in the middle east

the small town of Bethlehem lies on and around a hilly area just 6 miles south of Jerusalem. Jessica has become quite familiar with the area as she volunteers there 2-3 days a week at Bethlehem Bible College. It is the only totally Palestinian Christian college/seminary in the West Bank; their goal is to equip and train leaders for the rapidly shrinking Christian population in the Palestinian territories. Life is hard in Bethlehem. The foundation of the state of Israel in 1948 created over 500,000 palestinian refugees, a great many of whom were made to leave their homes by force, and about 50,000 came to Bethlehem. The refugee camps and blocks still exist today. In recent years, the town has faced hardship due to the 20ft tall "security" wall that Israel has erected around it and much of their border with the West Bank (this picture on the left). Freedom of travel and commerce between Bethlehem and Jerusalem has ceased due to the wall, and basically two entirely separate worlds have developed even though they are just a few miles apart. We've met Israelis who believe that Bethlehem is "full of terrorists" and thus are glad for the wall. On the other hand, the Palestinians in Bethlehem have tragic stories of having their land, businesses and homes seized by the Israeli government. Additionally, Bethlehem has been home to a large Palestinian Christian community that traces its roots back many centuries. Rejected by Muslims and under severe strictures by Israel due to their ethnic identity, this Christian community, which used to number tens of thousands, is being crushed in the middle of the conflict, and largely neglected by the Western Church. Our day-long visit to Bethlehem was thus marked by the excitement of seeing ancient Christian holy sites as well as the sobering experience of meeting people with sad stories and little hope for change. Without a doubt, the people we met in Bethlehem were some of the friendliest that we've yet encountered in the country. We shared tea, coffee and rooftop panoramas due to the openness of the people we met. Here is a sample of our day in Bethlehem. Click Here.