Jesus is born in prison . Christmas 2022

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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 2022.
This year I imagined that Jesus was born in prison. 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.

At that time, it became impossible to live in their country, so they had to leave their land to look for a place where there was an opportunity. Leaving without money was impossible, so they decided to accept that some people paid them for the trip, in exchange for carrying a package.

When they started the trip, María and José were expecting their first child. Upon reaching the border, the police began to question them, but they did not understand the language. Hours later they were arrested for drug trafficking. It did not help them to say that they did not know what was in the package.

They were transferred directly to the preventive prison. Each one to a different prison. Maria had a difficult entry. The fact that she was a gypsy made her cellmates receive her with suspicion and no one wanted to share anything with her. But as she learned the language and with her sympathy and simplicity, she has won over everyone.

In her cell the days have come to an end, and tonight, suddenly, Maria has to give birth. Her cellmate has given notice and the prison officials have gone immediately to help. The Minister of Justice, who spends special nights like Christmas in a prison with the officials, has also gone to the cell and since she is a doctor, she has been involved in the birth.

Because of the screams, the other inmates have woken up – since in prison there is no privacy – and the officials have explained that María who was giving birth. The news has spread like wildfire. From her cells, the other women have followed the birth encouraging Maria. Two inmates who are nurses have helped Maria to give birth successfully. All the prisoners have congratulated Maria.

After giving birth, the minister has requested to issue a permit so that, the next day, her partner could visit her.

Those in charge of the prison say that they will consider options for this child to grow  up outside these walls, because these periods of preventive prisons, that can be so long, are very unfair.

The case, which has been on the front page of newspapers and television news, has generated a vivid debate about the role of prison in our society. We cannot accept that it is mainly for poor people and that it does not offer solutions and alternatives.  The prison should be a space for rehabilitation and not for punishment.

On January 6th, the Government, moved by the case, wants to approve a several measures to speed up trials, introduce restorative justice in judicial procedures, both for convicted and pre-trial prisoners, and ensure that the purpose of the prison is reinsertion and not punishment. It is also considering the option of creating, in the prison itself, a module for families.

Knowing this, they have all decided that the child will be called Jesus, which means "the savior", because this child will really be their salvation.

From Bethlehem prison, for TV Bethlehem, Laia Bonet.

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MORE INFORMATION:

FOTOS: http://bit.ly/GFNadal22FotosPessebre  

VIDEO: http://bit.ly/Nadal22PessebreVIDEO 

PREVIOUS YEARS VIDEOS : http://bit.ly/VIDEOSpessebresFRMAT 

SONG :  https://bit.ly/Nadal22PessebreMUSICA

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.
 




PD.: Thanks to Natalia Pereira for the support in English translation 

More informatión:

• Video: http://bit.ly/Nadal19PessebreVIDEO
  
• More pictures: http://bit.ly/GFNadal19FotosPessebre
• Other videos about the nativity scenes of previous years: http://bit.ly/VIDEOSpessebresFRMAT 

 

Christmas 2017: My vision of Christmas

Jesus, son of "manters"*

Merry Christmas! Every year I make a nativity scene that is my interpretation of where Jesus would have been born if he had been born that same year 2017. This year I imagined that he was born "manter"*. It could be in many cities where people like them try to survive often, with the only thing they can do, because of their legal situation. But I have set it up in Barcelona and I wanted to have a reminder for the terrorist attack this summer. Playmobil's children, as always, have shaped ideas. I hope you like it and help you see what Christmas represents. Video this year is a lively video. Here is the chronicle and also the video of the manger.

And now, let’s connect with our mobile unit in Les Rambles

Today, Les Rambles witnessed an unexpected event. After running away from the police, the “manters”* took shelter in the subway, as usual, as they cannot be detained inside the subway premises.
A young couple from the “manters” group were expecting a baby. After running away, she felt bad just as she entered the subway. She started suffering labor pain and she gave birth to their first child with the help of a midwife who accidentally was leaving the subway.

The remaining “manters” who were hiding with them from the police, approached the place where she gave birth. Through their WhatsApp group, the news have spread, and other “manters” are coming from both the port and the store of their own brand "top Manta". The news have also come to the support group "Tras La Manta" which is already in the place of the events. They have warned the press, and we are also reaching the place.

With the small amount of money they collected that day, they have bought the mother food and garments to wrap the baby that rests on a blanket.
In seeing the solidarity and the crowd gathering around, the police decided to stay apart and not to intervene.
Around the entrance of the subway, people are crowding in. Ordinary citizens are also approaching and bringing things. Others are coming from the mosaic of Miró and said, with deep feelings, that the same Rambla that had known the dead some months ago, it was now showing life at its best.

Voice is spreading and people are looking for a suitable home for the new family. We have been told they have already been offered a flat and tomorrow they will be able to move there.

Everyone is happy and Les Rambles is full of people. So crowded that it looks like when the Barça wins! The “manters” keep on selling their stuff. Among them, they say that this child is his Savior. The newborn child already wears a pair of Nike shoes, a Barça T-shirt and sunglasses.

The authorities, seeing the citizens' response, have decided to deal once and for all with the situation of the “manters” and committed themselves to find a solution for January 6th. The mayor who has come to see the newborn has also reaffirmed this decision.

From Les Rambles, Laia Bonet for TVBetlem.

VIDEO:  http://bit.ly/Nadal17PessebreVIDEO
FOTOS:  - http://bit.ly/FBNadal17FotosPessebre o
             - http://bit.ly/GFNadal17FotosPessebre

*Manter: Person usually sub-Saharan who is selling in the street in an illegal way because of lack of documentation that does not allow him to do a normal work