This morning we worshipped at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem with the Arabic-speaking community there. Morning prayer, no communion, which was a little disappointing, but on the upside I recognized a few words in Pastor Mitri Raheb's sermon! Believe it or not, we sang "A Mighty Fortress" in honor of Reformation Day at the end of the week. The words take on a new meaning when you are visiting an occupied country.
In the afternoon I went with some others in our group to the home of a family whose son's tuition at the Lutheran school in Beit Sahour is subsidized by some members of St. Stephen's. They gave us a wonderful lunch. I enjoyed holding the babies and talking with the younger children. They showed me how to write their names in Arabic, and I tried writing mine for them. They showed me a better way to write it. I told one of the little stories I learned in July in Arabic, and they understood it. It was pretty fun.
Tonight we will have dinner with Mitri and some others from Christmas Lutheran, and then have been invited to join our guide from yesterday at a Bedouin tent to have tea and smoke the hubbly-bubbly (I will have tea but not the other option). Tomorrow we visit the Lutheran schools in and around Bethlehem.
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