Christmas in Bethlehem Group

Many thanks to Sahar Qumsiyeh (in the striped red and gray sweater) for these photos of the Bethlehem Group's Christmas pageant on Sunday, December 23rd.  This took place in the remodelled meeting place below the Marcous family's apartment.  Sahar says the kids did a great job. 

  Santa Claus was played by Tony Azar, who with his wife Emily and four adorable kids once lived in our ward in Orem.  They live in Ramallah and worship with the Bethlehem saints whenever they can make the circuitous drive.
Direct Route from Ramallah to Bethlehem, 31 km, 41 min.  I don't even know how one drives to Bethlehem without crossing into Jerusalem, but it sometimes takes 3 hours.

 The cute props were made by Jolynn Williams of the Jerusalem branch and used the day before for our pageant.  The consulate and UN families in the Jerusalem branch are currently able to travel to Bethlehem, but the BYU families are not, except for Christmas Eve, when we got special permission to see the parade.

 

 After the pageant, the kids opened gifts from the district (mostly from Sahar, but the Tel Aviv branch and the Jerusalem branch also sent gifts which were given on a different occasion.)

Sahar's departure to the London MTC is only weeks away, and she will be sorely missed by everyone in the Jerusalem District!

December Fun

For the Anglican School Christmas play, Emily was a shepherd.  Amanda participated in a musical version of "A Christmas Carol," but unfortunately she was ill just before the performance so she missed out. 

We invited some friends over for lasagna, gingerbread cookies, and the BYU student Christmas Concert.  This is the only venue in which the students get to express their love for Jesus Christ before a public audience, and it was a real treat to hear fun songs (like "The Tonedeaf Angel") and sacred carols and songs from The Messiah.

This is me [Amanda] with Bamboo and his birthday with a muffmuff as a kake!!!!!

Carrie and a friend made a magazine for girls for her personal project, and she explained it to parents and teachers at a special event during school.  Here is Carrie's homeroom teacher (also Lisa's Arabic and science teacher) Mrs. Rania Husseini. 

Carrie poses with several friends from the Anglican school.

At the memories night, several students impersonated teachers, and here is Jed imitating Frank.  Jed is the one on the left, in case you can't tell. 

 

 

Advent Calendar and Christmas Poem

Happy December!  For those who want a countdown calendar with scriptures, my sister Shellie drew these cute pictures years ago.  You can print out the calendar (on 2 pages) and pictures, ask a child in your life to color the pictures, then each day read the scriptures and tape a picture in the square. 

 

Kristine Hansen is a friend from the Park 3rd ward who teaches writing at BYU, and she shared this poem with me. It seems fitting at Christmas time to remember not only the condescension of Christ at his birth, but also the purpose behind his birth, to know us, to rescue us, and to bring us to a potential much greater than we can even imagine.

Let Us Come Boldly

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Did it begin with his birth

In a cold and comfortless cave—

His ability to feel our pain?

Or when he felt faint from fatigue

Or from hunger and thirst,

Did he first know human frailty?

When the prince of this world,

Finding him weak in the wilderness,

Proffered power and dominion,

Did he, though resisting, not taste the lure?

When his friends became sick,

And some of them died,

Did he not grieve and mourn?

When he was rejected, despised, and betrayed,

Abandoned, then beaten and killed,

What more could he bear?

What condescension is here! What love!

Though he were a Son, he came down

To wade through all woes so that he might feel

As we feel, and know as we know.

And thus when we kneel to ask for his help,

We find him a friend whose faithfulness is firm,

Whose understanding is complete.

For he has plumbed the depths of all infirmity

To form the reservoir of love that flows

Into the never-ending fountain of his grace.

Now having ascended again on high,

Christ sits on a throne and bids us come

Boldly to him with all our needs,

For he is willing to salve all our sorrows

And dispense mercy from his vast stores.

Written by
Kristine Hansen