Today’s guest blogger is my wife Kim, who discusses how the words “Christmas” and “Arabia” could once be used in the same sentence when she lived in the Middle East more than 40 years ago. Ah, the magic and romance of the desert …
Kim in Arabia, May 2011
It seems so long ago. The years were 1965-1970. It was Christmas in Saudi Arabia, where my parents were missionaries to the Bedouin people in the desert.
Photo at Oasis Hospital with Kim's father in back row, 3rd from left, 1967
We lived about 100 miles from the now beautiful, modern city of Dubai.
46 years ago, we traveled by open land rover on non-existing roads surrounded by sand dunes. It took about 10 hours to travel 100 miles.
19 months ago, I went back to visit where I lived. I took a taxi to the hospital where we used to work and it only took 1 hour and 15 minutes. What a difference!
Kim with Taxi in Arabia, May 2010
When the Arabs asked me why I was visiting, I told them, “I lived here 46 years ago.” With amazement, they said, “There was nothing here.” I said, “You are exactly right.”
Kim in Front of Oasis Hospital, May 2011
Every year at Christmas time, my brothers, sisters and I came home from boarding school, either in Pakistan or India. It was only at Christmas time that I saw my parents each year. I counted every day for months when it was time to go home. Home was where we had no homework and no strict schedules for two months.
We would get together with friends on the compound. We hiked, cooked, played games, played tricks on each other, and saw our pets (cats, dogs, gazelles, goats, a donkey, a fox, and a hedgehog).
Sometimes we slept outside up on high beds to keep snakes and scorpions away. We would wake up in the morning hearing camels eating our dried palm leaf fence.
Life was simple. We would run around without shoes, help in the hospital, read books, listen to good music, and sit around and just talk. I loved the simplicity.
Saudi Arabian Desert
When it came to getting a Christmas tree, we were creative. We chose a thorn bush and brought it home to decorate. We had fun adorning the tree with popcorn. We wanted more decorations so we took Kotex and tore it apart to make snow with cotton. I wasn’t sure my mom was very happy with us.
We learned to make taffy, pulling and pulling until we had a sweet, sticky treat.
But my best memory was camping in the desert. I remember always having a sinus infection but I was determined to go – so I bundled up and went camping. Being in the desert at night under a clear sky, you could see every star. You could see the campfire for miles. You were surrounded by sand dunes and the sound of nothing. It was peaceful and quiet.
It must have been how the shepherds, Joseph, and Mary felt when Jesus was born.
Our Christmas service was held outside at night. The glowing of candles and far off lights made the desert romantic and magical. I was asked to play the organ and everyone from the compound came and sang Christmas carols. This was my gift to Jesus.
Oh, the simplicity of Christmas!
Restoring Kingdom Builders 
That was a beautiful article, Kim. What a wonderful reminder of what Christmas is all about.
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The other Christmas Tree I remember was the one we created from green door screen. We shaped it into a cone and decorated with stringed popcorn. Every year we would recreate the nativity story in the glow of keronsene lanterns after the campus power would be turned off. Kim would direct, Kevin was Joseph, Holly was Mary and Sara and I were relegated to multiple roles of the magi and shepherds, occasionally a camel or lamb. Chatty Cathy was Jesus. Mom and Dad represented our sold-out standing room only audience.
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