We are back home in Upland and settling into a routine....of sorts. We are still processing all our experiences in Israel and living at Tantur. Holy Week truly was a meaningful week in our lives as we participated in a Matins service at Tantur led by our Rector Father Tim Lowe, an Eastern Orthodox priest. It was a beautiful service of hymns and liturgy sung by him, his wife, his daughter and his son-in-law. What lovely acapella harmony! I asked Tim, the son-in-law, what happens if the priest cannot sing? He said, "It can be difficult," but the choir or a small set of singers certainly can enhance the service. The words were beautiful and as the Tantur community sat in the chapel our hearts were touched as we listened and worshipped together.
On Good Friday evening we went to Jerusalem University College for their annual Triclenium Dinner put on by the class in Cultural Backgrounds. This dinner is set on very low tables while the guests sit on the floor. The tables are arranged in a U-shape and is reminiscent of the Passover Supper the Lord shared with his disciples on that fateful Friday. The students came dressed in "Roman" attire and feet were washed before the guests entered the serving room. Some of the students were our servers and we banqueted on dried fruit, nuts, a type of stew that we dipped into with our flat bread, some vegetables and a dessert of sweet cake. JUC's Director, Dr. Paul Wright, spoke during the dinner and read scripture describing that special night, suggesting where Jesus, Peter, John and Judas may have sat in light of the questioning that occurred and overall set the tone for the evening and took on the role of the host. It was a very moving and powerful experience for all of us. Dr. Wright is certainly gifted in his ability to relive what that evening was like. It was a memorable time. We shared this experience with Jacob, our grandson, last year at this time so it was particularly special for us to be back in Jerusalem and relive that week Jacob shared with us.
Passover overlapped with Holy Week again this year so Jerusalem was packed. Some of the traffic was redirected, schools were out and we could see children with their families dressed in their new outfits for Passover. It's really a joyous time for the Jewish people and restaurants and stores were crowded.
Easter Sunday morning we worshipped at the Garden Tomb with three friends we met at Tantur--one from Ireland and two from Sweden. It was a beautiful service and our Irish friend described the music as "Very lively." The pastor for the service there had a roll call of the various continents that were represented. What a joy to see these believers from all over the world. It was a beautiful day full of sunshine and the service is held outside facing the empty tomb. I believe they hold about five services on Easter Sunday. We met up with our friend, Valerie Long, a student at Jerusalem University College and Taylor University graduate (a former student of Larry's) after the service and shared lunch with her at the Notre Dame Study Center in East Jerusalem. It was fun for us to hear her discuss the various thesis topics she is considering for her MA thesis. She is an amazing young woman who lived in Kenya for several years working among street children and then studied at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City and for three months traveled to various churches with a team of young people sharing the video "Nefarious" about the menace of sexual trafficking among young women. What a difficult video to view but one God is using to open our eyes to the terrible plight these young women face. We returned to Tantur for a special Easter dinner among the community living there. The dining room was beautifully decorated and the meal was very special. Sister Joseph from Australia was radiant as she shared Easter greetings with everyone who was there. Our hearts have been blessed and enriched as we have met Christians from all over the world who come to Tantur on Study Groups.
Three days later we caught a very early (5:00 am) flight from Tel Aviv to Istanbul then to New York City to spend four days with our daughter Alicia and family before heading back to Indiana. It was a pleasant transition and time to deal with our jet lag before we arrived home. We were particularly thankful for good neighbors when we arrived home and found that our hot water heater had been leaking while we were gone and they had turned it off for us so we did not have water problems. One of the first items on the agenda was to replace the water heater.
I am very grateful that my dear mother, Doris Smith, is once again stable after being hospitalized once while we were gone and then again on our return. We will be flying to California to spend Mother's Day with her.
This will be my last posting on this particular blog as I plan to launch a new blog on my own site in the near future. I still have work to do on it and will notify you when it is up and running. As I reflect on our recent Taylor University tour in Israel and then time at Tantur, I can honestly say I felt God's leading and direction in all the different people we met on the Tour, on field study trips with our Tantur friends, eating lunch in a Palestinian home, visiting the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, worshipping with Christians from around the world at Christ's Church and the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, and being reminded again how diverse and beautiful God's children are around the world. Even though there are some doctrinal differences amongst our friends, the bond of faith in Jesus Christ binds us all together and gives me a hint of what it will be like when Jesus returns in all His glory and we are truly One in Him.
Joyce Helyer's Blog
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Holy Week in Israel--Part I
I've said it before but I must say it again, Israel and life at Tantur has been fascinating. I'm so grateful for these past four weeks and the variety of our experiences.
Holy Week for us began on Palm Sunday as we joined others from Tantur for the bus ride over to Bethphage and the walk down the Mt. of Olives. It was sunny and warm but not hot. We joined thousands of other pilgrims seeking to walk the path Jesus took with his disciples before he began the momentous events of what we call today "Holy Week." I waved and carried my Palm branch like many others. It was quite a festive time with pilgrims from all over the world singing, some playing musical instruments, some carrying banners and others praying. Luke 19:28-44 vividly describes the "first" Palm Sunday, and as I walked down the Mt. of Olives and saw the city of Jerusalem and where the Temple would have been, I reflected on these verses. I was moved as I thought of Jesus weeping as he saw the city of Jerusalem and knew the destruction that would be coming in 70 AD to this beloved place. They had rejected him and he was preparing himself for this last week of his earthly life. I, too, prayed for this city that the eyes of their hearts would be opened to Jesus, their Messiah.
Palm Sunday Procession--March 24, 2013.
Monday began with a bus ride to the King David Hotel to meet my artist friend, Annie, for coffee. Annie moved to Israel in 1965 from Belgium and I met her in 2010 during our semester at Jerusalem University College. When I arrived at the hotel they would not let me in at first because it was Passover week and they had a sign posted that only hotel guests could enter. I explained to the guard at the door that I was meeting a friend here and she said she was sorry but could not let me enter. I decided to wait in the walkway for Annie but after about 10 minutes I wondered if Annie was already inside the hotel terrace because she is so well known among the staff. I went back to the guard and asked if I could just go in to see if Annie was sitting on the terrace and she agreed to let me enter and "just look." Well, I was correct, and there was Annie with her coffee on the terrace. We were the only ones there at first with this wonderful view of the Hinnom Valley and looking east one can see the Mt. of Olives and in the distance the haze shrouded hills of Moab in Jordan. I noticed some smoke in the air and a strong odor and some of the staff were engaged in burning the "Chametz." At the start of Passover, every Jewish household (or most of them) clear their homes of any yeast because during Passover (Pesach) you only eat unleavened bread. In some homes it becomes a game as the "Papa" of the house goes on a search with a feather in his hand (to sweep up the small crumbs) and a wooden spoon (to hold the Chametz) and a paper bag to hold everything as you burn it all. The children love this part because the "Mama" of the household usually leaves some Chametz around for the "Papa" to find. There is a prayer that is said and it varies in households and businesses but then it is burned outside. The King David Hotel symbolically had searched and then burned the Chametz outside near the Terrace and that was what I was smelling. On the way to the hotel I walked by a group of men who had gathered together with their prayer books and their Chametz and were burning it in what I call a burn barrel on the sidewalk! Sooooo interesting to me.
Annie and me on the Terrace at the King David Hotel.
I mentioned to the waiter that he must have had a very busy time with President Obama's visit last week. He said, "Oh it will really get busy this week because of Pesach." Some roads are closed at different times this week and traffic is limited in certain areas. I have seen crowds of ultra-orthodox Jewish families walking the streets and going to the Western Wall to pray in the Old City. The children are dressed in their new clothes and the baby carriages are out with everyone enjoying the good weather we are experiencing. Larry and I met our former tour guide, Pamela, for tea on Wednesday in Mamilla Mall and it was very crowded as we stood in a line to order at a very popular restaurant in the mall. As we sat there, we could see all the families walking by and others enjoying ice cream and being out of school and some businesses close during this week. Larry and I had a sandwich that was made without any leaven and it tasted great to us.
Last week we also had the privilege of going on a field study with the new Study Group here and we climbed the Herodion just out of Bethlehem. The Herodion is the location for one of King Herod's palaces and where his mausoleum was built. There is a wonderful exhibit at the Israel Museum of all of Herod's palaces with some of the items found there on display. The view from the top is amazing and it was wonderfully clear as we gazed towards the west at the Water Ridge and then south into the beginning of the desert before you get into the Negev and then east over into the Judean Wilderness area and looking across the Jordan River Valley into Jordan. His palace had been equipped with Roman baths, the "latest' in toilet facilities, and a lower pool where he even sailed small boats. This entire complex was built by slaves who, according to our guide, were usually killed after a short time because they knew where Herod's underground tunnels and secret places were located. When Sister Joseph heard this, (one of our Study Group members) she said, "But, they were still precious in God's sight." She has a heart for the poor and the downtrodden. Sister Joseph is Polish but has been teaching the Bible in Australia for 18 years and is thrilled to be here in the Holy Land for all the special services during Holy Week.
After touring the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and Shepherd's Field we finished our day with a visit to the Aida Refugee Camp on the north edge of Bethlehem and about a quarter of a mile from Tantur. We met in the Lajee Cultural Center first to hear about the living conditions in the camp and the history of the Palestinian conflict. Over Arab coffee and tea we were given the history of the camp and what life is like today. That would take me an entire blog post to explain, which I hope to do in the future. I have already written so much and we haven't even gotten to Easter as yet. That, too, will be a future posting. Larry and I will be saying good-bye to Israel and Tantur later this week. It has been an informative and inspirational time for us and personally enriching as we have made new friends. I will be posting again but may be delayed for awhile as we get back to life in Upland. I must tell you about our Triclinium dinner at Jerusalem University College and Easter at the Garden Tomb.
Photo of the dining room at Jerusalem University College set up for the Triclinium Dinner on Good Friday.
Holy Week for us began on Palm Sunday as we joined others from Tantur for the bus ride over to Bethphage and the walk down the Mt. of Olives. It was sunny and warm but not hot. We joined thousands of other pilgrims seeking to walk the path Jesus took with his disciples before he began the momentous events of what we call today "Holy Week." I waved and carried my Palm branch like many others. It was quite a festive time with pilgrims from all over the world singing, some playing musical instruments, some carrying banners and others praying. Luke 19:28-44 vividly describes the "first" Palm Sunday, and as I walked down the Mt. of Olives and saw the city of Jerusalem and where the Temple would have been, I reflected on these verses. I was moved as I thought of Jesus weeping as he saw the city of Jerusalem and knew the destruction that would be coming in 70 AD to this beloved place. They had rejected him and he was preparing himself for this last week of his earthly life. I, too, prayed for this city that the eyes of their hearts would be opened to Jesus, their Messiah.
Monday began with a bus ride to the King David Hotel to meet my artist friend, Annie, for coffee. Annie moved to Israel in 1965 from Belgium and I met her in 2010 during our semester at Jerusalem University College. When I arrived at the hotel they would not let me in at first because it was Passover week and they had a sign posted that only hotel guests could enter. I explained to the guard at the door that I was meeting a friend here and she said she was sorry but could not let me enter. I decided to wait in the walkway for Annie but after about 10 minutes I wondered if Annie was already inside the hotel terrace because she is so well known among the staff. I went back to the guard and asked if I could just go in to see if Annie was sitting on the terrace and she agreed to let me enter and "just look." Well, I was correct, and there was Annie with her coffee on the terrace. We were the only ones there at first with this wonderful view of the Hinnom Valley and looking east one can see the Mt. of Olives and in the distance the haze shrouded hills of Moab in Jordan. I noticed some smoke in the air and a strong odor and some of the staff were engaged in burning the "Chametz." At the start of Passover, every Jewish household (or most of them) clear their homes of any yeast because during Passover (Pesach) you only eat unleavened bread. In some homes it becomes a game as the "Papa" of the house goes on a search with a feather in his hand (to sweep up the small crumbs) and a wooden spoon (to hold the Chametz) and a paper bag to hold everything as you burn it all. The children love this part because the "Mama" of the household usually leaves some Chametz around for the "Papa" to find. There is a prayer that is said and it varies in households and businesses but then it is burned outside. The King David Hotel symbolically had searched and then burned the Chametz outside near the Terrace and that was what I was smelling. On the way to the hotel I walked by a group of men who had gathered together with their prayer books and their Chametz and were burning it in what I call a burn barrel on the sidewalk! Sooooo interesting to me.
I mentioned to the waiter that he must have had a very busy time with President Obama's visit last week. He said, "Oh it will really get busy this week because of Pesach." Some roads are closed at different times this week and traffic is limited in certain areas. I have seen crowds of ultra-orthodox Jewish families walking the streets and going to the Western Wall to pray in the Old City. The children are dressed in their new clothes and the baby carriages are out with everyone enjoying the good weather we are experiencing. Larry and I met our former tour guide, Pamela, for tea on Wednesday in Mamilla Mall and it was very crowded as we stood in a line to order at a very popular restaurant in the mall. As we sat there, we could see all the families walking by and others enjoying ice cream and being out of school and some businesses close during this week. Larry and I had a sandwich that was made without any leaven and it tasted great to us.
Last week we also had the privilege of going on a field study with the new Study Group here and we climbed the Herodion just out of Bethlehem. The Herodion is the location for one of King Herod's palaces and where his mausoleum was built. There is a wonderful exhibit at the Israel Museum of all of Herod's palaces with some of the items found there on display. The view from the top is amazing and it was wonderfully clear as we gazed towards the west at the Water Ridge and then south into the beginning of the desert before you get into the Negev and then east over into the Judean Wilderness area and looking across the Jordan River Valley into Jordan. His palace had been equipped with Roman baths, the "latest' in toilet facilities, and a lower pool where he even sailed small boats. This entire complex was built by slaves who, according to our guide, were usually killed after a short time because they knew where Herod's underground tunnels and secret places were located. When Sister Joseph heard this, (one of our Study Group members) she said, "But, they were still precious in God's sight." She has a heart for the poor and the downtrodden. Sister Joseph is Polish but has been teaching the Bible in Australia for 18 years and is thrilled to be here in the Holy Land for all the special services during Holy Week.
After touring the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and Shepherd's Field we finished our day with a visit to the Aida Refugee Camp on the north edge of Bethlehem and about a quarter of a mile from Tantur. We met in the Lajee Cultural Center first to hear about the living conditions in the camp and the history of the Palestinian conflict. Over Arab coffee and tea we were given the history of the camp and what life is like today. That would take me an entire blog post to explain, which I hope to do in the future. I have already written so much and we haven't even gotten to Easter as yet. That, too, will be a future posting. Larry and I will be saying good-bye to Israel and Tantur later this week. It has been an informative and inspirational time for us and personally enriching as we have made new friends. I will be posting again but may be delayed for awhile as we get back to life in Upland. I must tell you about our Triclinium dinner at Jerusalem University College and Easter at the Garden Tomb.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Odds & Ends and President Obama's Visit
It's been a very interesting few days as Israel played host to President Obama and his entourage. While traveling on the Arab bus the other day, I noticed several new posters on the highway that read--
Unbreakable Alliance, President Obama's Israel Visit 2013. The theme for the visit was everywhere--Unbreakable Alliance. I saw a white stationary blimp next to the King David Hotel where Obama stayed--must have been used for security purposes. I walked up the hill from Jaffa Gate to Jerusalem University College on Wednesday and encountered two groups of police officers just watching. Yesterday, Friday, Obama was to helicopter into Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity. About 11:30 am it became very windy and hazy and before long a Chamsin had struck our area. This is a sandstorm from the desert that lasted most of the day. Literally, I could barely see Bethlehem from the campus. This necessitated a change in plans and Obama arrived in Bethlehem by motorcade instead of by helicopter. Much to our delight, about six of the staff at Tantur and Larry and I went to the lower level of the campus and climbed one of the rock terraced walls and stood there trying to catch a glimpse of the motorcade as it drove right in front of the campus on Hebron Road. Just a reminder--the campus is only about 300 meters from Bethlehem and we can see the checkpoint and the separation wall very clearly--except when there is a Chamsin. Before long we saw about 15 to 20 motorcycles followed by the President's limousine, then numerous SUV's, two ambulances and one small fire truck were also a part of the motorcade. We were waving but could not see anything through the tinted windows of all the cars. We even played host to a security car with two undercover agents in the drive of the school. The road had been closed most of the morning with some of the Palestinian staff unable to get through the checkpoint until later in the day. Afterwards I joined some of the staff at the reception desk who were watching the events at Manger Square on TV--all in Arabic. They told me Obama would be in Bethlehem exactly 26 minutes. What a reminder to me of all the details that surround an official State Visit and what it can do to a country. I'm sure everyone is heaving a sigh of relief that the visit went so well. Many churches and Christians in the Land were praying over this visit. I heard Obama's name on the lips of many tourists as I walked through the Old City and heard a variety of languages being spoken. It's never dull here!
I thought I would share with you odds and ends in this posting. We have a new Study Group with us that includes participants from Ireland, Poland, Australia, India and the US. We participated in prayers last night at 5:30 pm just before dinner. Different members take turns each night leading this special prayer time. The group is made up of Catholics, Presbyterians, a Lutheran pastor and the Secretary General of the Catholic Council in India. We have already experienced some great conversations with this group.
Two stories I want to mention that happened several weeks ago and both added to our repertoire of life experiences that I am grateful for. As we were preparing to leave for Israel, we flew from Fort Wayne to Chicago then to Istanbul and finally to Tel Aviv. While waiting at the Gate at Fort Wayne, I was sitting next to a man who told me he was legally blind with 5% vision in one eye and 15% in the other. He was on his way to a hospital in Chicago that was going to begin to teach him to read Braille and learn how to use a seeing-eye dog. He had been a trip planner for visits around Indiana to Branson, MO and other places. Due to his diabetes, he had been going blind for 11 years. I told him God would lead him through this experience in Chicago and he told me he was a Christian also and it was good to meet someone who cared about God. His last comment was, "There are others worse off than me."
He is a brave man as he was traveling alone. I was touched by his words and silently prayed for God's comfort and peace for him
As we landed in Chicago and made our way to the international terminal, I met a young college student from the Middle East. She approached me to make sure she was going in the right direction. She said she was from Abu Dabi and when I told her a friend's son worked for the US State Department in Dubai her face lit up and she said, "It's only an hour away from my country." She was glad I had heard of Abu Dabi and with animation she told me it was a beautiful country. Another reminder that most people love their home land and want to share it with others.
I've just finished reading Dr. Gary Burge's book, The Land and the Bible. Dr. Burge is a Wheaton College professor that we have known over the years and a former Taylor University parent. I highly recommend this short but very informative book about the Land of Israel. He develops powerful spiritual applications from the images the Bible uses when the writers speak of water, rocks, the shepherds, etc. It's a great resource for beginning to understand this amazing Land and how God used the Land to teach His people to trust in Him for all their needs. Wonderful reminders of God's provision for all His children and a personal reminder to me of God's care and protection.
Unbreakable Alliance, President Obama's Israel Visit 2013. The theme for the visit was everywhere--Unbreakable Alliance. I saw a white stationary blimp next to the King David Hotel where Obama stayed--must have been used for security purposes. I walked up the hill from Jaffa Gate to Jerusalem University College on Wednesday and encountered two groups of police officers just watching. Yesterday, Friday, Obama was to helicopter into Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity. About 11:30 am it became very windy and hazy and before long a Chamsin had struck our area. This is a sandstorm from the desert that lasted most of the day. Literally, I could barely see Bethlehem from the campus. This necessitated a change in plans and Obama arrived in Bethlehem by motorcade instead of by helicopter. Much to our delight, about six of the staff at Tantur and Larry and I went to the lower level of the campus and climbed one of the rock terraced walls and stood there trying to catch a glimpse of the motorcade as it drove right in front of the campus on Hebron Road. Just a reminder--the campus is only about 300 meters from Bethlehem and we can see the checkpoint and the separation wall very clearly--except when there is a Chamsin. Before long we saw about 15 to 20 motorcycles followed by the President's limousine, then numerous SUV's, two ambulances and one small fire truck were also a part of the motorcade. We were waving but could not see anything through the tinted windows of all the cars. We even played host to a security car with two undercover agents in the drive of the school. The road had been closed most of the morning with some of the Palestinian staff unable to get through the checkpoint until later in the day. Afterwards I joined some of the staff at the reception desk who were watching the events at Manger Square on TV--all in Arabic. They told me Obama would be in Bethlehem exactly 26 minutes. What a reminder to me of all the details that surround an official State Visit and what it can do to a country. I'm sure everyone is heaving a sigh of relief that the visit went so well. Many churches and Christians in the Land were praying over this visit. I heard Obama's name on the lips of many tourists as I walked through the Old City and heard a variety of languages being spoken. It's never dull here!
I thought I would share with you odds and ends in this posting. We have a new Study Group with us that includes participants from Ireland, Poland, Australia, India and the US. We participated in prayers last night at 5:30 pm just before dinner. Different members take turns each night leading this special prayer time. The group is made up of Catholics, Presbyterians, a Lutheran pastor and the Secretary General of the Catholic Council in India. We have already experienced some great conversations with this group.
Two stories I want to mention that happened several weeks ago and both added to our repertoire of life experiences that I am grateful for. As we were preparing to leave for Israel, we flew from Fort Wayne to Chicago then to Istanbul and finally to Tel Aviv. While waiting at the Gate at Fort Wayne, I was sitting next to a man who told me he was legally blind with 5% vision in one eye and 15% in the other. He was on his way to a hospital in Chicago that was going to begin to teach him to read Braille and learn how to use a seeing-eye dog. He had been a trip planner for visits around Indiana to Branson, MO and other places. Due to his diabetes, he had been going blind for 11 years. I told him God would lead him through this experience in Chicago and he told me he was a Christian also and it was good to meet someone who cared about God. His last comment was, "There are others worse off than me."
He is a brave man as he was traveling alone. I was touched by his words and silently prayed for God's comfort and peace for him
As we landed in Chicago and made our way to the international terminal, I met a young college student from the Middle East. She approached me to make sure she was going in the right direction. She said she was from Abu Dabi and when I told her a friend's son worked for the US State Department in Dubai her face lit up and she said, "It's only an hour away from my country." She was glad I had heard of Abu Dabi and with animation she told me it was a beautiful country. Another reminder that most people love their home land and want to share it with others.
I've just finished reading Dr. Gary Burge's book, The Land and the Bible. Dr. Burge is a Wheaton College professor that we have known over the years and a former Taylor University parent. I highly recommend this short but very informative book about the Land of Israel. He develops powerful spiritual applications from the images the Bible uses when the writers speak of water, rocks, the shepherds, etc. It's a great resource for beginning to understand this amazing Land and how God used the Land to teach His people to trust in Him for all their needs. Wonderful reminders of God's provision for all His children and a personal reminder to me of God's care and protection.
Monday, March 18, 2013
A Day in Hebron
Last Monday Larry and I joined the Study Group here at Tantur for a field trip to Hebron. I had not been back there since 1968, the year that Larry and I lived here as students--a long time ago! We had an informative, heart-wrenching day as we saw once again the division in this wonderful land between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
The Study Group consisted of 11 Catholic Priests, 2 Anglican Priests, and 1 British Nun who had been serving in France. What a fun group to be with! They are from all over the world--Ireland, England, Scotland and France with a few from the US. We have shared in evening prayers with them and I found it to be a rich experience worshipping together and praying for the needs of the world. They were so kind in praying for my Mother during her hospitalization. We all set off last Monday and spent the morning with a representative from Al Haq, a Palestinian Human Rights Group, who gave us a tour of the Old City of Hebron, walked us through the streets, led us to the Mosque that covers the cave graves of Patriarchs Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Leah, and Issac and Rebekkah. Many ultra-orthodox Jews live in the area and come to pray outside the mosque in a special area and the Muslims go inside. There were soldiers located in strategic places and we went through several checkpoints. This is a very volatile area and tensions run high between these groups. We felt very safe and seeing it firsthand helps me to understand how difficult and complex the situation is. This is a very strategic site for both Muslims and Jews.
After our tour and hearing children behind the walls in school playing and studying, we headed up the hill (lots of standing and walking that day) to a Palestinian home for lunch with a family that lives right across the street from Jewish settlers. They were very welcoming and served us huge mounds of saffron flavored rice with chicken on two huge platters. They gave us bowls to fill and then yogurt is spread over the top of this dish. Very tasty. We all sat on their sofas and were entertained by their children coming home from school--we met four of the five. All the time we were there they were Skyping with their relatives in Jordan and wanted different ones from the group to speak to their relatives. They had several cats and the children brought out four baby kittens for us to admire. I was grateful for the opportunity to be in a Palestinian home and to meet a family. They had pictures of their ancestors on their walls (just like we do) and explained about their family to us. Their house overlooks one of the streets in the Old City of Hebron and on the roof the laundry is hung out.
After lunch we drove through the modern city of Hebron--I believe well over 100,000 people--to a glass factory where we watched a glassblower shaping vases and, of course, the opportunity to buy some lovely Hebron glass--one of their top sellers. We were served small glasses of delicious hot tea as we walked around the store.
The soldiers we encountered were such young men--18 to 20 years old. Israeli young men serve in the military right after high school for three years active duty then they move to reserve status for 20 years or more. Women serve for two years right after high school. There were several women soldiers helping check as we went into the Mosque. Even though I was dressed appropriately for the Mosque, as a woman, I still had to put on a gray robe with a hood. Larry said I looked like a monk and I felt like the hunchback of Notre Dame as I had my backpack on my back and underneath the robe. The rugs and wall coverings in the Mosque are beautiful. The women can pray off to the side when the men are in the room but on certain days when it is crowded the women are moved to another room separate from the men. We all took off our shoes and walked on these lovely carpets as we toured the area.
As I viewed Hebron and listened to our tour guide, my heart was heavy as I saw firsthand the deep distrust and both sides claiming this holy site as their own. The military are there to protect the settlers and to keep the groups from fighting with each other. They have lived this way since 1967. This experience reminded me to pray again, and more intensely, for both Jews and Muslims and that somehow there would be a peaceful resolution to this complex situation filled with so much intransigence. We were all touched by what we saw and prayers are often uttered here for God's peace to come and reign over this Land. Here are a few photos from that memorable day.
The area between the buildings leads to the Mosque--the building on the right housed a gift shop and restaurant and the buildings on the left were Muslim homes.
The little "cabin," as the tour guide called it, is a checkpoint. Everyone has to walk through the cabin to get to the other side for shopping, visiting the mosque, or visiting family and friends.
The Mosque. This is the side the Israelis can pray at.
Inside the Mosque.
Another view inside the Mosque.
Our chicken and rice.
Our Palestinian hosts and one of their sons.
One last note. Larry presented a lecture on the Apostle Peter to the Study Group here and received a very positive response. They were engaged in good discussion and Larry has been invited to give the same lecture next week to a new Study Group that will be joining us--with some of the members arriving from Australia. Israel is a magnet to the curious, the religious, and the sincere pilgrim.
I am so grateful to have the opportunity to meet people from all over the globe.
The Study Group consisted of 11 Catholic Priests, 2 Anglican Priests, and 1 British Nun who had been serving in France. What a fun group to be with! They are from all over the world--Ireland, England, Scotland and France with a few from the US. We have shared in evening prayers with them and I found it to be a rich experience worshipping together and praying for the needs of the world. They were so kind in praying for my Mother during her hospitalization. We all set off last Monday and spent the morning with a representative from Al Haq, a Palestinian Human Rights Group, who gave us a tour of the Old City of Hebron, walked us through the streets, led us to the Mosque that covers the cave graves of Patriarchs Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Leah, and Issac and Rebekkah. Many ultra-orthodox Jews live in the area and come to pray outside the mosque in a special area and the Muslims go inside. There were soldiers located in strategic places and we went through several checkpoints. This is a very volatile area and tensions run high between these groups. We felt very safe and seeing it firsthand helps me to understand how difficult and complex the situation is. This is a very strategic site for both Muslims and Jews.
After our tour and hearing children behind the walls in school playing and studying, we headed up the hill (lots of standing and walking that day) to a Palestinian home for lunch with a family that lives right across the street from Jewish settlers. They were very welcoming and served us huge mounds of saffron flavored rice with chicken on two huge platters. They gave us bowls to fill and then yogurt is spread over the top of this dish. Very tasty. We all sat on their sofas and were entertained by their children coming home from school--we met four of the five. All the time we were there they were Skyping with their relatives in Jordan and wanted different ones from the group to speak to their relatives. They had several cats and the children brought out four baby kittens for us to admire. I was grateful for the opportunity to be in a Palestinian home and to meet a family. They had pictures of their ancestors on their walls (just like we do) and explained about their family to us. Their house overlooks one of the streets in the Old City of Hebron and on the roof the laundry is hung out.
After lunch we drove through the modern city of Hebron--I believe well over 100,000 people--to a glass factory where we watched a glassblower shaping vases and, of course, the opportunity to buy some lovely Hebron glass--one of their top sellers. We were served small glasses of delicious hot tea as we walked around the store.
The soldiers we encountered were such young men--18 to 20 years old. Israeli young men serve in the military right after high school for three years active duty then they move to reserve status for 20 years or more. Women serve for two years right after high school. There were several women soldiers helping check as we went into the Mosque. Even though I was dressed appropriately for the Mosque, as a woman, I still had to put on a gray robe with a hood. Larry said I looked like a monk and I felt like the hunchback of Notre Dame as I had my backpack on my back and underneath the robe. The rugs and wall coverings in the Mosque are beautiful. The women can pray off to the side when the men are in the room but on certain days when it is crowded the women are moved to another room separate from the men. We all took off our shoes and walked on these lovely carpets as we toured the area.
As I viewed Hebron and listened to our tour guide, my heart was heavy as I saw firsthand the deep distrust and both sides claiming this holy site as their own. The military are there to protect the settlers and to keep the groups from fighting with each other. They have lived this way since 1967. This experience reminded me to pray again, and more intensely, for both Jews and Muslims and that somehow there would be a peaceful resolution to this complex situation filled with so much intransigence. We were all touched by what we saw and prayers are often uttered here for God's peace to come and reign over this Land. Here are a few photos from that memorable day.
The little "cabin," as the tour guide called it, is a checkpoint. Everyone has to walk through the cabin to get to the other side for shopping, visiting the mosque, or visiting family and friends.
The Mosque. This is the side the Israelis can pray at.
One last note. Larry presented a lecture on the Apostle Peter to the Study Group here and received a very positive response. They were engaged in good discussion and Larry has been invited to give the same lecture next week to a new Study Group that will be joining us--with some of the members arriving from Australia. Israel is a magnet to the curious, the religious, and the sincere pilgrim.
I am so grateful to have the opportunity to meet people from all over the globe.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
BACK IN ISRAEL
On February 25, 2013, Larry and I left Chicago helping host another Taylor University Alumni and Friends Tour to Israel. Along with 49 other tour members from all over the US, we began another adventure in this amazing land. For eight days we traveled all around the Galilee in the north then down to Jerusalem and the area of the Dead Sea and Masada being the farthest distance for us in the south. What a trip! Larry was the Bible teacher again and Pamela Suran, an Israeli and lover of the Messiah served as our Tour Guide. They make quite a team. We so enjoyed getting to know the people on the tour and felt very privileged to have several neighbors join us along with our Pastor and his wife and other friends from our church family and former Taylor employees I had worked with at the University. Gene and Marylou Habecker, President of TU, and Ben and Lisa Sells, VP for Advancement, also helped host the tour.
We are enjoying beautiful sunshine and times to sit outside in the sun and relax, think, pray, journal, read and reflect on our recent tour. I'm learning to use the drying rack on the balcony for all our laundry and getting acquainted with the staff who have been so friendly and helpful. In the midst of this great experience the only cloud I'm feeling is concern for my dear mother. She is hospitalized in California with pneumonia and atrial fibrillation plus congestive heart failure. I spoke with her last night and the new heart meds are helping but her heart rate needs to drop even more. My dear sister Dorothy is close by and keeping us informed about her condition. Your prayers for Mom are appreciated.
In the days ahead I intend to share more with you about the people we have met, our projects and the sights we will be seeing. I'm reading Henri Nouwen's book, The Genesee Diary. For seven months he lived in a Trappist Monastery and these are all excerpts from his diary. His diary reveals a very human, vulnerable man with many insecurities and yet a heart that wanted to know God better. I'm finding it insightful and a good read. Here's Larry standing near the apartments for families at Tantur. Our room is behind him on the second floor.
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