Photos and words by Ruth Cape and Rebecca Swanson from Friends of Tent of Nations UK\u00a0<\/p>\n
At this time of year, people sing of a town thousands of miles away. They sing of a town so small it couldn\u2019t possibly fit a young couple desperately searching for a place to bring a special child into the world. They sing of fields of sheep, of stars, of quiet nights that probably were never really that quiet (especially if someone was in the middle of giving birth). At this time of year, people sing of the town of Bethlehem, a town so shrouded in Christmas magic that we often forget it is still a very real place.<\/p>\n
\u200bWhat the songs don\u2019t tell us is that Bethlehem is a bustling city brimming with life. The songs don\u2019t tell of the markets, the sandstone apartment buildings, the smell of coffee, za\u2019atar, and fresh pita flowing from corner cafes. They don\u2019t tell of the schools and universities training the next generations of artists, lawyers, filmmakers, clergy, and scholars. They don\u2019t sing of the quiet thrum of daily life, grandpas chatting over a water pipe, the din of construction, or the steady constant of church bells and calls to prayer.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u200bYour nativity scene probably won\u2019t show the walls that wrap around the city like a vice, constricting and reminding today\u2019s Bethlehemites of their status as an occupied people. They probably won\u2019t display the gates, checkpoints, or the hours-long traffic jams, intentionally caused by Israeli military soldiers equal parts high on unchecked power and terrified of the very people they\u2019ve been programmed to dehumanise as terrorists. Your nativity scenes probably won\u2019t display the permits and abuse the Holy Family would have to go through to make their journey today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u200bJust outside this city, in a location probably recognisable to Mary, Joseph and shepherds watching their sheep, you\u2019ll find a very special place. <\/a>Tent of Nations<\/a> is an educational organic farm stewarded by generations of the Nassar family. Despite land ownership documents reaching back to the Ottoman era, this Palestinian Christian family has been embroiled in a 30-year nightmare that is the Israeli military and civil court system to fight for the right to remain on their land. Every year, more Israeli settlements expand onto the hilltops surrounding the farm, more outposts are established, and more of the Nassars\u2019 land is declared a military zone or outright stolen to build settler-only roads. Despite the daily threat of annexation and in the face of growing settler violence, the family continues to live and work out of the conviction \u201cwe refuse to be enemies.\u201d<\/p>\n As this year draws to a close, and we start making plans for the year ahead, we invite you – in 2026 – to make your own journey to Bethlehem. Come and spend time in Palestine. Come and watch the land breathe life even under occupation. Come and see what it truly means to embrace the path of creative resistance. Come and see what sumud (Arabic for resilience) is all about.<\/p>\n Tent of Nations welcomes volunteers throughout the year to join them & learn their story, to help with their harvests, to plant trees in their soil, to act as a protective presence, and to be part of a community of people from around the world who encircle this land with a fierce faith in its future.<\/p>\n \u200bThis Christmas, as we mark the birth of a baby born under the weight of empire and occupation, we\u2019re inviting you to come and stand in solidarity with the very descendants of that boy. Friends of Tent of Nations UK, a UK-based network supporting Tent of Nations, can support you with information & advice. Whether it’s your first time in Palestine or your 100th, we hope this coming year gives you the opportunity to experience life at Tent of Nations.<\/p>\n \u200bTo learn more about the Tent of Nations and apply to volunteer, please visit their website: https:\/\/tentofnations.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n You can contact Friends of Tent of Nations UK with any questions about travel, general advice, or the best falafel spot in Bethlehem on the following platforms:<\/p>\n Email – tonfriendsuk@gmail.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Facebook – <\/a>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/fotonuk<\/a><\/p>\n