Posts
Well, I'm not going to be able to fill in all of the details right at the moment, but will get it done eventually over the next few days. We have been quite busy. Tonight we celebrated Shabbat (the Sabbath) with a Conservative Jewish congregation and their families and it was very enjoyable. I think Dean was a little nervous with all of the little kids running around...but it's good for him! And it was VERY funny during the worship service when the Rabbi's son, who is six years old, held up a dart gun when his dad was facing the altar and shot a dart at him! We Lutherans had a hard time with our reverence at that moment! It is always good to see that kids are kids no matter where you go. Somehow we adults lose that same kindred spirit, that sameness, as we age...probably because we get too tied up with who is right and who is wrong and forget to just enjoy each other's company!
Shabbat Shalom, my friends.
Tara
29 January 2010
26 January 2010
Days 9 and 10 and 11...am I that far behind???
Day 9 we visited Bet She'am...which has been around for a very very long time, longer before the time of Christ if I remember correctly because it was not built by King Herod. I think the Egyptians were the ones who may have built it. We then drove through Jericho, where most of the group had the opportunity to ride a camel and we saw a Sycamore Tree that is believed to be as old as the time of Christ, but it was not the one that Jesus called the little man out of (I have the song going through my head...but can't think of the man's name...total brain fart...it's right out of the Bible). We continued to drive down (south) through Samaria into Judea. After being in Nazareth/Galilee for two days and seeing how amazingly beautiful and how agriculturally rich it was, it really set up a contrast for Samaria and Judea, which are very rocky and desert landscapes. We saw shepherds herding their small flocks of sheep and goats and I kept wondering what the heck those animals were eating because there was so little vegetation...and I mean there was no green in sight!
Day 10 was Sunday and we worshipped at the Lutheran Church close to our guesthouse here in the Old City of Jerusalem. One of our fellow students, Jen Grangaard, who graduated this past May is spending this year with her husband on the Preaching Scholarship where they are to spend the year traveling different parts of the world (of their choice). They spent the first five months in Africa and are now here in Israel/Palestine. We were able to be there when Jen was preaching so that was nice. It was a beautiful service with English speaking people from all over the world. Most of the people there were a part of one peace organization or another or were there on behalf of their home churches doing some kind of work towards peace. There is a larger sanctuary in the church building where the Arabic and German services are held. After the service, Pr. Mark, who is an ELCA pastor from the U.S. on a 4 year call here in Jerusalem to the ELCJHL (ELC of Jordan and the Holy Land). That afternoon we walked to the Western Wall, which Jewish people call the Wailing Wall. It is the western wall of the Temple Mount, which Jews are not allowed inside (and haven't been for many years) because it is a Muslim area where the Al Aksa Mosque is located. Men and women go to separate sections of the wall and pay homage to those who they mourn for. They pray and read from Holy scripture and touch the wall and some even leave prayers on little pieces of paper and stick them in the cracks of the rocks that make up the wall. The wall is part of the remains from King Solomon's time. When I approached the wall to pray, it was really strange to think about how many generations of people before me had been right there praying for friends, loved ones, and others in need. I guess we can say this for any church in America also, but at the Wailing Wall, which is a few thousand years old (plus) it puts it in a whole new perspective. There was this sense of solidarity, not politically or socially, but a very human solidarity when it comes to pain and tears for people we hold close and that wall represents where many people have come together as people of God in need of love, grace, and forgiveness.
Day 11 began with an interesting visit with a man named Jeff...okay I haven't been real good about catching the names of all of the poeple we have listened to...I'm struggling a bit with the one-sidedness of much of what we are hearing...and it is not moderately one-sided, it is pretty much on the extreme end. Jeff, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 or 2008 (whichever would have been the time before Obama got it) has an organization that stands against house demolitions. The Israeli government has been demolishing Palestinian homes and rebuilding houses for Israelis. Many Palestinians after the 1967 war, were relegated to refugee camps and theirs are the homes that being destroyed. It is very difficult to see how the people in the refugee camps are living and it is difficult to hear about how difficult it is for Palestinians to move around the country because of the control that the Israeli government has on their lives in the way of checkpoints and ID cards. It is also difficult to hear, again, that people want the US to fix the problem when they can't tell us specific ways that we can help. I have come to the conclusion that the politics of it all have turned 'peace talk' into mere rhetoric and that politicians keep trying the same thing expecting a different result! Real change needs to happen on a humanitarian level to empower the people who are being oppressed and to give them hope of a better future and courage to take up their own cause in peaceful ways. It's extremely complicated here. Jeff is a Jewish Israeli man who has taken up the cause of the Palestinians and has very little good to say about the Israeli government.
After lunch we visited Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocost Museum. I have been to the Holocost Museum in Washington D.C., so I was fairly prepared for what this would be like. This one did not seem as graphic to me but it made a more pronounced statement about the role that Christianity played in the rhetoric leading up to the Holocost and it gave a more profound image of the number of lives that were terminated as a result of the Holocost. I'll share two of the images that really impacted me. The first was a miniature sculpture of one of the gas chambers and on the left it showed the Jews in a building going down a set of stairs which went underground and then you could see them in one underground chamber taking off their clothes and in the next underground chamber they were struggling to stay alive and bodies were laying everywhere. There were Nazi soldiers loading bodies onto a platform that was raised aboveground into a room where the bodies were put into the incinerator. It is a horific image of how what we often see on the surface tells so very little of the whole story. The second image is that of the Children's Memorial. One and half million children were murdered during the Holocost. The entryway to the Children's Memorial was very dark but when you get into the room where the names and ages are being read in Hebrew and then in English, there is just one candle burning and the image of the candle is reflected on mirrors to show many little lights burning like stars in the night sky. As a Christian, I couldn't help but think of how that is so representative of the light of Christ that burns in all of us, but whether or not a person believes in Christ, just the image of all of those little flames being all that is left of those little lives is very moving. I would imagine that most people who had memories of those children were also killed in the Holocost. We can only imagine what kind of light they would have brought to the world.
Shalom,
Tara
Day 10 was Sunday and we worshipped at the Lutheran Church close to our guesthouse here in the Old City of Jerusalem. One of our fellow students, Jen Grangaard, who graduated this past May is spending this year with her husband on the Preaching Scholarship where they are to spend the year traveling different parts of the world (of their choice). They spent the first five months in Africa and are now here in Israel/Palestine. We were able to be there when Jen was preaching so that was nice. It was a beautiful service with English speaking people from all over the world. Most of the people there were a part of one peace organization or another or were there on behalf of their home churches doing some kind of work towards peace. There is a larger sanctuary in the church building where the Arabic and German services are held. After the service, Pr. Mark, who is an ELCA pastor from the U.S. on a 4 year call here in Jerusalem to the ELCJHL (ELC of Jordan and the Holy Land). That afternoon we walked to the Western Wall, which Jewish people call the Wailing Wall. It is the western wall of the Temple Mount, which Jews are not allowed inside (and haven't been for many years) because it is a Muslim area where the Al Aksa Mosque is located. Men and women go to separate sections of the wall and pay homage to those who they mourn for. They pray and read from Holy scripture and touch the wall and some even leave prayers on little pieces of paper and stick them in the cracks of the rocks that make up the wall. The wall is part of the remains from King Solomon's time. When I approached the wall to pray, it was really strange to think about how many generations of people before me had been right there praying for friends, loved ones, and others in need. I guess we can say this for any church in America also, but at the Wailing Wall, which is a few thousand years old (plus) it puts it in a whole new perspective. There was this sense of solidarity, not politically or socially, but a very human solidarity when it comes to pain and tears for people we hold close and that wall represents where many people have come together as people of God in need of love, grace, and forgiveness.
Day 11 began with an interesting visit with a man named Jeff...okay I haven't been real good about catching the names of all of the poeple we have listened to...I'm struggling a bit with the one-sidedness of much of what we are hearing...and it is not moderately one-sided, it is pretty much on the extreme end. Jeff, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 or 2008 (whichever would have been the time before Obama got it) has an organization that stands against house demolitions. The Israeli government has been demolishing Palestinian homes and rebuilding houses for Israelis. Many Palestinians after the 1967 war, were relegated to refugee camps and theirs are the homes that being destroyed. It is very difficult to see how the people in the refugee camps are living and it is difficult to hear about how difficult it is for Palestinians to move around the country because of the control that the Israeli government has on their lives in the way of checkpoints and ID cards. It is also difficult to hear, again, that people want the US to fix the problem when they can't tell us specific ways that we can help. I have come to the conclusion that the politics of it all have turned 'peace talk' into mere rhetoric and that politicians keep trying the same thing expecting a different result! Real change needs to happen on a humanitarian level to empower the people who are being oppressed and to give them hope of a better future and courage to take up their own cause in peaceful ways. It's extremely complicated here. Jeff is a Jewish Israeli man who has taken up the cause of the Palestinians and has very little good to say about the Israeli government.
After lunch we visited Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocost Museum. I have been to the Holocost Museum in Washington D.C., so I was fairly prepared for what this would be like. This one did not seem as graphic to me but it made a more pronounced statement about the role that Christianity played in the rhetoric leading up to the Holocost and it gave a more profound image of the number of lives that were terminated as a result of the Holocost. I'll share two of the images that really impacted me. The first was a miniature sculpture of one of the gas chambers and on the left it showed the Jews in a building going down a set of stairs which went underground and then you could see them in one underground chamber taking off their clothes and in the next underground chamber they were struggling to stay alive and bodies were laying everywhere. There were Nazi soldiers loading bodies onto a platform that was raised aboveground into a room where the bodies were put into the incinerator. It is a horific image of how what we often see on the surface tells so very little of the whole story. The second image is that of the Children's Memorial. One and half million children were murdered during the Holocost. The entryway to the Children's Memorial was very dark but when you get into the room where the names and ages are being read in Hebrew and then in English, there is just one candle burning and the image of the candle is reflected on mirrors to show many little lights burning like stars in the night sky. As a Christian, I couldn't help but think of how that is so representative of the light of Christ that burns in all of us, but whether or not a person believes in Christ, just the image of all of those little flames being all that is left of those little lives is very moving. I would imagine that most people who had memories of those children were also killed in the Holocost. We can only imagine what kind of light they would have brought to the world.
Shalom,
Tara
25 January 2010
Trying to catch up
I can only write for a moment, but I wanted to let you know that I will get up early in the morning and post a block about the past couple of days. We arrived in Jerusalem on Saturday and there is only one computer to share for those of us who did not bring our own laptops along. Right now I am limiting myself to 15 minutes because others are waiting to get on. We have had busy days with much to think about and experience.
If you would like to see some pictures, Chip has posted a few slideshows on the Group Blog that is linked in the left margin of my blog. Click on it and it will take you to the group blog and from there you can browse around and find the videos.
Later,
Tara
If you would like to see some pictures, Chip has posted a few slideshows on the Group Blog that is linked in the left margin of my blog. Click on it and it will take you to the group blog and from there you can browse around and find the videos.
Later,
Tara
22 January 2010
Day 7 & 8...I think?
Losing track of time a little bit here...but I'm pretty sure today was day number 8. Yesterday we left Bethlehem and went to Ramallah where we listened to a woman speak about the organization she works for and what it does for the Palestinian people, both in areas of social justice and politics. It was interesting to a point, but to be quite honest...I (and several others) left there very frustrated. (deep breath) When we left, I told the youngest member of our group, Stephanie, that I appreciated the questions she asked because they were exactly what I was going to ask! I also told her that she gave me much hope in the younger generations because she is a critical thinker and not just a sponge that believes everything she hears! Enough on that...just know that we have much to think about and discuss on our 'down time' which there is not much of.
We then went to Cesarea Meritime...a fortress on the Mediterranean Sea that was built by Herod the Great and was later re-built by the Romans. It is amazing what is left from 2000 years ago! And I am absolutely taken in with the beautiful mosaic floors (original!) that have been in most of the ancient structures! Very, very cool indeed!
Our afternoon was spent at the Church of the Annunciation, where Mary (the mother of Jesus) was from. We saw the cave structures that families from that area (Nazareth) lived in and we toured the beautiful cathedral built over the site that they believe Mary's family lived. The Anunciation was when the angel came to Mary and told her that she was going to bear the Son of God and she responded in a very accepting and obedient way...it is not my will but Thine own!
[Please forgive me if my writing is confusing or my Biblical references are not quite correct...I am exhausted and there is way too much to take in during the day than my brain can remember!]
So, today was a beautiful day! The past week has been a bit cloudy and on and off rainy, but nothing but sunshine for us today! We started on the mountain (i.e. hill for those of you in the west!) called Sheppori (spelling?), which is where Joseph's parents, Joachim and Anna (?) lived. It is outside of Nazareth. From the top of the mountain, we had an awesome view of the surrounding mountains and the beautiful, lush valleys where they grow pomagranates, bananas, olives, dates, and almonds (just to name a few of the crops).
From there we went to the Mount of the Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). We stood in a circle and each read a few verses until the whole sermon was read. It was pretty powerful. It seems so strange to think that Jesus and his disciples gathered much the same way that we did and those words were spoken and heard by people who need to hear them! There is also a church there as well, the Church of the Beatitudes...are you sensing a pattern?...wherever a significant Christian event happened...a church appeared a few centuries later. From there we went to the Church of the Fish and Loaves (can you guess the text?)...and then on to Capernaum where Jesus spent much time. Capernaum means 'place of Nahum.' Nahum was a prophet during Old Testament times...and yes, there was a new church built over (not on top of) the first church that Peter built. The uncovered Peter's original church and instead of trying to restore it to original size/shape, they built over it so the new (still pretty old) church is kind of on stilts.
We ate lunch near the Sea of Galilee and ate fish from the sea (tilapia)...and the whole fish was on our plates, head and all. I had flash backs to backpacking as a kid when our family friend would suck on fish heads and spit out the eyes. My sister and I would get very grossed out! But I managed just fine today. We then got to see a fishing boat dug out from the mud of the sea that is probably from the time of Jesus. The Sea of Galilee is where Jesus called some of his disciples from and is also where Jesus calmed the storm. Many other stories from Galilee. What's your favorite? We also went on a boat ride out on the sea...very awesome day for a boat ride! It was calm and beautiful and serene...just simply awesome!
Now...it is time for bed!
Good night and Shalom, my friends.
Tara
We then went to Cesarea Meritime...a fortress on the Mediterranean Sea that was built by Herod the Great and was later re-built by the Romans. It is amazing what is left from 2000 years ago! And I am absolutely taken in with the beautiful mosaic floors (original!) that have been in most of the ancient structures! Very, very cool indeed!
Our afternoon was spent at the Church of the Annunciation, where Mary (the mother of Jesus) was from. We saw the cave structures that families from that area (Nazareth) lived in and we toured the beautiful cathedral built over the site that they believe Mary's family lived. The Anunciation was when the angel came to Mary and told her that she was going to bear the Son of God and she responded in a very accepting and obedient way...it is not my will but Thine own!
[Please forgive me if my writing is confusing or my Biblical references are not quite correct...I am exhausted and there is way too much to take in during the day than my brain can remember!]
So, today was a beautiful day! The past week has been a bit cloudy and on and off rainy, but nothing but sunshine for us today! We started on the mountain (i.e. hill for those of you in the west!) called Sheppori (spelling?), which is where Joseph's parents, Joachim and Anna (?) lived. It is outside of Nazareth. From the top of the mountain, we had an awesome view of the surrounding mountains and the beautiful, lush valleys where they grow pomagranates, bananas, olives, dates, and almonds (just to name a few of the crops).
From there we went to the Mount of the Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). We stood in a circle and each read a few verses until the whole sermon was read. It was pretty powerful. It seems so strange to think that Jesus and his disciples gathered much the same way that we did and those words were spoken and heard by people who need to hear them! There is also a church there as well, the Church of the Beatitudes...are you sensing a pattern?...wherever a significant Christian event happened...a church appeared a few centuries later. From there we went to the Church of the Fish and Loaves (can you guess the text?)...and then on to Capernaum where Jesus spent much time. Capernaum means 'place of Nahum.' Nahum was a prophet during Old Testament times...and yes, there was a new church built over (not on top of) the first church that Peter built. The uncovered Peter's original church and instead of trying to restore it to original size/shape, they built over it so the new (still pretty old) church is kind of on stilts.
We ate lunch near the Sea of Galilee and ate fish from the sea (tilapia)...and the whole fish was on our plates, head and all. I had flash backs to backpacking as a kid when our family friend would suck on fish heads and spit out the eyes. My sister and I would get very grossed out! But I managed just fine today. We then got to see a fishing boat dug out from the mud of the sea that is probably from the time of Jesus. The Sea of Galilee is where Jesus called some of his disciples from and is also where Jesus calmed the storm. Many other stories from Galilee. What's your favorite? We also went on a boat ride out on the sea...very awesome day for a boat ride! It was calm and beautiful and serene...just simply awesome!
Now...it is time for bed!
Good night and Shalom, my friends.
Tara
21 January 2010
Day 7: Moving On
Yesterday, we visited with a Jewish leader from one of the Israeli Settlements within Palestinian settlements and then went and toured one of the Refugee villages of Palestinians who were displaced after the war in 1967. Two very different perspectives!
We ate lunch at a Tent restaurant and had some authentic Middle Eastern food, topped off with Balaclava and very strong coffee (I only took a sip this time...didn't want to ruin the taste of the coca cola in my mouth!).
Then it was off to our SURPRISE...which ended up being a visit to Herodian, the place where Herod the Great built a fortification high on a hill so he could see across all of Israel...literally from the Dead Sea to Tel Aviv. It was discovered only two years ago and it is just amazing. We walked up to the top of the hill on the road and then we walked back down through the tunnel structure running down through the hill...it was awesome!
We had a couple of hours of free time in the afternoon, which I used to prepare for a talk I have to give tonight on the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.
We then gathered as a group to listen to a Muslim scholar talk to us about Islamic beliefs. Another interesting perspective.
Then it was dinner, and then we gathered on the veranda (i.e. Jody and Laurie's room) and chatted and laughed until after 10 pm.
We move on today and will be staying at a different place the next two nights and I'm not sure if there will be internet. So, until next time....
Shalom,
Tara
We ate lunch at a Tent restaurant and had some authentic Middle Eastern food, topped off with Balaclava and very strong coffee (I only took a sip this time...didn't want to ruin the taste of the coca cola in my mouth!).
Then it was off to our SURPRISE...which ended up being a visit to Herodian, the place where Herod the Great built a fortification high on a hill so he could see across all of Israel...literally from the Dead Sea to Tel Aviv. It was discovered only two years ago and it is just amazing. We walked up to the top of the hill on the road and then we walked back down through the tunnel structure running down through the hill...it was awesome!
We had a couple of hours of free time in the afternoon, which I used to prepare for a talk I have to give tonight on the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.
We then gathered as a group to listen to a Muslim scholar talk to us about Islamic beliefs. Another interesting perspective.
Then it was dinner, and then we gathered on the veranda (i.e. Jody and Laurie's room) and chatted and laughed until after 10 pm.
We move on today and will be staying at a different place the next two nights and I'm not sure if there will be internet. So, until next time....
Shalom,
Tara
19 January 2010
Day 5: Triathlon...minus the biking...
Today, we started off going to Masada, which is where the last group of Jews fell to the Romans. It is up on a very high, steep terrace above the Dead Sea and it took the Romans three years to build a ramp in order to get up to the gate. The structures and ingenuity up there were amazing. We took a tram up (which was basically a large ski lift that held about 50 people) and then half of our group (or so) decided to walk back down on the 'Snake Trail.' It wasn't as steep as it appeared from the top! It was a little harrowing, but really not too bad, and I wasn't even breathing hard when we got to the bottom...one benefit of being below sea level!
We then ate lunch at Qumran and toured the site where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Our guide, Na'im, actually knew the boy (17 years old) who discovered the first piece of pottery that was holding a scroll back in 1947, I think?.
The next stop for the day was 'swimming' in the Dead Sea! It was windy out so the water was a bit turbulent but there is no way you could drown! The Dead Sea has 8 times as much salt content as the Oceans. It tastes terrible and you don't want it anywhere near your eyes! There was a group of us that lunged right in and floated around for a good while. Supposedly the mud at the bottom is good for your skin, so we dug it up with our feet and then spread it on our bodies and kept floating around like bobbing painted turtles or something. The water wasn't very cold, at least I didn't think it was, but there were some who could barely get in because it felt so cold to them! Reality is perspective, I suppose!
Okay, that's all for tonight. Well, there were a few funnies from today. One is probably not appropriate to share, the second is kind of an inside thing and you would have to know Scott (or at least what he looks like) in order to understand, and the last one...well, it's probably not appropriate either! So, I guess you're out of luck on this post!
Our guide has a surprise for us tomorrow....hmmm....
Good night,
Tara
We then ate lunch at Qumran and toured the site where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Our guide, Na'im, actually knew the boy (17 years old) who discovered the first piece of pottery that was holding a scroll back in 1947, I think?.
The next stop for the day was 'swimming' in the Dead Sea! It was windy out so the water was a bit turbulent but there is no way you could drown! The Dead Sea has 8 times as much salt content as the Oceans. It tastes terrible and you don't want it anywhere near your eyes! There was a group of us that lunged right in and floated around for a good while. Supposedly the mud at the bottom is good for your skin, so we dug it up with our feet and then spread it on our bodies and kept floating around like bobbing painted turtles or something. The water wasn't very cold, at least I didn't think it was, but there were some who could barely get in because it felt so cold to them! Reality is perspective, I suppose!
Okay, that's all for tonight. Well, there were a few funnies from today. One is probably not appropriate to share, the second is kind of an inside thing and you would have to know Scott (or at least what he looks like) in order to understand, and the last one...well, it's probably not appropriate either! So, I guess you're out of luck on this post!
Our guide has a surprise for us tomorrow....hmmm....
Good night,
Tara
Day 4: Hearing perspectives
On Monday, 18 January, we began our day at the Dar Al-Kalima Lutheran School and it was a great experience! The principal (a Palestinian Christian woman) spoke with us about the philosophy of the school and all of the details about class size, etc. etc...and I was very impressed. I thought to myself that my sister would be very proud of this school! Every student, regardless of academic achievement, is evaluated for their gifts. Granted there is a 25 student maximum per class (K-12), but it is a private school and it does not turn students away if they can't make the tuition. There is an "after school" program for all students each school day (I can't remember what they called it...?), but students in grades K-6 rotate through several activities including art, music, sports, drama, creative writing, etc., and then when they get in the upper grades they specialize in one or two areas based on their abilities and interest. I was also impressed with the philosophy that their mission is based on the students and not the teachers...they focus on what students need and how fast students can learn as individuals and the teachers adapt to the students...of course, they have minimum expectations but students are screened in order to be accepted to the school so it didn't seem that they had trouble with students underachieving academically. And 100% of their graduates go on to college, which is unheard of in Palestine.
We visited a few classrooms and it was so delightful! The kids were so friendly and polite and loved to talk to us. They were very boisterous when we were in the rooms, but it did not seem to bother the teachers at all. I was trying to talk with one of the teachers at one point and it was so loud in the classroom we could hardly hear each other, but she never turned to the students and told them to be quiet, she accepted their joy and the fact that kids need to be kids now and then! Since it was a rainy day, there was no recess outside and the youngest kids were riding tricycles around in circles and using them as bumper cars in the entryway to the school. This seemed totally normal to all of the people that worked there! I doubt this would happen anywhere in the U.S. It was so fun watching them. They never ran into walls, doors, or furniture...just each other...and that was okay too!
Later, we drove by Solomon's Well, the place where Solomon developed cisterns to store water. It is amazing how resourceful people were so long ago without the luxuries we have today!
The next portion of our day was spent listening to the stories and viewpoints of two Palestinian Christians about the Conflict here in Israel/Palestine. It is such a complicated situation. I really feel that we as a class are being encouraged, or nudged, to take one particular side of this issue, and I am impressed with how many of us are aware of the bias we are hearing and are remaining objective and asking good questions. And it is a diverse group of us who are not 'jumping on the band wagon' so soon. I won't go into too much detail on this topic while I am over here, but will save it for a post once I get back home. We will be visiting with more people on different sides of the issue, so in waiting I hope to have a better perspective myself before sharing anything on here.
One last story I will share about Day 4 is that we stopped at a cave that is between Bethlehem and Nazareth near Shepherd's Fields. It is believed that Mary and Joseph, with Jesus, came to this cave on their way back to Nazareth after Jesus' birth. The cave is part of a Franciscan Monk colony. We hurried inside the cave because it began pouring rain on us and we were all milling around looking at what the cave had to offer...a little bit of stoneware and a Nativity and a fake campfire...well, we were being a little loud and a man who apparently worked there came in from a room off to the side and asked us to quiet down since this was a place of worship (we were the only other ones in there at the time), so we, of course, quieted right down, and I mean not a peep out of us. Then, not thirty seconds after the man reprimanded us, his cell phone rang and someone from our group (who will remain nameless! and no, it was NOT me but I was thinking it...) said "SHHH!" I don't know if you've ever 'heard' twenty four Lutherans bust out laughing to themselves before but it took every ounce of gumption inside to keep quiet at that moment!
All is well,
Tara
We visited a few classrooms and it was so delightful! The kids were so friendly and polite and loved to talk to us. They were very boisterous when we were in the rooms, but it did not seem to bother the teachers at all. I was trying to talk with one of the teachers at one point and it was so loud in the classroom we could hardly hear each other, but she never turned to the students and told them to be quiet, she accepted their joy and the fact that kids need to be kids now and then! Since it was a rainy day, there was no recess outside and the youngest kids were riding tricycles around in circles and using them as bumper cars in the entryway to the school. This seemed totally normal to all of the people that worked there! I doubt this would happen anywhere in the U.S. It was so fun watching them. They never ran into walls, doors, or furniture...just each other...and that was okay too!
Later, we drove by Solomon's Well, the place where Solomon developed cisterns to store water. It is amazing how resourceful people were so long ago without the luxuries we have today!
The next portion of our day was spent listening to the stories and viewpoints of two Palestinian Christians about the Conflict here in Israel/Palestine. It is such a complicated situation. I really feel that we as a class are being encouraged, or nudged, to take one particular side of this issue, and I am impressed with how many of us are aware of the bias we are hearing and are remaining objective and asking good questions. And it is a diverse group of us who are not 'jumping on the band wagon' so soon. I won't go into too much detail on this topic while I am over here, but will save it for a post once I get back home. We will be visiting with more people on different sides of the issue, so in waiting I hope to have a better perspective myself before sharing anything on here.
One last story I will share about Day 4 is that we stopped at a cave that is between Bethlehem and Nazareth near Shepherd's Fields. It is believed that Mary and Joseph, with Jesus, came to this cave on their way back to Nazareth after Jesus' birth. The cave is part of a Franciscan Monk colony. We hurried inside the cave because it began pouring rain on us and we were all milling around looking at what the cave had to offer...a little bit of stoneware and a Nativity and a fake campfire...well, we were being a little loud and a man who apparently worked there came in from a room off to the side and asked us to quiet down since this was a place of worship (we were the only other ones in there at the time), so we, of course, quieted right down, and I mean not a peep out of us. Then, not thirty seconds after the man reprimanded us, his cell phone rang and someone from our group (who will remain nameless! and no, it was NOT me but I was thinking it...) said "SHHH!" I don't know if you've ever 'heard' twenty four Lutherans bust out laughing to themselves before but it took every ounce of gumption inside to keep quiet at that moment!
All is well,
Tara
17 January 2010
Day 2: What it means to be the Body of Christ
We worshiped at Christmas Lutheran Church this morning with many people from all over the world. Local Arab Christians who are members of the church were there...several families, as well as a group from Norway, another group from Sweden, and some people from the World Council of Churches. For the most part the service was done in Arabic because that is the language of the congregation, but a few places were repeated in English and the New Testament reading was done in English. The flow of the service was very familiar to us Lutherans! with only minor adjustments, so we were able to follow along in the bulletin just fine. The bulletin was done primarily for English speaking visitors and the words of two of the songs were printed there for us to read along, although the congregation sang very loud and confident in Arabic. Our closing song was Fair are the Meadows which was familiar to all in attendance and we were all encouraged to sing along in our own languages! I had chills run through my body just hearing the many voices connecting with a tune that is familiar to all of us. It was definitely a moment where I felt what it means to be the Body of Christ. Many different cultures and languages and beliefs and politics, but one melody! The importance of the meaning of faith in our lives is more universal than we can ever imagine from our own front porch.
I also feel this same connection walking through the marketplace and having people say 'hello' and 'welcome.' We obviously stick out like sore thumbs and they know we are Americans, but they have been very polite. I especially love the little children that come up with huge smiles and say 'hi' waving ferociously...then they giggle and run back to their mothers when we smile and say 'hi' back. I really just want to pick them up and hug them! I felt this same way about most of the Iraqi people I encountered on convoys while on deployment. And with the people of Bolivia. I am feeling more and more confirmed in my conviction that there is a common thread that runs through all of humankind and it is more intricate than our physiological being. I have encountered this thread to be God...the God that some call Adonai, some call Allah, and some call Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word 'Allah' might frighten some, but it is not solely the Muslim word for God, it is the Arabic word for God, therefore Arabic Christians in the Holy Land speak of Allah too.
Following morning worship, myself and Angela thought we would join the congregation for fellowship. It was a rather typical fellowship time...adults gabbing, youth in their own circles gabbing, children playing any instruments that are uncovered and drawing on whiteboards! And VERY strong coffee! I am not a coffee drinker, but they were very tiny cups (about the size of a shot of espresso) so I figured I could manage it. I almost had the shakes when I finished it and there was a thick sludge left in the bottom of the cup too...whoa! For lunch we were stolling through the markets and we braved some market food! I drank some chocolate milk and a sprite and had a filafel sandwich. Others ate the Shawarma wraps (hot chicken or beef with veggies wrapped up in what looks like lefse!). No one has gotten sick, so all is good!
The afternoon took us back to Manger Square, but this time we were able to go inside and see the beautifully ornate Church of the Nativity. Three Christian denominations have worship space there, the Armenians, Greek Orthodox, and Catholics. There is a cave underneath the Greek Orthodox area where it is believed that Jesus was born and laid in the manger. We went down there and felt the stone where Jesus was born and then saw the place where the manger was. There were several people trying to see it, so we were kind of herded through there will only a moment to take in each wonder. We then went through some caves beneath the Catholic portion of the church where it is believed that Jerome (ancient theologian and philosopher) is buried and also a room where it is believed some of the children that Herod ordered to be killed when Jesus was born are buried. The caves were also apparently a place of refuge for early Christians.
Another nap was in order before supper tonight...still apparently affected by the jet lag a bit. We have group meetings for about an hour after supper each night just to check in and do a devotion and also hear presentations on various topics that we all have prepared. I'll be doing mine one of these nights on the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem. After tonight's gathering, a group of us walked to the Star Hotel to get a view of the city from the fifth floor which is a restaurant with windows all the way around. It was raining a bit so it wasn't a very clear view, but very serene nonetheless.
I haven't been able to post as many pictures as I would like, but one of the guys on the trip has a site where he is posting his photos every day, so I will add a link (to the left margin below my photo slideshow) to his site from this blog so you can see what we are seeing every day also! Rumor has it that a group blog is being set-up, so I will add a link to that, as well as other individual blogs, so you can read other people's experiences also. We are a very diverse group!
Salaam alekeum,
Tara
I also feel this same connection walking through the marketplace and having people say 'hello' and 'welcome.' We obviously stick out like sore thumbs and they know we are Americans, but they have been very polite. I especially love the little children that come up with huge smiles and say 'hi' waving ferociously...then they giggle and run back to their mothers when we smile and say 'hi' back. I really just want to pick them up and hug them! I felt this same way about most of the Iraqi people I encountered on convoys while on deployment. And with the people of Bolivia. I am feeling more and more confirmed in my conviction that there is a common thread that runs through all of humankind and it is more intricate than our physiological being. I have encountered this thread to be God...the God that some call Adonai, some call Allah, and some call Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word 'Allah' might frighten some, but it is not solely the Muslim word for God, it is the Arabic word for God, therefore Arabic Christians in the Holy Land speak of Allah too.
Following morning worship, myself and Angela thought we would join the congregation for fellowship. It was a rather typical fellowship time...adults gabbing, youth in their own circles gabbing, children playing any instruments that are uncovered and drawing on whiteboards! And VERY strong coffee! I am not a coffee drinker, but they were very tiny cups (about the size of a shot of espresso) so I figured I could manage it. I almost had the shakes when I finished it and there was a thick sludge left in the bottom of the cup too...whoa! For lunch we were stolling through the markets and we braved some market food! I drank some chocolate milk and a sprite and had a filafel sandwich. Others ate the Shawarma wraps (hot chicken or beef with veggies wrapped up in what looks like lefse!). No one has gotten sick, so all is good!
The afternoon took us back to Manger Square, but this time we were able to go inside and see the beautifully ornate Church of the Nativity. Three Christian denominations have worship space there, the Armenians, Greek Orthodox, and Catholics. There is a cave underneath the Greek Orthodox area where it is believed that Jesus was born and laid in the manger. We went down there and felt the stone where Jesus was born and then saw the place where the manger was. There were several people trying to see it, so we were kind of herded through there will only a moment to take in each wonder. We then went through some caves beneath the Catholic portion of the church where it is believed that Jerome (ancient theologian and philosopher) is buried and also a room where it is believed some of the children that Herod ordered to be killed when Jesus was born are buried. The caves were also apparently a place of refuge for early Christians.
Another nap was in order before supper tonight...still apparently affected by the jet lag a bit. We have group meetings for about an hour after supper each night just to check in and do a devotion and also hear presentations on various topics that we all have prepared. I'll be doing mine one of these nights on the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem. After tonight's gathering, a group of us walked to the Star Hotel to get a view of the city from the fifth floor which is a restaurant with windows all the way around. It was raining a bit so it wasn't a very clear view, but very serene nonetheless.
I haven't been able to post as many pictures as I would like, but one of the guys on the trip has a site where he is posting his photos every day, so I will add a link (to the left margin below my photo slideshow) to his site from this blog so you can see what we are seeing every day also! Rumor has it that a group blog is being set-up, so I will add a link to that, as well as other individual blogs, so you can read other people's experiences also. We are a very diverse group!
Salaam alekeum,
Tara
Day 2: Starting fresh
Yesterday's Blessing:
I hope you find whatever you're looking for in God.
Today's Blessing:
Blessings to you on your trip. Enjoy your self and see as much as you can
Morning weather: sunny and warm
After a good night's sleep, we woke fresh for a new day. We sat on the balcony (we'll call it a veranda!) for a half hour or so before breakfast drinking coffee and tea and just relaxing and visiting with everyone. Breakfast was pita bread with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, havarti cheese, and ham and turkey slices...there were also hard boiled eggs, cream cheese, jams, and olive oil with cumin spice.
We'll be heading to church in about an hour at the Christmas Lutheran Church, which is attached to the guesthouse that we are staying at.
Last night, about half of our group walked down to Manger Square where the church is that houses the original place where Jesus was born, supposedly. We will go there again today when the church is open so we can actually get up to the place where the manger was...very cool! It quiets down quite a bit at night around here. The streets were pretty empty compared to what we saw yesterday. There was one dark alleyway we had to walk through from the guesthouse and on our way back a couple of young kids jumped out at us and started laughing! We heard them whispering as we were approaching, so they didn't really scare us, but it was still funny. Kids will be kids!
A couple of the guys who are rooming together (Chip and Scott, for those of you who know them) were complaining about their shower and how the shower head won't tilt down it just shoots straight out. We all imagined Chip (5'6") jumping up and down trying to get his hair wet! We came up with several solutions for them to remedy the situation, none of which they appreciated too much!
Shalom,
Tara
I hope you find whatever you're looking for in God.
Today's Blessing:
Blessings to you on your trip. Enjoy your self and see as much as you can
Morning weather: sunny and warm
After a good night's sleep, we woke fresh for a new day. We sat on the balcony (we'll call it a veranda!) for a half hour or so before breakfast drinking coffee and tea and just relaxing and visiting with everyone. Breakfast was pita bread with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, havarti cheese, and ham and turkey slices...there were also hard boiled eggs, cream cheese, jams, and olive oil with cumin spice.
We'll be heading to church in about an hour at the Christmas Lutheran Church, which is attached to the guesthouse that we are staying at.
Last night, about half of our group walked down to Manger Square where the church is that houses the original place where Jesus was born, supposedly. We will go there again today when the church is open so we can actually get up to the place where the manger was...very cool! It quiets down quite a bit at night around here. The streets were pretty empty compared to what we saw yesterday. There was one dark alleyway we had to walk through from the guesthouse and on our way back a couple of young kids jumped out at us and started laughing! We heard them whispering as we were approaching, so they didn't really scare us, but it was still funny. Kids will be kids!
A couple of the guys who are rooming together (Chip and Scott, for those of you who know them) were complaining about their shower and how the shower head won't tilt down it just shoots straight out. We all imagined Chip (5'6") jumping up and down trying to get his hair wet! We came up with several solutions for them to remedy the situation, none of which they appreciated too much!
Shalom,
Tara
16 January 2010
Day 1: Arrival and Bethlehem
We arrived at about 0945 local time, which is 9 hours ahead of Mountain time in the US. We didn't have any plans for the day so we went to Jappa, which is at one edge of Tel Aviv where we flew into. It is sometimes called Jappa Tel Aviv, which means beautiful spring hill. We went up to the highest point to get a good view of the old town and Mediterranean Sea. It is very green here and the sea was beautiful. There were people sea kiyaking, surfing, sailing, and even a guy on a paraglider that had some close encounters with the sea, it looked like on purpose!
We then journeyed past Jerusalem on our way to Bethlehem, where we will stay for a few days. Our bus wound it's way through some very narrow streets, but we eventually had to walk the remainder of the way to our hotel and our luggage was brought to us via van. The streets were packed with people. It reminded me of being in La Paz, Bolivia. There were people selling fresh fruits and vegetables along the streets and several small market shops.
When we were in Tel Aviv, the streets were pretty barren of people, but today is Shabat for the Jewish population. Shabat is their holy day so they don't work on Saturdays and, apparently, they don't venture out either. Bethlehem is in a Palestinian area, so there were people all over the streets here.
The weather is beautiful! Although the sun has gone down now, when we arrived it was sunny, clear, and about 65 degrees. Once we made it to the hotel, I napped for a couple of hours, showered, and am now ready for supper.
Have a great Saturday, everyone!
Tara
We then journeyed past Jerusalem on our way to Bethlehem, where we will stay for a few days. Our bus wound it's way through some very narrow streets, but we eventually had to walk the remainder of the way to our hotel and our luggage was brought to us via van. The streets were packed with people. It reminded me of being in La Paz, Bolivia. There were people selling fresh fruits and vegetables along the streets and several small market shops.
When we were in Tel Aviv, the streets were pretty barren of people, but today is Shabat for the Jewish population. Shabat is their holy day so they don't work on Saturdays and, apparently, they don't venture out either. Bethlehem is in a Palestinian area, so there were people all over the streets here.
The weather is beautiful! Although the sun has gone down now, when we arrived it was sunny, clear, and about 65 degrees. Once we made it to the hotel, I napped for a couple of hours, showered, and am now ready for supper.
Have a great Saturday, everyone!
Tara
15 January 2010
Newark
Well...we landed on the runway and not in the Hudson! Just thought I'd pass that on since it was a year ago that it happened...or so. We are getting ready to go through security again to get on the overseas flight. I'll touch base again as soon as I can!
Shalom,
Tara
And we're almost off...
Today's blessing:
"I'm your spiritual pilgrim, keeping you in my prayers every day. Blessings on your journey."
"I'm your spiritual pilgrim, keeping you in my prayers every day. Blessings on your journey."
Weather in MN:
High today was 30 degrees...the warmest day so far this year!
Dean arrived tonight and we ate dinner #1 this evening with friends from the Children, Youth & Family program and then dinner #2 with classmates of mine who are also M.Div. distributive learning students. He has officially met the cohort!
It's time to try and sleep...although I think there will be plenty of opportunities for that on the airplanes.
Good night, my friends!
Tara
13 January 2010
An excerpt from past excursions.......
I'm not one to keep a journal, although I have tried on many occasions...this may not come as a surprise to those of you who have ever tried to follow a blog of mine! It's random to say the least. But I do try to journal when I take trips such as this. When I pulled out my "journey journal" to pack it for Israel, I glanced at one my entries from a trip to Bolivia a few years ago and it really made me laugh, so I thought I would include it here for all of you as a little comic relief while you await to hear about the Holy Land.
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
On Sunday, August 6th [2006] (day 9), I was the first to attempt the non-shower at our hotel. I call it that because there was only a shower head and drain...no actual tub or shower. We had to take the toilet paper off the reel to keep it from getting soaked. So there I was, naked, on the pot, preparing for my shower and a HUGE cockroach (probably 3 or 4 inches long) appeared out of the corner of my eye. It was near the door, so I calmly just reached over and opened the door a crack to let the cockroach out into the room for Kristy and Virginia to deal with. That was all fine and dandy, but it came right back in through the crack under the door! I had to quickly throw on my clothes and escape! Once I opened the door again the cockroach followed me out, and after some commotion, Virginia stepped on it. Whew -- that'll wake you up in the morning.
Well, it's a balmy 23 degrees here in St. Paul, and it actually feels quite refreshing. It looks a little gloomy outside, but campus is abuzz with energy!
Blessings on your day,
Tara
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
On Sunday, August 6th [2006] (day 9), I was the first to attempt the non-shower at our hotel. I call it that because there was only a shower head and drain...no actual tub or shower. We had to take the toilet paper off the reel to keep it from getting soaked. So there I was, naked, on the pot, preparing for my shower and a HUGE cockroach (probably 3 or 4 inches long) appeared out of the corner of my eye. It was near the door, so I calmly just reached over and opened the door a crack to let the cockroach out into the room for Kristy and Virginia to deal with. That was all fine and dandy, but it came right back in through the crack under the door! I had to quickly throw on my clothes and escape! Once I opened the door again the cockroach followed me out, and after some commotion, Virginia stepped on it. Whew -- that'll wake you up in the morning.
Well, it's a balmy 23 degrees here in St. Paul, and it actually feels quite refreshing. It looks a little gloomy outside, but campus is abuzz with energy!
Blessings on your day,
Tara
11 January 2010
Blessings from our faith community
Today at church, I was presented with a Blessing Box that the Winnemucca United Methodist Church (WUMC) Women coordinated and had people write blessings inside for our journey. I will include one of these blessings in each of my blog posts beginning this Thursday, the day before we depart. At the end of worship, we were also sent off with a special prayer by Pr. Gayle and the whole congregation. I am so grateful for the support of this community of faith...and of all of you out there who are praying for us and thinking of us...your love and support means the world to me!
I leave for MN first thing Tuesday morning...and I haven't packed, yet, but no worries...I still have tomorrow!!!
Good night and Shalom!
Tara
I leave for MN first thing Tuesday morning...and I haven't packed, yet, but no worries...I still have tomorrow!!!
Good night and Shalom!
Tara
07 January 2010
Preparations: Part 1
"The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt - a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, 'Know the Lord', for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more."
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Journeying to a place that is so Biblically historical and significant to one's faith requires a bit of stepping back and making room for possibility. I remember visiting the city of Ur (where Abram's father is from) when I was in Iraq and it seemed very surreal. To be quite honest, at the time I wasn't even certain that the place really existed until I heard that it was just outside our base! Until then, it had only been the name of a place in the Bible. Although I have not had these same kind of uncertainties with the land of Israel (probably because it is in the news all of the time) but the idea of traveling roads and standing on ground that was trodden by Jesus and the disciples and a people who struggled with life and faith just as I do but so many years ago is amazing. I know that the soil, water, and air that I will touch is not exactly the same as they touched, or breathed, but there is a shared experience between us nonetheless. When I walked through the halls of what is presumed to be Abram's father's house in Ur, I could imagine Abram as a little boy running past me 4000 (or so) years ago. And I wondered how many times he fell down the drain in the kitchen because it was a hole in the floor twice the diameter of a small child! I also feel a shared experience with my parents whenever I drive into Montana from the east. What I see now and what they saw when they moved there in 1964 are not so different...the rolling prairie hills, the Big Horn mountains to the west, the lay of the land, the wide open road, the color of the sky, the wonderment of it all. Looking beyond what we have experienced in the world around us to the presence and existence of it all, allows us to be connected to people we may not even know. There's a core to our mere existence. It's a core that runs not only through us as people but that runs through all of creation. This is where I begin my journey to the Holy Land.......
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Journeying to a place that is so Biblically historical and significant to one's faith requires a bit of stepping back and making room for possibility. I remember visiting the city of Ur (where Abram's father is from) when I was in Iraq and it seemed very surreal. To be quite honest, at the time I wasn't even certain that the place really existed until I heard that it was just outside our base! Until then, it had only been the name of a place in the Bible. Although I have not had these same kind of uncertainties with the land of Israel (probably because it is in the news all of the time) but the idea of traveling roads and standing on ground that was trodden by Jesus and the disciples and a people who struggled with life and faith just as I do but so many years ago is amazing. I know that the soil, water, and air that I will touch is not exactly the same as they touched, or breathed, but there is a shared experience between us nonetheless. When I walked through the halls of what is presumed to be Abram's father's house in Ur, I could imagine Abram as a little boy running past me 4000 (or so) years ago. And I wondered how many times he fell down the drain in the kitchen because it was a hole in the floor twice the diameter of a small child! I also feel a shared experience with my parents whenever I drive into Montana from the east. What I see now and what they saw when they moved there in 1964 are not so different...the rolling prairie hills, the Big Horn mountains to the west, the lay of the land, the wide open road, the color of the sky, the wonderment of it all. Looking beyond what we have experienced in the world around us to the presence and existence of it all, allows us to be connected to people we may not even know. There's a core to our mere existence. It's a core that runs not only through us as people but that runs through all of creation. This is where I begin my journey to the Holy Land.......
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