By Yessra and Candice

After a long trip of little sleep, long flights, and airport security we had finally made it to our hotel. Never before had we experienced a welcoming from the whole staff, all eager to help unload and greet us. 9 plus hours of sitting, we needed some time to walk and experience this little town of Bethlehem.

While walking the streets, the air is fresh and filled with different smells of neighboring restaurants. Soon enough we heard loud music coming from the hills to the side of our path. We were bound and determined to find this secret “concert” and easily found an alley that led right to it.

We turned onto the alley and found a large group of guys dancing, singing, celebrating of some sort. We had stumbled upon a wedding celebration! In Palestine, wedding celebrations can last up to a few weeks. This was considered the “party before the party.” Some of the men were even participating in horse dancing, which consists of a rider guiding it’s horse into what appeared to be a “bucking” movement. About 20 minutes in, one of the men we were talking to explained that the women and children of the celebration were sharing the festivities in their home. They encouraged us to go and join them within their home.

So many welcoming arms brought us into the main room where all the dancing was occurring. We danced with the women for quite a bit until we decided it was probably time to leave — although we were more than welcomed to stay.

On our way out the main woman of the house came up to bid us goodbye. She told us that all the women in the home were Muslim and wanted us to share to our sisters back home our story of celebrating with them. It was the first, most important moment for us when she said, “please tell your sisters back home that not all Muslims are terrorists.”

After taking photos with the kids (and feeling like celebrities) we went on with our night. It was important for these Palestinians to invite us into their homes to share their true nature with us and more important for us to share the truth of our experiences with the people.

More adventures to come!

By Kathy Holcombe

Micah 6:8 …and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Joseph, Mary and Jesus Flee to Egypt – Stained glass window – Christmas Lutheran Church, Bethlehem

Today we worshiped at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. The pastor, the Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, is the author of Bethlehem Besieged, one of the books that we read in preparation for this trip. As a Lutheran, I was happy to be in this special Lutheran church. It is always wonderful to pray and sing the familiar words and songs, but it is special to hear them in another language and be reminded of the universality of Jesus and his message of love and grace. The church is indeed the people of God.

Dome of Christmas Lutheran Church, Bethlehem

The building which housed this particular group of God’s people for worship was built by German missionaries in 1854. The original stained glass windows told the story of the birth of Jesus and his life. One in particular depicted the flight into Egypt and was of great significance to the Palestinian Christians who worshiped here, because they, too, were refugees forced to leave their homes.

The writing on the windows was in German, but I was drawn to the cupola on which was painted in Arabic the words: “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men,” the message of the angels at the birth of the Son of God. We sang the hymn, “O God of Every Nation.” The second verse in particular struck me in this place… “From search of wealth and power and scorn of truth and right, From trust in bombs that shower destruction through the night, From pride of race and station and blindness to your way, Deliver every nation, eternal God we pray.”

Later we visited Wi’am, the Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center, and talked about the need to be pro-justice, about reconciliation without vengeance, and non-violent restoration.

World’s Largest Key at Entrance to Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem

We walked through a refugee camp, still the home of refugees hoping to return home even after the tents have been replaced by buildings, and I realized that these families had been here, hoping, since the year I was born and through three generations of these families. The families keep the keys to their lost homes and these keys have become a symbol of their hope.

Playground at Wi’am Center near Separation Wall

The wall seems to be everywhere—it twists and winds through the city, cutting people off from their orchards and friends and giving everything an aura of prison life. And we were reminded of other walls closer to home. Are we all willing to so worship “security” that we forget the message of the angels, “Be not afraid…”
So much to learn and think about and today is only the first day of many.

Al Rabbu Ma’akum (God be with you),
Kathy Holcombe