Bethlehem

We have been in Turkey now for 10 days and the energy it takes to blog has not been in our reserves.  We get to our next destination and Anne goes to bed. Tim and I say, we really should blog and then fall asleep.  We have stayed in the Western 1/3 of Turkey and yet have traveled 1500 miles.  It has been a great trip but our amount of downtime has dwindled. 

Anyway, it's 5am and I'm the only one awake so I figure I should blog! 

We have made it up to Bethlehem. How majestic and surreal. The Church of the Nativity was packed full of people. After driving in a big circle around Bethlehem trying to get a parking spot, Tim rolled down his window right in front of the church and speaking Arabic to the local gentlemen sitting watching the westerners file into the church asked, "can I park here?" The welcome shock of Arabic by a white non Arab gave us VIP parking right in front of the church. We have learned to build our Vitamin W!  This is Wasta, a form or favoritism built on relationships.  There is no equality or waiting your turn in the Middle East, you need to build your Wasta. Anne is an essential part of our Wasta building. My being Pregnant also helps. But Tim's bright blue eyes and eager smile while speaking Arabic well usually does the trick. 

So we parked right out in front and by the time we got to the entrance we heard that the wait was over 2 hours to get in.  We looked at each other.... Are we doing this?  Suddenly a tour angel appeared. 

"Behold,  Western looking Arabic speaking, adorable child and pregnant Mary" he said.

"I bring you glad tidings. I am an official tour guide, Mohamed. If you come with me you will not wait in line!"

Ok, we are seasoned enough to know how this goes... Tim's asks how much it will cost us? He said $150 Shekels.  We said yes.  So we marched right in. I had a bit of guilt. But, if Anne had to wait in line for 2 hours and it wasn't Cars Ride at Disneyland, we would not make it. 

The trick is that these tour guides take their small groups through the exits. So as the huge group files out of the different areas the small groups trickle in before the next big group. It's totally chaotic and we got shoved a lot. But, no wait. 

So the first place we went was the stable area in the basement. There is a beautiful star where Mary gave birth. Then is the Manger area.  It is so beautiful and sacred despite the pushing crowd.  

From there we saw the Orthodox Church, and the Roman Catholic Church. Then we left and went to the Christmas House to buy olive wood gifts.  This is where we saw the nativity scene with the wall between the Manger and the Persian Kings. 

Afterwards we walked up to the Milk Grotto where the stone in this church has turned to white where Mary nursed Jesus.  It was so powerful to see Anne light up here. She wanted to rub me with the white powder, as the story goes, the powder gives healing to women and children and well wishes to expectant mothers.  I was so emotional here. I turned to Tim who put white powder on my face and kissed me.  There are so many people in our lives who need healing and are praying for healthy babies to come to them. We feel so grateful and realize how hard it is for many many couples.  

While we were there we got packets of the Milk powder to give to  the people we are praying for. I can say that it has had an effect on our lives already. Even if it is merely the attention paid, the consciousness we have now, payers have been answered for at least one family in our lives!  Baby Veronica is home after 2 months in and out of the hospital. 

So, in the end. Bethlehem was magical and crowded - and heart wrenching to have to deal with the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. But it was so worth it. 

Now as Anne grows up she can remember what Bethlehem looks like and she can create a story that mixes the reality of the place with the mystical Christmas story as we decorate our house and sing Christmas Carols over the minarets blasting a call to prayer. 

god is god.  We are all the same. 

Since we are in Turkey and have been thinking so much about Sufism, I leave you this from Rumi

Listen with ears of tolerance! See through the eyes of compassion! Speak with the language of love.