Merry Christmas From Bethlehem!

Merry Christmas!

This is my first Christmas away from home and in a lot of ways, it doesn't really feel like Christmas. Before this year, Christmas has always been about being home with my family, going to my home church for the Christmas Eve candlelight service, the chill of a cold winter night on Christmas Eve followed by the impossible blue of a bright winter day on Christmas morning, having a tasty breakfast roll before opening presents as a family, maybe even some snow falling. I guess if you can't be home for Christmas being in Bethlehem is a pretty good second choice! :-)

My school has been decorated for Christmas for weeks already, complete with a Christmas tree, Baba Noel (that's Santa Claus to us), chocolate and Christmas cheer! Last Wednesday the kids put on their Christmas show which was ADORABLE! My kindergartners dressed up as Mary, Joseph, angels and the whole gang! The choir sang and various grades put on little performances. One of the eighth graders got to dress up as Baba Noel and give out chocolate, much to the glee of the younger children!

Last Thursday Baba Noel came to school again and passed out presents to every single student! I helped wrap all those presents the previous weeks and it was fun to be involved in gift-giving, even in a small role! Us teachers also received Christmas gifts, lovely little Santa Claus mugs filled with chocolate! That evening there was a big Christmas dinner in Bethlehem with all the ELCJHL teachers and educational staff. We ate, we danced (Arab style, of course! Distinctly tricky but tons of fun! My teachers really got a kick out of me learning to dance this way!), we played silly games and generally enjoyed each other's company. It was fun to see all my teachers and co-workers in a less serious context.

On Friday we had a very YAGM Christmas. We gathered at our coordinators home for pizza, singing, presents and a tour of the lights that have been put up all around Bethlehem. Beautiful! We each received stockings, laid out with care at the coffee table, filled with chocolates and a beautiful olive-wood nativity set! It came complete with a removable Wall which separates the shepherds from the holy family: a good reminder that if Jesus were to be born today, most of the folks in a Nativity scene probably wouldn't be able to get permits to come see him because of the Occupation and the location of the Wall around Bethlehem.

Saturday, Christmas Eve, I attended the Christmas Eve parade! There are TONS of scout troops in the area who play drums, bagpipes, march and wear adorable outfits. It's a bit like marching band or drum line in the USA. Later there was a trilingual (Arabic, English and German) service in the beautiful Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, during which I got to sing with the choir, a magical experience. Courtney, a fellow YAGM volunteer, and I kept remarking at how awesome it was that we were part of the choir for a Christmas Eve service in Bethlehem! The beautiful little church was filled absolutely to the brim both with people and Christmas spirit. Afterward it promptly started pouring, which isn't nearly as nice as a gentle snow-fall on Christmas Eve, but did make inside feel very cozy and inviting.

On Sunday, Michelle and I awoke very early to make our way to Jerusalem for the Christmas Day service at Redeemer Lutheran church in the old city. We rode the bus in the pouring rain and were pleased to discover that, either because of the rain or because of Christmas, the soldiers at the checkpoint did not make anyone get off the bus! Usually all the Palestinians (and us, in solidarity) have to get off the bus so the soldiers can check everyone's identification cards. It was lovely for everyone to stay on the warm, dry bus and it turns out that keeping everyone on the bus is quite a bit more efficient, so we arrived in Jerusalem early. We made our way through the pouring rain to Redeemer church, only to discover that we had arrived so early that it wasn't yet open. We searched in vain for a coffee shop and ended up seeking refuge from the downpour in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

We noted both the tragic irony of being in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on Christmas Day (poor baby Jesus was just born and now we're in the place where we honor his crucifixion, death and resurrection) and the amazing fact that right now in our lives it is possible for us to have an impromptu visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem just to seek sanctuary from rain. Woah.

We watched as pilgrims gathered in line to go to honor the supposed sit of the empty tomb and discussed what a shame it is that the building's art is not well-maintained. You see, many different sects of Christianity must share this building as it is a holy spot for all Christians. Unfortunately, they have had trouble getting along so in 1853 they created a rule called the Status Quo which strictly divided up the church according to who is allowed to maintain each part and who can use what parts of it when. While intended to maintain order and peace within the church, an unexpected consequence of this rule is that it is difficult to maintain the entire structure. It's really a shame because now some of the art is so dirty with ash and age that you cannot even see it. Nonetheless there are beautiful mosaics and little pensive chapels throughout the church.

We arrived at Redeemer in time for the Christmas Day service, which was a delightful songs and lessons service. We sang Christmas carols between readings from the Christmas story. One of the congregation members, a girl of about 8 years, read to the entire congregation from her illustrated children's Bible. We were all proud of how well she did, so brave! The congregation then shared a cozy potluck-style Christmas brunch at the pastor and his wife's home; a lovely way to feel connected to a community while so far from my loved ones.

After brunch I got to talk with my dear friend Anna who is visiting the Holy Land with her family. It was wonderful to catch up with her. She is incredibly generous and dedicated half of her checked suitcase to contact solution, a Christmas stocking, chocolate and other gifts for me from my family, her and her housemates. Thank you Anna, Mom, Dad, Kat, Nora, Shannon and Laura! I also was fortunate to skype with my parents and with Cody. I even got to open some thoughtful and fun Christmas presents from all three of them!! Truly a lovely day!

Although it wasn't the type of Advent season and Christmas to which I am used, it was fantastic. I feel extremely blessed for the opportunity to be in the Holy Land this year. I also feel incredibly blessed to have such a supportive community here and such amazing friends and family back home! Thank you all for your love and support! Merry Christmas!