Our agenda today was to go to Bethlehem, the City of David, where our Savior was born. This morning Father Kelly came by at breakfast and wished us all a “Happy Christmas!” So we proceeded the 10 miles or so from our Hotel to the City of Bethlehem.
Getting in to Bethlehem is somewhat problematic as there are checkpoints and soldiers with guns. We were all told to bring our passports and to keep them handy. Gus, our guide, is a Palestinian Christian and he did not know whether he would be allowed into the occupied area of the West Bank. Sometimes he is not. But today he was, and our first stop was the Church on the hillside where the angels told the shepherds to go and see the miracle God had wrought. It is very pretty and designed to look like a Bedouin tent that the shepherds might have used.
From there we went to the Church of the Nativity which is built over the cave where Mary and Joseph spent the night when Jesus was born. Much like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, this church is divided territory with each tradition having its piece of the holy pie. The priests were arrogant and rude towards us and towards those of the other traditions. It was very sad.
We had lunch at a Lutheran outreach center that ministers to Palestinians in the West Bank. There is one heckuva wall they are building between here and Israel that rivals anything Berlin ever saw. Solid concrete with razor wire, guard towers and armed soldiers. But in spite of that, we did not feel threatened. The Lutheran center has a medical clinic, a school, and a cultural center for the arts. It is an amazing place and they are doing some great things with and for the people of Bethlehem. Some time ago when the violence broke out and Israeli troops trashed the place, the center sustained some damage, but the head decided to use it as an opportunity for good. They collected all the broken glass and made stained glass angels, like you would hang on a Christmas tree, and they sold them both to make money and as a symbol of the hope they wish to embody. Our guide was named Angie, and she is the Communications Director for the center. She told us, “Hope is not what you say, it is what you do. Here the children know the names of all the weapons and the missels, but we want to teach them about hope and art and music.” It was a pretty neat place.
After dinner, Rev. Mark Brown, the director of the Lutheran World Alliance efforts here in Israel, spoke to us about what is going on with their work and with the people of Israel and Jerusalem. His presentation was very interesting because he has been in Israel off and on for 30 years. He is an American, so he is something of an outsider and can look at things with some objectivity. He, too, told stories of abuses and violations of basic human rights and encouraged us to not only pray for peace but to work for it when we return home. As Gus might say, “We need peace doers, not peace talkers.”
As I said, it was a big day, but so is tomorrow. We go to Qumran, Masada, and the Dead Sea. Since the Dead sea is so low, far below sea level, it will be very hot there, over 100 degrees. I should feel right at home!
Good night all, and God bless!
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