This has been the most mind stretching and heart rending day of all. Today we went to Bethlehem. There are so many things that we did not understand about the Palestinian situation. Bethlehem is now under total control by the Israelis. The people are not allowed to leave without a permit, which is very rarely given. Therefore they cannot work outside the city or visit Jerusalem or visit family outside of Bethlehem. If we go through the checkppoint we are not searched, but if they leave, even with a permit, they cannot go by car, someone must pick them up and drop them off. They are always searched and many times strip searched. There is so much to tell, which we cannot explain in detail here, but will try with the pictures.
This is a picture of George Sa'adeh and Alan Dynes. George is the vice-mayor of Bethlehem and the Principal of a school. We talked with him for about an hour. Four years ago he was driving in a car with his wife and two daughters when the Israeli security police opened fire on his vehicle, killing one daughter, and wounding his wife and other daughter. He was hit 9 times. The only reason he survived was because bullets came through the back seat. The security police had information about a car with the same description as his that contained three Hamas terrorists, so without identifying them, they opened fire. When they discovered that it was the car behind theirs, they proceeded to kill all three in that car. Alan Dynes works with World Vision to create awareness. He is a Palestinian whose family home was taken in 1948. They fled to Lebanon and then to the US. He and his wife taught in the Friends School in Ramallah for three years before coming the World Vision. I wish you could hear him talk.
From there we went to Sister Rose Mesa's Holy Child Program in Bethlehem. In the year 2000 after the 2nd Intifada where the Israelis cracked down hard, closing the city, etc., there were many children who began to display symptoms of stress. Their hair was falling out, they showed symptoms of autism, etc. Sister Rose, who was a counselor, began to take in these children. They are not orphans which you may have assumed by the last e-mail. We will visit an orphanage later. One child witnessed his uncle being killed because he did not respond to the curfew when he was yelled at. He was deaf. They impose curfews for days at a time, where they are not allowed to leave their homes, not even be in the yard. So, as you can imagine, the economy in Bethlehem is very bad. The people are very poor with no hope for a better future.
The children sang for us and prayed for us.
Teachers from the school. 1st picture with Jim and me is "Sam". We fell in love with each other and will keep in touch.
We then went to the "Shepherd's Field" where it is believed the angels came to the shepherds. The first picture is where we went for lunch. It is a Bedoin tent on the Shepherd's Field property. We are typically brought 5 or 6 salads that we all share before the main course is served. So very good. If you look closely, you may find some sheep in the field.
Now, on to the Church of the Nativity.
You have to crouch down to go in the door. Too long of an explanation of why to give now. The 12 point star is supposedly the very place Jesus was born. Isn't that something, and very hard to prove.
Then we did some shopping here for Olive wood carvings and other things. It is so hard not to buy things because the people
are so desperate. The main business in Bethlehem has been tourism. Now the Israeli's are saying in travel magazines and other publications that Bethlehem is too dangerous to visit. They are actually building another Bethlehem outside, (we can see it being built) close to the city and will encourage tourists to go there. George told us that there used to be 200 tour buses a day coming, but now only 2-5. So, now with tourism down and no work outside the city, you can imagine how desperate they are for you
to buy something.
This was a hard day, but most life-changing. As we sat having dinner back at the Hotel, I felt peace in the depth of my being. Continue to pray that all God had in mind when He sent us here will be fulfilled. We love you all so much. Thank you all for blessing us with your love.
Jim and Jeanne