Bethlehem - Arise and Flee!


© Arnvid Aakre
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Dec 25, 2001


...or Christmas 2001 in Three Words.

24th of December my wife and myself attended a wedding of some close friends. As it's an influential family in Egypt, the wedding was held in an old palace by the Nile - today one of the legendary hotels in this metropolis.

A grand event in all meanings of the word, and our two daughters where "stuffed away" safely at some other friends.

Yes, "stuffed away" is the words I use, as it reflect the feeling our oldest child had when we came back long after midnight. After her reaction to the fact of not being allowed to follow us, we the parents have started peace negotiations and hope to have signed an agreement before the end of Christmas - or at least before next year...

What a strange and personal intro you may say, but just extract the words "family", "child" and "stuffed away" - and we suddenly got an International Christmas situation.

Let me take the words one by one:


Stuffed Away - the first "word"

The Pope of Rome as the European Union have tried to persuade Sharon to let the "stuffed away" Arafat travel to the birth place of Christ, a place Arafat have visited during the Christmas Mass there every year since it became Palestinian controlled area in 1995. An Israeli government representative answered by saying that it's not needed for Arafat to travel as he is a Muslim, not even mentioning that his wife is Christian and he is the democratic elected representative of his people.

This is not a political article, but then again travel is hardly "non-political".


Child - the second word

Bethlehem, the place where the Jesus child were born in a stable, and the place where the following happened:

"the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee..."

Today many of the Christians of Bethlehem have fleed away from the birthplace of Christ due to the conflict in and around the town.

Back to the Pope who said in his Christmas message:

"Many, too many children are condemned as soon as they are born, for no fault of their own, to suffer the consequences of inhuman conflicts".

"Day after day, I bear in my heart the tragic problems of the Holy Land; every day I think with anxiety of all those who are dying of cold and hunger".

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages
4.   Jan 2, 2002 6:17 PM
In response to message posted by Arnvid:


In my home town, there are four churches, and one just outside. They are St Luke ...

-- posted by Sallyodgers
3.   Jan 1, 2002 9:50 AM
In response to message posted by Sallyodgers:

Jerri, at least it's a perspective as seen by a Viking in Cairo (-:
Hope a p ...

-- posted by Arnvid
2.   Jan 1, 2002 5:35 AM
In response to message posted by jerrib:

...and a voice shall be optimistic... well, why *not*? And thanks for solving some ...

-- posted by Sallyodgers
1.   Dec 28, 2001 7:58 PM
A wonderful perspective in a very confused and saddened world. I hope your 2002 wish happens.

-- posted by jerrib



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