Bethlehem

-Shrine in the Church of the Nativity where Jesus was said to have been born-

Bethlehem is in the top three of my favorite places here. Our field trip included walking around the old city's streets, visiting the Church of the Nativity (the oldest functioning Christian church today, commissioned by Constantine and holds a supposed grotto where Jesus was born), and exploring the Bethlehem University campus. We also went to Shepherd's Field (picture to the left) which overlooks the little town of Bethlehem and could be the field the Shepherds were at before they went to see the Lord Jesus. At the field we had a Christmas program where we sang hymns and bore testimonies. I felt such serenity at Bethlehem and could not stop thinking of the line, "Peace on earth, goodwill to men." The Savior's message really is one of peace and goodwill and I am so thankful for the peace of mind that comes from a testimony of the Atonement, the plan of salvation, and of the reality of a loving Father in Heaven. The Church of the Nativity is currently under renovation and the line to see the grotto was about three hours long. (Hence the exhausted faces in the pictures below)

Bethlehem University was fun. It was cool to see the tiny campus and we also had free time there to mingle with the students. A bunch of the guys from the center started playing basketball with some of the Bethlehem students and I walked around, watched them play basketball, (picture below) and talked to some of the students. They were very kind and friendly. The University has a mix of Christians and Muslims but no Israeli's. It was interesting to hear them talk about Israel.

The picture to the left is of a little memorial in the Bethlehem University library where an Israeli shot a bullet through their university wall a couple years ago. It's hard for me not to side with one nation or the other when I hear stories like these from people so passionate in their ideas. I'm just grateful for the Center as a middle ground and for its predominately unbiased professors to remind us both sides to the story. I am grateful though for the different sides and for the goodness each people possess.