PICS: People, Places & Things

We stole some pictures from our friend's camera...here are some treasures!!! :)  Enjoy...

We are standing in the Sea of Galilee

Andrew taking one of the few quiet moments we had...in the Sea of Galilee (he almost fell getting out, but I don't have a picture of that!!)

Bethany Beyond the Jordan - where John baptized Jesus.  We are standing on the Jordan side, the opposite river bank is in Israel.

A camel train in Jordan

A Jordanian taxi ride down to the bottom of Petra for our friends, Elma and Victor

Amy and Alethea, posing with the Treasury guards in Petra

The bathroom - built inside a cave in Petra.

Here we are looking really white, bobbing in the Dead Sea.  Being VERY white is quite the attraction all on it's own in the Middle East!!  Andrew claims he could have sold tickets poolside, for a few shekels :)

Practicing our syncro moves in the Dead Sea

on the shores of the Dead Sea - sorry about the background...hard to escape that!

On top of Masada...this was the one and only day that I got motion sickness in the bus, and it was 40+ degrees on top of Masada.  Here, I am leaning against the garbage can...just in case.

Part of our group, atop Masada

Taken from Mount of Olives - the Dome of the Rock is the gold dome in the background

Amy and Alethea, at the Church of Simon the Cyrene

A delicious cafe latte and apple strudel enjoyed at the Austrain Hospice in the Old City of Jerusalem

eating our strudel :)

Golgotha - the Place of the Skull

The Garden Tomb

Some of our friends awaiting to enter the Garden Tomb (Alma, Doug, Joyce, Victor)

Saturated

Shopping in the Old City of Jerusalem

Greeting from the Israeli airport!  We are waiting to board our plane so I thought I would take advantage of the free wi-fi in the airport and post some of my thoughts.  Andrew has been doing most of the blogging after the first few days.  I was really falling off the wagon because my brain couldn't keep up with everything that was happening.  I found it incredibly overwhelming - in my heart, my soul, and my mind.

How do you actually put into words what it feels like to be in Jesus' hometown of Capernaum?
...to visit Nazareth where Jesus grew up?
...to be floating on the Sea of Galilee, the same waters which Jesus walked upon?
...to see the valley Jesus walked along? to cross the Jordan River as the Israelites did so many years ago (except we were in a bus!!)?
...to be wandering in the desert that God's chosen people also wandered in for 40 years?
...And then to stand on the top of the Mount of Olives and see the route Jesus walked the night he was betrayed?
...to see Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemene, and the Garden Tomb?

To be honest, I have been disappointed with the commercialism and the busyness of life - and religion - that has taken over many of the holy sites.  I expected them to be more "holy", more sacred, more protected, more honoured.  I was surprised by how everyone was out to make a buck by promoting something very sacred.  I was also surprised by the many, many different religions that are all claiming rights and ownership to many of these sites.  I think I have gone to bed every night thinking, "Jesus, where are you in all of this?"  The Holy city of Jerusalem - His city - seemed to have squished him out.  Bethlehem is now a Palestinian community, barred behind electric fences and Israeli military.  Bethlehem...the birth place of our Lord, now held captive by an internal power struggle.  The call to prayer from the mosque that sits directly across from the Church of the Nativity sings out a loud cry over the city as we await our turn to enter the church that has been built over the cave where they think Jesus was born.  What is that??  This juxtaposition is too much for my brain and my heart.

I think I came on this trip expecting to find Jesus in a different way, and I think I did.  Not in the different way that I was anticipating, but still in a different way.  The Bible is more real, the stories are more vibrant, the emotions more evident.  Jesus is gracious, he is merciful, he is real.  All these things I know and all these things I believe.

Today, our last day, we visited the Garden Tomb.  For me it tied all the frayed ends together and put a beautiful seal on this trip.  Up until today, everything was overwhelming; I was feeling not only saturated, but SUPER saturated.  I couldn't take anything more in and make sense of it.  But then today, God showed up and refreshed my soul as I walked through what very well could be the garden where Joseph of Arimethea buried the body of Jesus.  This was the first peaceful place I had felt since we entered Jerusalem 4 days ago.  It was wonderful.

To God be the glory, great things he has done.
So loved he the world that he gave us his son.

Thank you Jesus.

Desert Wanderings

It’s hot today in the desert.  We are in Qumran - where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.  What an incredible story and what an incredible community.  They are a great commandment people group - totally devoted to a life of solitude, hard work, the preservation of scripture and devotion to God.  They were convinced that the return of God was at hand and therefore they gave up everything, including family, moved into the desert to live in community.  Many speculate that John the Baptist was part of this order until the time of his public ministry.  Purification, ritual baths and a relentless pursuit of holiness where part of the rhythm of everyday life.  Its ironic that for a people who place such a high value on the used of water in relation to life and faith, there is next to no water around - annual rain fall is about 25 cm.  The amazing thing is that it comes all at once.  Sometimes it only rains for about 15 minutes a year.  And when 25 centimeter falls in fifteen minutes in a dry, hard, mountainous land the rush is devastating flash floods.  Our guide says that the water cascading down the mountains and rushing up the valleys, “makes Niagara Falls look like a dripping bathroom tap”.  He regularly uses incredible adjectives to describe all things Israel.  The best hyperbole was when he told us as we passed a farmers field full of tulips for export that tulips were native to Israel - I thought the Dutch might have an argument there but I didn’t bother taking up the cause.  Apparently Israel also invented cherry tomatoes and just about every other beautiful thing we enjoy in life.  They have the best fruits and vegetables, the most noble prize winners per capita, the best air force etc. etc.  The prideful descriptions are a bit amusing, a bit annoying and a bit inspiring.  As skeptical and at times only subtly patriotic Canadians it is good to be around people so dedicated to their country.  

One of the many caves where scrolls have been found.

Speaking of dedication - the scribes in the Qumran community so reverenced the name of God that before they would write it down when coping scripture they would take a ceremonial bath.  Then they would write the name.  Then take a bath again before continuing on with their work.     

The flash floods are powerful and dangerous but are also the only source of water this community has for the enter year.  So they have developed an incredible system of water conservation and preservation using cisterns and reservoirs.  These are not a primitive desert people.  The engineering and scientific understanding from 2000 years ago is incredible.  

When then travel further into the desert until we come to Masada were following the fall of Jerusalem the Jewish people made their last desperate stand agains the Romans in 73 AD.  This mountain fortress, built by Herod the Great is spectacular.  He built three palaces into the side of the mountain and surrounded them with bath houses, hanging gardens - a 20 acre paradise in the desert surrounded by massive fortifications and supported by an elaborate water collection and distribution system.  As impressive as the structures are (made possible only by having unlimited resources, an unlimited slave work force and unlimited ambition and paranoia) the epic siege and battle that took place here is the real story  culminating in the entire community choosing freedom over slavery, suicide over defeat.  It is overwhelming, tragic, and noble. Did I mention it is also really really hot - almost 40 degrees...in the blaring sun...on the top of a mountain...in the desert.  Wow.

The Masada fortress on top of the mountain from the bus.

That's the Dead Sea in the background - on top of Masada

The highlight of the day was lunch...really.  We actually were able to choose our own lunch from the food court at the base of Masada.  Where did we eat?  McDonald’s...in the desert of Masada.  It was awesome....really.  It was nice to have a taste of home, and we certainly ate with thoughts of our boys in our minds!!  Since this happened to be a non-Kosher McDonald's we could even have ice cream for dessert.  It was fun!!

yes, that says "Big New Yorker"...Andrew had the "Big Texas"!!

Amy and one of her gang members, Earnest...he is one of the 3 men that were kicked out of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem...along with Amy.  They are now known as "Amy and the Gang"...we are vicious troublemakers :)

The days have been long with so much information to take in.  It was nice to go back to the hotel after such a hot, hot day and hang out by the roof top pool.  Everyday is full and busy!

Suffering

Following the walk of Jesus...an incredible day that traced the last 2 days of Jesus life.

Entered the old City of Jerusalem through the Dung Gate and spent time exploring the Temple Mount and learning about the Walls, the Gates and the Temple.  After observing those praying at the Wailing Wall we we lead by our guide on a tour of the tunnels that stretch under the Muslim quarter.  I is amazing to see how each conquering empire built on top of the other stretching back to Solomon.  

Via Delarosa

Exiting the tunnels we travel down the Via Delarosa stopping at stations 2, 5 & 8.  We stop at the Pool of Bethesda and St. Anne’s church to sign and pray.  We were greeted by a Catholic Father who grew up in Timmins, Ontario but has been living in Jerusalem and serving as one of the directors of St. Anne’s for decades.  He was wonderful, welcoming still so Canadian .- he encouraged us to enter the church and singing saying that “to sing once is to pray twice.”  Inside St. Annes there were groups from all over the world singing different songs and hymns one following after the other.  When it was our turn our leader chose to sing,  “Thank You oh my Father” by Keith Green.  At first I cringed a bit wondering if we should have picked a sacred song rather than a seventies Christian pop tune but then I noticed dozens of other people from different groups most of whom did not speak English knew the song and were joining us.  By the time we got to the chorus everyone was singing and it was very moving.  The acoustics inside St. Annes are amazing and it just felt great to be worshiping with others of like faith without the tension of the day before.  

The walls of the Pools of Bethesda - there was a cistern with water in it...I thought Andrew should get in, but it looked kind of thick!

We climbed the Mount of Olives and walked through the Garden of Gethsimene.  It all began to come together.  The whole story of the last week of Jesus life took place right here - you can see it all - Ciaphas’ house, the Praetorium (trail before Pilate), the Via Dolorosa (journey to the cross).  We began to retrace his steps and reflect on suffering of Christ.

Dome of the Rock; the arches to the right of the Dome is the courtyard where Jesus was on trial

Garden of Gethsemene

The gate (now closed in) that Jesus walked through carrying the cross

In the afternoon we moved from the suffering of Christ to the suffering of humanity as we “toured” the holocaust museum, where we also had lunch and where people were upset that, because of kosher laws, we could not eat have ice cream in the same part of the food court where we ate lunch - the contradictions, ironies and irreconcilable realities that have ear marked this trip continue - an ice cream stand at the holocaust museum?   

This horrific story impacts you on so many levels.  First, there is the immense size and pervasiveness of the suffering, the depth of the hatred and the realization that this stretched across Europe and around the world.    Second, there is the individual stories of unimaginable torture, inhuman treatment, of families and people stripped of everything and then killed, literally torn apart and destroyed.  You don’t even want to look at it, let alone take it into your heart and yet you know that you owe it to those who received this abuse to at least help remember their story, their lives, their name - to give them back at least a tiny portion of their dignity and value.  Third, there is the heroic side - stories of people doing the right thing, standing up for others even at the cost of their own lives.  Volunteering death so that others might live another day.    Fourth, there is the understanding that this may be a historical event for most of us but to the Jewish people this is an every day reality, an open wound, a continued threat.  Both our guide and bus driver have no extended family as most of us do - cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents etc. because they are children of the few who survived alone.   

 The part that I had not grasp until coming here was the suffering of the children.  Almost 2 million children suffered and were killed in the holocaust - they were deemed even of less value because they could not work.   There is a children’s memorial at the holocaust museum - a dark room filled with glass and mirrors giving thousands of reflections, each representing a child, from six candles - one for every million people murdered.    We drove back to the hotel in relative silence.  Revelation 21:4-7 kept running through my mind as I thought, “Oh come Lord Jesus and save us from ourselves.”  It was through his suffering that he is able to give us hope in the midst of ours.  

Day of Despair & a Little Laughter

Today (Tuesday) was what many are calling the Day of Despair.  It actually is the Day of Declaration celebrating modern Israel’s formation but for most of the Arab and Muslim States surrounding Israel who do not accept their right to exist and for those living in the Occupied Territory, this is a day of protest.  We were scheduled to go to downtown Jerusalem and to some historical sites but there was some rioting and it was not safe.   We could see the smoke from our bus on the way to the hotel and witnessed some teenagers being arrested for throwing rocks.   If this was in Canada we would have to have a full inquiry into today’s events but here it seems like like just a normal part of the rhythm of life in the Middle East and people are still calmly going about their business - our guide simply shrugged it off and said that tomorrow it will be quiet.   

Our day started out really peacefully - bobbing around in the Dead Sea, still in Jordan.  There are hundreds of people coming here from all over Europe, Asia and the Middle East seeking a cure for all kinds of skin aliments in the rich salt and mineral laden water and mud.  They also say it will make you look and feel 10 years younger so we too lathered up and rinsed off.  The process certainly makes your skin tingle but as for a cure and age reduction - we’re still waiting.  Once back in Israel our Jewish guide said the problem was that we went in on the eastern (Jordanian) side of the lake.  On Thursday we take another dip near Masada so perhaps perhaps twice is the charm.    

Our boarder crossing from Jordan to Israel went smoothly and we began the journey up to Jerusalem.  As we approached the city we came through a tunnel and our guide got us to countdown.  Once we got to 3-2-1 we emerged from the tunnel to a full panoramic view of the city as he said, “Welcome to Jerusalem the most beautiful, and important city in the world.”  The bus broke out into applause and started to sing “O Jerusalem!”  I am quite confident this has never happened our a tour bus coming into Toronto - perhaps someday.  

Our day kind of took a turn for there - not for the better.  Our new schedule had us going to Bethlehem for lunch and a visit to Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity.  Located in the Palestinian section of the city, behind the wall, on this day especially the atmosphere felt tense and the place seemed crowded, angry and dirty.  Our tour guide did not even come with us because he is a Jew and has to have special permission to travel here (I think it is more about the fact that he just didn’t want to be there).  Once in Bethlehem the bus pulled over and dumped us out for lunch - which wasn’t that appetizing but we all ate out of obligation.  Then came the bill - $30 US + drinks.  Wow.  Then we were told we could take our bus to the church but that the owners of the restaurant would arrange for a shuttle for us and we could wait for it in their gift shop - we were starting to feel a little set up.   The longer the ladies lingered in the shop the longer it took the owners to find the shuttle buses - once our group had been fully gleaned the buses arrived and off we went to manger square.  

Conflict and tension is so palipal this site were the peace was incarnated.  Our new guide explained to us about the different churches that had been built above and around this sacred site over the centuries and those who cometite and claim space today.  

Even in the day when Jesus was born it was a busy crowded place - far from the tranquile cresh scene that we put up in the living room every advent season.  Being in the East Jeresalem (OT) the Israeli and Palestinian conflict is very real with solderies and check points.  The situation gets even more complicatd by the presence of Chrisitians.

Entering into the church you begin to see the different additions that have occurred over the centuries.  As we move from the basilica into the more holy area at the front of the church we enter into the area controlled/managed by the Orthodox church.  There was a very serious group of Orthodox Christians ahead of us and a group of passionate Catholics behind us.  Amy and another member of our group shared a innocent exchange and both laughed.  BANG!!!! The orthadox preist sitting at a desk directly behind and above Amy slammed his hand down on the wood demanding silence and express huge anger and indigination.  It may have been that we represented to him loud   irrevenant westerns, he may have been trying to keep the atmoshere sacred or it might have been that he was just having a bad day.  A few minutes later someone from our team asked rhe guide what era the very ornate, gody and seventyish (almost Elvis-like) lights and candle chandelars that hung throughout the church were from.  Pastor Jake, complete dead pan suggested to a few of us that it was the “trudeau” era and he and Andrew laughted.  Now thjose of you who know Andrew know that his laugh is not suble.  The priest was now on his feet yelling at our guide, calling for the police and church security and now examining  our clothing.  Our guide begins to yell back at the preist - immediate Amy, Doug (who are both still smiling and so whst naive to what is happening ) are hulled out along with Wayne and Ernest (all three men seniors) and this  gang are chastised for all wearing shorts that fall above the knee (we had not planned on visiting a holy place and this was the only time all week Amy had not wore capris) The church security guard appolgized to Amy but in order to reestablish peace she and the others were ushered by the police out of the church.  

The arguement between the priest and guide ontinued.  Shaken up some others wanted to leave too but we were trapped between groups. On lady whose husband had been taken away began to cry.  Members of the group behind us also  joined in the verbal condemnation of our group.   While the wild four waited for us outside the rest of us went through a small doorway into the basement of the church where the birthplace of Christ is thought to have happened.  These people who had just been arguing with us were now laying prostrate above the sacred place, kissing the spot and crying out to God.  We were herded out of the area quickly and back up another set of stairs we then exited out into the Catholic area of the church and the door to the Orthodox area was close behind us.  I know it was meant to prevent us from reentering (it had remained opened for all other groups) but its closing actually brought a sense of relief. 

This new area felt much lighter.  This is where Christmas from Bethlehem is broadcast from every year and in the basement is where the Vulgate bible was translated.  

Soon we rejoined the Amy, Doug, Wayne and Earnest gang and we headed back to our bus through what felt like narrow, dangerous streets.  As we left Bethlehem we went through a check point where Israelis soldiers came on to the bus with machine guns to check our identification and ironically I think to make us feel safe.  

After we passed through te bus driver announced “welcome  back to civilization”..  It did feel good to be back.  I cannot imagine what it must be like to live your life behind the wall. 

PETRA (no, not the 80's rock band!)

Probably our most fascinating day yet - and that is saying something.  "Wow" just doesn't cut it. 

Petra and Jordan feel different in so many ways - spiritually, in the air, in the way people treat us.  Tourism is still a relatively new in Jordan.  The seem a little annoyed by the presence of Westerners but more than excited about the prospect of re-leaving us of as much money as possible. 

It rained in the desert today - surprise, surprise!  Apparently it's a dangerous thing this time of year especially in Petra where the ground is hard and dry.  Flash floods have been known to hit the area at random and let me tell you, at times, I was scared we were about to witness a "random" act of God!

The view from our hotel room...looks like a painting!  But it isn't - and it's not fog...it is sand in the air.

The first sand tomb carved in Petra

Again, the picture doesn't do it justice!

The Ancient City of Petra - despite the fact that this is one of the Seven Wonders of the World - all I knew about it previous to today was that this is where they filmed Indiana Jones.  All that said, there are not enough words to adequately describe the architectural and natural beauty of what we walked through and witnessed today.  The skill and magnitude of what God has created here was absolutely incredible.  The way the wind and sun have formed caves that people lived in (and probably still live in, although the government officially moved them out only a few years ago). 

Amy and her new friend, Alethea - and some scary looking guards!

One of the ways we could have gone up and down the path.

The Treasury - as seen in Indiana Jones...an incredible piece of art.

This little girl broke my heart.  Lord, bless her!!

As we walked street vendors, local entrepreneurs and beggars flooded around desperate to sell us everything (clothes, tea, postcards, jewelry, donkey and camel rides, buggy rides) anything.  We were told by our tour guide not to look them in the eyes or engage in conversation or they will not leave you alone.  Amy found out the truth as she looked into the eyes of a five year little girl pleading with her to buy a post card - its not only that they won’t leave you alone - its that once you realize how incredibly human, valuable and precious each of them are - you don’t want to leave them - not here in this life where despite the fact that she is bright and beautiful, because  of destined poverty, and the fact that as a woman she will have few rights and little hope.  Hours later as we prepared to leave we saw her again along with the other children gathered around her adult male “pimp” giving in the money they had gleaned in order to receive more postcards and possibly a meal - it was heartbreaking - oh how I would have love to steal her away from here.  Of all God and man’s creations we saw today she by far was the most beautiful.   Amy prayed for her all afternoon and wished she had taken the opportunity to verbally bless the little girl.  

As we finished our climb out of Petra we finally gave in to the barrage of the local vendors and stepped into a shop own apparently by the cousin of our tour guide - whether or not they were related they definitely were in cahoots.  That is where we purchased our own headdresses to match those of the King and Queen of Jordan.  As I worked to try and barter the shop keep down a little I was a little surprised when he asked me - how many camels for my wife?  He was jesting of course but he was fairly captivated by Amy’s eyes and I don’t think it would have taken much to get the negotiations going.  Later our tour guide said that we should be complimented because camels in Jordan can be worth as much as half a million dollars.  Can you imagine me coming home and telling the boys - I have some good news and some bad news.  The good news is that we are rich,  rich, rich and can now all travel anywhere in the world.  The bad news is that we are going to have to because Mommy is now living in a tent in Jordan.  

But I am a fortunate man because I got to end the day watching a gorgeous sunset over the Dead Sea and then having dinner with my wife who I wouldn’t trade for any amount of  camels - how’s that for a comment that should go inside a hallmark card.