Update on Life in Jerusalem--March 25, 2012

I apologize to family and friends for not posting on my blog more frequently since we have been in Israel. Larry and I have been dealing with frequent internet connection problems at JUC that have stymied our efforts (and our patience). The school is working on resolving these issues but there are many interruptions. Needless to say, life has been full of interesting encounters and many valuable learning lessons.

First of all, Larry and I have decided to return home three weeks earlier than originally planned. Larry has an opportunity to write an online course on the book of Revelation for MA students at a divinity school in England. They are eager to receive the course and Larry's resource materials are at home. We are also missing our dear family and friends and realized we are ready to be home. We departed Indiana on February 18th and have been privileged to experience Israel amidst the rain and sunshine. Temperatures have been in the 70's all week and it looks like rain may be coming again this week. The drought has been broken.

We welcome our grandson, Jacob, on Friday and will be picking him up at the airport and exploring the land of Israel with him. We are so thankful he will be experiencing Easter with us in Jerusalem.

This morning we took the Canadian parents of a JUC grad student on a walking tour of the Old City and tried to go to the Temple Mount area but the line was extremely long. We made a quick change in plans and substituted other sites to visit and plan to return to the Temple Mount early in the morning on Tuesday. We even visited Oscar Schindler's gravesite and from the cemetery had an amazing view of the Hinnom Valley right where it turns westward from the Kidron Valley. We enjoyed our time but climbed many stairs and walked several miles. We both found ourselves in need of a rest following our "hike."

We spent the evening of Purim in the Huerva Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter. This festival remembers the rescue of the Jews by Queen Esther. It was fun to see so many children and even adults dressed in various costumes and laughing, singing, and dancing in the streets. I sat in the women's section at this Orthodox synagogue and looked into the beautiful faces of many women and young girls following along the reading of the book of Esther. One young girl was dressed like a Princess. My heart aches when I think of all the turmoil here in this land and the suffering that has happened among Israelis and Palestinians. We must continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Larry and I attended the Redeemer Lutheran Church several weeks ago and then had lunch with our friend Tom Powers at the Ecole Biblique Research Center where Tom lives. Larry was delighted to see Jerome Murphy O'Connor there--author of the definitive Guide to the Holy Land. He has lived here for years and has a very helpful guide to all the sites in the Holy Land. Larry had met him on our last trip and had his photo taken with him but accidentally deleted it so we were pleased to have our picture taken again with this scholar. What a lovely lunch among these Dominican priests and others who come to study and research at the Center.

I walked to Jaffa Gate on Friday to pick up a hostess gift for friends and marveled again at the picture before my eyes. It's always crowded at Jaffa Gate but on this particular day I saw military soldiers, nuns, priests, tourists, Orthodox Jews on their way to the Western Wall to pray, and Muslim women in their special clothing with their heads covered. What a microcosm of ethnic diversity!

Larry was invited to speak at the chapel service at the IBEX school which is an extension campus of the Master's College in California. They have a similar semester program as JUC and the coordinator has been a friend over the years and is married to a Taylor alum. We enjoyed our Friday night experience and tour of their campus in a suburb of Jerusalem but found it interesting
to discover the chapel service is held in the Moshav's bomb shelter! The campus is located on a Moshav (Israeli cooperative) that is owned by Christians from Finland. The students sit on double-decker bunks and there are chairs in rows and it makes for a very cozy atmosphere. We sang and worshipped together and Larry spoke on Jerusalem--Past, Present and Future with scripture from Isaiah. I'm thankful for every experience!

We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of friends, Ken and Beth Smith, who will be volunteering at JUC for the next month. They will be a great help. Some of my volunteer work has included working in the school's gardens and also helping with some computer work in the library. I was even asked to make some orange marmalade from bitter oranges gathered from a tree in front of the East Jerusalem Baptist Church we attended one Sunday. It was a challenge in several ways but we managed to make it edible at least.

I have enjoyed reading a variety of books and several for research work on my book. The book is a slow process but I have been doing some heavy editing and it needs more work. One of my most enjoyable reads is a book by Caroline Weber titled
Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir. She is an excellent writer and shares her journey of faith during her first year as a grad student at Oxford in the 90's. I highly recommend this book.

Larry is teaching a Bible Study on Isaiah for the students on Wednesday nights. We have had some excellent discussions with good questions from the students. The days are flying by and we will soon be making our way home. Our presence here has reminded me again of God's amazing grace by condescending to take on human flesh and live his earthly life in this land. The events of the life of Jesus took place in a troubled land that is still experiencing difficulties. However, I rejoice when I think that from this troubled Land the Kingdom of God spread out around the world and many have come into the Kingdom because of what Jesus did on Good Friday culminating in his resurrection that first Easter. The coming "New Jerusalem" will replace the current troubles with the promises found in Revelation 21. I, for one, am so grateful for the "living hope" that is vital to our faith.

BACK IN JERUSALEM

Friends and Family: We are back in Jerusalem! Another adventure in the land of Israel. On February 18th we left with 14 members of the Taylor University Alumni and Friends Tour of Jordan and Israel. It was called the Pre-Jordan trip and we spent a day at Petra, that famous Nabatean city in the desert, then traveled through Jordan's "Grand Canyon" on our way to Mt. Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land. Just before we joined up with the rest of the Tour group at Tiberius in the Galilee area, we made a wonderful stop at Bethany on the Jordan (the place where John the Baptist baptized Jesus on the east side of the Jordan River. We were right at the border of Israel and the temperature was warmer plus we were able to dip our hands into the Jordan River. The color reminded me of the Missisenewa River in Indiana--very muddy. Jordan has really developed this site and it is huge. It was a meaningful experience and one of the more authentic sites. At that point we were only about 15 miles from Jordan. We turned north and arrived at our hotel in Tiberius about 10 minutes before the rest of our Tour arrived. We had a grand total of 52.

Larry and I helped host this group along with Ben and Lisa Sells and Mike and Traci Falder, Taylor administrators. Larry was the Bible teacher for the Tour. Our group consisted of alumni, former and current parents of Taylor students, friends, former Taylor administrators, and Larry's sister, Linda Forbes joined us. I can't say enough about this great group of people. They were all enthusiastic about being in Israel, friendly, very easy to get along with, and just a delight to get to know. Larry was in his "element" as one friend stated as he shared at each site visited along with the Israeli guide who accompanied us. Pamela Suran is an Israeli believer who made the trip very special for all of us. We traveled far enough north to look over into Lebanon and from the Golan Heights we were only about 50 miles from Damascus looking into Syria. The farthest south we traveled in Israel was to Masada which Herod the Great developed and while in the area of the Dead Sea we visited Qumran (think Dead Sea Scrolls) and Ein Gedi, one of King David's hide outs while fleeing from King Saul.

What an experience. The weather was great and due to good rain this year in Israel the Galilee was in bloom with red anemones and lupin with the hills covered in green. During our boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, we had a very savvy captain who played Christian music and God Bless America while raising the American flag, One of his crew also taught us the Israeli folk dance, The Hora. We had a good time together laughing at our beginner attempts to learn this dance to Hatikva.

We shared some special moments in reflection at the Mt. of Beatitudes and at Capernaum. Several of the group commented on the spiritual insights they gained while also learning the history of many biblical sites. It was a joy to sing together and with other tour groups when we were in several churches--St. Anne's in Jerusalem and a church near Shepherd's Field in Bethlehem. The last day of the official tour ended with a communion service at the Garden Tomb amidst rain and wind. The weather changed right at the end of the tour!

When everyone left very early on Thursday morning, Larry and I had a chance to sleep in and have a leisurely breakfast at the Dan Panorama Hotel on Mt. Scopus before we moved on to the campus of Jerusalem University College. What a change! We moved in pouring down rain and it did not stop until Sunday night, March 4th. We even had snow on Saturday morning. Because we were students here for a year in 1968-69 and returned many times we love this place but it has been an adjustment moving into a building that dates back to 1853. We are finishing winter so we are in that transition season and with heat and hot water only available between 5:00 am and 10:00 am and then again from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm at JUC and temperatures dipping into the low 30's at night it has been an adjustment. I managed to strain my back on our move-in day so I have been recovering ever since but my back is so much better. Thanks, dear friends, for praying for me. Yesterday a major water pipe burst so we were without water and flush toilets on campus all afternoon, but Hooray! they were able to fix it. There are about 55 undergrads and graduate students on campus.

I have had several opportunities to practice what the Apostle Paul went through when he said, "I have learned to be content in all situations" (my paraphrase). At the end of January I helped lead a workshop at our Women's Retreat from our church along with our daughter Alicia. We called it "Getting Past the Rind: Trusting God in the Every Day." I'm learning to practice what I have been teaching. God has a wonderful sense of humor and I am so grateful for His faithfulness, strength and mercy. Larry and I have been resting and being low key since the end of the Tour. We had 12 days of touring so it felt good to "stop and rest" for awhile.

There's much more to tell you but I will save that for another day. Since Monday the weather has been sunny with beautiful blue skies. I walked into West Jerusalem this afternoon and Jerusalemites are getting ready to celebrate Purim beginning at sundown on Thursday night. There were kids dressed in costumes and even some adults wearing funny hats. This feast celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the Persian empire in the days of Queen Esther. I noticed that the waitresses and waiters in the outdoor cafes all had some type of costume or hat also. It reminded me of Halloween and how children and others dress up.

I'm including some photos from Jordan and our tour. We are enjoying the students at JUC and renewing our friendship with old friends here. Grace and peace to you for now. Internet connection at JUC can be sporadic. I will be adding photos whenever I can.

Last Blog Entry for a Season

Well, it's been eight weeks since our return from Israel. I'm sitting at my computer looking out at the most severe snowstorm Indiana has had in years. We are now experiencing bitter cold but we managed to escape major power outages in our area and we are thankful. This storm will probably go down in history as one of those "Remember the storm of 2011...?" I must admit a tiny part of me was thinking back to those warm days of sunshine in Jerusalem a little wistfully. However, the extreme heat was a challenge at times.

As I typed "eight weeks," I could hardly believe it's been that long since we left. It's been a whirlwind ever since and just this week I feel as though I am on top of most things--perhaps the enforced weather conditions has had something to do with that. I'm teaching a Ladies Bible Study and we had to postpone this week's study due to weather, and I was going to share a power point presentation on our time in Israel with another ladies group on Thursday, but that also has been postponed due to the weather. That gives me some additional time to prepare, relax, ponder and reflect over this past fall. It has been fun for me to share with friends about our various experiences. Our Pastor has invited both Larry and I to share about Israel with our church family in early March on a Sunday night. All of these opportunities are welcomed as we love to talk about Israel, the people we met, and the insights gained. As I have stated before, God's faithfulness and mercy is so abundant and we have experienced it.

Our hearts are saddened as we see the turmoil in Egypt and the heartache that exists in the lives of these people. Our prayers are for peace and freedom for this particular situation and for all that is happening in the Middle East--a strategically important place in God's plan.

Our Christmas with our children and grandchildren was blessed and refreshing to our hearts. Since our return, two former colleagues from Taylor University have died, a college friend from our student days at Biola University has been diagnosed with cancer and a former colleague at Taylor has become engaged. Life is full of joys and sorrows and these last eight weeks have reminded me again of this truth and that life is like a vapor. My constant prayer is that God will help me to redeem the time and to be cognizant of the fact that our lives are in His hands and to value each day and opportunity He brings into our lives.

Larry and I count ourselves blessed to have spent August through early December teaching and volunteering at Jerusalem University College. It is an experience we are willing to repeat if God opens those doors again. Even though we were stretched and out of our comfort zones at times, the experience was enriching spiritually, emotionally and even physically. We walked and walked!

My current goal is to return to my writing this month and have a first draft of the book on my brother Ron completed by June. The time I had to write in Israel was so valuable. I am grateful for those uninterrupted moments. I hope to come back to my blog in the future but for now will focus on my book, studying and teaching my Ladies Bible Study, and ministering to women God brings into my life. Thanks to those who have encouraged me and allowed me to enter into your life via Jerusalem Jottings. Shalom for now.

Shalom Jerusalem

Well, it's very close to that time when we will say, "Shalom, Jerusalem." It's with mixed feelings that Larry and I are leaving this very special city for our home in Indiana. We have had a very positive experience here, made new friends, learned more about the complexities of life in Israel and how difficult it is to be unbiased as it relates to the Palestinian/Israeli peace talks. I am so grateful for the contacts we have made, the opportunities to travel throughout Israel and Jordan, and to see God's faithfulness throughout our stay. Now it's time to say farewell and adjust back to life in Upland, Indiana. We are excited about seeing our family and friends again and look forward to sharing with them our pictures and stories. I hear it is cold in Upland with light snow, so as I sit here with my sandals on I realize I will miss the sunshine we have had every day since we have been here. I have already written about the extreme heat we felt through September, October and part of November. Temperatures have moderated but we are still in the 70's.

It's been unbelievable weather wise. The Jerusalem Post described the Israeli Cabinet meeting that met to discuss the drought conditions and what to do in light of the lack of rain. Some are predicting the rains will not start until January. I certainly hope and pray it will yet be this month.

Our last week in Jerusalem has been one of our most fascinating. On Sunday afternoon we toured the Yad Vashem Memorial to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. Even though I have seen some of these photos before, I was shaken. To visually see and read about the systematic extermination of a people is heartbreaking. The museum has been totally remodeled since our student days years ago and it is amazing. The photos of the children in the Warsaw Ghetto with their bodies reflecting all the signs of starvation and standing alone by themselves crying without anyone caring for them have been imprinted on my mind. O Lord, may this never happen again! With anti-semitism on the rise and the demonization of the Jews, I feel the need to remind Christians that our Savior came to earth as a Jew and to do all we can in our everyday lives to halt this insidious hatred and to speak out against derogatory remarks that are made against any people group--not just the Jewish people.

On Monday afternoon we joined the Christian Communities in the Middle East class taught by Dr. Petra Heldt for a tour of the area surrounding the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which encloses Golgotha and the tomb where Jesus rose from the dead. It is huge. Dr. Heldt is a German Luthern who came to Israel over 30 years ago to study at Hebrew University. She has been here ever since and was even burned as a result of a suicide bomber in the Mahane Yehuda Souk in the "new city" area during one of the Intifadas. She is a healing force in this land for peace. She took us to the roof of the church and the views of the Mt. of Olives and the Temple Mount area were fantastic. We went into each section that surrounds the church--the Greek Orthodox, the Coptic, the Ethiopic, and the Catholic. We were even allowed to enter the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate's private chapel with icons from the 7th and 8th century that were absolutely beautiful. Over 2,000 families and monks live in the Greek Orthodox section with schools, chapels, and apartments. It's like a tiny city within another city. While visiting the Coptic Church chapel we met a priest who prayed a blessing over us and then as we went to leave we discovered we were locked in the courtyard area. No one was around to open the gate. We started walking around to find someone and finally a man came out of his apartment and we tried to explain we needed to get out or we would have to sleep there. When he heard that he just burst out laughing, "Sleep here!" He managed to get someone to open the gate but it was an interesting experience as it was getting dark and stray cats were running everywhere. The Old City is full of cats and rarely do I see any dogs there. Both Larry and I found this entire experience at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre fantastic and we felt so privileged to be seeing this wonderful area. It covers almost an entire block within the Old City.

On Tuesday Larry and I decided to walk on the walls of Jerusalem. It's called the Rampart's Walk and we chose the northern Rampart's Walk. Even though Nehemiah walked around the entire walls of the city of Jerusalem, we can no longer do that. There are restrictions that no longer allow people to walk the wall near the Temple Mount area. We walked from the Jaffa Gate area to Lion's Gate (also known as St. Stephen's Gate). It was quite a workout for us as the stairs are steep, deep, and in some places very narrow but the view was certainly worth all of that. We were the only ones there in the afternoon so we could go at our own pace. These walls were built by Suleiman the Great around the 16th century. The present wall does not follow exactly the walls that surrounded the city in the days of Jesus. Again, I chalked that up as another memorable experience.

Students are staying up all hours of the night studying, finishing papers. . .and also having a lot of fun! One of our male students ran a Marathon this morning between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. He had wanted to run in the Jordan Marathon but it did not work for his schedule so he ran his own marathon with other students working his own personal water station. He had to run a total of three round-trips between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. I was surprised when he told me later that he still had a final to study for and a paper to finish by 5:00 pm tomorrow! Each to his own. He planned to sleep a little and then get up and probably study most of the night. Ahhh...the life of a college student.

I've certainly enjoyed some extra reading this week and also studying the words "grace" and "mercy" in light of my book project. After reading more intently I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles, I hope to teach a series on the Kings of Judah and Israel at some point in the future for my Ladies Bible Study. There are so many lessons we can learn from these men and those around them. Yes, Scripture has opened up to me in new ways during these months.

Recently, I enjoyed reading Anne Bronte's The Tennant of Wildfell Hall and now I'm reading P. D. Wodehouse's My Man Jeeves. It's some light entertaining reading. National Geographic has a wonderful article on King David and the debate among archaeologists about whether David and Solomon really ruled a large Kingdom. It's been fun for me to pick and choose a variety of books and articles to read while I have been in Israel.

The verse God gave me for this journey is just as precious to me today as when I first claimed this promise back in August for our time in Israel. The verse is Isaiah 33:6. . .He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. God's presence, love, mercy and grace have been my anchor during these days and, dear reader, He can be all of that and more for you too.

Since we depart for home on Sunday, I won't be writing in my blog for several weeks since Christmas is just around the corner. I'm hoping to wrap up my blog with some overall impressions and reflections after I have acclimated myself to life back in the good 'ole USA.
Thanks to those of you who have made comments and contacted me by email about your observations. A blessed Christmas to all of you!

Thanksgiving in Jerusalem

We are in countdown mode as we make some of our final visits to specific locations in Jerusalem. JUC has already held their pre-departure meeting to get all of us ready for leaving the country and giving us tips on what to expect when we go through Israeli security at the airport. They really have a good and very stringent security system without "body scanners." At least, I've been told they don't use body scanners but there are several steps we go through and they do pull some people out of line and perform strip searches. Such is life in these turbulent days.

I wish all of you a blessed Thanksgiving. JUC will celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday evening during our regular Shabbat dinner. It will be very American as Israel brings in turkeys for the expatriates and I'm in charge of the American style Green Bean Casserole for 80 people! A few more to prepare for then I usually cook for! Larry and I look forward to Skyping with our kids and grandchildren. Our treat!

I'm joining Larry's class for a tour of the Temple Mount area in the morning and know that it will be an interesting time. Last Wed. evening I joined Rabbi Moshe's class for a tour of the Rabbinical Tunnels near the Western Wall and very close to the Temple Mount area. We left JUC at 9:15 pm and returned at midnight. I was amazed at the number of people still at the Western Wall praying late at night and the number of children who were still up and around. There are synagogues located in the tunnels plus cisterns, stairs, and huge Herodian stones. We saw several women in a specific location praying the Psalms. They were as close to the location of the Holy of Holies as they could get. We entered one room that looked like a Rabbi's Study with bookcases at both ends of the room, red velvet covered theatre seats, and a huge closet that held the Torah scrolls. It was a beautiful cherry wood piece that was at least seven or eight feet tall. Rabbi Moshe told us that on his last tour several women fainted because it is very narrow in sections and if you are claustrophobic it can be a little overwhelming. Factor in the warm temperatures, the dampness and the smell and you can understand why. Just think of exploring a cave and you will understand. Rabbi Moshe grew up in New Jersey but I do not know how long he has lived in Israel but he loves it here. He told us that he preferred to pray in a synagogue with windows and light and yet this location was very meaningful to him because it was so close to where the Holy of Holies was in the Temple when it stood in all its glory. We had numerous groups pass ours during the tour including a group of junior high age kids. They schedule these tours later in the evening because some of the rooms they show us are usually open and not as crowded at that time. It was another really interesting experience.

I was walking to the store the other day towards Jaffa Gate (right by the Old City) and passed a group of orthodox young women on a field trip with their school and again was somewhat taken aback when I saw one of the teachers/guards bring up the rear with a rifle slung over his shoulder. Every outing students have includes a guard of some type. They are not dressed in uniform. That's the reality of living in a land that has suffered bombings, wars, and so much death. It all has become a way of life for those who live here but I'm still a little startled when I see so many weapons.

Monday afternoon several students joined Larry and me as we toured the Hurva Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. This synagogue was restored last year and is the largest syngagoue in the Old City. We had a wonderful guide who gave us the tour and we found the synagouge to be simple and yet very beautiful. She told us the earliest syngagogue was here over two thousand years ago and then provided the history of its many destructions--as I recall, about seven times in its history with the last destruction occurring in 1948 by the Jordanian Legionnaires when they captured the Jewish Quarter during Israel's War of Independence. It was burned and the huge arch was brought down. After the Six-Day War (1967), the arch was restored but nothing else until last year. It took four years to build. It is huge and has a fantastic view from the roof. One can see all over Jerusalem including the Mt. of Olives, the Temple Mount and on a clear day over into Jordan. There is a huge wrought iron railing inside that encircles the synagogue at the top and the guide told us that every Shabbat evening all the children climb the stairs and sing a special song to Welcome Shabbat. I can imagine all these children winding their way up these narrow stairs to sing. It must be a very moving experience. Men were in the central part of the synagogue praying while we were there on the fringe. The synagogue overlooks a huge plaza in the Jewish Quarter that is a gathering place for many young people and families.

My friend, Annie, came to Shabbat dinner last Friday night. She had never been on JUC's campus and thought the school was like a castle. She loved it and wants to rent a room here!
I told her it was only for students so now she wants to take a class. I invited her to remain for our Vespers service and she told me she had already done her "Mitzvot" (good deed) for the day but she did join in for the singing and then decided to leave so we walked her back down the hill.
I was so pleased that our friend from South Africa who has lived in Israel for nine years was able to talk with her and will be able to keep in touch with her after we are back in the U.S.

I'm attending two sessions of our Palestinian Society and Politics class this week as we are doing make up classes. Dr. Sabella's son, Zack Sabella, joined us on Monday evening. He had worked for several years with the Palestinian Authority's Commission on Planning and provided a great overview about the plans that are needed to provide all the institutions and infrastructure necessary for a Palestinian state. They want to be ready when and if a Palestinian state is declared. Zack completed his MA in Planning in the UK several years ago. I am very grateful to hear firsthand from both Sabellas information about the Palestinian National Authority and how it functions. My conclusions, again, are that it is all very complex and complicated. If someone thinks there are easy answers to resolving the difficulties here, I feel they have not been exposed to the really hard issues on both sides. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for a just settlement.

I continue to thank God for this opportunity to live, study, and work at JUC during these last three and a half months. What a privilege for us! God's faithfulness and strength have helped us to persevere when we were physically and emotionally stretched. As we have traveled this land and walked many miles, I have a much greater appreciation for how many miles Jesus and the disciples walked as they reached out and ministered to people in the villages and throughout this land. Several impressions: they were strong, committed (even though they faltered on occasion) in all kinds of weather, and they are examples for us. I am amazed as I reflect on how Jesus humbled himself by taking on human flesh in order to identify with us and then to be our sacrifice. Words cannot describe how grateful and unworthy I feel when I realize I am his child and he did this for me. . .and for you! All I can do is bow down in worship and from my heart whisper "Thank you, Jesus."

Exploring Jordan

What an amazing trip! We arrived back in Jerusalem Sunday night around 7:00 pm tired and dirty. Four days of riding on the bus, visiting various historical and biblical sites, and enjoying each other's fellowship filled out our days. We left at 6:00 am on Thursday to make our way to the crossing into Jordan at Beth Shean. It took two hours for us to maneuver through the protocol for leaving Israel. Once we got through passport control, we picked up our luggage and then rode a shuttle bus to the Jordanian side and then retrieved our luggage, met our tour guide, got through Jordan's passport control, and loaded our luggage on a Jordanian bus. We are required to have a Jordanian guide, along with Dr. Wright, for all our travels in Jordan. Nasser was a very helpful Muslim guide who makes his home in Amman. He told me that he used to be a computer programmer but when his company wanted him to go to Baghdad and work he asked for an astronomical wage because he felt it was too dangerous. "I have my family who counts on me," he said. At that point he decided to become a tour guide and he has not had a day off since the end of August because this is the high tourist season. It will be like this until early December he told us.

The highlight that day for me was visiting ancient Gadara in the Gilead area (you might want to check one of your Bible maps for these place names). It is a huge site and could possibly be the home of the Gerasene demoniac mentioned in the Gospels. It is recorded that as Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee and came to the east side he encountered this man who was demon possessed and Jesus freed him from this bondage. When he asked to go with Jesus, Jesus encouraged him to go back to his home town and tell them the great things God had done for him. I thought of this as we climbed all over the remains of this city and wondered if this was the exact location. A special lunch was planned for us at the restaurant at the top of the hill and we each had a cheeseburger, fries, fruit and a coke--a real American lunch! The view was fantastic as Gadara is situated on a high hill and overlooks a valley (Wadi). This was the kind of place where you want to come and have a relaxing dinner late in the day with a beautiful view. Such a treat to be there!

We spent the night in Amman--a huge city of 2.6 million people. One of the things we all noticed as we traveled throughout Jordan were the number of pictures of the King of Jordan and his family. Dr. Wright saw for the first time that the King's son is now being included in the photos. He is 16 years old but some day will be King. Our guide told us that all the people love the King and his family and that because they are Sunni Muslims we can feel safe in Jordan. "We are not like the Shites." He said, "You can be out at 2:00 am on the streets in Amman and be safe." We stayed in a lovely hotel called The Geneva and tasted a wonderful buffet dinner.

On Friday we traveled to Iraq Al Amir, which means Fortress of the Prince, and was built by an outlawed Jewish family member during the second century BC. During the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, Hyrcannus Tobiah is the one who built this beautiful building. It is not absolutely for certain but either it is a fortress, a country estate, or some have even said a "pleasure palace." There were caves near the sight that we were able to see. This is located in a valley out of Amman with lots of fig and olive trees plus grape vines. As we looked at a house nearby, Dr. Wright pointed out that it really is a fulfillment of the verse in the Bible that says, "Every man under his own vine and fig tree." We rarely see lawns by houses here but trees and plants grow right up to the front door of many houses. Water is scarce and rain is desperately needed in Jordan as it is in Israel.

One of the largest sites I have ever seen is at Jerash in Jordan. It is filled with temples, theatres and remains of shops, and other signs of a large city that had both Greek and Roman influence.
We were told that each night our accommodations would be less than the night before. It took us almost four hours to reach the modern city of Petra where we spent the night before exploring ancient Petra. If you get a chance, Google Petra, and look at some of the most amazing photographs of this Nabatean city. It has been declared one of the "modern" seven wonders of the world. We walked about two miles to enter the main city and then walked to see the various buildings. One cannot see it in a day because it is so huge so we just scratched the surface. We were inundated with tourists and Bedouins wanting us to ride camels, horses, and buy trinkets. Little children, some as young as four years old were trying to sell us postcards. I thought, "Shouldn't they be in school?" Our guide assured me that education is compuslory in Jordan but it was close to a holiday and besides they only go to school until 1:00 pm. The Bedouins lived among these ruins for years until the Jordanian government built a village for them not far from this site. They moved them off their land so it could be preserved and provided a different location for them. Uhmmm.....does this story sound familiar? The guide told me that the Bedouin are very rich. Interesting!

Two of the gals on our trip returned to the bus very excited. "Guess who we saw?" was their first comment. Amy said she thought she saw the actor Leonardo DiCaprio but wasn't sure so she went up to him and said, "I don't want to be rude or obnoxious but are you Leonardo...?"
He just smiled and his bodyguard smiled and nodded yes and they walked away. That made their day! We all had a good time laughing with them and realized Petra attracts everyone.

Larry and I walked most of the way out of Petra but did have a short ride on a horse part of the way. As I waited for the bus, I felt something in my shoe and when I took it off I poured out quite a bit of sand that had worked its way under my socks from walking in Petra. After doing the laundry today, those socks will never be white again!

After several more stops, we made our way to Kerak to spend the night. Because of the great distances between the sites that Dr. Wright wants us to see, it takes awhile to get there and some of these sites the average tourist does not visit. The "Rest House" we stayed in that night was very interesting. At least the sheets were clean and the bed was comfortable but it was a very dingy place. I finally noticed that women here do not serve as waitresses/servers but men serve in this capacity and in maintaining the hotels. That is not always the case but in the more conservative villages that is true. I began to look for women on the streets as we drove through various towns but rarely saw them. When I did they had children with them or they were in a store and a brother or husband was waiting for them outside. Since Jordan is 94% Muslim and 6% Christian, most all of the women wear the Hajib (scarf) on their heads even if they are dressed western style. Some women were in Burkas (totally covered except for their eyes) but not many. It would appear that women seem to stay at home most of the time but there are always exceptions. It was interesting to see sheep in small fenced enclaves by the road. Our guide said that families purchase a sheep to sacrifice as they begin the Al Haj holiday. It can be very expensive for them--sometimes $250.

We saw lovely huge homes but culturally what is outside the home does not seem to bother them. We had heard that inside the homes are lovely and clean but outside we saw lots of trash on the side of the roads and in general a lot of debris everywhere. As I think of the efforts in America to keep the roadsides clean and the groups that have been formed to pick up trash, etc., I realized that movement has not yet reached many countries in the Middle East. I think there are efforts to build infrastructure to handle all of this but it's a huge educational task.

As we traveled west toward the Jordan River Valley, we were delighted by wonderful views of the Jabbok River and then the Arnon River and to think about how Moses led the children of Israel through this area to the Promised Land. We wrapped up the day standing on Mt. Nebo where Moses was allowed to view the Promised Land but he could not enter. I was surprised at how emotional I felt at this spot as we read the last chapter in Deuteronomy. As I looked across to Israel and north toward Galilee and south toward the Negev, I tried to imagine how Moses must have felt. He had been disobedient to God by dishonoring His name in front of the Israelites over their cries for water and assumed that it was his responsibility to provide it. It was a reminder to me of how God views disobedience and how important it is for religious leaders, and all of us, to be obedient to God and to honor His name. It's a huge responsibility.
The Bible tells us that Moses died on Mt. Nebo, one of God's great servants but one who failed in this area. It was very humbling to be there and to contemplate the significance of this event.

It took us almost two hours to cross from Jordan back into Israel. We were tired but grateful for this wonderful opportunity to have been in Jordan. We crossed this time at the Allenby Bridge crossing (that's the old name) and I noticed the foilage around the Jordan River was very dense and prolific. Lions and other wild animals used to wander through this area. I can see how difficult it would be to flush them out from this thick foilage. When I think of lions I usually think of forests in Africa but they did roam this land at one time.

As I read the OT, I see in my mind's eye these various locations and realize how brave and courageous the Patriarchs were to travel through this "forbidding" land. I feel as though I need more time to process all I am seeing and experiencing and look forward to some quiet snowy days back in Upland when I can contemplate, read and review all that God has been teaching me over these last three months.

We fly out on the evening of December 5th for home and look forward to seeing family and friends. I finished cataloging the Lindsay Collection the day before we left for Jordan. That's a good feeling! Larry only has three more class sessions and during one of those we will be visiting the Temple Mount area. Tomorrow night we will be going with a Rabbi who teaches Rabbinical Thought at JUC to explore the Rabbinical Tunnels under the Western Wall near the Temple Mount area. Still much to see and experience. I will let you know about those experiences next time.

Life in Israel--November is Here!

Life in Israel continues to be interesting and full of opportunities. I have met a woman who owns the local pharmacy near Jaffa Gate. She was born in Nazareth, grew up in Brazil and lived in Southern California for years. Now she is back in Israel. She is always so helpful to me. This is one of the highlights for me--meeting the people who live in the land.

My artist friend, Annie, and I met for coffee last week but she could not come to our Shabbat dinner because she became ill. She is now trying to decide whether she wants to move to Belgium or Japan. She's very much into the environment and wants to look out on green spaces not tall buildings.

We hosted a former Taylor student and her boyfriend for Shabbat dinner at JUC on Friday. Allison Barlow graduated from TU in 2009 and teaches at the Anglican School here in Jerusalem. She loves living here. It has been good to get acquainted with her. We worship together at Christ's Church in the Old City. By the way, a choir from Tanzania was at church on Sunday and we heard the most beautiful music filling this Victorian styled neo-gothic church. They were dressed in choir robes and sang with such gusto. The messages on Jesus' journey to Jerusalem in Luke's Gospel have been very meaningful to me.

Larry was surprised on Friday night when the JUC cooks brought out a lovely huge chocolate birthday cake for him at the end of our Shabbat meal. The students loved it. They had made a huge birthday card for Larry with photos of him from some of our Field Studies on the front and
each one signed a note. They are a great group! On Saturday, Larry's birthday--yes, another year older, we wandered through the Old City and revisited David's Tomb, the Upper Room, and the Dormition Abbey. What a beautiful church with some gold mosaics. It's so intriguing to have all of these sites within walking distance and to observe tourists (pilgrims?) from all over the world coming to visit. Jerusalem truly is a crossroads. That evening we celebrated Larry's birthday with a dinner at The Grotto in Bethlehem right next to one of the three "Shepherd's Fields." The Wrights joined us for a good evening of conversation and great food--Lamb, Chicken and Beef shishkabob and all these little salads. I told Larry he will never forget celebrating his birthday in Bethlehem. The economy there is beginning to turn around as evidenced by more businesses and more tourists.

Last Thursday a Westmont college student and I spent our afternoon baking two Pumpkin Rolls for our Ladies Tea on Saturday afternoon. Other staff members made other "goodies." I shared briefly at the Tea on "Seven Tips/Lessons I Wish I Had Known as a JUC Student." I tried to give them some tips I had learned over the years that would have helped if I had known them sooner but that is life. You have to live it to learn some important lessons. I just wanted to give them a head start. The gals are great and were so generous in their feedback.

I'm wrapping up my project of cataloging the Lindsay Collection and should be finished by next week--after our trip to Jordan. We catch the bus at 6:00 am in the morning and we will have long days in Jordan. I'm particularly excited about seeing Petra.

I finished a book by Peter Hellman titled Avenue of the Righteous. Hellman selected four people from many who have been honored at Yad Vashem for their hiding Jews during WWII. The stories were amazing and how they survived. They are also referred to as "Righteous Gentiles"
by some. Hellman personally interviewed these families and recorded all they had gone through. Their commitment to those they hid, inspite of danger, is an example to all of us. He has written more in this area but this was the first of his books I have read.

Students here are wrapping up papers and projects as there are only two weeks of classes left and then finals week. Amidst all of this our dinner cook formed a class to teach whoever wanted to learn how to crochet a hat. I'm trying to tackle this and thought it would be good to crochet on the flight home--if I cannot sleep on the plane. We will be on the plane all night. Ugh! I'm trying to be positive and think in terms of all the good reading I can get done, etc.

Till next time. Jordan here we come!