I wake up every morning with birds tweeting, chirping, and singing. Fresh air passes through my windows, and the majestically quiet, pleasing sound of a river begins my day in Okhaldhunga. The air is so pure and soft. Breathing that air nourishes my body. In between the high hills and evergreen trees are located the buildings of the Okhaldhunga Community Hospital (OCH). Every morning as I go to work, I see the flow of patients, their visitors, and my colleagues, all in a hustle. And I pause to think: these individuals are precious to God as He has created us all in His own image. There is a special reason why God has all of us together in this place. It is not by chance; there is a divine purpose for all of us to be here in Okhaldhunga. He uses all of His creation to fulfill His purpose.

At OCH, I have met with people from all over Nepal and all across the world – America, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, India, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Therefore, it would be correct to say that OCH is a multilingual and multicultural place. Yet OCH values ‘bind us together in unity’.  The different ethnicity reminds me of the fields ready to be harvested. They are plentiful and exist here for a purpose. God is looking for labourers for these fields that need to be harvested.

As the Christmas season is approaching, a question hits my mind: Why Christmas? How should Christmas be celebrated this year? What is so significant about Christmas?

Christoúgenna is a Greek word for Christmas. It is translated into English as Christ’s birth. God made humankind in His own image and yet each individual is precious and unique. And to each of these individuals, God has given them the freedom to make decisions. Therefore, some enjoy Christmas as a “Party Day”, a “Santa-gift” day, a “Newtonmas” in honour of Issac Newton, and others as the birth of the Saviour, Jesus Christ.

After the fall, God spoke to the serpent, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between our offspring and hers; he will crush[b] your head, and you will strike his heel.”(Genesis 3:15, NIV). This verse predicted the birth of Jesus about 1500 years before He was born in Bethlehem. Due to the wrong choices made by humanity, God sent His only begotten Son to die for humanity. Perfect love is bestowed on us by the Creator, to save us all from our transgressions. We were to be punished for our forefathers’ sin and yet our penalty is paid!

OCH’s diversity reminds me that a workplace like OCH can be a place for some of us to be Jesus’ witnesses. Society here is like Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. We are called to be blessings to others and to shine for Jesus. I look forward to celebrating this Christmas with the ones who cannot return my gift. The ones who are betrayed. My prayer is that I and my community in OCH will continue to seek God’s plan for us to be salt and light this Christmas. We are not here in Okhaldhunga by chance.

I wish you all a blessed Christmas!

Dr. Roshan Kharel