Jordan wan do makeover for di place dem baptize Jesus

Today, di River Jordan no big like e bin dey for Bible times, but about 200,000 visitors still dey pack dem selves go di traditional place for Christian baptisms for normal year.

Oliver wey be French, say, "wen you dey di area, you gatz visit, na part of history". Mark from Maryland say im come for "di spirituality, to walk di footsteps of Jesus".

Dis month na di most popular time for pilgrims. Dis na as Western and later Eastern Orthodox churches dey celebrate Epiphany. Di holiday na to mark wen di Three Wise men come see Jesus wey dem just born and later im baptism by prophet John.

Recently, Jordan announce ogbonge $100mm (£83m) plan to draw one million Christians come al-Maghtas for 2013.

Dis go be to celebrate wetin dem see as di 2,000th anniversary of wen dem baptise Jesus.

Dem say e go get biblical village and di biggest Christian pilgrimage and interfaith centre for di region.

Dis na as dem sabi say River Jordan also get religious importance for Jews and Muslims.

Rustom Mkhjian wey be di director general of di Jordan baptism site say, "e always dey great to get visitors, our pilgrims experience wetin John and Jesus do. I call am 'di fifth gospel' as you go physically see wetin you read for all di four gospels".

E point out say one of di features na di native plant wey der popular with bees, wey dem dey call yanbout or locust pod, e remind me wia di Bible bin tok about how John di Baptist bin dey chop, "locust and wild honey".

How di Baptism site bin dey rediscovered

Di baptism site wey dem bin also call Bethany Beyond di Jordan na Unesco World Heritage site.

Na wia dem dey preserve di remains of Roman and Byzantine churches, one monastery and baptism pools among di wilderness near di lowest point for Earth.

Dem uncover di place for 1995 afta Jordan sign peace treaty with Israel.

Before dat time, both sides of dat river be closed military zone since 1967 Middle East War wen Israel capture di West Bank from Jordan and occupy am.

Oga Mkhjian tok say, "di rediscovery of dis site na one of di fruits of peace. Imagine, dem comot tens of thousands of mines. E no beta to get millions of pilgrims instead of mines?"

Even though Jordan don dey drag with di Israel controlled side of di river for tourists, in di last 20 years, three Catholic popes, two Coptic popes and church leaders from all ova di world don enta al-Maghtas.

Rich and famous pipo don baptise dia pikin here and Jordan royal court dey send holy water for British royal christening.

Jordan authorities don invite different Christian denominations wey build new churches here, with more to come.

E dey rare for dis kain tin to happun for middle East even as na initiative from di Jordan Muslim royal family.

Wetin be di plan to attract one million pipo come Jesus Baptism site for 2030

Last month, King Abdullah bin unviel di masterplan for di baptism zone wey go dey next to di Unesco site.

Samir Murad wey be oga of di non profit wey Jordan goment arrange to oversee di project say dem go maintan di integrity of di area.

"E no go make sense to try build tourist destination wey dey based on commercialisation and theme park like issues for site wey dey so holy. Na di third holiest site for Christianity. Na wia Jesus get im calling so e no go gel to corrupt or volate am in any way".

Plans for di new development go include glamping-style lodging and eateries, wey go serve local food. Internet and electric cables go dey under ground.

Big part of di zone go dey for agriculture and bird sanctuary to fit protect di environment, dem don ask di Roa Botanical Gardens for UK to give dem some biblical plants make dem plant.

Jordan wan make international goments and religious organisation contribute to di development.

For region wey religious divisions na part of di reason for dia fight, di hope be say di project go ginger odas as e show cultural openness and interfaith harmony.