| Dear friends, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there
until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
Matthew 2:13 (NRSV). | Travel. One of the most common activities at this Christmas time of year is travel. I remember that one of the things that I anticipated most during the month of December when I was a child was what this meant: presents, special food, lights and fireworks... but above all, family gatherings. It was at this time of the year that family members living in other cities and countries would travel to be together once again. How happy I felt when I would see them cross the threshold of our house! |  | Now, when my daughters are unable to travel to be together due to legal reasons that have to do with the country where they live, I remember a Christmas carol that we used to sing when I was a child: "Christmas, sweet Christmas, return to hearth, return to home, Christmas, sweet Christmas, the warmth of every home..." It is sad to want to travel to be together with family and not be able to do so.  "Flight into Egypt" by Fra Angélico (ca. 1395–1455) | However, the situation facing thousands of our brothers and sisters around the world who are forced to travel is even sadder. Many of the members of our global faith family are obliged to travel because they are displaced by violence, or because they have lost their house in a natural disaster, maybe they are fleeing political and religious persecution, or due to economic need;
these are among the many reasons for having to flee. | This Christmas, let us remember that our Saviour identifies with those who are forced to travel, just as Fra Angelico depicted in his painting "Flight into Egypt". The God in whom we Christians believe was a child displaced to another country because of the violence and persecution that were the reality in the context in which he lived. While we sing carols and celebrate during these festivities, may we take a goodly amount of time to pray for those who are traveling under duress. If possible, let us do something more to show our love to, and identification with, those who have no home to return to, as the carol says.  | In celebration of the God who identifies with those who are forced to travel, 
César García, MWC general secretary |
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