The Importance of Stories

My first impression when I started this trip out is that it would be more about the pilgimage. I thought I would get the most out of seeing the sights that are considered holy such as the place where Jesus was born or walking the same place many Jesus, Mary and Joseph, or the disciples walked. But, in our first day I found that I was wrong. Instead, as we met with three Palestinians, two who are Christians, one who is a Muslim, I found that I was totally wrong. Instead, I found myself drawn in by their stories, their struggles, and their hope for the future.

Bethlehem is actually a part of Palestine and not of Israel. It has a wall around it that is twice as high and five time as long as the Berlin wall. And this wall serves as a barrier. People cannot get in or out very easily. This means that the people here cannot visit Jerusalem which is a mere 20 miles away. It means that the daughter of one of the people we visited cannot fufill her dream of seeing the sea anytime soon. It can kill hopes, dreams, and ambitions of the people living in Bethlehem whether they are Christian or Muslim. There is a refugee camp in the very city of Bethlehem.

And yet, despite all of this, we kept on hearing messages of hope and unity and peace. Muslims, Christians, and Jews are the "dysfunctional family of Abraham." But yet, we are family and people here still refer to it as family. And, the goal of many of the churches, organizations, and even the leaders of the refugee camp is to offer hope to the people. Hope for peace. Hope for a fair solution. Hope for justice. Hope for a better day. And they carry this hope with them and share it with us.

At the same time, I feel that we have been given a responsibility to share the stories of the people here. There are human faces behind the news and behind the headlines. And I hope I can bring a little piece of these stories to you through these postings, pictures, and thoughts that I put before you now. I know I cannot do them justice but I promise I will try my best. God's blessing to all you who are reading this and please feel free to comment. I would love to hear your thoughts. I love you all and will talk to you soon!