Sunrise in Bethlehem is a beautiful sight.  It’s difficult to grasp the unrest here when you look out at the silent white houses shining in the sunrise climbing up the hills behind BBC.

I awoke this morning (I think it is around 4:30) when the call to prayer is played on loudspeakers all over town.  As I lay and prayed for our family, children and grand children I was hit with the feeling of the difference in the prayers we pray for health, safety in going to work, to school and a hunger for God and the prayers of Mothers and Grandmothers here.  We do not have to pray that our children’s school will not be hit by a rocket today, or that there will be water or food on our tables or that our home will not be taken from us.   How I wish everyone I know could see and hear what God has allowed us to see and hear.  You can’t be the same again.  Human suffering does that to you.

Our group split into two groups today.  We all went to Musalaha for a lecture on The Theology of the Land by M’s director, Salim.  Even though we heard much of the lecture last year, it is captivating.  After the time with Salim, Todd, John, Bev, Bill and Edie went on a tour with ICHAD.  It is an Israeli organiztion against the demolition of Palestinian homes by the Israel government.  The tour guide was Israeli and very informative.

Lou, Sue, Keith and I went to Mazada and the Dead Sea, something we didn’t get to do last  year.  When I was younger I saw a movie based on the story of Mazada and it had quite an impact on me.  Standing on top of this “hill/mountain” was amazing.  It was almost as if I could hear the cries of the people killed there.  We decided that when we get home, we must get the movie.  The Dead Sea was actually very beautiful and fun to see the people smeared with black mud and floating in the water.

Dinner was spent with our friend, Sami Awad.  He is the Director of Holy Land Trust in Bethlehem and organization dedicated to non-violence.  He is an amazing man with much insight into this conflict.  In a place that seems hopeless to us, he is full of hope and refuses to “give up” on teaching, demonstrating and reaching people with this important message.

It is now 9:45 p.m. and after a very full day, all but Edie, Bill and I are out walking around Bethlehem as this is the Orthodox Christmas Day.  Students from BBC are leading the tour and they will all go out for coffee and dessert.

Everyone is well.  Everyone is safe.

Thank you for checking the blog and keeping us in your prayers!

Psalm 91

Darla