RETURN TO BETHLEHEM

We went to Beit Sahur and Bethlehem today. Beit Sahur is a town and is where the location of the shepherds' fields are that saw the angels and heard the news about Jesus' birth. Nice view. In Bethlehem we toured the International Centre of Bethlehem, then went to a Syrian Orthodox Church and was greeted by the priest who gave us a brief history of the church. Interestingly, he is from Nivevah. You will remember that our last custodian at Riverside was Adwar and he was also from Nivevah, located in modern day Iraq. You will also remember that Ninevah figures into the Old Testament Jonah story.

The International Center of Bethlehem is a very modern project of the Lutheran Church. It reaches out into the community in great ways. A young woman spoke to us about the centre. She was passionate and articulate. It was a good morning. Oh, we also went to the Church fo the Nativity as a group.

It is still cold. Today has been quite sunny. Like a cold sunny spring day here. More rain is forecast. Snow is supposed to fall further north in the Golan Heights. Brrrrr!

Oh, by the way, when it is clear, we can see the Dead Sea from the Tantur property. It appears as a sliver of shivering silver on the horizon beyond the hills. It's not far, but not sure how long it takes to get there because of all the Israeli road blocks and closures.

This morning at the International Center of Bethlehem ( http://www.annadwa.org/ ) the young woman told us how the lack of tourists has devastated the economy. We are told that the greatest solidarity we western Christians can offer the Christian Palestinian peoples and the others who live here, is to come. Dare to travel to the Holy Land. See the people. Experience the holiness to be found here. I believe it is safe here. I actually feel safer here than when on the preaching course I took a few years ago in Washington, DC. (That may not be saying much!)