Title: In the Footsteps of the Magi – A Pilgrimage for Peace for Jesus’ 2000thBirthday
Author: Robin Catlin Wainwright
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing
ISBN: 978-1685364700
Pages: 212
Genre: Spirituality
Reviewed by: Barbara Bamberger Scott
Hollywood Book Reviews
Writer and peace promoter Robin Catlin Wainwright unfolds the remarkable story of a challenge he and his wife Nancy took upon themselves – to organize a re-creation of the journey of the wise men to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus, as described in the Holy Bible.
The couple were first married in 1992 in the US at the home of Nancy’s mother, and then in Bethlehem, where they would be attending an Evangelical conference focusing on Middle Eastern churches. Feeling wedded in and to the city of Bethlehem and its significance for people of both Christian and Muslim faiths, the couple conceived a “wild idea”: to orchestrate and participate in a re-enactment of the journey of the Magi, from modern-day Iraq to through Syria and Jordan to Bethlehem in the year 2000, a distance of 1200 miles. There were many obstacles arising in their plans, primarily the increasing alienation and potential warfare between Palestinians and Israelites. Over the ensuing years, the couple made bold forays to seek involvement and cooperation from the officials in the countries which would be traversed. They also recruited those who would take the trip, including those men who would act as Magi. Wainwright let his beard grow long so that he might be seen as a man of religious faith. Their plans were often stymied, at times being unable to secure visas, and on the outset of the actual drama, finding they could no longer begin as planned due to the intifada that arose in the region. But as with every challenge, the group prevailed, setting out in October, with Wainwright traveling on foot and Nancy by camel-back. The entourage, including cameramen and a group of determined church people from various countries, entered Bethlehem on Christmas day, along with thousands of other faithful celebrants.
Wainwright, who has a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, has devoted his faith-based career to establishing and maintaining charitable organizations worldwide. The Holy Land Trust, begun as part of the 2000 pilgrimage, is still active, aiding and encouraging both Christians and Muslims in the region. In this almost day-by-day account, Wainwright recalls many small miracles that occurred along the way. Throughout the pilgrimage, from its earliest planning stages, there was the sense that God guided their steps and ensured their success. Upon reaching Bethlehem, the crew donated 200 olive trees to the people of the region who had lost crops due to warring conditions in their lands. Wainwright’s account will make a rich focus for religious workshops and individual contemplation.
In the Footsteps of the Magi – A Pilgrimage for Peace for Jesus’ 2000th Birthday is an account of epic proportions, set in modern times. Faith-based readers will turn the pages as footsteps in the desert sands are vicariously traversed, resulting in a memorable and spiritual uplifting journey.