Merry Christmas! (1/18/15)

1/18/15


Hola Amigos!

Como estan?  Well I guess I shouldn't be using Spanish for my blog right now since I'm no longer blogging in Guatemala, but blogging from the Holy Land! We visit Bethlehem as part of the experience, and what a blessing it has been.  Today (January 18th this year) is Armenian Christmas Eve, so it is still Christmas time here!  One of the coolest things I have done so far is have Mass at the grotto at the Church of the Nativity.  In this grotto they have a star marking where it is believed Jesus was born and also a few feet from it the manger where it is held they placed Jesus after he was born.  The Mass was at the altar in the area where the manger was.  It was such a beautiful Mass.  The area can only hold about 20 people standing around it, but what a blessing!  As the priest elevated the host, it was so cool to be looking at Jesus in the Eucharist, and to know the very same Jesus lay there over 2,000 years ago.  That I kinda, in a sense, had a role of one of the Shepherds or Magi.  That I was at the manger truly adoring the Lord how they did.

The food here has been good so far.  We have had meat, fish, potatoes, hummus, cheese, and lots of bread, just to name a few!  A beautiful thing jumps into my mind about bread.  Bethlehem means "House of Bread."  How beautiful that at Mass, I'm receiving the Bread of Life in the House of Bread...that's cray cool!  The culture is very different here from the United States, but in a way does remind me of Guatemala.  This reminder is especially true with the street vendors and the shops.

Some of us came across a "Starbucks."  I put it in quotes, because it isn't Starbucks, but they took the name, the logo, and sell coffee.  It's not half bad!  In fact it was great sipping on a mocha watching the Armenian Christmas parade going to the Church of the Nativity.  Tomorrow begins a full week of classes and touring around.  Time is going to start to go by fast I'm sure while we're here, but it will continue to be a blessing as it has been already.

Please know of my prayers for all of you, and please know I feel very safe over here.  There has been nothing here to cause me real fear or anxiety.  I ask for your continued prayers for safety, and prayers as I prepare for ordination.  As you know, I will be ordained less than one week after I return home from the Holy Land!  I hope all of you will be there!  I'm not sure how often I will get to blog since the internet is pretty bad, but please know I will keep you informed as much as possible.  I also hope to upload photos on a flicker account again when I get the chance.  When that gets set up, I'll add a link.  OK everybody, talk to you soon!

~Chris Lankford