‘O little Town of Bethlehem’, written in 1868 by Rector Phillips Brooks from Philadelphia, is a well known and loved Christmas Carol. One night as Phillips stood on the hills of Palestine, looking out over Bethlehem, he was inspired to write these lyrics. Witnessing a quiet little town with dark streets, it was easy to think back to the birth of Christ and imagine a peaceful night when Hope entered the world.

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

Yet if Phillips looked out over Bethlehem today he would see a very different sight. In a country of unrest and fear, Bethlehem has become a town of danger, borders and checkpoints. A huge concrete wall separates the people of Bethlehem from Israeli citizens. People’s lives are filled with hurt and despair and hopelessness.

Christmas for children in Bethlehem remains a time of limitation as celebration is prohibited. The Palestinian Bible Society (PBS) however is reaching out to these children with a message of hope and love, to help them be children, laugh and experience the joy of Christmas. With a Bible-based program of fun days, trips, conferences and puppet shows, PBS is encouraging children and helping them to understand the hope they can have in Christ.

This project started in Christmas 2000, and has reached over 20,000 children in churches, villages and schools.

The ‘Child Group’ within the PBS has had to work very hard to get into Bethlehem, but the Lord has kept them safe and opened the way for them. Many children have been touched with the message of Christ. A clown show gives children back laughter that has long been lost, and stories of how much God loves and cares for them are related through puppets.

When children attend any of the PBS programmes, they receive a gift suited to their age. The gift is always accompanied by a portion of Scripture or a Bible. It is important that children don’t just experience the love of God at these events but that through the Scripture gifts, they will go on to experience encouragement and blessing from God’s Word every day.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth .” (NIV) John 1:14

We celebrate Christmas in many ways, openly and without fear. We have seen the glory of God in our lives; but for many children in Palestine, this Christmas will signify another year of hurt, danger and fear.

Pray that this Christmas will be a time of celebration for those living in Bethlehem, that they would give their fears to Christ and recognize the hope that comes only in him. Ask that this place of continued unrest and fear, which once saw the birth of a savior, will witness peace, and that many children would receive the gift of hope that would remain with them.

This important work is depending on our support. Your prayers and gifts of hope can show children in Bethlehem that the Word of God truly makes ‘his dwelling among us’.

 Update. Click here to read how this project had an impact over Christmas, and how it continues to reach children and their families throughout the year.