Note: As many of us know, Jim and Ginger Kenney spent several weeks in Israel in December, where they did faith work, a little business, and some
sightseeing. The business end of the trip concerned Jim’s work with the oil purification technology he’s been promoting and working on recently. That
business took him to Tel Aviv for a while. On his return, he made it to Jerusalem in fine form, and then the trip got “interesting.” This is Jim’s
account of his adventure.

By Jim Kenney

As we came into Jerusalem, I asked the bus driver if he could drop me off at a stop where I could get a bus to Bethlehem. He looked angry and said, “No, it is not possible.”

He then motioned me to get off the bus and ask there, which I did. I figured I'd been kicked out of better places than that.

The people waiting for their bus told me to go across the street to a shopping center where I discovered there was a bus station on the third floor. After many false starts I finally found the information window and asked them. They looked at me a bit strange but said, “Go back across the street and look for the stop for Bus 163,” which I did at shortly after 6 p.m. There were lots of buses coming and going about every 5 or 10 minutes but no Bus 163. I waited till 7:00 and told myself if the bus doesn’t come by 7:15 I’d go back and ask for a bus to the “Old City,” where I was quite sure I could find a mini-bus to Bethlehem.

Sure enough at about 7:10 Bus 163 came by and several orthodox Jews got on, which I thought was a bit strange since there are none in Bethlehem. But we were in the orthodox section of Jerusalem so I didn't think too much of it at the time. I was just glad to be on the bus. Also the bus driver asked me if I wanted a one way or a return ticket, so I told him just one way.

I recognized the route to Bethlehem and the checkpoint for the wall when we came to it, but the bus turned to a gate on the right, blinked its lights and a gate opened. A soldier came on board and checked our passports and waved us on. The bus went about a mile down the road and finally I learned that we were at Rachel’s Tomb, which now is available for Jews only.

The next day when sharing the story the few people in the know smiled when I mentioned Bus 163, and all were amazed that I had actually gotten to see Rachel’s Tomb.