The scripture tells us that Jesus was born in his parents’ hometown of Bethlehem after Mary and Joseph had travelled there for the census.
Joseph and Mary had to set out on a difficult journey southward to Bethlehem. They would probably have made the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem by one of two routes.
At that rate, the journey seems to have taken Joseph and Mary about four to five days. You wonder where they stayed each night, where and with whom they camped along the way. It looks like a wearying journey for anyone, but especially for a pregnant woman soon to give birth.
Mary and Joseph were very exhausted and they did not find any comfortable room to stay in. Desperately, they found no adequate shelter and resorted to a place used for sheltering cows.
Since then it has become a tradition, and if not for some reason every Christian wants to be in his or her hometown during Christmas festive.
However, in South Sudan, it is a different case; each time during Christmas most of the citizens prefer travelling out of the country to either Uganda, Kenya, or Sudan to celebrate Christmas.
This is common with the leaders and the working-class citizens. It is only the ordinary people who prefer travelling to the villages to celebrate Christmas. A poor person travels back home from Juba to Bor, Juba to Tombura, and Juba to Kapoeta and many other places to celebrate Christmas with the families.
This clearly shows how patriotic are the ordinary people towards the country compared to the leaders. The ordinary people have remained very patriotic to the country whether in times of difficulties or enjoyment. Secondly, the fact that most of our leaders often travel outside the country to celebrate Christmas with their families, means they are non-permanent residents.
‘Dwellers on the run?’
Most of them are hotel dwellers. How can you spend the whole year in the hotel and call yourself a citizen of the country? To go further, some do not even have a small ‘tukul’ in their villages. This is a big shame.
Nevertheless, no one is against those travelling outside the country to celebrate Christmas with their family members, but we need to be patriotic to the country.
We need to own this country, build it and behave like people who are here to stay but not just trespassers or temporary settlers. It is time for our leaders to behave like patriots and show the ordinary citizens their love for this country that has caused 2.5 million innocent lives for it to come into existence.
However, there are some factors including security that is preventing many people from travelling to their villages for Christmas. However, the security issue not in all parts of the country. We can still celebrate in those safer areas like Juba, Torit, Wau, Bor, Rumbek, Malakal, and Aweil instead of going to Khartoum, Kampala and Nairobi. Those people have always been patriotic to their countries that is what makes the countries what they are.