Yesterday we went to the Garden Tomb...wow! What a special spiritual time. Our guide was originally from northern England and retired in Wales, and according to Dan, "really made the resurrection come alive for us!" While we were singing in a corner of the garden with communion, a couple from Toronto joined and had communion with us - it was a sweet time. We took our time and walked around the beautiful gardens and enjoyed the meaningful experience.
Then walked around the streets of old Jerusalem again - it was such a great experience each day we spend there. Upon our return to Bethlehem, just after walking through the checkpoint part of our team met a couple of olive wood shop owners, one was a born again Christian from a Bedouin Muslim background, and the other a Palestinian Christian who invited our team to their shop for dinner that night. We went back to their shop at dinnertime and they rolled out... See More large red carpets on the floor for us to sit on, and served us nuts, wine, crackers, and pita shish kabobs. Had a great time with them, talking about reconciliation and hearing about their struggles. God is good!
4.30.10
Shari, Charlotte, Nick and Sheila are on their way home late tonight - we'll miss them. We have all had such a wonderful time together.
Early this morning Dan gave the college devotional at BethlehemBibleCollege. It was translated to Arabic. It was interesting and a blessing - he did a great job.
We drove to Jericho on some very treacherous steep and wet (yes, it rained today!) roads and toured the oldest city in the world - 10,000 years old - it was soooo fascinating! On the way to Jericho we stopped about one mile from St. George's Monastery and hiked the rest of the way. It was beautiful, peaceful, and fascinating, as so much on this trip has been. Several of our team members rode donkeys back up the steep hill to the van rather than to hike up.
Saw the cave at Qumran where the dead sea scrolls were found, and the original stone ruins where they were written. It was very interesting.
Then on to the Dead Sea, which is 1385 feet below sea level! Very cool floating and rubbing mud all over ourselves! You could not sink if you tried - just don't get the water in your eyes, right Lance?
We are all pretty exhausted tonight...shared left overs in the guest house at BBC. Tomorrow morning we are going to the Garden Tomb, then spending the rest of the day walking the streets of old Jerusalem again. Stay tuned for more pics to be posted tomorrow.
4.26.10
This is a wonderful GO TEAM! We are having a blast together, and getting a lot of work done in the process!
Saturday night stayed at the Rimonon Hotel in Nazareth; then early Sunday morning several of us walked to the church of the Annunciation, which was built around the site of the old ruins of Nazareth where the angel announced to Mary that she would be giving birth to a son, Jesus.
Then drove to the city of Jenin, where we were delayed and had our passports checked over and over, and almost denied entrance through the checkpoint. We were told if we came back through that checkpoint again, we would be thoroughly searched and it would take hours. Needless to say, we didn't go back that way!
Drove through Jenin (we were told they do not see many Americans there, which was obvious by the expressions on the residents' faces as we drove by them) to the Palestinian Fair Trade Farmers Cooperative called 'Canaan'. Toured the facility and saw where they press the olives and make some of the products. Many of the products will be purchased by our team and sold in HeBrews and Festival of HOPE. We were invited to go back, and to be housed with the farmers!
After our tour we were taken to an ancient church from the 4th century, where there was a cave within the church. This cave was where lepers were quarantined, and turns out, Jesus healed the lepers in this very cave! It was really a holy moment being there, touching the walls, the floor and viewing the hole that was carved into the ceiling of the cave to lower food to the lepers. Unbelievable experience - definitely one of the highlights!
Walked around in Jenin, ate lunch (a huge spread! They just kept bringing the food!), then drove by the Mount of Transfiguration; then through Dothan, where "Joseph's pit" was. Also drove through Armageddon. Stopped by Thomas' house for a Sand and Sound meeting, then on to dinner with them in Natanya. Got back to BBC at 11:00 p.m.....exhausted, GREAT DAY!
By the way, our guide told us the story of the shepherd breaking the leg of the lamb who strays...turns out he was getting at something - we were ALWAYS running late and he had a hard time rounding us up! He also told us that Presbyterians are notoriously late on all of his tours! LOL!
Today, Monday, the Entrepreneurial Team met with folks to talk about some ideas and opportunities. Had a wonderful lunch at the home of our new friends, Shireen and Ibrahim, who Lance and Shari met on their last trip to the West Bank.
This afternoon we met with Sami Awad, founder of the Holy Land Trust. He sat down with us and really put some things into perspective about nonviolent resistance systems by the Palestinians. He feels there is hope in their mission and that amazing things have happened, but much more work to be done, and the word to spread broadly about the truth of what is happening in this part of the world.
4.24.10
Had amazing day yesterday! Left Bethlehem at 8am and drove through part of Jerusalem, through the JordanValley to the Sea of Galilee. Picniced with a Messianic Jewish community, witnessed baptisms in the Galilee, and met one of the young people who will be a part of Sound and Sand encounter, along with Evan and Mala, ...the pastor and his wife. It was a sweet time.
Then we drove to the Mount of the Beatitudes....it was breathtaking, and a spiritual moment! Then to the beach where the resurrected Jesus asked Peter "do you love me?" Amazing....
Then to Capernaum! Finished the day at the House of Light, a recovery ministry that originally began reaching out to children, and now has a fantastic prison ministry.
Crashed in a hotel in Nazareth....awaiting more adventures tomorrow! We are all having a great time!
4.23.10
Greetings from BethlehemBibleCollege! Just a quick update as it is quite late and we have to be up early in the morning! Our day started with a tour of the new BBC which should be finished in just a couple weeks! 'Beautiful' can barely begin to describe this facility! We then enjoyed a talk with Alex Awad and a lecture from his brother, Bishara. Two godly men who have opened our eyes and hearts to the hopes and prayers of the Palestinian people. We had "tea" with some of the students and another visiting group from Arizona. We all love the fresh bread sold by a vendor at the gate, dipped in yogurt and spices. I forget the exact name, but it sure was delicious! Lunch was again with the students at the college. A traditional Friday meal of lentils and rice with cucumber and tomatoe salad. Soooo yummy! Then off to ChristmasLutheranChurch and a special visit with Mitri Raheb. Will fill you in on that later, too much to tell. Turns out they were dedicating the Art/Photography Exhibition from the students there. Quite a treat! Then off to The Tent Resaurant where we had a feast! Seated on couches, under a huge tent, we were entertained by an Assyrien Christian group from Sweden who sang and danced through the evening. Thank goodness for the open air, for the hookah pipes were in full use. It is a common practice here, but most of us are so used to non smoking facilities in the US. Still an incredible experience! Will chat more later. Off to sleep as we are headed out early for Nazareth and the Sea of Gallilee tomorrow. Beach party and baptisms await! God bless!
4.22.10
They made it! They posted this on the Facebook page:
“We have arrived safely! It's 10:40 p.m. - we had a fantastic dinner with all kinds of delicious salads, lamb prepared two different ways, and chicken kabobs - yum! We are excited for adventures that await us tomorrow! More updates to come!”
