“And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14)

The Word became flesh in a unique, historical way through the birth of Jesus. He continues to “make his dwelling among us” through the love he inspires by his Holy Spirit.

Miracles arise wherever Christ dwells. On my recent trip to El Salvador, I visited a group of mothers of children who are sponsored through Unbound. These women came from poverty. Despite their intelligence and strong will, many of them had been denied education.

Unbound sponsorship allowed their children to obtain education beyond the means of their parents. Each sponsorship already was a miracle. Someone living in the United States miraculously loved a stranger in El Salvador to make their dreams possible.

As with the birth of Jesus, miracles exceed our expectations. These moms in El Salvador voluntarily chose to contribute $3 each month to a savings and loan cooperative that they themselves own. They elect their own officers and committee chairs. They decide which members of their cooperative receive loans and in what amount.

Borrowers repay the loans with 1% monthly interest. They usually have two years for repayment. However, they may extend the loan by participating in business courses. Because they own the cooperative, they rarely default.

One woman I met, Flor, borrowed to start a restaurant from her home. During the pandemic, her business courses taught her to pivot to delivering meals to homes and businesses. She recently borrowed more to expand the equipment in her restaurant to produce more meals.

Despite their humble origins, these women now own a savings and loan cooperative that manages more than a quarter million dollars! They spoke about how their cooperative impacted them more than financially. With help from Unbound, they learned how to own and manage a sophisticated financial institution.

Even more importantly, they learned about their abilities. Poverty had darkened their image of themselves. Through the miracle of love, they saw the light of their own potential.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

Thank you for shining the light of his love throughout the world. May God bless you this Christmas season!

Lord, help me to share the gift of your miraculous birth in Bethlehem. Make my heart your dwelling among us. Bless the poor and marginalized of the world this Christmas. Give me sight to see your miracles where your love shines. Amen.