Day 3 – Written by Rev. Wendy Lambert
We left our hotel by the Sea of Galilee and drove to Jerusalem. There was a noticeable change in scenery from the green, fertile fields of the northern part of Israel to the dry, rocky hills of the southern part. We went to a scenic overlook by Hebrew University to get a first look at the city and get a good look at it. We then left for Bethlehem. We met our Palestinian Christian guide when we arrived and he took us to a special olive wood store. It was run by Palestian Christians who were artists with their nativity sets and crosses. From there we went to the Church of the Nativity. It commemorated the birth of Christ and is thought to the actual site of the grotto that saw the miracle of Jesus’ birth. After seeing the grotto we stepped out into a little courtyard and sang, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”.
We then visited the Shepherds Fields and the little chapel housed there. We sang two Christmas carols and were blessed when other groups joined to sing with us. It was a full but meaningful day as we reflected on what the birth of Christ means to each one of us!
