Article December 19, 2005 Issue

The GIFT of the Christ

BY BOSEDE BAKAREY

I come from a part of Nigeria where most families have both Muslim and Christian members, so we celebrated all holidays together. My grandfather actually converted from Islam to Christianity, and was one of the founding members of the Native African Church.

Christmas is a period of joy, gratitude, and sharing. And though I enjoyed the festivities and all the good that flowed around, sometimes I still felt an inner emptiness that I could not explain. Something in me yearned for a deeper understanding of Jesus.

As an adult, I cherished quietness and periods when I could be alone to think independently or to read some of my many inspirational books and wonder what life was all about. Some people were happy, others miserable. Some were sick, others healthy. Some lived in luxury, others in grinding poverty. I also saw that some of these poor people enjoyed better health and were happier than the rich. I wondered what was responsible for these inconsistencies?

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