Peace On Earth, Goodwill To All

Last year, we spent Christmas in China. On Christmas Day itself, we were in Guangzhou for the last leg of our adoption trip. We had a medical exam scheduled for that morning (needed in order to get K's visa to come to the US). The picture above was taken on our walk back from the medical exam.

And then that afternoon, we had a pretty neat experience at a local Buddhist Temple.
I didn't blog about it at the time. Not sure why. I think maybe I just wasn't sure what everyone back home would think about it. You know, Christians in a Buddhist Temple. On Christmas Day to boot! But I had no qualms about going. There was going to be a small service there, where the monks would offer a blessing for the babies. I thought that it would be a neat experience. Part of K's cultural heritage. Plus, I was curious. You don't get a chance like this very often in the midwest.

So off we went. The place was beautiful. The Temple was not just one building, like I had expected, but rather it was a collection of buildings, courtyards, gardens, and a pagoda. The photo of K hugging me was taken near a little water garden there. It was a very peaceful place. The baby blessing was lovely as well. But as we strolled around, I still thought about the irony of being there on Christmas Day.

And then I saw it. The Peace Pole. Look closely in the photo below and you can see it in the background. It reads: May Peace Prevail On Earth. The other 3 sides carry the same message, but in other languages.
It all came together.

Being here on Christmas Day wasn't really as strange as I had thought. Afterall, at the very time we were in that Temple, our family and friends were likely heading home from Christmas Eve services in their hometowns, where they sang carols praising the baby Jesus, the one God sent as his Gift to us. The Messiah. The Prince of Peace.

I felt a greater sense of peace myself right then. A greater sense of connectedness to Keira's ancestors. For despite the cultural differences we were experiencing, I felt that at the core we all wanted the same thing. Peace on Earth.

I thought then that it had all come full circle. But there was more.

This past spring, after being home with Keira for a few months, I read in our church bulletin that the church was planning to install a Peace Pole. One just like the one we saw on Christmas Day in Guangzhou.

Apparently, there are now more than 200,000 Peace Poles in 180 countries around the world. They can be found at churches, schools, parks, and town squares. At the Pyramids in Egypt and at the magenetic North Pole in Canada. At Allenby Bridge between Israel and Jordan. Poles have been dedicated by political leaders, like President Jimmy Carter, and spiritual leaders, like Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama.

And now, as Christmas approaches for this year, we offer you this wish: May peace prevail in your hearts. At Christmastime and always. And someday, may peace truly prevail on Earth.