It is now a little more than 5 weeks until we leave for Bethlehem! These days are filled with anticipation and preparation, excitement and anxiety. Long “to do” lists fill our thoughts as we try to make the necessary provisions for tying up responsibilities here and carrying with us the bare essentials to live for three months in a totally different environment. We travel there not as tourists, but as pilgrims, going to experience life in a whole new context where the birth of a baby named Jesus dramatically altered human existence. We go there not to be served but to serve, working as hosts at the Guest House of the Bethlehem Bible College. We go there not to teach but to learn….from the Bible College itself, a well respected center for theological instruction in the Middle East. We also go there to learn from people, especially those who live and work in this land which is ever challenging. We are eager to listen well and learn from the dialogue that goes on there between Christians, Muslims, and Jews on how to work together for things that make for justice, peace, and reconciliation in the modern world.

So once again, WELCOME! I hope you will drop in here at this blog and allow us to share some thoughts, stories, pictures, and stories of the people who we encounter along the way. There is so much more that I could share about the hopes and dreams I have for this journey, but for now, I only hope that you will feel free to come along with us on this adventure! Shalom to you dear friend!

Terry and Doris Oliver