Do you ever get frustrated by holiday commercialism? If you’re like me, you might struggle to keep your focus on the true spirit of Christmas.

World Vision sent a small team around the world last month with a mission: If we believe that Christmas is more about Christ’s presence than presents, could we find examples of that?

In Cambodia last week, our team met Leap, a 14-year-old who ran away from an abusive family and was living on dangerous streets before he came to the World Vision center for street children. Leap described how his life changed: “I have enough food to eat; I have clothes; I have everything that I want, especially education.”

What Leap received went much deeper. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. We hope the depth of our faith is evident in our lives, words, and deeds. At the center, the teacher’s Christian faith influenced Leap. “I started to believe that Jesus created the earth and sky and even me,” he said. “[Now], because I believe in Jesus, He’s the one who guides me though all of the hard life.”

To borrow an advertising phrase, what Leap received is priceless. Have you noticed that the best gifts you’ve given (and received) at Christmas have nothing to do with how much they cost, but with how much they mean? Have you ever given a gift that changed someone’s life?

There is still time to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas. What kind of Christmas will you have this year? How can the gifts you give reflect a Christ-centered Christmas?

P.S. Follow the True Spirit of Christmas tour through Ecuador, Cambodia, and Zambia on Facebook (find stories, photos, and videos under the Notes tab). The team heads to Ethiopia next week. And you can find the type of life-changing gifts that Leap received at www.worldvisiongifts.org.