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