A Gypsy Christmas
The Great Exchange
Two gypsies appeared before the Pearly Gates. St. Peter frowned, “You guys are looking for Nirvana- second gate – down.” “No,” they said, “we want to come into heaven.” “But you guys are Hindus!” said St. Peter. “No,” they said, we’re ELS Lutherans.” “Look, I know you,” Peter said. “You’re Hindus-second gate-down!” “No,” the gypsies chorused again, “we want to get into heaven. Can’t you please ask God for us?” So, St. Peter reluctantly marched off and presented their case. Astounded, he heard God say, “Well, I suppose we could give it a try- let them in.” So, St. Peter marched sedately back from the throne…but moments later came racing back with hair and beard streaming behind, shouting “they’re gone, they’re gone!” “The gypsies are gone?” God asked. “No! The Pearly Gates!”
Gypsy immediately brings to mind stereotypes. Fortune telling, horse trading and traveling caravans are part of the profile. But today’s reality is in some ways different. Charlie Chaplin (comedian), Django Reinhardt (musician), and Isabel Pantoja (singer) are but a few famous gypsies. Nowadays the group is collectively known as Romani although also as Roma, Gitanos, Sinti and other. The only ethnic group in the world that do not lay claim to a particular country; their DNA has been traced to India and it suggests that the Romani people are descendants of the Jat from northern India/Pakistan. The word gypsy is a derivative of Egyptian. They arrived in the Middle East about 1000 A.D., an intelligent people who lived on their wits and found it easy to impress uneducated locals. At the time, being on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land was the ultimate status symbol and supporting those who were was the next best thing. The new immigrants claimed they had been ejected from their homeland (Egypt) and that they were on pilgrimage. Therefore, soon the “little Egyptians” were under the protection of kings throughout Europe. But this guise did not last forever and eventually gypsies gained the reputation of being thieves and pick pockets. During Nazi Germany persecution of gypsies reached its height and hundreds of thousands faced genocide, to this day, they continue to be shunned and persecuted.
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Christmas came early for the gypsies of Mukachavo, Ukraine.
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Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die and just because they don’t doesn’t mean they won’t. We should feel sorry for those poor guys who could have gotten into heaven and all they managed was the Pearly Gates! But -eternity is coming and it’s no joke .So, how can I ever know if I am going to heaven? The Ukrainian Lutheran Church deaconess, Ludmyla, told the Christmas story of Jesus come to earth, born of Mary, but she began by telling the gypsy children that the devil is a liar and all people have sinned and are condemned in God’s eyes (Romans 3:23).
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Ukraine, I bring you the most joyful news ever announced, and it is for everyone! The Savior, yes the Messiah, the Lord has been born tonight in Bethlehem!
Khristos rodyvsya! Christ is born! Slavita Yoho! Let us glorify Him!
Nicholas and Kerry Laper
and Gift of Life staff
