Bowen started a fundraiser called "One Week to End Fistulas, " which raises money forrepair surgeries for underprivileged women who otherwise lack access.
For the church, built over a cave which marks the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, the biggest problem is water damage from unrepaired leaks and the reluctance of the Greek, Armenian and Roman Catholic hierarchs to agree on any repair plan that might disrupt the Ottoman-era system for sharing access to the building.