12.17.24 Drone sightings, Syrian Christians, and brewing holiday cheer

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It | Episode: Drone Sightings, Syrian Christians, and Brewing Holiday Cheer

Release Date: December 17, 2024

Introduction

In the December 17th episode of The World and Everything In It, hosted by WORLD Radio, listeners are guided through a tapestry of pressing global issues intertwined with uplifting stories that capture the essence of the holiday season. The episode delves into mysterious drone sightings across the United States, the precarious situation of Syrian Christians amidst political upheaval, and heartwarming tales of holiday spirit flourishing in small American towns.

News Highlights

The episode opens with a somber report on a tragic school shooting in Wisconsin. Reports indicate that a teenage student opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School, resulting in the deaths of a teacher and another student, as well as multiple injuries (02:04). Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the attack, with Madison Police Department Chief Sean Barnes stating, “...the motive for the shooting was not immediate” (02:20). The discussion then transitions to international matters, highlighting ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and President-elect Donald Trump's stern stance on Hamas, emphasizing potential retribution if hostages are not released (03:35-04:02).

Unexplained Drone Sightings

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the mysterious drone flights reported over New Jersey and other states. Mary Reichard introduces the topic, noting increasing drone sightings that have left residents and officials puzzled (08:08). Defense experts, including Mark Montgomery from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, provide insights into the situation. Montgomery explains, “There are drone sightings... the government doesn't do us any favors when they kind of blanket describe it all as not a problem” (09:21). He elaborates on the potential domestic origins of these drones, dismissing theories of foreign adversaries being behind the incursions:

“I don't think that these are being launched from an Iranian ship. I don't think these are coming... these are probably domestic drones.” (10:25)

The discussion also explores speculative theories about the drones' purposes, such as searching for radioactive materials, though Montgomery considers these scenarios highly unlikely (11:41). The conversation underscores the government's inadequate situational awareness of national airspace, highlighting vulnerabilities in current defense mechanisms (12:17).

Situation in Syria for Christians Post-Assad

Shifting focus to international humanitarian concerns, the episode examines the dire circumstances facing Syrian Christians following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Reported by Josh Schumacher, the segment portrays a fragile environment where Christian communities are attempting to rebuild their lives amid uncertainty (15:38). David Currie of Global Christian Relief expresses apprehension about the future:

“If you want to know what happens next in Syria, look at the groups that toppled Assad.” (15:24-16:38)

The narrative reveals that factions involved in Assad's ousting include extremist groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), originally affiliated with Al Qaeda, now seeking to impose strict Sharia law. Martin Parsons from the Lindisfarne Center for the Study of Christian Persecution warns of severe restrictions and potential violence against Christians:

“You're not allowed to build churches, you're not allowed to repair churches... you have to rise up in the presence of Muslims... you have to pay Jizya... if you break any of these rules, Muslims can kill you with impunity.” (17:40-18:27)

The segment paints a bleak picture of the future for Syrian Christians, likening the oppressive potential of Sharia law to the Nuremberg race laws implemented by Nazi Germany (17:51-18:00).

Holiday Spirit: Singing Christmas Tree in Muskegon, Michigan

Amidst the heavy news, the podcast pivots to lighter, community-focused stories. Sean Lawton, choir director at Maconshore's Singing Christmas Tree in Muskegon, Michigan, shares the enchanting spectacle where a 67-foot steel tree becomes a vibrant display of student participation adorned with 25,000 LEDs (21:52-22:44). Lawton reflects on his 32-year tenure, expressing gratitude and bittersweet emotions as he prepares to depart:

“Being a part of that has been such a reward and I am going... to really miss that.” (22:24-22:39)

Festive Holiday Beverages in Brookhaven, Mississippi

Transitioning to festive cheer, Kim Henderson reports from Brookhaven, Mississippi, where local coffee shops are thriving with holiday-themed beverages. The Wild Fox Coffee Shop boasts creations like the “Yeti, the Snow Globe Chai,” blending matcha with white chocolate and raspberry for a seasonal twist (23:57-25:29). Desiree Boswell, store manager, highlights the popularity of the “Festive Fox” – a peppermint-infused mocha (25:38-26:33):

“Customers like the holiday menu so much, they want to see it go in January.” (25:24)

At PJ's Coffee, innovative drinks like the “Cookie Butter Latte” and “Butter Rum Latte” cater to diverse tastes, further igniting the town's festive mood (26:52-28:08). The vibrant atmosphere is credited to a strong local economy and community spirit, with Garrett Combs from the Chamber of Commerce attributing success to locally owned businesses and their seasonal offerings:

“They build community spirit, those wintertime and Christmasy concoctions.” (26:41-26:52)

Reflection on Hurricane Helene’s Aftermath

In a poignant reflection, Andrew Bells recounts the relief efforts in Swannanoa, North Carolina, following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene. Highlighting the collaborative spirit, Bells describes the influx of aid from across the nation, from water and utility support to heartfelt community meals:

“We ate it under heaters at picnic tables... the warmth flowed.” (30:04-32:08)

Bart Tucker, organizer of the Fuller Center for Disaster Rebuilding, shares the emotional toll on affected individuals and the imperative of rebuilding not just homes but entire communities:

“What it's really about is restoring the community.” (32:54-33:20)

Conclusion

The episode seamlessly weaves together narratives of crisis and resilience, technological mysteries and community celebrations, underscored by a steadfast faith that pervades WORLD Radio's reporting. As listeners navigate through the complexities of global events and the warmth of holiday traditions, the podcast reinforces the enduring hope and solidarity that define the human spirit.

Notable Quotes

• Andrew Bells (00:04): “Every year, the incarnation, God's coming to earth to be with us becomes more staggering and meaningful.”

• Mark Montgomery (10:25): “I don't think that these are being launched from an Iranian ship. I don't think these are coming... these are probably domestic drones.”

• David Currie (17:25): “Christians are to be treated as dhimmis.”

• Martin Parsons (17:40): “If you break any of these rules, Muslims can kill you with impunity.”

• Sean Lawton (21:52): “Being a part of that has been such a reward and I am going... to really miss that.”

Timestamps Reference

• 00:04 - Andrew Bells' Introduction
• 02:00 - Wisconsin School Shooting Report
• 03:35 - Ceasefire Negotiations in Gaza
• 08:08 - Introduction to Drone Sightings
• 09:21 - Interview with Mark Montgomery
• 10:25 - Discussion on Drone Origins
• 11:41 - Theories on Drone Purposes
• 12:17 - Government's Airspace Awareness
• 15:38 - Situation in Syria for Christians
• 16:38 - Extremist Groups in Syria
• 17:51 - Comparisons to Nazi Laws
• 21:52 - Singing Christmas Tree Feature
• 23:57 - Festive Beverages in Brookhaven
• 25:24 - “Festive Fox” Popularity
• 30:04 - Reflection on Hurricane Helene
• 32:54 - Rebuilding Communities in North Carolina

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the multifaceted discussions and narratives presented in the episode, offering listeners a thorough overview of the key themes and insights shared by the hosts and guests.

Transcript

[Andrew Bells]

Good morning, it's Andrew Bells. What an amazing season Christmas is. Every year, the incarnation, God's coming to earth to be with us becomes more staggering and meaningful. I've been thinking a lot about this lately and I prepared a commentary to prompt you to reflect on the light that people bring to brighten the winter darkness. You'll hear that in about 20 to 25 minutes. For now, though, I do want to encourage you to consider your part in World's year end giving drive. It's my privilege to work at World and my responsibility to encourage listeners like you to help make this work possible. That's a privilege too, and it brings me great joy to see God at work through your generosity. This outpouring of support often culminates at Christmas and at the end of the year. What a strong action at a dark time of year. And in turn, what a bright light that brings to this world. If you'd like to join me, visit wng.org yearend that's wng.org yearendgift meantime, I hope you enjoy today's program.

[Mary Reichard]

Good morning. Reports of unexplained drones have members of Congress demanding explanations.

[Kent Covington]

What do we know where they are?

[Nick Eicher]

How do we stop them from being.

[Kent Covington]

In airports and other places?

[Kristin Flavin]

Also today, what's next in Syria? And a small town offers a tasty way to get into the Christmas spirit.

[Nick Eicher]

Those wintertime and and Christmassy concoctions. It gets everybody in a festive mood.

[Kristin Flavin]

And a tribute to the helpers in the aftermath of helene.

[Mary Reichard]

It's Tuesday, December 17th. This is the World and everything in it from listeners supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Kristin Flavin]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Good morning.

[Mary Reichard]

Now the news. Here's Kent Covington.

[Kent Covington]

Police are still investigating a deadly school shooting in Wisconsin on Monday. Authorities say a teenager opened fire with a handgun at a Christian school, killing a teacher and another teenager. Madison Police Department Chief Sean Barnes told reporters. We know that the suspect shooter was.

[Andrew Bells]

A teenage student who attended the school.

[Kent Covington]

At this time, we are not releasing.

[Andrew Bells]

The age or gender of the student.

[Kent Covington]

Or any other identifying remarks about the student. Authorities say the shooter also died and wounded six others. The shots rang out around 11am at the Abundant Life Christian School, a Pre K through 12th grade school of about 400 students. Barbara Weirs is elementary director at the school.

[Mary Reichard]

In spite of tragedy, God is working. And we believe that God is good in everything and that he turns beauty for ashes. And so I had a number of families who mentioned that to me that this wasn't a surprise. To God and that he's going to do something mighty with it.

[Kent Covington]

And so Chief Barnes said the motive for the shooting was not immediate. Israel's defense minister says negotiators are closer to a ceasefire in Gaza now than at any point in more than a year. Israel Katz says the top priority in peace talks is securing the freedom of the remaining hostages still being held by Hamas. He says the terror group realizes that it has to be more flexible and that is creating an opportunity. Meantime, President elect Donald Trump says he has spoken by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about conflicts in the region.

[Andrew Bells]

We had a really good conversation and.

[Nick Eicher]

I think we're going to be at a good place in the Middle East.

[Kent Covington]

And Trump reiterated a previous threat he made to Hamas that the terror group should expect retribution if the hostages are not released by the time he takes office next month. Pressed by a reporter about what that means, Trump replied, well, they're going to.

[Andrew Bells]

Have to determine what that means, but it means it won't be pleasant, Mr. President. It's not going to be pleasant.

[Kristin Flavin]

Yeah.

[Kent Covington]

The president elect did not say when he spoke to Netanyahu. The White House says the FBI has been investigating mysterious apparent drone flights over New Jersey and other states in recent weeks. And National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

[Josh Schumacher]

Says, we have not identified anything anomalous or any national security or public safety.

[Nick Eicher]

Risk over the civilian airspace in New.

[Josh Schumacher]

Jersey or other states in the Northeast.

[Kent Covington]

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy also said Monday that investigations have turned up little to no evidence of anything nefarious or threatening. The Democratic governor says in recent days high tech drone detecting devices have been scanning the skies in his state.

[Nick Eicher]

We've got the most sophisticated systems. At long last, we've got experts who run those systems and I have confidence.

[Andrew Bells]

That we will get the facts here.

[Kent Covington]

But many residents remain on edge about the unexpected flights, and demands for answers are growing louder. Well, much more on that later in the program. The Senate committee that helps oversee medications in America is weighing a bipartisan bill aimed at safeguarding medicines against shortages and over reliance on foreign drug makers. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine when pharmacies and.

[Nick Eicher]

Pharmaceutical companies see an uptick in demand of a particular drug, we're asking them to share that with the FDA and others so that we can see shortages before they develop.

[Kent Covington]

And Republican Senator Tom Cotton said the bill would especially help ensure that the US Is not reliant on adversaries for important medications.

[Nick Eicher]

Our legislation would direct the government to take stock of where we're obtaining these prescription drugs or in some cases over the counter drugs or their precursor ingredients to make sure that we don't have adversarial nations like China that control them, that could end up cutting them off in a moment of national crisis.

[Kent Covington]

The effort comes amid concerns about adequate medical supplies during the pandemic and hurricanes Milton and Helene. A judge has rebuffed one of President elect Donald Trump's arguments for throwing out his New York business fraud conviction. World Kristin Flavin reports.

[Mark Montgomery]

Manhattan Judge Juan Mearshawn's decision eliminates one potential off ramp from the case, though others have yet to be decided. The judge ruled on an argument by Trump's lawyers that the conviction should be tossed out Based on the U.S. supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling this summer. Prosecutors have said there should be some accommodation for his upcoming presidency, but they insist the conviction should stand. A jury convicted Trump in May of falsifying business records. It was an unusual case in which Trump was charged with felonies for infractions nearly always prosecuted as misdemeanors. For WORLD I'm Kristin Flavin.

[Kent Covington]

Meantime, ABC News is set to help fund president elect Donald Trump's presidential library to the tune of $15 million. The network has agreed to do just that to settle a lawsuit. Trump sued ABC and anchor George Stephanopoulos in March after the host wrongly stated that the former president had been found civilly liable for raping author E. Jean Carroll. A jury in 2023 found Trump liable for sexual assault but not rape. In that civil case. The allegations against Trump did not have to be proven as they would in a criminal trial. The New York jury only had to believe the accusations were more likely than not to be true. Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, more on the drone sightings along the Eastern seaboard. Plus, religious freedom advocates express concern over what's next for Christians in Syria. This is the world and everything in it.

[Kristin Flavin]

It's Tuesday 17th December. This is World Radio. Thank you for listening. Good morning. I'm Nick Eicher.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. First up on the World and everything in it, mystery drones.

[Nick Eicher]

That is not a commercial airliner. It's hovering. It's sitting right there.

[Mary Reichard]

For several weeks now, people in New Jersey have witnessed drones flying over their neighborhoods.

[Kristin Flavin]

And the Pentagon says these drones are not operated by foreign adversaries or by the US Military. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh.

[Mark Montgomery]

We're going to continue to monitor what.

[Nick Eicher]

Is happening, but you know, at no.

[Mark Montgomery]

Point were our installations threatened when this activity was occurring.

[Kristin Flavin]

But some members of Congress are demanding more explanation than that, saying that even if the drones don't pose a threat, it's still important to know who's responsible for them. Here is New Jersey Congressman Josh gottheimer.

[Kent Covington]

What do we know where they are? How do we stop them from being at airports and other places?

[Kristin Flavin]

Joining us now to talk about it is Mark Montgomery. He's an expert on cybersecurity and technology innovation at the foundation for Defense of Democracies.

[Mary Reichard]

Mark, good morning.

[Nick Eicher]

Hey, good morning. Thank you for having me.

[Mary Reichard]

Mary, so glad you're here. Well, what do we know so far about these drone sightings over New Jersey and who might be responsible for them?

[Nick Eicher]

Look, I think first we need to acknowledge there are drone sightings, right? That maybe some of these are planes, maybe some are other objects. There are drone sightings. I think the other thing we need to acknowledge is there's like 800,000 registered drones with the FAA, and that's just a small percentage the number of drones operated in America by government, corporate, or personal use. The vast majority of these are not nefarious. They're, you know, people out with their own systems, with their kids, or on their own looking at things. You know, it's not a serious issue, but the government doesn't do us any favors when they kind of blanket describe it all as not a problem. There are espionage issues, there are flight safety issues, and there might be legitimate concerns about some of these drones. So the government should do a better job of acknowledging people's concerns, but then trying to focus on the small percentage that are really issued law enforcement or national security issues.

[Mary Reichard]

So you don't seem terribly worried at this point.

[Nick Eicher]

So I don't think that these are being launched from an Iranian ship. I don't think these are coming. You know, they're like the spy balloon, which clearly came from China. These are probably domestic drones. Now, do I think that there are people who work at cross purposes with US national security who live in the United States and have drones? Yes. Do I think it's likely that on occasion they use those drones to get a determination of what kind of maintenance is going on in a ship, in a shipyard, or how many planes or ships are at a pier or an airfield? Yes. Do I think that that is a pretty small percentage of what we're seeing up in the air? Absolutely. I think that this is a. It is a recognition of a large issue that basically sat in the background for a while, and now it's in the foreground. And it looks even bigger than it should be.

[Mary Reichard]

Well, I've looked around online to see what people are theorizing about it. And so even given what you just said, I want to, I want to get your thoughts on this. One theory is that the drones are looking for radioactive material, maybe some material used for medical imaging that the Nucle Regulatory Commission did confirm went missing earlier this month. Do you have any thoughts on that theory?

[Nick Eicher]

So of the several thousand drones that have been reported, that could be one. So do I think it's possible there's a drone out there looking, you know, that's equipped for something like that? Yes. Do I think that that is a very, very, very small percentage of what's being reported? Yes.

[Mary Reichard]

Let's talk about the interface between government and citizenry. We've got members of Congress asking for more information while defense officials are trying to reassure everybody, hey, there's no threat here. People are naturally concerned, though. Do you think the government is doing enough to inform us and our representatives of what's going on?

[Nick Eicher]

So this is where it's interesting. This is a multi tiered answer. One they're not doing enough to like, they should have an honest discussion. Like I'm saying to you, like, there are real issues, but there are all these extra drones out there. You're thinking about them more because of all these issues where you're seeing them in Ukraine and Israel and you know, in Netflix series where drones are used to attack people in their home for no apparent reason. You know, I get it. But here's the other thing I will tell you. Kind of underlying this is the fact that our number one mission, whether you looked at the Biden, the last Trump administration, or the current Biden administration, or even the Obama administration, the number one national security issue is defend the homeland. And I have to be honest with you, we can't defend the homeland. And the Chinese spy balloons are perfect indication we do not have situational awareness of our airspace, which is to say that we don't. We can't defend ourselves against most crew, any cruise missiles launched in our country anywhere than at the national capital region. You know, the White House and Pentagon and stuff. We don't have active air defense systems up and running. We don't have good sensor systems up and running that aren't very much aligned just to detect an intercontinental ballistic missile launch from China, North Korea, Russia or Iran. Right. So as a result, all these other things operate below that and we have a very poor picture of it. So if you ask the federal government, tell us what happened over New Jersey over the last seven days. They couldn't paint an air picture for you that showed it because they don't have it.

[Mary Reichard]

This is also informative. Is there some aspect of this story that you think is being overlooked or maybe misunderstood?

[Nick Eicher]

Well, look, the violations of the military bases is the most likely one where I said someone with nefarious intent is doing something to get some kind of insight into military bases. So those should be investigated. And secondly, the violation of airspace safety though the airfields and the approaches to airfields in New Jersey. But also I think we saw them in New York and I'm sure we'll hear reports from other states soon. Those have to stop. And the way it stops is law enforcement focuses and prioritizes those cases, catches the people involved and holds them criminally responsible. So everybody else goes, well, I'm not going to do that. And then the and then the military and their intelligence can go work and their police forces can go work the base penetrations and do that. And I think if we did that, we would take a lot of the angst off the table.

[Mary Reichard]

Mark Montgomery leads the center on Cybersecurity and Technological Innovation for the foundation for Defensive Democracies. Mark, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it.

[Nick Eicher]

Thank you for having me, Mary.

[Mary Reichard]

Coming up next on the World and everything in it after Assad, more than a decade of civil war in Syria finally brought about the collapse of the Bashar al Assad regime.

[Kristin Flavin]

Major questions remain. What's next? What does Assad's departure mean for the people of Syria, particularly Syria's Christians? Here is world breaking news reporter Josh Schumacher.

[Josh Schumacher]

Many Christians returned to church in Damascus this weekend, one week after rebel forces took control of Syria. Here, Catholic church supervisor Ibrahim Shaheen says the church canceled mass because they were scared of the events taking place. But now things are better and the church will officially be holding mass every Sunday. But not everyone is optimistic.

[Nick Eicher]

You're going to have to move past celebrating the fall of Assad and look with real eyes at the case of who is now in charge of Syria.

[Josh Schumacher]

David Currie is the president and CEO of Global Christian Relief, and he's not optimistic about what awaits Syria's Christians now that President Bashar al Assad is out of the picture. He says if you want to know what happens next in Syria, look at the groups that toppled Assad.

[Nick Eicher]

You have these rebel groups. Now they're called rebel groups. They are the same fighters from al Qaeda and isis.

[Josh Schumacher]

Take, for example, the group Hayat Tahrir al Sham or hts Khoury says a long time ago they were Al Qaeda affiliates. The group's leader, Abu Mohammed al Jelani, has become a figurehead of Syria's resistance. But in the background, there are warning signs about him as well.

[Nick Eicher]

When Jelani is making public statements, he's interviewing on 60 Minutes and what have you. He has an ISIS related flag in the back. So we're basing this on what are they saying in Arabic, what are the signals they're sending?

[Josh Schumacher]

Curry says HTS and other groups like it likely have one objective, imposing a strict Muslim legal system known as Sharia law on Syria. And Sharia law does not look kindly on religious minorities.

[David Currie]

Christians are to be treated as dhimmis.

[Josh Schumacher]

Martin Parsons is the CEO of the Lindisfarne center for the Study of Christian Persecution. He says the classical Muslim texts these extremist groups adhere to have some choice commands concerning Christians.

[David Currie]

Now what that means is Christians are allowed to live, but with non citizen status. They are literally just permitted to live through a strict set of conditions.

[Josh Schumacher]

According to Parsons, those conditions are analogous to Nazi Germany's Nuremberg race laws, which the Third Reich used to subjugate the Jewish people.

[David Currie]

You're not allowed to build churches, you're not allowed to repair churches, which obviously after a war is rather an issue. You can only worship behind closed doors. There must be no Christian symbols that are visible. You have to rise up in the presence of Muslims, you're not allowed to defend yourselves and you have to pay Jizya this tax on non Muslims.

[Josh Schumacher]

Parsons says that if you break any of these rules, Muslims can kill you with impunity because you've effectively become an enemy combatant. The persecution of Christians in Syria is already a reality on the ground. For all his flaws as a brutal dictator, Assad was rather benevolent toward Christians during his time in power. But the terrorist groups looking to replace him have treated Christians very differently.

[Kent Covington]

Absolutely dangerous to be a Christian and deadly in any other part of Syria.

[Josh Schumacher]

David Eubank is the founder and director of Free Burma Rangers. The group provides medical care and assistance to people in war zones and documents human rights abuses as they occur. He says one of the major opposition groups persecuting Christians is the Syrian National Army. Eubank explains the SNA is basically a coalition of smaller groups.

[Kent Covington]

These are Jihadi, Al Qaeda, ISIS groups that are out to kill the Kurds and Christians and absolutely hate them.

[Josh Schumacher]

Eubanks says that in areas that the Syrian national army has taken over, blood has run in the streets, literally. And SNA militants haven't just killed people in the streets.

[Kent Covington]

And then you've probably seen the videos walking into hospitals, shooting people in beds, shooting kids, shooting people out in the fields.

[Josh Schumacher]

Christians have fled to Syria's eastern edge near the Iraqi border. Eubank says that's one of the last safe places for Christians in the country. But he understands some Christians in western areas under the control of HST are safe and allowed to practice their faith. For now, these terrorist groups have Western governments to seduce. After all, that's one Christian woman in Damascus saying Christians in the city who have gone outside their homes have been safe and that there are no known reports of violence against Christians. But Martin Parsons says those Christians probably won't stay safe for very long.

[David Currie]

We're not going to see an immediate massacre of Christians, but we are going to see that tightening news and we will see a few Syrian Christian leaders probably losing their lives. And it will get to the point where it will become life will become intolerable for Christians in Syria.

[Josh Schumacher]

For world, I'm Josh Schumacher.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from season two of Silent Night, the student led podcast drama following time travelers, to the first Christmas on Podcast apps or at the letter I witnesspod.com and from Dort University, where Christian faith is thoroughly, authentically and joyfully.

[Andrew Bells]

Applied in all areas of study and.

[Kent Covington]

Life until all is made new.

[Mary Reichard]

Well up in Muskegon, Michigan is a musical spectacle, the monashore's Singing Christmas Tree. Here's choir director Sean Lawton.

[Nick Eicher]

The tree stands 67ft tall. It holds approximately 220 students and also there is an orchestra of high school students.

[Mary Reichard]

Picture a towering steel tree decorated not with ornaments but with teenagers and 25,000 LEDs. Freshman near the bottom, upperclassmen above them. And the top adorned with a tree angel. Someone who's not much of a singer but full of heart. Now you gotta see it to believe it. Evidently, it's America's tallest singing Christmas tree.

[Nick Eicher]

We claimed that title and no one.

[Kent Covington]

Has fought that title.

[Nick Eicher]

No one has said no, we're the tallest.

[Mary Reichard]

Lawton's been the director for 32 of its four decade run.

[Nick Eicher]

Being a part of that has been such a reward and I am going.

[Kent Covington]

To really miss that.

[Nick Eicher]

Mr. Sean Lawton.

[Mary Reichard]

Sounds like they're really going to miss him. It's the world and everything in it. Today is Tuesday, December 17th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Mary Reichard.

[Kristin Flavin]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up on the World and Everything in It. There is no way I'm doing this without you doing it too. Ready? A one, a two, a three.

[Mary Reichard]

FA la la la la la la la la la.

[Kristin Flavin]

That was really, really bad. Eggnog may be the classic Christmas beverage, but gingerbread lattes and peppermint mochas are much in demand this time of year too. Baristas can let their creativity loose over the holidays.

[Mary Reichard]

Hey, I didn't think it was all that bad. Well, anyway, today world senior writer Kim Henderson brings us along to some shop serving coffee and other libations that'll a cup of your own.

[Mark Montgomery]

Brookhaven, Mississippi has about 15,000 residents. A good portion of them are here at the annual Christmas parade. It's 40 degrees outside. That's cold down here in the south. Parade goers are bundled up in heavy coats and scarves. Some have cups in their hands, a sure sign they visited one of the local coffee shops on their way to the parade. A few blocks away, the Wild Fox coffee shop has a special holiday menu just for December. The yeti, the snow globe chai.

[Mary Reichard]

Sugar cookie chai.

[Mark Montgomery]

That's interesting.

[Mary Reichard]

Cause chai is like a tea, right?

[Mark Montgomery]

I want the drink that stole Christmas.

[Nick Eicher]

The drink that stole Christmas.

[Mark Montgomery]

Do you want that hot ice? You're frozen hot. Behind the counter, employee Abby Burgess fills the order. So we're gonna put matcha in first. One pump of white chocolate. I personally like to put the raspberry in the milk and it makes it a nice pink color. And then we steam it to 160 degrees. What do the customers think? Is everything merry and bright?

[Mary Reichard]

It's very good.

[Mark Montgomery]

I normally don't like matcha, but I like that one.

[Mary Reichard]

Yeah, it's not overpowering green tea taste, but you can taste it.

[Mark Montgomery]

But the hottest commodity on the men is a recipe dreamed up three Christmases ago. It's called the Festive Fox. Here's store manager Desiree Boswell. I believe the boss lady came up with this one. And it is a play on a regular mocha mint dark chocolate. But instead of that, we use white chocolate infused peppermint and white chocolate. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Customers like the holiday menu so much, they want to see it go in January. I will have people come in July and ask for festive foxes. And I'm like, we don't have any festivities. I'm so, so please. Back at the parade, the live music is pretty good. There are bigger towns with bigger parades and bigger coffee shops not so far from Brookhaven. But Brookhaven manages to collect more sales tax than any other municipality in the region. Local chamber of Commerce executive director Garrett Combs attributes that to a vibrant shopping climate.

[Nick Eicher]

From furniture to gifts to jewelry to different things that are all locally owned and have been here forever and ever and our people support.

[Mark Montgomery]

He says the coffee shops and their special December menus are part of that. They build community spirit, those wintertime and Christmasy concoctions.

[Nick Eicher]

It gets everybody in a festive mood and lists everybody's spirits for the holiday time.

[Mark Montgomery]

Across town at PJ's Coffee, employee Alex Merrill is whipping up a cookie butter latte.

[Nick Eicher]

That was the cookie butter syrup. I put three pumps in there for our small size and now I'm going to drop our two ounce shot of espresso.

[Mark Montgomery]

That's a new pick on their menu along with the butter rum latte. Demand keeps Meryl and other employees at PJ's hopping.

[Nick Eicher]

People who don't normally come during the year, they'll come out and get the Christmas seasonal drinks.

[Mark Montgomery]

Ramping up. Business is important this time of year, according to PJ's owner Angie Lambert.

[Mary Reichard]

This is our, I guess our time to shine because it's coffee season is what I like to call it. Summers are hard for the coffee industry, so once we get that first cool snap, we get excited because it Lambert says.

[Mark Montgomery]

Their top limited time offering is peppermint bark, hot or frozen. They call the frozen option Velvet Ice.

[Mary Reichard]

So it's white chocolate and Hershey's chocolate and peppermint sprinkles. So it's like Christmas in a cup.

[Mark Montgomery]

But what about folks who aren't fond of coffee? Brookhaven has a festive option for them as well.

[Kent Covington]

Hi there. How are you?

[Nick Eicher]

Good.

[Mark Montgomery]

What can I get you this morning? Nancy McKenzie is taking orders at Sips. It's a drive through soda shop that blends a base soda with flavored syrups and other goodies. Toasted marshmallow. Like the coffee shops, Sips pushes the boundaries on signature holiday drinks, too. Employee April Norton explains how Candy Cane Lane is made.

[Mary Reichard]

You start with the Dr. Pepper and.

[Mark Montgomery]

You add vanilla, peppermint, vanilla cream, whipped cream and peppermint flakes on top. Starting in December, Sipps posts pictures of their holiday drinks on social media. Customers get excited when a new item drops. People see it and they come by and say, I want that drink that was on Facebook. It's fun and the community's holiday spirit grows. Here's your jingle bell Rock.

[Mary Reichard]

Thanks for sipping.

[Mark Montgomery]

Have a good day. Reporting for World, I'm Kim Henderson in Brookhaven, Mississippi.

[Kristin Flavin]

Today is Tuesday, December 17th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it from Listener supported World radio. I'm Nick Eicher.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. We heard quite a lot about the devastation that came to western North Carolina this summer as Hurricane Helene brought heavy rains and devastating floods. Here now is World Senior Gift Officer Andrew Bells, who spent some time with the helpers and shares this reflection.

[Andrew Bells]

December coal has settled in over the ruined riverbank in Swannanoa, North Carolina, where I live. Upended propane tanks, tattered pieces of mobile homes, and a stack of crushed cars still litter one hardened vista a mile away. Some neighbors deeply hurt by Hurricane Helene have fled, but others have hunkered down, and neighbors from around the country have sent in aid. And how the relief flowed in. First it was pallets of water on day one. Then the utility trucks came in caravans, followed by backhoes and skid loaders, removing trees and debris by the semi load. Then came the hot food. Ah, the hot food. We ate it under heaters at picnic tables, food cooked by some of the finest chefs in the region. Whether at the World Central Kitchen, the early Thanksgiving dinner tent near the car wash, or the Sloppy Joe's tent near the hardware store, the warmth flowed. Next door were the FEMA hot showers, the potable water tanker, the portable laundry facilities, the Red Cross medical trailers. Where did all this help come from? The first bottle of relief water I drank was from Baptists in Charlotte. Our electricity was restored by linemen from Canada. Our bridge was rebuilt under the eye of an engineer from Kentucky. Thanksgiving dinner came from church people in Georgia and Florida, and the Mennonites from Indiana served hot food for five weeks, no less. On a recent snowy morning, I had the privilege of sitting with Bart Tucker, organizer of a Fuller center for Disaster Rebuilding team. It was a noisy Breakfast Lodge with 20 men chowing down before heading out with saws and skills. Bart, a retired Air Force pilot who lives in northern Virginia, has served in disaster areas like Hurricane Katrina, where crews under his leadership rebuilt 100 homes. He knows the emotional tolls these storms take on people.

[Bart Tucker]

We all use the word ptsd, but you know, that's exactly what it is. It's no different than a war wound. You know, one of the homeowners that we're helping got trapped outside her house and held on the doorknob of her porch to keep from being washed away by the flood waters in just deep water. And, you know, she stayed there for two hours until they were able to rescue her.

[Andrew Bells]

Bart visited her after the first stage of her house had been rebuilt.

[Bart Tucker]

So the first time I met her in a 45 minute conversation and walking around her house. Her eyes never dried up.

[Andrew Bells]

Now his mission is in its final step.

[Bart Tucker]

What our mission is is the rebuilding. So, you know, we transition into that as soon as can because this is an important ray of hope. When you see that first house going back together again, you know it's not just that family, but the whole neighborhood sees it and the community sees it. So, you know, we talk about restoring homeowners and individuals and families, but of course, what it's really about is restoring the community.

[Andrew Bells]

Bart and his Christian brothers and sisters will be coming back to North Carolina for several years, rebuilding one house at a time. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all people shall see it together as it has for 2000 years. The light and heat of our Lord Jesus arrival are expressed in the hands and feet of those who love him. And it is surely being felt on earth once again this December in North Carolina, I'm Andrew Bells.

[Kristin Flavin]

Tomorrow, Washington, Wednesday, the end of a raucous session of Congress. We have a recap. And construction is booming during the holidays. Booming or baking or something like that with lots of gingerbread and frosting. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Eich.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. Well, we are halfway through our year end giving drive and we still need your help. Would you make your gift today? Wng.org yearendgift the Bible says all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you. Verses 24 and 25 of 1 Peter, chapter 1. Go now in grace and peace.