Home for almost two days

Last Night in Jerusalem

 

So after a long plane ride we made it home.  In fact the plane was early getting into JFK.  I know I’m hope because I spent the last five hours fixing a toilet.  That is something you don’t do when your away from home, unless it is Appalachian Service Project I suppose.  (I’ve been thinking about the group from Church there this week.  Hopefully next year I’ll get back to ASP)But as far as the job this morning, it was one of those really annoying ones where you have to go to the hardware store 3 times to get everything you discover you need.  And of course as soon as you discover you need it, you realize that you should have know that the last time you were at the hardware store.  The good news is that it is done now and I don’t have to worry about Christine coming home with Helena and not being able to use the bathroom.   Anyway, I’m amazed how well the kids are doing with the jet lag, and it is a good thing, because we leave a little after 4 am in the morning to fly to Arizona.  I’m looking forward to the time there, seeing family and perhaps getting a chance to reflect on my/our time in Israel.  Particularly exciting is the opportunity to do something I’ve wanted to do my whole life.  Raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.  An added bonus is doing it with Daniel.  I’m hoping the time gives me the opportunity to reflect of my experiences this summer and even to think about my ministry and what lies ahead at Freedom Plains.  Hope all is well with you and I guess this is it for the blog for a while, I hope to follow-up with some more entries at the end of Aug. enshallah, as the Palestinians would say.  (enshallah, means God willing) 

Peace, 

Paul.

The Plane Leaves in a couple of Hours

Today we walked through the old city for the last time, as well as went to the Mount of Olives.  As we looked out over the city it was wonderful to ask the kids about different places and realize that Jerusalem is now a place that they and Christine and myself know a good deal about.  The last couple of days we have been bumming around visiting places, walking and eating ice cream.  It was also great to realize that this has been a great time for this family, laughing, playing, and enjoying being together.  Sure the kids say they would rather be at camp at home, but I also think they have enjoyed having time here, just us.  I’m sure that over the next few weeks, months and even years I will put much of this experience to work and into perspective, but right now we are packing and preparing to head home and then on to Arizona.  I hope to write something at home, but do not plan to write anything when we are in Arizona.  Also I don’t intend to bring a computer to raft the Grand Canyon with Daniel and me.  I will however let you know how Daniel and I do being cut off from the internet for two weeks, when I get back.

Christine with the Western Wall and Dome of the Rock behind

Can’t Believe it is almost time to Leave

Almost two months and it does feel like I’ve been here for a while, and yet there is still so much the I don’t know and don’t understand and so many things I could still do here.  That is not to say that I’ve/we’ve not done a great deal and learned much.  Daniel in particular asks all kinds of good questions about what is going on here, and the number of times I’ve had to say “I don’t know” is humbling.  Last night we went out to diner in East Jerusalem at the Jerusalem Hotel.  Walking back it was interesting as we passed through the Muslim streets the were shutting down, through the old City that was deserted and then into West Jerusalem that, at 10 PM, was more crowed than I’ve ever seen it.  I’ve never been in a place were almost every block has its own culture and cultural norms.  Today we walked the other half of the rampart walk.(Yesterday we did the first part)  

The Lents setting off on the Ramparts

 

It really is amazing how much we are walking.  I imagine an average day is over 4 or 5 miles.  And it may be much more.  Helena has particularly impressed her mother and me.  That is not to say we never hear any complaining.  On the ramparts you can walk  around almost all of the city.  You can’t walk from around the Dome of the Rock and you have to stop on the other side before the Western Wall, but that is still around 70% of the old city.  

On the Wall

 

We finally made it to the Haram esh-Sharif, which holds the Dome of the Rock.  Having looked at it from almost every angle around Jerusalem it was nice to see it up close.  The Dome was built-in 688-91, just after the Christian city of Jerusalem fell to the Muslims.  The Dome is an amazing building covering the Rock where it is believed the Jebusites had a threshing floor, the Jews built their temple and was the altar of sacrifice, and Mohammad had his night travel.  We were not able to get in the Dome or the El-Aqsa Mosque, built about 20 years after the Dome.  We could only walk around the outside and in the court-yard.  Of course as you may or may not know many devote Jews will not walk on the Haram esh-Sharif (Noble sanctuary or Temple Mount) because no one is really sure where the Holy of Holies was that place where the divine presence is said to never leave and they might walk over it. 

 

Dome of the Rock

El-Aqsa Mosque

The Birth Place of John the Baptist

When we had the rental care we tried to make it to Ein Kerem, a little town just south-west of Jerusalem.  We drove around for a while and failed.  Yesterday after church we walked up to a cab and said, Ein Kerem please.   Not to be found in the Bible, Ein Kerem is believed to be the home town of John the Baptist.  In fact there are two large churches in town one dedicated to the Birth of John by Elizebeth.  The other to Mary’s visit to Elizabeth.  In the same place is a cave thought to be the place where Elizabeth hide John when King Herold ordered the children killed.  It is a cute little town, but our day was literally overshadowed by a large brush fire just short of the town.  We watched as the planes fought the fire and the smoke gave us a break from sun screen. 

Fire above Ein Kerem

Food for Thought

So I’ve not passed along any reading as of late.  I thought these op-eds were worth reading.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/a-new-party-of-good-tidings-1.303537

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/he-impersonated-a-human-1.303359

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/the-vineyard-guards-1.303136

Oh Little town of Bethlehem

Church of the Nativity

I’m getting to like Bethlehem.  The Church of the Nativity is an interesting place.  A church was built here over the cave where it was believed Jesus was born in the year 326.  Saint Helena, Constantine’s mother commissioned the church to be built and it was dedicated on May 31, 339.  Parts of a mosaic floor can still be seen from this church.  The current church was built around 530 AD because the original was not big enough.  When Persians arrived in  614 AD they destroyed every church in the land except this one.  According to legend, they were impressed by a representation of the Magi — fellow Persians — that decorated the building and so they said, “we can’t destroy that, that is us.”  It is one of the oldest churches in the world and the oldest in the Holy Land.  It is also somewhat simple despite the Orthodox trappings.  

the door of penitence

The door of penitence they call it today, because you have to bow down to get in the church.  In fact over time the door has gotten smaller and smaller.  First it had to be made smaller because they did not like the knights in the crusades riding their horses in.  Next it was to protect the church from the Muslim armies.  Bethlehem itself is a town the is overseen by the Palestinian Authority.  In fact Israeli’s are not allowed to go to Bethlehem, because Israel will not let them.  It is also ground zero for the security wall that basically exists on perhaps more than three sides of the town.  Friends of mine went to Bethlehem to watch the world cup because there was a bar there that was projecting the games up on the wall.  Besides rather aggressive cab drivers I’ve found Bethlehem to friendly and an interesting town.

For those of you following along, Daniel did not get any bacon in Bethlehem.

Trip to Petra

Where is Indiana Jones?

Petra is a city established by the Nabataeans around 2200 years ago.  It is an amazing place.  The reason it came into being was the location made it an important trade center between India, and China and the Mediterranean and North Africa.  So the cultural influences are very interesting.  Of course, the real draw is the buildings built out of the sandstone cliffs.   The first picture has Christine standing in the middle of the road into the city.  The road is about 2 km  through this narrow and high crevice.  Originally all along the road would have been shrines to rulers and other God’s.  Eventually the city changed and became a Roman city.  The Roman’s must have felt at home with much of the architecture, and its importance as a trade center was certainly of interest to them.    

 Petra is a large park and it is about 5.6 km to the “Monastery” from the entrance.  All along the way there are tombs, a theatre, Colonnades, and of course, the Treasury, made famous by Indiana Jones movie.  Helena rode a donkey a little of the way, the steepest part to the Monastery.  (called the monastery because at some point after the city fell, due to an earthquake in 365 AD, a christian community made use of the building as a church.)

A break from walking for Helena

 

 In some ways the Nabataeans have somethings in common with the United States.  They were open to outside cultural influences and absorbed them into their culture.  They are called a melting pot of ancient civilizations. 

The whole trip to Jordan and Petra from Jerusalem was a rather grand undertaking.  We got up at 5:30 to make a 5 hour bus ride  from Jerusalem to Eilat.  We then took a taxi to the border crossing with Jordan.  Then having passed through the border we took a 2 hour taxi to Petra.  Actually the town around Petra is called Wadi Musa. That is Moses’ creek.  Tradition has it that Moses planted the olive trees there in his wondering with the Israelites.  Also Aaron’s tomb is on the highest peak in the area of Petra.  Daniel and I say the next trip we will visit Moses’ brother’s tomb.  But I’ve got to say visiting Aaron’s tomb looks to be a huge climb.  Having checked into the hotel the kids and I went swimming in what was unexpectedly a cold pool.  Petra is rather high, but still the water was oddly cold.  Then after diner we went into Petra for a candle light tour of the city to the Treasury.  We did not get to sleep until 11.  The next morning after breakfast we took the 8 AM shuttle to Petra and walked the 7.2 miles through Petra.  The kids did great, but they had their moments;  So did Christine and I.  Yesterday we did the whole trip back to Jerusalem in reverse.  It was worthwhile, but a lot.  Today we are lying low, maybe going to Bethlehem in the afternoon and having diner with Ian and Julia before they leave for Scotland and America tomorrow.  I will share a few more pictures. 

We made it to the Monastery

Indiana Helena

Daniel at the top

YEA! We made it back to the Hotel and the pool

Many more pictures to share at a later time.

Off to Petra and a few days off from blogging, a question for you.

We are off to Jordan and Petra for a couple of days so no posts until maybe Thursday.  I leave you with this to think about though.  I was talking to some friends tonight about the fact that Saint Georges Episcopal church here in Jerusalem does not let women serve communion, or preach.  To be fair it is the Episcopal church of the  of the Middle East’s rule.  The question is do we say, well that is just the culture and you have to understand, or do we say, no that is wrong and should not be.  And where is the line?

Sunday in Jerusalem, church and a hair cut

This morning, for the first time all four of us got to attend church in the old city together, and as it so

After Church Ian and the kids

 happened our friend Ian Alexander was preaching.  As one of his friends said the other day, of Sunday Ian is Preaching, come anyway.  Actually is was a really good sermon and a fine service.  At least I think it is neat that the kids got to hear their “Uncle Ian” preach in Jerusalem.  He did baptise both of these wee ones.  I do enjoy this congregation, a home away from home. 

The other excitement for me today was getting a hair cut.  Not speaking the language is a disadvantage to be sure, but there is a universal reality having to do with barber shops.  The trick here for english speakers is you need to be sure the barber can speak two words.  Just two is all the is important.  They are take and trim.  That was the question I was asked, “take or trim”  I choose trim and while it is the shortest hair cur I can remember having it is alright.  And it was only about 6 bucks including a nice tip for the barber.  The other thing I learned as the man was using a straight edge to shave my sideburns is that if your cell rings while the barber is using a straight edge there is no one that important.

Caesarea

Caesarea, know to Christians as the place where the Apostle Paul appealed his case to Rome and sailed from the port of Caesarea to Rome to be killed a few years later.  In fact today it is an interesting ruins right on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.  Herod, built an amazing city that made his reputation with his Roman overlords.  When we were there it was very hot, and the kids really wanted to go swimming, which we eventually did.  Of interest though was the Roman Theater rebuilt for modern shows, and the Herodian amphitheatre, where they use to have chariot races.  So much history.  I don’t know what I am more impressed by, how much we are seeing, or how much we will miss.

Roman AquiductYour Chariot awaitsfamily by the sea