Merry Christmas from the Holy Land! I hope you had a wonderful time of family, friends, and the giving and receiving of beautiful gifts. Christmas this year has been the most extraordinary treat. First, we had the most incredible privilege of spending Christmas Eve at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. With the eyes of the Christian world on the city, and thousands of excited people celebrating outside on Manger Square, the atmosphere was electric. Christmas Day itself was a homely day, focused on family and dear visiting friends. Except for a brief escape for a walk on the beach, the day was almost all about presents for the children and food and wine for the grown ups. Not wanting to stop the fun, the last few days have been a whistle stop tour, including visits to Acre, the Golan, Tiberius, Capernaum, Bet Shean and Jerusalem. Including waking up in a cabin overlooking the Sea of Galillee one morning, and overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem the next. Now we are home, all happy and ever slow slightly worn out. After seeing and doing so much, I was almost surprised to return home to find Christmas decorations still up. So now we are turning out attention to the New Year! I hope it will be a happy, healthy and successful year for you all.
CHRISTMAS IN THE HOLY LAND
Merry Christmas from the Holy Land! I hope you had a wonderful time of family, friends, and the giving and receiving of beautiful gifts. Christmas this year has been the most extraordinary treat. First, we had the most incredible privilege of spending Christmas Eve at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. With the eyes of the Christian world on the city, and thousands of excited people celebrating outside on Manger Square, the atmosphere was electric. Christmas Day itself was a homely day, focused on family and dear visiting friends. Except for a brief escape for a walk on the beach, the day was almost all about presents for the children and food and wine for the grown ups. Not wanting to stop the fun, the last few days have been a whistle stop tour, including visits to Acre, the Golan, Tiberius, Capernaum, Bet Shean and Jerusalem. Including waking up in a cabin overlooking the Sea of Galillee one morning, and overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem the next. Now we are home, all happy and ever slow slightly worn out. After seeing and doing so much, I was almost surprised to return home to find Christmas decorations still up. So now we are turning out attention to the New Year! I hope it will be a happy, healthy and successful year for you all.