Prologue: The Intent of the Pilgrimage

In October of the year 2000, 12 pilgrims from Europe, Asia, Africa, Northern America and the Middle East began a journey on foot and on camelback, to retrace the path of the Magi (or the 'Wise Men') from the Bible. We did this in order to honor the two-thousandth anniversary of Christ's birth. We thought, in the spirit of honoring him, that it was also important to build friendships with the peoples of the Middle East, both Christians and Muslims. The following is a brief summary of our journey.

Iraq: The Shattering of Stereotypes
October 22nd - November 12, 2000

We began our journey at the ancient ruins of Ctesiphon, just south of Baghdad, the site of the largest free standing arch in the world. (In ancient times this was the winter capital of the Parthian Empire). A few days before setting out on our pilgrimage, we had spent the night holding a candlelight prayer vigil for the innocent victims of the Gulf War at the Al-Amiriya bomb shelter.

Our travels from day one were full of both challenges and blessings. The entire Journey of the Magi Team was immediately and continuously overwhelmed by the hospitality that we received from the Iraqis that we met on the road. Children would run alongside our camel caravan in thick swarms, waving and smiling and laughing. Men would run from their houses in order to shake our hands and offer us water or 'shaay' (tea). Many would even lay down intricate red carpets before us, which we learned was a traditional method of inviting and welcoming a traveler into one's home. These Iraqis knew that many members of our team were Americans and that America was a country with which they were virtually at war-and yet they treated us like kings. The only images we had seen of Arabs on TV were vicious, hostile terrorists. But we were quickly learning what the Western media had failed to capture: that the Iraqis were a generous, warm, loving and passionate people. Their hospitality made every day of our journey brighter, despite the hardships and setbacks.

The road ahead seemed difficult: the weather was hot, a few of the pilgrims were already suffering from blistered feet and we had yet to master the art of camel-jockeying, resulting in several falls off the saddle and because we could not use our equipment, communication with our loved ones back home remained difficult.

On November 12th, when we crossed the border into Syria, tearful goodbyes were exchanged between the pilgrims and the Iraqi support team, who we had come to know as friends and brothers. It was with heavy and reluctant hearts that we passed onto the next section of our journey. We had grown to love and admire the people of Iraq. George Sada, our guide through this country told us, "Gentlemen, we will not say goodbye." He smiled and added: "We will only say, 'See you soon.'"

Syria: The Longest Stretch
November 12 - December 9, 2000

Syria was the most arduous and challenging leg of our journey. In Iraq, though we had passed through some desert, we had, for the most part, hugged the Euphrates River, keeping our path lush and scenic. In Syria, the ancient Magi route took us straight through the bulk of the desert. Because our path passed through very few towns, Syria was the most solitary portion of our journey. We could stand in "the cradle of civilization" and watch the sun rise and set over the desert landscape, without a soul-or even a mouse-within a radius of twenty miles. The solitude of the road offered us a chance for reflection and walking prayer, an opportunity to pursue the inner journey of the pilgrim without excessive distractions.

Damascus, in sharp contrast to the Syrian desert, was a cosmopolitan oasis, where we visited with Patriarch Zakka Iwas of the Syriac Orthodox Church and Sheikh Ahmad Keitaro, the Islamic Grand Mufti of Syria. Peter Thiep, our Sudanese Magi, when wandering through the Damascus markets, spotted a friend from his own tribe. Rejoicing over their reuniting, Peter brought nearly a dozen of his Sudanese brethren to walk and pray for several days up to the Jordanian border.

Jordan: A Time for Worship
December 9 - December 18, 2000

Our short trip through Jordan was one of the most beautiful sections of our trip. We were now so close to our goal that our destination finally seemed palatable. We could stare at the Western horizon and realize that Bethlehem was "just over those hills."

We also knew that Jordan was the "calm before the storm." Ahead of us lay Israel-Palestine where the violence was escalating. The road ahead seemed perilous…

The War Zone: Christmas in Bethlehem
December 18 - December 25, 2000

"Christmas is cancelled in Bethlehem" was the headline of many newspaper articles around the world. One by one, the Bethlehem Christmas programs organized to celebrate the two thousandth anniversary of Christ's birth were cancelled. The violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians had reached a new peak and tourism was at an all time low. The Journey of the Magi pilgrims were among the few foreigners willing and able to enter the country under these conditions. The only official Christmas celebration in Bethlehem to remain on the schedule involved the arrival of the Magi. Though we had come further to the point of our journey's end, we had also come closer to the source-the epicenter-of the region's conflicts. Our pilgrimage had led us to the birthplace of Christ. It had also led us to a war zone.

Living in Palestine for a few weeks gave us a small taste of what the Palestinian under military occupation must endure on a daily basis. Military blockades and checkpoints slowed the progress of our journey. We visited homes that had been destroyed by military gunfire and families who had lost loved ones in the ongoing conflict. "Merry Christmas!" a Palestinian yelled at us from his car at one point during our journey, clearly aggravated by the ever-declining conditions of the Occupied Territories. He pointed to a military blockade, "THIS is our Merry Christmas!"

The last night of our journey was by far the most dramatic. The Magi team led a procession of thousands of Palestinians to Manger Square, where the Church of the Nativity is located. The procession of men and women following us to the place of Christ's birth stretched back as far as the eye could see. In Manger Square, the dance company Mawal performed an interpretation of the Christmas story and the Magi Team (dressed in historical costume) was allowed to present our gifts on stage. Holy Land Trust had organized the donation of 2000 olive trees as a gift to the people of Palestine, to help replant the countless groves that have been destroyed during military raids.

Conclusion: What has been Accomplished? What is the Next Step?

"We are here to honor Jesus on the 2000th anniversary of his birth," Robin Wainwright explained as we neared the end of our journey. "But what is it that honors Jesus? It is peace and justice. We are walking for the children of Iraq, who have caught polio [from poisoned water] because these children will never walk again. We are walking for those here in Palestine whose legs have been shot, who will never walk again…. When we reach Bethlehem, our journey will not have ended, rather our journey towards peace and justice will have only just begun."

For Holy Land Trust, the journey marked the beginning of our attempt to help serve the peoples of the Middle East. Throughout the journey, we were treated with loving-kindness by all of our hosts, and it is all we can hope that somehow this generosity of spirit can be reciprocated or repaid. The journey, aside from being a spiritual pilgrimage, was a chance to build connections with both the Christian and Muslim communities of the Middle East. Along the way we were able to build friendships and also further identify some of the needs of the people of these countries. For more information on the projects of Holy Land Trust and how you can assist the communities of the Middle East, please visit us on the web at www.holylandtrust.org.