Christmas is Coming to Istanbul!

Our lovely weather in Istanbul has come to an end and winter has arrived. This week we will be getting ready for the arrival of Clare, John and Jessica, who are going to spend Christmas with us. Although this is a Muslim country, and Christmas is not widely celebrated, there are Christmas decorations in the shops and there is a Christmassy feel about. This is helped by listening to the Christmas Carols on Classic FM, our favourite radio station.

While we all put up the Christmas tree and pull out the decorations, here is a Christmas story for you: The Christmas Miracle. I wrote this after a conversation with Mother Isabel, one of the Carmelite Missionary Sisters of Saint Theresa. She was the Director of the Divina Providencia Children’s Home in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, when we were there. She was constantly worrying how she was going to feed the children in the orphanage, This story is really my Christmas wish for her.

Elizabeth Coughlan