Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,

From heaven they came, wishes and dreams, touching lives and hearts with magic, from the creator of all things. In the morning, grandma was up before Sarah, a smile on her face, a little sparkle in her eyes as she laid the table with a freshly brewed pot of tea and crispy toast.
“Thank you, dear lord,” Sarah prayed, a joyful feeling in her heart as they sat down to a nice little breakfast.
The house now had a festive look and from an old, little radio she had found, beautiful Christmas songs filled the little home. The promise she had made to herself was slowly coming into being as Christmas drew closer and standing in the yard looking at the trees, she expressed to herself with regrets, “Too bad we don’t have electricity, a few strings of coloured lights would be nice.”
“What are you thinking?” a familiar voice said from the gate.
Sarah turned around, almost startled, “Oh hey, you’re back.”
It was Ronald, cool and casual, looks that could send any girl’s heart crazy, even a poor one. She had not seen him since the first stage of the bridge construction and since it was completed, she had thought his work was finished.
“You thought I wasn’t coming back, right?” he asked her.
She nodded and noticed several workers with cleaning equipment and weeding machines coming into the area.
“There’s a lot more to do” he told her “But I was taken up with urgent business and couldn’t come back sooner.”
Sarah’s heart filled with gratitude and she expressed those sentiments, “We are so thankful to you for giving this community the attention and help it so badly needs.”
Before he could answer, Isabella’s scream from inside the house interrupted any further conversation and Sarah excused herself, “Sorry, I have to attend to her.”
He hesitated a little then asked, “Can I come in?”
She looked at him and the house uncertainly, “I don’t have the comforts…”
“That’s okay” he interrupted her.
Isabella stopped crying when she saw him and crept across the small floor, holding onto his legs to stand up.
“She seems to like you” Sarah said.
“I realised that when she tried to break my laptop” he agreed with a little laugh, lifting her up and greeted grandma who was sitting in her rocking chair, “Hello.”
Grandma looked at him keenly, her sharp eyes trying to detect anything suspicious about him before responding.
“What brings someone like you to such a humble home, son?”
He put down Isabella who crept away to play and looked at Sarah before answering, “I don’t know, maybe it’s the Christmas spirit.”
Grandma nodded her head, the wise old woman she was-knowing it was the beginning of a story designed by fate but she was not sure of the ending.
Ronald stayed for a short while, outlining to Sarah, his plans of the restoration work in the community and she asked, impressed by his kindness, “Why are you helping us so much? No one else has shown any real interest.”
“It’s what my charity organisation does” he explained to her “And after seeing this place, I realized how much help is needed here to bring some cheer to the resident’s lives.”
She smiled, the deep gratitude bringing tears to her eyes, not knowing how more to express her thanks.
“It must be the miracle of Christmas” she thought, after he left to give instructions to the workers, “That he found us in this neglected community.”
Her heart had wished for something good and it seemed a plan from heaven had come into play when his car broke down and he travelled with her, then the accident and the ride home.
The next two days, she spent helping at the church as workers restored the quaint, age old building to some form of glory. Ronald visited every day, not for long periods but time enough to get to know him a little better. He brought medication for grandma, baby food, and stuffed toys for Isabella who was growing fond of him.

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air
For the residents, who though living in the throes of poverty for so long, held onto belief and faith in the Lord. Ronald to them was like an angel sent by god, his kindness and warm personality, winning their hearts and when their church organ was restored to play again, it brought tears to the eyes of the older folks.
The pain in Sarah’s heart was slowly ebbing away, a soft light now flickered in her eyes and on her face, a little glow, for now, there were smiles laughter and songs, in the place that was home. She sang Isabella to sleep every night and one night as she was singing softly, Ronald stopped by, looking tired.
“Hard day?” she asked, as he came in and sat down on the new sofa he had gifted to her grandma’s home.
“Yes, this is always a busy and tiring period for me.”
She sat down in a chair close by and looking at her from the glow of the lamp, he remarked, “You’re looking different.”
“How is that?”
“There’s a reflection of cheerfulness in your eyes and your smile.”
“I have you to thank,” she told him “For the good things you have been doing for us.”
The night wore on as they sat there in the comfort of the cozy, little old house, talking little things of interest and for the first time since tragedy had stormed into her life, she laughed. The sound of her laughter seemed strange, not sure when last she heard that sound. She didn’t have to say it, the look on her face alone telling him, how much she had suffered.
When he left, the stars were still shining in the sky and he kissed her ‘good-bye’ on the cheek, a soft, lingering kiss and one little star from the millions in the sky, twinkled. She laid in bed, sleepless for a while, still reluctant to think of what seemed impossible.
Three days before Christmas, a group from Ronald’s charity organisation came into the community sharing food hampers to each resident and on Christmas eve, Santa Claus visited, sharing toys to the children. Never had Sarah seen excitement in a community that had cried for help so long. Tears had become dry, smiles had faded and faces had grown old and wrinkled from waiting.
The waiting was now over as life, like the poinsettia, bloomed in the Christmas season, prayers answered. Tonight the strings of coloured lights on the oak tree, powered by a generator would shine bright and worshippers would go to church with songs in their hearts.

Silent night, Holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth

Sarah hadn’t seen Ronald since that night he visited and she hoped that she could see him for despite living in poverty, Christmas eve was always a special night for her. She helped grandma to get dressed in her finest church attire and was getting Isabella ready when someone called at the door. It was a package from Ronald with a note that said, “Wear this dress tonight.”
It was a simple but beautiful off white, fit and flare dress accentuated by tiny pearl beads.
“Wow” was all Sarah could say, hardly recognising herself in the nicest dress she had ever worn.
The church was filled, everyone in their finest clothes, an unforgettable night of prayers and songs to celebrate the birth of the Christ child.
“Thank you, dear lord,” Sarah prayed. “For my grandmother, for these beautiful moments and for the earthly angel you sent into our lives.”
As they walked home, just after midnight, on that Christmas morning, she saw him standing by the lighted oak tree, waiting, a smile that was more than warm, a kiss that felt more than casual as she wished her ‘Merry Christmas’.
She had waited so much to see him, her heart speaking to her, telling her something special was happening.
“Do I believe?” she asked herself, “Is this a miracle of Christmas?”
The star above twinkled in answer.
No one slept that night, such was the celebratory mood in the community, the wine and rum, garlic pork and barbeque chicken, West Indian style. A few glasses of wine she drank, danced and sang and when he kissed her goodbye, it was a kiss that gave her life a new meaning, sparking the embers in her heart that had been just a glow, into a fire, the passion burning to ashes, the rags of her life, clothing her in silk robe and that was the moment when her heart believed.

I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas
Is you

It was a beautiful Christmas day, Isabella playing with her many toys, grandma in bright spirits, chatting with the neighbours who visited her to wish her well, sharing ginger beer and black cake. Sarah wore that day, a simple little red dress, daring to look a little sensuous just for him and when he came by later with a Christmas gift, he smiled appreciatively.
“Did you wear that for me?”
She hesitated a moment, not sure how to answer, then she thought, “What the heck, it’s Christmas” and she answered, smiling, “Yes.”
From the look in his eyes, it was the answer he wanted to hear, a look that fuelled the fire burning in her heart and embracing her, he said, “I love it but what I love more, Sarah, is to see your smile, no more sadness.”
She whispered his name as his lips touched hers, no more need for words, not when she had found love – the miracle of Christmas.

(To be continued)

(By Maureen Rampertab)