Gold Frankincense and Myrrh Today

Karl and Debbie....surrounded by sent and scents

The gifts given to the Savior-child are the reminders for us today that Christmas is about missions.  
 
On Saturday Dec 19 at our house, we celebrated the birthday not of Jesus but of Mary.  Miriam to be more precise.  Miriam is a Middle-east resident in the International House, Baltimore.  While the middle-eastern food platter was consumed by the few who gathered around, Debbie put frankincense into the pot.  It filled the cold December air with its flurry of smoke and fragrance.  It brought a smile of familiar and joyful past to the oft-strained face of our friend.  
 
Frankincense has been used for centuries as a treasured aroma of joy.  In much of the world where the presence of the actual tree-sap is missing, the aroma of joy simply has to be transmitted by the presence of people and their care for each other.  We all have the opportunity to be that aroma of blessing to the world around us.  When we are, we simply are wafting the joy of the presence of the Saviour.
 
We didn’t exactly have myrrh on Saturday, the aromatic  spice that was used in temple worship, in purification and in embalming in the Bible times.  But the point of myrrh was to hide the scent of death and of brokenness.   We all have journeyed in these last many months in a world broken by Covid.  The scent of sickness and death has reached most families in one way or another.  God's temple today is His presence in the midst of His people. Miriam came into that temple of God.  She was surrounded by those who have experienced the saving presence of Christ, as one needing relief from the dark and oppressive world.  She entered the space of those who could be the frankincense of joy and the myrrh that covered and absorbed the pain.
 
And who are those who have received your words of encouragement, of joy, of compassion?  You have provided of your resources, your gold, so that the world might know and smell the presence of the King.  Thank you for the Christmas offering of gold, frankincense and myrrh that you have given all year.

Miriam has been a resident in the IHB for over three years.  She is a highly skilled physician and brings her own delights and needs.

The celebration was provided by a colleague/friend who first interned with Karl in 1994 during the Rwandan crisis.

A few prayer wafts…

1. Karl has a new bionic ear--a cochlear implant and is slowly learning to hear with it. He also just had prostate surgery and is in the early stages of recovery. Deb is still struggling with her many medical complications. One drug helps something and complicates another.  Pray for daily stamina and patience with all our complications.

2. God has been faithful to us through the continued support of many of you.  We are still receiving a salary, but we hope this year to transition giving to the global impact of the peace studies program.  This needs to be a year of peace on earth!

3. Karl received a nice Christmas gift of one more completed and edited dissertation as well as the information that the doctoral program was accredited by one more agency this week!  A new organization has been started in Beirut to give one of our soon-to-be PhD graduates a platform to engage with church and government leaders.

4. The international house has one empty room that we would love to see filled with God's opportunity.

5. We still hope to travel this year to see many of you.  We purchased and are converting a van so we will have our own accommodations.  We miss family and friends as you do!

6. Our children and grandchildren like yours are struggling with school, jobs and just the difficulty of the odd season.  We pray for each other to be a fresh breeze of His grace.

--We have a salary reduction plan that will continue to move to the level that donations support.  Give thanks in prayer with us that God does supply all our needs.
 https://www.mtw.org/missionaries/details/karl-and-debbie-dortzbach

Take a short peek at a summary of our last year.