Day 5, Part 1: Day Full of Fun and Biblical Adventures for the Young Folks

This journal and video are just the adventures we had during the day. It does not include the dinner and dancing in Bethlehem at night. That video will be uploaded soon.

The young folks loved the Tabash Olivewood shop and bought a lot of olive wood products and other Christian-made items for themselves and their friends back home. Our next stop, was the Church of Nativity where our Lord was born. We did not go down to the Grotto below because the line was over three hours long, but we learned about the church and its history and prayed the Mystery of the Nativity.

Then we went to Shepherds Field for Mass in the cave where the angels announced the good news of Christ’s birth 2000 years ago. Some of the young men have taken it up to be our choir. Of the many trips we’ve been to this cave we have never had a finer choir and singing. It was the first time for all of them to have Mass in a big underground cave.

We had lunch, a picnic lunch of Shawarma, sandwiches on the promenade, with the most spectacular panoramic view of Jerusalem. I gave a short history of salvation and pointed out all the key places in Christ life right before the rise. Then we all went to the City of David and stepped back 3000 years in history. Guides took us down under the Old City of David through Hezekiah’s Tunnel in the pitch dark for 1/2 a mile in places with water past their knees. I am sure this will be one of their favorite adventures along the whole trip.

Then to our favorite Grotto Restaurant for a whole lamb, like the Passover Meal and a mountain of Palestinian rice. The young Christian Dabka dancers came in and put on a performance for us in traditional garb before inviting all the students to come up and dance with them. It was a blast! Lots of dancing. But you’ll have to watch video number two to see that.