Palestine

Getting into Israel was thankfully uneventful beside being flagged at the passport check, so when I went to leave they took my passport from me, called over a woman to lead me away from the crowd for questioning. She asked questions for 20 minutes, over and over asking the same things in different ways. When she asked where my guide book was I couldn't find it because it was in my checked baggage- but I did have my bible and Book of Common Prayer. She finnally welcomed me to Israel and handed me my passport. On the Sherut (shared Taxi) ride to Jerusalem I met a Greek man, born in Jeruslaem who lives right inside the old city gate where I stayed last year. He is an Orthodox Christian and Dental Surgeon. He is a contact person for the World Council of Churches' accompianment program, so he was very excited to hear I would be doing similar work in Hebron. Our conversation was extended due to really bad traffic and our sherut going the wrong way up a one way down street and insisting people move for him, during which my new friend shared that he was going to name his fourth child Damascus (the name of the gate I was headed toward), but his wife lost the baby in the second intifada due to tear gas inhalation.



The Bus brought us to The Bethlehem check point where I followed a mass of men who who are among the few thousand citizitens of Bethlehem who are premited to work in Jersalem were on their evening commute home. I followed the men through a maze of fenses to the other side, the Palestinian West Bank, side of the wall. There were 30 taxis waiting for someone to serve, but the workers all walk past them and make their way home on foot. I did not see any other internationals around. Most tourists do not come throught the check point this way, but come and leave on a tour bus (leaving very little economic impact on Bethlehem). A friendly driver took me through the crowded streets of Bethlehem to the International Center where I am staying. When asking what I was doing in Palestine I explained my work with CPT and he said over and over "You are welcome", as if I thanked him, or he was welcoming this type of visitor to his home. I was very happy when we arrived at the familiar building of the Lutheran church, which seemed calm and still amoungst the hustle and bustle of buying, selling, traffic, car horns, church bells, yelling and the sounds of Arabic being echooed off the high stone walls surrounding us.
There is no place like this land, a beautiful diverse tapestry of culture belief and practice. I am very greatful to be in Bethlehem and thankful for God's presense in and with all the people I talked to today; my family, Joshua, the old ladies I sat between for 7 hours on the flight to Munich, and the people here in Palestine.