Journeys and Star Gazing

It was a special day in Bethlehem, Palestine, back in 2000. I had the opportunity to visit the place believed to be where Jesus was born. Afterwards, I found myself in a shop, admiring Palestinian belts. The owner, a Muslim, and I struck up a conversation. He was intrigued by the Christian belief in the Holy Trinity and the crucifixion of God. Our discussion was a fascinating exchange of our different cultural and religious perspectives.

Our conversation was interrupted when a customer entered the shop, and the owner had to leave abruptly. To my surprise, he entrusted me with his shop despite our language barrier. His unexpected trust took me aback, but he reassured me that everything would be fine and that he would return shortly.

For about an hour, I found myself alone in the shop. Customers came and went, but no one engaged with me. When the owner returned, he prepared tea, and we resumed discussing religion. It was a moment of realization for me. Despite being a stranger and not sharing his faith, he entrusted me with his shop, a gesture that spoke volumes about the trust we had built during our conversation.

Reflecting on the day, I realized I could have quickly taken advantage of the situation and walked away with something. However, our conversation created a unique connection that led to the shop owner’s trust. As a parting gift, he gave me a Palestinian belt. It was a remarkable experience, a day I will never forget from my time in Palestine.