In my recent Advent devotional time reading of C.S. Lewis A Grand Miracle by Joel Heck, the author quotes from C.S. Lewis’ The Last Battle:

“Queen Lucy recalls, ‘In our world too, a Stable once had something inside it that was bigger than our whole world.’ The Stable to which Lucy referred was, of course, the stable of Bethlehem. It once had something inside it that was bigger than the whole world, the baby Jesus.”

This is the time of year when I think of the Baby Jesus coming to the world – a newborn, born in a stable. But also, being a grandmother for the first time this past year, I am aware that my mind goes to babies… and mothers…  all around the world.

My thoughts are drawn to the Nutrition Promotion Project in Nepal on the IM website. 50% of the children in western Nepal are malnourished resulting in diarrhea, dehydration and death.  The project would provide health education and promotion of nutrition to those mothers of babies who are in desperate need of this training.

Because Nepal is mostly mountain ranges and river valleys, there are only a few main roads in this country – the size of the state of Tennessee. And, in the western region of the country roads are just about non-existent. 

Taking medical camps out from local rural hospitals to remote villages means that sick children don’t have to be carried as far for medical care.

By providing rural medical camps out into the mountains, the quality of life through healthier hygiene and nutrition habits can reduce the mortality and morbidity rates of children – loved by their mothers – in this area.   Your giving $100 could provide vitamins and iron tablets for the malnourished children living in the remote region of the west.  $3.30 would provide one child enough “super flour” – high nutritional cereal in place of non-nutritional white rice – for one year. ( (http://internationalministries.org/projects/97) 

In my last trip to Nepal in October, I met with Astha, the Public Health Program Coordinator for HDCS, an IM Nepal partner. She is excited about this potential project, is waiting for the project to be funded, and is looking forward to coordinating this project as soon as funds are received.

The children for whom the nutritional medical camp has been created can only be benefited when interested people make a donation to this project.

Then, the Baby-In-The-Manger’s love can be extended to these malnourished children in the far remote villages of the world.

The conclusion of that same Advent reading challenges me to look at my faith.

“We know that big things come in small packages. Small towns. Short people. Diamond rings. Babies especially. But also heart, courage, determination, and faith. Faith can move mountains but it doesn’t need to be big to do so. Jesus said, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain – Move from there to there – and it will move’.”  (Matthew 17:20)

Astha has the heart, courage, determination and faith to see that this project will someday be completed.

What about me? You?  Where is God challenging our faith these days?  How can we see Your greatness that comes in smallness, Baby Jesus? Give us a small faith in a Great Savior.

Thinking about Queen Lucy’s words brings this song to mind:

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head.

The stars in the sky look down where he lay. The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.”

May the words of this familiar Christmas Carol remind us that the babe that lay there is bigger than the whole world.    

Merry Christmas to you, Carole