I know I'm a missionary and all, but I am not what you would call an adventurous person. I don't have too many opportunities to travel with others and it just doesn't seem as much fun alone. Besides, I have always liked the familiar over taking risks. That said, I agreed to meet up with my mom in Israel, in November, on her bucket list, 80th year of life, trip she had waited a lifetime to take.
It was such a perfect and blessed trip, beyond every expectation.
So, now that the Christmas parties are done and I have some free time, here is a flashback to November's wonderful trip.
It was great to spend time with my mom (it had been 16 months since we were last together.)
First, let me say that the food was amazing! I never loved eating so many different kinds of vegetables and so little dairy.
It was interesting to learn more about "kosher" beyond "no pork". There is no dairy served at the same meal as meat. So breakfast has no meat but lots of different cheeses and dinner has no cream sauces, milk for coffee or ice cream made from cream (it is made from soy). It was all delicious and wonderful though!!!!
It was the same, just very different!
From the first night (Tel Aviv) of putting my feet in the Mediterranean Sea...... I was in love with the small country of Israel!
I have an album on FaceBook with over 400 pictures but here is just a short visual recap of a few of the highlights. (Maybe not so short since we saw so much!)
This is Caesarea, beautiful and one of the many marvels of ingenuity of King Herod.
This is the city Peter came to to meet Cornelius. Peter started in the picture above (outside Tel Aviv) and would have traveled a day and a half to see Cornelius. (And I always thought they were only a couple of miles apart.)
This is Mt. Carmel where Elijah, after killing all the prophets of Baal, had the servant look toward the Mediterranean sea for a cloud the size of a fist to end the drought. This would have been the servant's view.
Tel Megido (Armegeddon) is a strategic location where many cities have been built including the city with the spring coming under the walls and one of Solomon's palaces. Tel means of mound of layers. Many places in Israel have Tel in their name. They are layers of history. Cities built upon cities. Below is a stone trough or manger from Solomon's stables which is thought to be like the one baby Jesus might have slept in.
Another stop was Nazareth and a synagogue where Jesus is thought to have announced that He was the one the scriptures spoke of.
Did you know that Sept. 2014 to Sept. 2015 is the year of Shimitah? (I didn't) Every 7th year the land was to lay fallow and rest. At the end of the year, all financial debts and accounts were released. The slate was wiped clean, paving the way for a fresh start. Many orthodox in Israel still honor the biblical rule today. That is why most of the fields we passed had not been planted.
A sunset and sunrise by the Sea of Galilee! We stayed for 2 nights in a Kibbutz right on the shore.
We listened to scripture on the hillside of the Mount of Beatitudes.
We visited Caperneum, and sailed across the Sea of Galilee and ate fresh fish for lunch.
One of the special moments was being baptized in the Jordan River. And yes it is a real river with little fishy nibbling at your toes!
Another fun experience was meeting "Abraham". In true Bedouin style he invited us into his tent and fed us dried fruit and STRONG sweet coffee and then let us ride one of his camels!
Entering Jerusalem was a memorable experience. We listened to a beautiful praise song about Jerusalem as we ascended the final miles up to Jerusalem. From Mount Scopus we repeated a Jewish prayer, read Psalm 121 (one of the the psalms of ascent), were blessed by our Jewish guide Abraham (his real name not a character) and toasted "L'chaim"(to life).
I think the greatest highlight for me though, was arriving into Jerusalem as the Sabbath was starting and getting to walk down to the Western Wall as they worshiped God in songs, dance and prayers!!!
Outside of Jerusalem, back down towards the Dead Sea we went to one of Herod's other magnificent structures, his winter palace at Masada. It was a testimony of his ingenuity where he built a water system that channeled the 2 inches of rain a year into storage area that provided water supply year round in this high mountain desert mansion. It was later the place of the last heroic stand of Elazar Ben Yair and 960 Jews against the Romans in 73 CE. A fascinating place and heart wrenching as we read aloud the last part of Elazar's final speech before he and his Jewish comrades took their own lives the night before the Romans took over the encampment, to show that they would rather die than be enslaved and tortured.
Another fun highlight of the trip was getting to swim in the Dead Sea.
You can see it in the distant in the Masada photo above.
So much fun as long as you don't swallow the water or get it in your eyes!!! And the mud mask left your skin feeling soft like you had gone to the salon!
A defining moment for me on the trip was the contrast of the atmosphere when we visited the Temple Mount (Muslim occupied) and the home of their central Mosque the Dome of the Rock verses the Israel occupied Western Wall. On Temple Mount, they yelled in Arabic (nothing bad just about Ala is God) whenever a Jew was in the area but it was in such a harsh way that it is the one time I wanted to take cover. Anyone looking like they might be praying or having a "quiet time" were escorted out. Christian jewelry or apparel was not allowed. The tension permeated the air.
In contrast, when we then went down to the Western Wall, I felt peace and freedom. All could come and pray. It didn't matter that I believed Jesus was the Messiah. It surprised me how different, almost tangible, the atmosphere of the two areas which are right next to each other, are.
(Both do have major security to enter and the Temple Mount, I am told, is sometimes closed to non Muslims)
On Temple Mount there is a view of the East Gate. This is the gate the Messiah will enter when He returns to Jerusalem. It is sealed with concrete and the Muslims have a cemetery on the outside of the gate. I'm told it to defile the entrance so the Messiah will not be able pass through the dead and enter. Our Jewish guide, who was knowledgeable and passionate about all the sites we visited, made the comment as he excitedly spoke of when the Messiah will enter Jerusalem. He said "When He comes through that gate, I want to ask Him if He has been here before."
A time of prayer and putting written prayers in the clefts of the Western Wall was an unforgettable experience. There are people present 24/7. It was a special moment to see a handicapped child carefully writing out his prayers. Note: Women can pray at the Western Wall but in a separate section than the men.
A sobering and touching time was visiting the Holocaust Museum. The memorial gardens and monuments and the massive museum is overwhelming. You really need to just take a whole day and still never absorb it all.
We saw and experienced so much more but let me close this long picture blog with Gethsemane, the home of Caiaphas and the Garden Tomb. A fitting conclusion to our journey of Israel. Please note the view of the Eastern Gate from Gethsemane. Also the path by Caiaphas house would have been the actual stones Jesus walked on when He entered Jerusalem for the Last Supper and when He departed for Gethsemane and when the soldiers brought Him to Caiaphas.
We took time at the Garden to have communion. The actual site of Jesus' crucifixion and burial is not known but this is a reasonable possibility but it is not important.
He is not there. He is risen!
Our guide, Abraham, made the tour so meaningful. It was not just his knowledge but his passion and love of Israel. As a Christian, I am convicted about my lack of commitment to pray for peace in Israel. Shalom has become a word I now hold deep in my heart as well as a love for the Holy Land.
P.S. I will admit that my non adventurous self did have one place on my bucket list. It was to visit the white and blue hillsides of Santorini Greece. And we did!! I got to spend 48 hours there.
It was as beautiful as all the pictures you see in the Greek restaurants (and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2)!
A
I just might have to start taking a few adventures and risks in the future.
SHALOM!
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