When I was on a pilgrimage trip to Israel five years ago, one of the highlights was a visit to Bethlehem in Palestine where many holy churches and landmarks are located. The site of Jesus's birth is inside one of the oldest known churches, The Church of the Nativity, in Manger Square. As you probably know, there is a high wall around Bethlehem and before we entered the city two painfully young Palestinian soldiers in uniform and carrying automatic weapons boarded to check us out. The bus parked and we walked by the heavily graffitied wall into Bethlehem. One of our first stops was The Lama Brothers shop featuring carved olive wood items and other religious items. This basket holding a variety of hand-carved icons immediately caught my eye. Twice during our pilgrimage we ate family style at Ruth's Field restaurant in the Shepherd's Field area of Bethlehem.
CARVED OLIVE WOOD
MARY, JESUS, ANGELS, SAINTS
ON MY MASTER CARD
It's Friday so Twelve Days of Mary at Rebecca Brooks Recuerda mi Corazon combines with Haiku My Heart.
