Bethlehem

Bethlehem, the town Jesus was born, in is NOT the Bethlehem you might imagine. Every Christmas, we sing songs like “O Little Town of Bethlehem, How Still we See Thee Lie." But nothing could be further from the truth.

Bethlehem, as someone said yesterday to me, is one giant prison. It is hard not to make that connection. Surrounded by 10 ft walls, patrolled by soldiers, needing to go through security clearance and metal detectors to get in and out… Bethlehem is indeed one giant prison.

Yesterday, a fellow pastor named Ian and I walked out of Tantur (the college), through security (complete with barb wired fences) into Bethlehem. Israelites are not permitted into the West Bank and only Palestinians with proper documents are allowed out. One Palestinian woman that was admitted to the Jerusalem Art College has never been able to attend even one class, because she isn’t allowed to leave the West Bank (and that was 9 years ago!)

As soon as Ian and I crossed the checkpoint, 4 or 5 taxi drivers rushed towards us, begging for us to hop into their taxi. We eventually got into the cab of “Teffelin” (sp?), who drove us to Manger Square where the Church of Nativity is located.

Teffelin shared that he was a teacher by profession, but he can’t find a teaching position in Bethlehem. Nor can he leave the West Bank, so he is stuck driving a taxi. He says it’s better than nothing, but he hates begging tourists to get into his cab. He has to make a living. He has a family and a five-year-old son to support. My Audrey is five years old. I have all these hopes and wishes for my daughter. But what hope does Teffelin has for his son?

Later than evening, as I stood on the roof-top of a Palestinian Christian church (Bethlehem is 30% Christian and 70% Muslim), looking out at the Bethlehem sky-line, I found myself confused, angry, sad, paralyzed, and without hope…

Is this NOT the same Bethlehem that Jesus was born into?
• Jesus was born in a Bethlehem that was under the thumb of Roman oppression
• Jesus was born in a Bethlehem that was the site of a terrible genocide under Herod.
• Jesus was born to two parents in Bethlehem, who had to escape in the middle of night to Egypt.
Jesus was born into a Bethlehem that hasn’t changed very much in the last 2,000 years.

I stood there on the roof-top praying… and hoping. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in order to make things right. Not only for those who lived in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, but for those who live in Bethlehem today. Jesus was born to make things right. And I have to hope that one day, it really will all be made right.