remember the boy who was born in a manger in a small village in the middle of nowhere who later influenced the history of the world.
Merry Christmas to one and all!
First Draft 
Not so merry Christmas
(My script for a Christmas report that I will file today.)
Christmas this year is not that merry for many in some parts of the world.
In the southern Philippines, people continue to mourn for their dead, while others are still searching for missing loved ones after a strong tropical storm hit several cities, washing away homes, cars, farms and livelihoods last week.
The number of missing people has been estimated at more than a thousand, while more than a thousand others were reported dead.
In New Zealand, strong earthquakes struck the city of Christchurch on Friday, rattling buildings, sending goods tumbling from shelves and prompting terrified holiday shoppers to flee into the streets. The city is still recovering from a devastating February earthquake that killed 182 people and destroyed much of the downtown area.
In India, Christians in Orissa are seeking protection after a tribal group called for a general strike during the Christmas period in Kandhamal district. They said the strike call “has caused panic among Christians who are planning to celebrate Christmas for the first time in four years.”
In Pakistan, the government is deploying snipers and hundreds of extra police at churches this Christmas to prevent possible attacks on the persecuted Christian minority. The bulk of Pakistan’s tiny Christian community live in and around the eastern city of Lahore, where police said there were 433 churches.
Indonesian authorities are also strengthening their forces nationwide, especially in conflict-prone areas, in a bid to be prepared to act against terror activities prior to, and during, the Christmas and New Year holidays. The police will deploy 83,457 officers, 18,000 of them from the Indonesian Military and related institutions, during the Dec. 23-Jan. 1 operation.
In China, Christmas, although not officially celebrated, has become an occasion for shopping sprees and fun-seeking. In Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi’an and even second-tier Chinese cities, Christmas has become an important celebration for urbanites.
Some Christian leaders, however, are complaining that the government is trying to stop celebrations by religious communities that are not officially sanctioned.
In Korea, an alliance of religious groups opposed to the lighting up of a Christmas tree-shaped tower near the border with North Korea has welcomed a government order to scrap the plan. The alliance said the decision was a good one and warned against reviving the plan again next year. South Korea revived the Christmas tradition last year following two attacks by North Korea that killed over 50 people.
Christmas in Bangladesh is often referred to as Bara Din, which means the “Big Day”. Churches are illuminated with lights and the festive spirit in anticipation of Bara Din while streets and homes start taking on the form of Christmas wonderlands, with trees, branches and lights adorning houses and lining streets.
In northern Thailand, in the mountains of Chiang Mai province, tribal people celebrate Christmas for a whole week. This is the amount of time it takes the PIME missionaries to reach all the Catholic villages of the area. In the city of Bangkok, Christmas is a day to go shopping.
And in Japan, aside from celebrating the birth of Jesus, the Japanese people are celebrating a legend – by erecting huge Christmas trees in the shape of Godzilla! It’s not uncommon to spot Gojira (his native name) towering over the rooftops or popping up in the shopping centers during the annual gift buying rush!
So there you are, despite all the challenges that people face, it’s still Christmas, a time to remember the boy who was born in a manger in a small village in the middle of nowhere who later influenced the history of the world.
Merry Christmas to one and all!