Christmas is coming! Our Boys Ranch community celebrates the birth of Christ with our annual Christmas Cantata. The countdown in chapel begins every year after Rodeo as we prepare for an evening of scripture, live nativity characters and joyous singing. Angels with a few crooked halos will surround a makeshift manger, craning their necks to take a peek at the Christ child. Advent season at Boys Ranch is always full of surprises.

One of my favorite Advent memories happened several years ago. I took four of our freshman boys on a trip to Amarillo. These boys were outsiders struggling to fit in. I figured some time with them might be helpful. Maybe I could teach them something about generosity. So, we picked up the name of a needy child from one of those angel trees you often see in bank lobbies before Christmas. We went to Walmart and began shopping for a 9-year-old boy. The angel tree card listed his shirt size and said he liked Ninja Turtles. I guided my four friends through the store to fill our shopping cart with the things we needed. With our mission quickly accomplished, I led the group toward the checkout.

The boys, however, balked. They hung back, admiring some expensive things and having a private discussion. I was disappointed and figured they missed the whole point of our outing.

I was wrong.

“Sir,” they said. “No offense, but we want to get this kid some REALLY cool stuff.”

I could see they were serious, so I agreed to consider their proposal. They combined their limited resources and set out with the shopping cart, this time without me. When they returned, they were out of breath with excitement, eager to show me what they found. I was shocked. The new shirt was gaudy fluorescent orange with spiked black trim and some chrome. It was the last shirt in the store I would have picked, but probably something every 9-year-old boy would relish. The new Ninja Turtle toy was much more expensive than the first one we picked. Too expensive, so I thought.

It slowly dawned on me that my friends were much better at Christmas shopping than me. What struck me most was their empty pockets. All four boys had surrendered their personal spending money. Every bit of it. It was money they had saved from their modest means and the only way they could pay for the upgraded items. It wasn’t much, but it was all they had, and it was enough.

The ceramic nativity set in the chapel foyer has three magi from the East. However, I know better now, because I saw four magi that day. Like I said, Advent season at Boys Ranch is always full of surprises. Thank you for all you do to make moments like this possible. May God bless you this Christmas with every spiritual blessing in Christ. In His great love- Chaplain Wilhelm