The Cross of the South: Christmas 2019: My vision of Christmas

Other versions: CAT POR ENG FRA ESP

Merry Christmas! Every year I make a manger that is my interpretation of where Jesus would have been born if he had been born that same year 2019.
This year I imagined that Jesus was born from a homeless couple. I hope you like it and help you see what Christmas represents.
I have made a lively video of the manger with the narration. Here's the video of the manger with English subtitles, and then you will find the text.

English Subtitled

Jesus is born from a homeless couple

We connect now with the mobile unit. Laia Bonet from Bethlehem, go ahead!

They met in the street, some time ago. And there they live, together, in the park’s corner. No-one would ask how they ended up living in that corner. There are as many homeless people sleeping on benches, ATMs or portals, as different stories.

They support themselves picking scrap during daytime. On the evenings, when they have already sold it, they have dinner together next to their mattress. After that they go to sleep because they’re exhausted.
She’s been feeling very tired lately, and the scrap is heavier than usual. She’s pregnant and she’s due soon.

People pass them by and ignore them, they don’t talk to them or even look at them. Exceptionally, someone does ask. It’s usually volunteers from associations that know them well and offer their facilities to have a shower and do laundry. But it’s too tricky to leave even just for that -they can’t leave their things unwatched. So showers become a sheldom luxury.
And they’re worried. And not precisely because of the pregnancy. Some weeks ago a group of young people, for fun, threw stones and rocks at them while they were sleeping, and some of them were really big.
Plus the street cleaning service doesn’t help either. They do it in the evenings and everything is left wet for dinner and sleep. In summer is more common, because it’s a touristic area and their presence is not welcomed. When it rains it’s worse - it means they need to move everything so it doesn’t get wet and they don’t get much, if any, sleep. To live in the streets shortens live 20 years.

But today is a special day. There is more people than normally, tonight. Volunteers are doing the census of the people that live in the street. There are many, they stop, they speak to them and they ask them things.

María has woken José up. She has birth pains. One of the volunteers comes close to ask what’s going on and calls quickly 112.
But the birth’s coming now and some volunteers who are health professionals, take care of it right there. Surrounded by people, Maria gives birth to her first child.
The news runs fast in the Raval and more volunteers come, other homeless people and neighbours that know them. Everyone has brought something and they’re now having a party right there on the street, even though is late in the evening. And many have offered presents to child and parents.

The news has been on all newspapers and broadcasts, and people and local associations have become more conscious on this topic.

On January 6th three important groups will speak out. Firstly, the City Hall, which will announce that they will work on housing for all strengthening they program Housing First. Secondly, security and cleaning professionals have installed protocols to be more respectful when doing their job. And thirdly, associations working with homeless people will announce that the number of volunteers has increased.

Homeless people tell and explain to everyone that Jesus, Maria and Jose’s child, is their saviour.

From Bethlehem, Laia Bonet for BethlehemTV.