Our group will gather soon to unpack the trip - we'll share some photos and memories, and talk about what the trip meant to us.  We'll remember the camels, the sheep and shepherds, and bedouin we saw on the hillsides (very biblical!), the road blocks and the security checks, the mist on the Sea of Galilee and eating St. Peter's fish, the feeling looking at the remnant of the home of St. Peter's mother where Jesus gathered often with his disciples.  We'll remember the magnificent churches over the sites for the annunciation, nativity, miracles of loaves and fishes, beatitudes, gethsemane, crucifixion, resurrection, first breakfast!  We'll remember our communion at St. Anne's and at the Garden Tomb, dipping our toes in the Sea of Galilee, rubbing mud on our bodies at the Dead Sea, climbing stones at Petra, haggling for deals in Old Jerusalem.  We'll remember that we walked where it all happened and that the only reason it means so much to us is that people in our part of the world at different times in our lives taught us about it and lived as example to us its powerful message.  We found Jesus there, because we have known Jesus here.

Well I am going on...

I had one incredibly surprising occasion during the trip - a serendipity of sorts.  As we were riding the gondola up to Masada, one of the faces in the crowd started to look familiar to me, and by the look on his face, I was beginning to look familiar to him.  He was Alan, a guide used by Tantur during my experience in 2007.  We had kept in touch via email on occasion over the years.  I had always thought that he would be a good fellow to pair up with if ever I wanted to lead a tour to the Holy Land on my own, particularly for the Old Testament parts.  And here he was, doing for someone else what I hoped one day he would do for me.  Amazing.  What are the chances of that happening?  What is the meaning to me that this happening?  With my bulging discs and pain meds claiming all my attention these days, I am not sure I can decipher it all, yet I think it has something to do with the comments I have gotten of "Hey Walt.  We have got to do this again!  This was just amazing!"      

It is an interesting phenomena that happens when you focus on something.  It's like what happens when a director frames a shot.  The viewer sees what the director wants the viewer to see, irrelevant or unwanted material is kept out of the frame.  When you see a television show shot this becomes completely clear - on TV it looks like Joey's living room while at the studio it's a fake room with only two sides.  

Focus draws attention to something and tends to magnify it.  I remember how glorious the Rose Parade was as my family gathered around the TV early morning New Year's Day to watch the magnificent floats.  Nearly two decades later, my family watched the parade from curbside, and I had a strange sense of let-down.  What was bigger than life, turned out to be pretty regular.  I'm not slighting the artistry, it's just that it's image on TV overstripped its reality. 

Every now and again we hear of violence in the Holy Land.  The recent murders at that settlement are a painful reminder of its reality and its depravity.  Yet, this violence is rare when you come to think of it.  As our news reports focus on these terrible events, we viewers get the impression that each moment of each day is filled with it.  Our sense of the Holy Land becomes an exaggeration that violence is a daily event and all present are in harms way.  

Our trip showed us that this is not the case.  Normal life is going on every day.  People on both sides of the issues are trying to find ways to get along.  With proper precautions, a safe experience awaits the traveler to the Holy Land.  This was our experience - we felt safe and secure - for which we are thankful.  Amen.

Archaeology has to be about the coolest profession.  Imagine discovering the oldest arch constructed by humankind - it's visible at Dan.  Or a wall of the ancient City of Jerusalem that was scaled by the Babylonians in their destruction of the city in 587, or one of their arrowheads used in that battle - both discovered in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City and visible to travelers today.  Or a small amulet used by a devout Jew prior to those years of conquest and destruction that has written on it the old Deuteronomic blessing of "May the Lord Bless you and Keep You..." - found in a newly discovered grave alongside St. Andrews Church just outside the ancient city.  Or the tomb of Herod the Great, the ruler of Palestine at Jesus' birth who was a master builder and contributed so many structures that played key roles in the life of Jesus and the early Church, a tomb hidden for thousands of years -  just recently discovered in the outer hillside of his Bethlehem fortress/palace called the Herodium. 

Well, I could go on and on about unusual and important discoveries made by archaeologists that have added to our knowledge of how people were in earlier times.  Biblical archaeology has been particularly interesting to me, especially since returning from my first trip to the Holy Land.  All of a sudden the Fifth Gospel became very real to me and any new discoveries about it were thoroughly fascinating.  

If you are finding a similar interest bubbling up within you, there is a particular publication worth subscribing to called "Biblical Archaeology Review."  It's a monthly, chock full of interesting articles and reports on new discoveries.  BAR also has an extensive library and collection of study resources that are great for private reading or group use.  Remember the hoopla about that ossuary claiming to belong to Jesus' brother?  BAR was a key participant in the events surrounding its discovery and debating it's authenticity.  Go to - www.biblicalarchaeology.org - the learn more about what you can learn at BAR.    Another good archaeological resource is published by the Archaeological Institute of America call "Archaeology."  It's focus is broader than biblical archaeology, presenting discovers from around the world dealing with all sorts of ancient civilizations, yet frequently they too present discoveries from the Holy Land.  Go to - www.archaeology.org - to learn more.  I subscribe to both magazines, so if you want to sample them, stop by and take a look.  

Yes archaeology is way cool - and if it wasn't for the fact that most of their work is done on their knees in the hot sun digging in the dirt with small trowels and toothbrushes, I might be an archaeologist myself!

When you go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where you go is most important.  It's not just random places, but rather places that are connected with people or events important to the faith and mentioned in scripture.  And when you go to those places, the question invariably arises about the authenticity of the location: did it happen here?  right here is the place?

Twenty centuries later it is hard to  pinpoint a location.  If you have been to some of our Civil War battlefields, you know how hard it can be to locate specific places of action, and who did what, where, and when?  And those events were only 150 years ago!  

What I have found helpful is a language that uses "levels of probability."  Some locations might have a low level of probability that the event actually happened there.  The Upper Room is a good example of a structure that was built in Crusader times, so it's clearly not the walls and floor of Jesus' time, but it is thought that it was built in the area in which the Last Supper occurred.  There is a high level of probability that the cave of the nativity is the place Jesus was born.  So too a high level of probability that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre houses the mount of Calvary and the location of Jesus' Tomb.  Yet interestingly, since the late 1800s a competing location for the tomb has appeared and won over some adherents to its claim.

Determining the level of probability comes from archaeological evidence that point to the claim mixed with a long standing though anecdotal tradition of veneration.  The fact that Christians have commemorated an event at a spot for over 1800 or 1900 years carries a lot of weight in this discussion.  Yet, as was mentioned at the Garden Tomb - "if you're looking for Jesus here, you won't find him.  He's resurrected.  He's gone on, ahead of you.  He's not here."  Nevertheless, it's a great rush to be in the area Jesus walked, taught, healed, died, and resurrected.  The locations bring the Bible stories to life in ways you never imagined.  And through the mysterious power of the Spirit, not only do the stories come alive but your relationship with God comes alive as well.  And that's because in some very special ways, Jesus is still there - waiting for you and me. 

When I was first in the Galilee, some 4 years ago, it was spring time, flowers were blooming and the air was fresh and clear.  I got some beautiful photographs of the sunrise over the Sea of Galilee, boats bobbing on the water, green hillsides beyond the blue water.  I cherish these images.  This year during our trip the sky was  mostly overcast when we were up in the Galilee.  It was hard to see the other side of the lake let alone the rolling hills.  When we took our boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, we were surrounded by mist, almost a fog.  

As I apologized for what they were missing due to the mist, I came to realize I was missing what they were appreciating in the mist.  My awareness of what they were not seeing got in the way of my catching on to what they were seeing.  The mist provided the travelers with a special sense of mystery and timelessness.  Bible stories about Jesus and the disciples on the Sea of Galilee came alive for them.  The mist aided their religious imagination and eased the way for Jesus to come to them, then, out there on the Lake.  What seemed to me to be a moment lacking, was for many a ripe time of transcendence that they will cherish always.  

It was a lesson of perspective for me.  We see what we see colored by the lenses or context through which we look.  When we don't take the time to imagine how others might be viewing something we end up the less for it.  

When you learn about the the Israeli War for Independence, that battle that occurred in 1947-1948 when the UN granted Israel its independence following the British Mandate and the five Arab nations bordering it attacked to make Israel stillborn, you enter into a sacred area of heroics, legends, and myth-making - about Israel and Palestine.  You learn about the number three-quarter million.  

That's the number of Palestinian refugees who fled in the face of the Israeli forces as those forces fought to secure their freedom.  Palestinians look back at this time as the great catastrophe, they lost more land than they would have given up had they agreed with the UN on Israeli's initial borders, they lost many lives, and they lost ancestral homes and villages.  New literature calls this the "cleansing" of Palestine, using a more modern word to describe an age-old practice of taking over the land from the defeated in battle and moving them out, elsewhere.  

So we're told three-quarter million Palestinians lost their homes and became refugees in neighboring Arab countries.  We saw two such refugee camps in Jordan that were now established cities half a century later.  The refugee population has grown as the generations have passed.  There are now a couple million people who define themselves as refugees from that war  These are the folk that are referred to when in peace negotiations you hear the term "right of return."  The phrase is talking about their right to return to their prior homes and villages.  Yet many of these villages simply no longer exist, or would no longer be recognized by these returning refugees.  

Israel was establishing a Jewish state, and it was then and remains important now for Israel to have on-the-ground demographics that support that identity.  The Jewish populations needs to exceed the non-Jewish population to insure this identity, especially if Israel also wants to identify itself as democratic.  It's no good to have a section of your country vote your country out of existence, or change your country's basic premise of identity.  This realization was not lost on the early freedom fighters as they sought to motivate Palestinians to flee those villages.  It gave them a more secure sense of their new territory, as it minimized the potential for "5th Column" problems.  (We had Japanese-Americans in internment camps out here in the West during WWII due to "5th Column" fears.)

We travelers were surprised to hear our Jordan guide say there were "no Jews" in Jordan.  You'd think there would be some at least, especially since we were being impressed with Jordan's religious tolerance.  Why no Jews in Jordan?  This is the area Moses and the tribes traveled coming up from Saudi Arabia to reach the promised land. You'd think there would have been some stragglers or some folk who settled in this historic area during one of the diasporas.  

Making our way to the airport in Tel Aviv once leaving Jordan, we ask our Israeli guide her opinion as to why there were no Jews in Jordan. She said there were no Jews in Jordan because there were "no Jews worth counting in any of the neighboring Arab states."  All Jews had been expelled from these neighboring countries during or soon after the War for Independence.  She referred to UN documents that bear witness to this fact - a "cleansing" of the Jews from these neighboring Arab states as a result of the war, with over three-quarter million Jews being expelled from their homes and villages.  These refugees found their way to Israel joining the European refugees from earlier in the decade and the zionists who had come decades earlier.  They set up house-keeping and vowed never again to be expelled from their "homeland."    

"Right of return," for whom, to where, because of when?  There are three-quarter million reasons, times two, that make the middle east peace process so difficult.    

I mentioned how surprised some of us were to realize there were Arab Christians.  As the travelers honestly acknowledged this with some embarrassment, we realized how easy it was to think in generalities of people. It cropped up again as we were surprised how peaceful Jordan seemed, how it seemed to have a religious tolerance that was totally unexpected.  In personal ways we were being reminded of lessons our moms had taught us long ago about how people were not all the same and it was most important to look to the person's character not some other identifying feature.  Clearly, all Arabs were not the same - couldn't lump them into one basket to describe them.  Our first Israeli guide and our Jordanian guide were both Arabs and both Christian, yet still they were dissimilar in their sensibilities and perspectives.  It made a difference to grow up in occupied Jerusalem or less restricted Amman.  Nor were all countries that were primarily Moslem the same - Indonesia is a far cry from Lybia, Iran from Jordan.  Contrary to our casual thinking on this, most of the Moslem world isn't Arab.  So to understand Moslem, we need to think more than Arab, and to understand the Arab, we need to think more than newpaper-presented Moslem.    

Of course this is the same for Israelis and Jews.  One of the delights of traveling to the Israel is the opportunity to meet people who have made it their home.  They come from a variety of backgrounds (Yemen, Russia, America, Ethiopia) and naturally they bring a variety of cultural patterns.  Interestingly, we learned of some noteworthy court cases in which the person's "Jewishness" was being determined.  In one legal contest, the court allowed a man who was reared a Jew and later became a Christian monk to have legal rights of return to Israel as a Jewish citizen, because he was by legal definition at the time a Jew (his mother was a Jew).  Amos Oz is an excellent Israeli author and current event commentator, who helps present the diversity of thought and lifestyle of the contemporary Jew in Israel.  The diversity is mind-bobbling to the person who wants a simple homogeneous picture and helps the sensitive reader discern the diversity of person and thought among the Israelis.  

All of this is so obvious, when we spend a moment to just think of ourselves.  We Americans are not all the same, in fact we take some great pride in our diversity of cultural backgrounds and points of view.  We know there are some divergent points of view in America on the treatment of our Native Americans, the cause of the Civil War, the value of FDR's New Deal, whether health care or public education are rights or privileges.  A people's identity is fluid and dynamic, and we are well served when we realize our generalities are just that, general defining brush strokes that seek to illumine yet painfully oversimplify.  

One of the interesting insights many of our travelers gained during the trip was that there were Israeli Arabs.  It makes sense, though many folk had not thought about it.  Our guide during the Israeli portion of our trip was an Arab Christian who was reared in Old Jerusalem.  He helped us to learn about different Palestinian statuses within Israel.  I hope I remember it correctly and do not pass on misunderstandings. 

If the Palestinian lived in an area of Israel that was to become Israel from the UN partition of '47 or became Israel from the War of Independence, and did not flee as a refugee but remained there, then that Palestinian is an Israel citizen with voting rights.  An example of this are the Arabs the populate Nazareth.  So yes, there are Arab citizens in Israel who vote and hold political office.

Another group of Palestinians are like our guide.  Those who lived in the contested area of Jerusalem that came under Israeli control after the '67 war are not consider citizens with voting rights but are considered Israeli residents and are given traveling rights.  So, though our guide was not a citizen, he had the right to travel the country unhindered and could do his tour work. He also has traveled abroad a number of times (most often to America) yet interestingly, when he does that, he is traveling on a Palestinian passport issued by Israel and I believe has to travel through Jordan.   

The third group of Palestinians are those who are in the rest of the occupied territories that Israel attained in the '67 war - the West Bank, Gaza, and Golan Heights.  They are under the watchful eye and one could say supervision/control of the Israeli, yet they are neither citizens nor residents.  In some of those areas, they have a bit more autonomy with the Palestinian Authority exercising some governing authority, while in other areas they have very little.    

While far and away most Palestinians are Arab Moslems, we were fascinated to learn that a segment of Palestinians are Christians.  Of course this makes sense when you think that the Christian faith has been practiced in this area for over 2,000 years and during certain eras it was the dominant faith of the region.  Yet we quickly lose sight of this knowledge with news reports from the middle east that lump people into categories to quickly communicate.  Our guide was a Syriac Orthodox.  They trace their religious lineage back to the early church, with their language being the closest to Jesus' spoken Aramaic.  They revere their sacred church in Old Jerusalem as located at the home of St.Mark's mother, a place mentioned in Acts 12. 

I haven't mentioned on the blog but it is circulating through the church that I returned back with a slipped disc.  It happened as we headed into Jordan, yet I just pushed-on, not wanting to miss anything, making it worse.  Bed rest and drugs are the order-of-the-day the orthopedic says, and I have progressed from excruciating pain to a level somewhat better.  A MRI today will indicate a future course.  

I hadn't intended to return from the Holy Land as an illustration, but it is true that we all have returned touched by this trip.  Thankfully, not all of us literally feel like Jacob who wrestled with God and had his hip put out.  But all of us did some wrestling and have been altered to some degree.  Some of us have rediscovered Jesus in an almost tangible way; others have gained new political insights and have had sort-sightedness exposed;  still others have been led into the spiritual practices of their faith with new urgency.

As the opportunities allow, I want to share some observations that have come to mind about our Holy Land Trip - some new learnings or some reinforced understandings.  I have shared with many of you before a comment from a mentor who told me the more time a person spends in the Holy Land the less that person comprehends it.  The truth of that statement is that simple explanations fall away as inadequate as one further comes to appreciate the complexity of it all.  And I think this may have to do with our spiritual-religious experience as it does with the socio-political reality. Nevertheless, an observation or two come to mind as the hours pass bedridden, and with your indulgence I will give them voice.   

And the first is obvious - everyone gets touched and altered by a trip to the Holy Land.  It's a life changing trip that if at all possible everyone should find a way to take.

Except for Barbara who headed off to be with her cousin, we are all back now in La Jolla.  Strange how the hillsides we so rememniscent of the Holy Land as we looked out our plane windows as the flight was landing in San Diego.  Perhaps the emerging of a longing, again, to go back - that you've never seen enough - you've never experienced enough - you just want more. 

Jordan was a surprise to most all of us.  An Arab state that felt secure and safe to us travelers, and that boasted of a religious tolerance not found in many other Moslem dominated nations of the middle east.  Israel felt more tense, more on edge than Jordan, yet Israel also felt like home for some reason.  Some might say it's because of our long-standing alliance that has bonded us through good or ill in this last half of the 20th century.  Yet for me it ran deeper - touching on the whole reason we made this pilgrimage - our roots, our spiritual and cultural roots are inbedded here.  It's the doorway back - and for many of us as we reflect on our journey, we have discovered it is the doorway forward.

It will be fascinating to hear the tales that will be told of this trip.  How people will frame their experience, make sense of the Spirit's moving, the Spirit's using this trip to their benefit as God would see fit.   I doubt anyone is untouched, unchanged.  What a blessing.  Thanks be to God.

                We loaded our bags on the bus for our departure from Jordan, early Friday morning.   Yet before crossing back into Israel, we headed first to Jerash, and had a delightful morning at this great Greco-Roman ruin.  The cardo, a couple of temple structures, some later Byzantine churches – it was marvelous, rivaling Beit Shean. 

                After lunch, we made our way north to the border crossing closer to the Galilee.  And just like at Allenby Bridge, we had four checkpoints in the crossing.  At our first, we had to unload all our luggage and walk it through Jordanian security.  The metal detector wasn’t even plugged in, yet a few of our bags were hand searched.  At least Meri and Mike were chosen for that.   Then we loaded the bags back on the bus and went to the next Jordanian checkpoint, at which we all filed through a passport screening for which we were fingerprinted and eyescanned.  Bidding good bye to our Jordanian guide, we now traveled unescorted to Israel’s side of the crossing.  At this first Israeli stop we had our passports checked and submitted our Jordanian exit fee receipt.  Then at the next check point, this is check point four now, the bus was searched and then we were told to take our luggage through a security screening.  All passed but many were  searched by hand, and Mike and Meri were chosen again among the lucky.  

                Finally, we boarded our new Israeli bus, with our new Israeli guide and headed away from the crossing and into the countryside of the Galilee.  Hours spent crossing – clearly security is key in this region, and it was amazing how redundant it all was.   Our new Israeli guide  was Jewish, so we got another perspective on the issues a bit different from our Palestinian Christian guide.  It was an interesting contrast that helped to clarify the  divergent point of views on the same facts on the ground. 

                We made our way to Jaffa outside Tel Aviv for dinner and it was excellent in a Arab dinner.  Then headed to airport.  The screening ordeal began again.  As we drove into the airport we were stopped and had the bus and our passports checked.  Then once we got inside the terminal we formed one of the five lines filling the terminal area and waited at least an hour prior to being interviewed and  moved along.  As tour leader, I got a special screening, but not as thorough as Miko.  Glad to say we all got through, but not without some personal luggage searches again, and guess who was among those chosen?  Mike and Meri!  They must have looked suspicious somehow. 

                Exhausted, we boarded our midnight flight to JFK, bidding farewell to Israel.  Blessing to you all and hoping to hear from you or see you soon.  Shalom.  Salaam.

                If you are going to drive 3 hours  one way to get somewhere, it better be worth it.  Petra is!  What an incredible site.  The Nabotean capital, a major trading post along the southeastern route, this place is simply beyond words.  Following a gorge with increasingly higher and higher walls, after about a mile of walking or so you spill out in front of the Treasury Building.  This is the structure used in the Indiana Jones movie in which he was searching for the holy grail.  This may be the most beautiful of these mountainside carvings, but there are many, many more as this was a city.  Most of these structures ended up being tombs for the wealthy citizens.  The site simply knocks your socks off.  It is a must see if you are ever in Jordan. 

Tomorrow we have our last day in Jordan with a visit to Jerash, one of the best preserved Greco-roman ruins in this region, then it is back to Israel and the airport in Tel Aviv.   With all going well, we should be back in San Diego around noon on Saturday.  See you all soon.

                Crossing the Allenby Bridge from Israel to Jordan required four checkpoints and two baggage scanning processes.  In Jordan they took our passports and looked at them in some nearby facility, leaving some of us a little anxious to have our passports out of our sight, yet they returned and all was well.

                Another group has joined with us.  They are from Georgia, are United Methodists, and add 12 more travelers to our total.  Another two are independently traveling, so we are up to 36 travelers.  It didn’t take long for us to start joking and making new friends, so it seems we will merge pretty well.

                We immediately headed to Mt. Nebo.  This is where Moses died after seeing the Promised Land.  It a high mountain of the Moab chain.  On top a new church is being built on top of some older archaeological discoveries, so we did not get much of interest to examine, since that site was off limits due to construction.   Our guide Samir arranged for a sandwich lunch to be delivered to the bus as we returned to the lot at Mt. Nebo.

                Next we drove to Madaba, stopping at a mosaic workshop and saleroom in route.  Jordan’s economy was given a little boost.  Madaba is a fairly large community, over 130,000 people.  Not the sleepy town imagined.  A long walk from the bus, weaving through the town, got us to the church and the precious view of the Madaba Map. 

                Everyone seemed to be dragging a bit today – the effect of yesterday’s intense experience.  The friendly greeting at the hotel and an upcoming good meal should help get us back in full gear for tomorrow’s travel to Petra.  It is 3 hours away, so we are leaving the hotel with the sunrise to get a jump on the traffic.   

                Today was a whirlwind of emotions.  It started off even keeled enough with a visit to Ein Kerem, a lovely little village outside of northwest Jerusalem.  Here we visited the Church of the Visitation, the place where Mary met up with Elizabeth and offered her song of praise to God, the Magnificat, and the Church of St. John, the place honoring the birth of John the Baptist.  Both places are marvelous structures that please the eye and spiritual sensibilities.  Both also have interesting ceramic pieces, very large, that have written upon them the sacred passage relating to their namesake.  The Magnificat is written in 40 some languages of the world, as is the prophet passage relating to John birth and what he will do for the world.  The women in particular found it fascinating that the Church of the Visitation had incredibly beautiful painted columns on the wall that were headed by leading women of the Bible.

We then headed over to Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the over 6 million Jewish holocaust victims.  We knew this would be a necessary visit yet a hard one.  It lived up to our expectations and more – very haunting  - very moving – very convicting of our human sin – very motivating to do all we can to not have this type of thing happen again.   So sad – so very sad.  May God help us be better people to one another.

The Garden Tomb was next.  It was discovered in the late 1800 by a Brit who convinced the Anglican Church that this was Jesus tomb and place of resurrection.  They ran with the ball and have created a landscaped environment of tomb and gardens that just perfectly fit into our childhood image of what this must have looked like, so it is very evocative of this time for our Lord.   We gave ourselves over to the experience with a moving time of communion and found ourselves touched anew by the loving presence of our living Lord.  A great finale to this segment of our trip. 

Tonight four of us will head home and the 22 remaining will continue on to Jordan.  More adventure awaits.  Keep us in your prayers as we cross the Allenby bridge into …

                Today we headed out to Masada near the southern end of the Dead Sea.  It is a marvelous site, high on a mountain where Herod built a fortress palace.  It is famous for being the dramatic end of the Jewish revolt, when in 72 ce and after a 2 year siege, the Romans stormed the fortress to find the Zealots had committed suicide instead of being taken captive.  Current Israeli soldiers take their commission on this mountain top with the words “Masada will not fall again!”  It is a tremendous archaeological site, with so much structure preserved. 

                We followed this highlight with another noteworthy highlight of a different sort.  We went to the Dead Sea for a swim.  Well not really a swim, it is a float.  Being careful not to get the highly salty mineral water in our eyes or mouths, we sloshed our way into the sea.  No trouble floating here – thin or thick the water keeps you on top.  We indulged in a mud bath and all agreed we now look younger thanks to the restorative properties of the mud of the Dead Sea.  This is a big health industry, by the way.  Photos were taken by others and I am sure will find their way into circulation to the embarrassment of all the bathers. 

                We are winding down in Israel.  Tomorrow is the last day here and four of us will be on their way home tomorrow night.  The other 22 will journey on after tomorrow’s last day here to three days in Jordan.  There is a sadness in the air as we become more cognizant of there being more days behind us than in front of us. 

                We spilled out of the bus at Herod’s Gate, sometimes called the Flower Gate.  A couple quick turns and we were winding our way through the Moslem Quarter, residential and business areas, emerging at the Antonio Fortress – Ecce Homo stops on the Via Dolorosa.  Here is the location where Jesus was interrogated, flogged, and condemned by Pilot.  There were Roman games chiseled into the pavement that the soldiers were reputed to play.   The Chapels created a backdrop for contemporary pilgrims to voice hymns of faith and shed tears of sorrow over the passion of their Lord.  We all were moved by the display of piety surrounding us and welling up within. 

                At St. Anne’s, the church commemorating the mother of Mary and the birth of Mary, we had the opportunity to observe our Sabbath.  We paused after learning about the Bethsaida pools at St Anne’s, the place where Jesus held a paralytic, to receive the Lord’s Supper.  It was a special moment for us and an ecumenical moment, as all entered into the communion, perfect for the setting and the hopes of the  church that bears Christ’s name.  St. Anne’s is known for its acoustics, and a visit is always accompanied with one group or another singing.  A solo of “I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked” greeted my ears as I entered and could not help but to join in privately and thank god for the serendipity of the moment.

                We left through St. Stephen’s Gate, also known as Lion’s Gate, and meeting up with the bus got deposited on the other side of the Old City at the New Gate.  This gave us the easy opportunity to walk the residential and business streets of the Christian Quarter.   Now saying “streets” is a bit of a misnomer from our point of view, in that a few streets are about one lane wide and the rest are about half that width.  Our Guide Nadar led us to two local eating spots, so we could have a real taste of local cuisine.  Lunch was mostly humus based and delicious. 

                After lunch, we wound our way up and down what appeared to be a maze of streets, locating two more stops on the Via Dolorosa, and ending up on the roof of the Holy Sepulchre at the Ethiopian Convent.  The ancient dwelling whispered of a circumstance hard-scrabbled and put-upon, yet a faith resilient and meaningful.  Great preparation for a narrow descending staircase past two small chapels and an emerging into the main entrance courtyard of the Sepulchre.  You’re greeted by the Crusader church, yet inside one can still see remnants of the Byzantine and Constantine bacilicas.  Within is Mount Calvary, where Jesus was crucified, the marble slab where his body was dressed for burial, and the chapel structure commemorating where he was laid to rest in the tomb.  The altar area at Calvary gives the opportunity to touch the rock in which the crucifix was secured, and a small room off the burial rotunda gives the opportunity to crawl into a Jewish tomb of Jesus’ time.   Many archaeological finds help to raise the certainty that this is the place of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.   A small piece of an afternoon was not nearly enough time to settle our souls into the power and poignancy of this holy place.  We opened ourselves to God and took what we could from the experience.  Thanks be to God.

                More winding streets through the Moslem Quarter into the Jewish Quarter, a security check-point passed, and we entered the plaza in front of the Western Wall.  Women divided off from the men as we all headed to the wall for some time of prayer.  We didn’t know what to make of the fact that the women’s side was a fifth the size of the men’s side, yet we all know how important the Jewish mother is to the family and its faith development.

                The remarkable archaeological digs on the southern side of the Temple Mount was our last stop.  It is a quick walk from the Western Wall to this other location, and well worth the effort, since you get to see a Roman Road broken apart by the large stone blocks pushed from the top of the Mount by the Romans in 70 ce.  We also walked further to the remains of the Hula Gate and the monumental staircase to stand on some stone steps that Jesus would actually have walked on!  Wham – two mileniums disappeared and we were there… or he was here….

                The only thing that could have made this day better is if it were two or three days long, allowing each one of us to putz around at our own individually satisfying pace, taking every inch of everything in, savoring it, experiencing it, meditating upon it, changing through it.  Nevertheless, the best of that happened anyway, and we’re the richer for it.  

                A few folk have shared with me their difficulty in sleeping through the night.  Not caused by the time change of 10 hours from San Diego or hotel beds though.  Rather they all report it’s due to the processing of the day spent and the anticipation of the one coming.  Each day seems better than the prior, and an accumulation of marvel and deep reflection is building.

                Today we began on top of Mount Olivet with a  gorgeous view of the Old City from that eastern angle.  We then journeyed down what’s called the Palm Sunday path, stopping half way down the hillside at Dominus Flevit, where Jesus’ weeping over the city is commemorated.  On the grounds are a beautifully sensitive chapel and some very interesting graves that teach well the style of burial in Jesus’ day.  Back to the path we continued down pass the Russian Church honoring Mary Magdalene with the striking gold onion spire tops to Gethsemane.  Ancient olive trees fill the garden entrance to one of the most remarkable churches here.  Since a number of countries helped cover its cost and they are represented in the multiple domes, the church is often referred to as the Church of All nations.  Inside as the altar is the stone on which Jesus agonized in tearful prayer prior to his betrayed and arrested.   It is powerful being in this place – many of us were moved to tears ourselves over our Lord’s unfolding passion.   We then made a quick stop to honor Oscar Schindler at his grave.  We added more stones of our own to the gravestone, following the sacred Jewish tradition.    

                A visit to the crusader structure on the site of the last Supper and David’s Tomb followed.   There is an interesting cornice piece of a pelican mother sacrificing herself for the good of her children, which is thought to be from the earlier Byzantine church in this location and bearing witness to this being the site of that first communion.  We then entered the Old City through the Zion gate and made a quick stop at the Cardo, the main thoroughfare of the ancient Roman city.  Simply remarkable, this kind of time-traveling is.   Next we made a special stop at our tour guides home church, St. Marks Syriac Orthodox Church.  This was not on the tour, but when we learned he was among the “living stones” of Jerusalem, he agreed to welcome us into his religious home.  Being Orthodox, we were greeted with numerous icons, one of which has a tradition of healing powers since it was painted by St. Luke of Luke’s Gospel and is of Mary and baby Jesus.  The church is in a building built soon after the Roman destruction of the Temple in 70 ce, and is reported to be the home of John Mark’s mother, a place in which the disciples stayed.   It doesn’t get much better than this for someone with an active religious imagination.

                The afternoon ended with a moving visit to St. Peter of Galicantu, often referred to as Caiaphas’ house.  The two level church is evocative of the moment in Jesus’ life which is when he was brought before Caiaphas the interrogation, some physical abuse, and imprisonment for some period of time (perhaps a night).   Reading Psalm 88 in the prison and then having the lights go off drove the emotional point home to all of us. 

                Such feelings of excitement have been ours as we drew near to the Old City and now are finding our way around and into it.  We are coming into contact with the sites of such important occurrences in Western civilization and we are being touched in ways and at levels that will leave an imprint forever.  We are being blessed.

                We got an early jump on the day, as we headed south through the Hula Valley along the Jordan River to Jericho and Qumran.  The trip took us through the east side of the West Bank.  We passed a number of checkpoints, weaved into Jordan for a bit, and drove quite a while along the border fence.  At Qumran, we saw where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered and learned about the Essence community that was behind them.  Back at Jericho, we toured the Tel and saw the site that has archaeologists thinking there was a settlement there in 6,000 bce.    I could see the Mount of Temptation from the Tel and remembered my time high up the mountainside with the Greek Orthodoxs. 

                We journey from there inland, up to Jerusalem, passing a number of bedouin villages.  Frequently along this roadway as with the road through the West Bank, we saw shepherds with sheep and goats, camels, and donkeys – a real biblical pastoral delight.  Coming out of the tunnel near Mt. Scopus, we got our first glimpse of the Old City of Jerusalem.  It was thrilling to see the light glimmering off the Golden Dome with the Mount of Olives just east of it.  We were just passing by today, on the way to Bethlehem – we’ll be back to investigate Jerusalem tomorrow.

We passed through the large checkpoint at the entrance to Bethlehem pretty easily.   The barrier wall surrounding Bethlehem at this place must be 2 – 3 stories high.  Once you are on the Palestinian side, it is covered with protest graffiti, some very creative.  The Church of the Nativity lived up to all its promises.  It is the oldest church that has had continuous Christian worship in it anywhere in the world.  Our wait to get to the Manger Cave sheltered below the chancel of the church wasn’t too long, and once we all got down the steep stairs and prayerful touched the golden star at the place of Jesus’ birth, we sang “Silent Night, Holy Night” – a magical moment for all.  Some shopping to help the Palestinian economy, and a visit to the Shepherds’ Field, then we were off to the Ramada, near the Kinneset, and settling in for the night.  

The day was amazing – going through the West Bank and learning from our Arab Christian guide about the current situation and then kneeling at the place of our Lord’s birth, praying that the peace heralded then would come to pass now.  New understandings were gained and spiritual depths plumbed.   Deeply satisfying – deeply satisfying. 

                Jesus gathered disciples who were fisherman and is recorded numerous times using boats to cross the Sea of Galilee.  This morning we got a chance to see a boat recently unearthed from the seashore that dates to Jesus’ time.   It’s the type of boat Jesus would have traveled in – the type of boat his disciples would have used to ply their trade.  Our travels here were coming alive even more.  The boat we sailed on this afternoon was not such a boat, yet we enjoyed it thoroughly as it carried us onto the Sea from its eastern shore and up towards Capernaum.  We enjoyed some quiet moments of contemplation and prayer, as the boat gently rocked.  The sky was somewhat hazy today, so the view over the water toward the other side was obscured, intriguing, and a bit mysterious.

                Between these two boat experiences, we had a delightful day at three magnificent spots.  The first was the Church of the Beatitudes, beautifully located at the crest of the hill overlooking the rolling hillsides that spill down to the Sea.  It honors the area in which Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount.  We then were touched at the Church of the Multiplication of Fishes and Loaves.  This is where that famous Byzantine mosaic of the fish and loaves was discovered, a location that has for nearly 18 centuries honored that miracle.  Close by is the Mensa Christi, a church along the sea shore that commemorates Jesus’ resurrection appearance to Peter and the disciples, who after his death returned to the Sea and resumed fishing.  Jesus calls to them from the shore and invites them in for breakfast.  He then redeems Peter from his betrayal on Good Friday.  Grace abounds in this biblical story, and as we prayed in the church and walked the sea shore at that spot I felt the power of that grace for all of us.  Jesus calls to us when we are tempted to give up hope and are confused as to what to do – he calls to us, invites us to fellowship at his table, forgives us and renews us.  Our story is a  story of grace.  As we follow Christ, too often we walk in the steps of Peter.  Lord have mercy. 

                Our afternoon travels ended with a stop-over at Yardenit, where many folk seek a baptismal experience this being a commonly identified place of baptisms in the Jordan River.  With help from Meredith, I got a bottle of Jordan River water to use in baptisms back home.  Tonight we have been invited to take in a mineral bath near the hotel.  Just as good as the Dead Sea, we are told, relaxing with great restorative properties.  Relaxing might be nice, but no need for restoration – God has been at work doing that all day.   

                We’ve got a tour bus to ourselves, just the 26 of us.  We are color coded “tan.”  Nadar is our Guide.  He is an Arab Christian from Palestinian stock.  He knows his scriptures, the history and archaeology, and is a very pleasant guy.  “I say this for you to know…” he says often, and we should.  Everyone is enjoying his contribution to the trip. 

                Today we went to Beit Shean, one of the best Greco-Roman sites in Israel.  It was destroyed by an earthquake in the 700, but has been wonderfully uncovered to reveal life at that time.  Jesus visited this place as one of the Decapolis.  Caesarea Maritime was the next stop.  An incredible harbor city built by Herod the Great in which a stone tablet honoring Pontius Pilot was discovered – outside collaboration of this biblical character’s presence.  Megiddo was next, with it 20+ strata of settlements, Canaanite gate and Solomon gate, and incredibly creative ancient water system.  Falafuls for lunch – not too bad.  We pulled into Nazareth next, touring the Church of the Annunciation, a beautiful modern basilica built over Byzantine and Crusader ruins and honoring the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary of the Incarnation.   The Cave of the Annunciation is deep within.  Our last stop was Cana, where Jesus is remembered turning water into wine at a wedding, his first miracle.  The biblical Cana is thought to be a few miles north, yet for over 1500 years pilgrims have been coming here to honor our Lord’s act.  We stopped in a shop and got some Cana Wine for an upcoming wedding of a clergy friend’s daughter.  We’ll see if miracles continue to be connected with this town’s product. 

                Everyone reports a good day, though the pace was quick and information full.  Tomorrow we’ll have more energy and take on the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee – Mount of the Beatitudes, Capernaum.  Today oriented us to the area and history, tomorrow we’ll get deep into Jesus – where he walked, boated, healed, and  taught. 

                The flights were uneventful though long – the excitement of being on our way carried us through.   Multi-hour layover at JFK that made for a long passage, but we finally reached Tel Aviv mid-afternoon on Monday.  The six travelers who booked their own flights were there to meet us, and before long we were on our bus and traveling up Rte. 6, north to the Galilee.  This transit was a few more hours, though we got views of the suburban growth of Tel Aviv, the Barrier Wall along the West Bank, and an introduction to some of the agriculture of the Galilee.  We pass Megiddo off to our left as we headed east toward Tiberius, traveling that well-worn pass of some 8,000 years.  Making way   below Mt.Tabor, of Transifugration of Jesus fame, and then the Crusader battle location of the Horns of Hattins, we spilled out of the hillsides and got our first glimpse of the Sea of Galilee.  Simply marvelous. 

                We’re staying at the Rimonen Mineral, named after the famous mineral springs of the area, on the southern end of Tiberius.  The hotel workers are gracious and helpful.  After a generous dinner, some of headed across the roadway to investigate those mineral springs and dip our toes in the Sea of Galilee.  We’re here.  We’ve arrived!

What a great worship today.  We talked about our Judeo-Christian, and how we travelers are soon to be on our way back to our roots, back to where Jesus walked, back to where the Christian faith leaped forward beyond ethnicity into inclusiveness.  Grace upon Grace.  To all.  

Tomorrow we board a 6:35 am flight and we are on our way.  It has been four years since I was there.  I so much wanted to get back, just to see again what I saw, and feel my way again through it all.  Will it be different?  Better?  Worse?  Deeper?  

I so look forward to going with this group of mine from La Jolla.  Such good folk and open to what the land, the people, the Spirit will offer.  God bless us.  May God bless us through this trip.

Keep us in your prayers.

Thought it might be good to share who is going on this trip.  Some would categorize themselves as travelers or tourists or people interested in the geography or the history and some would categorize themselves as pilgrims or people on a spiritual quest through this travel.  Here's who is going:

Sarilee Anderson, Elizabeth Barrett-Connors & James Connors, Gene and Denise Blickenstaff, Mike and Sue Boles, Becky Candra, Gail Chatfield, Walt Dilg, Meredith Dilg, Georgia Hollander (Judith Kempter's Friend), Miko Kashkooli, Judith Kempter, Don & Mary Jane Lincoln, Carl & Janet Lind, John & Mary Ann Pollock (Judith's friends), Barbara Pomeroy-Ziherl, Jeannette Richards (Walt's sister), Donna Roberts, Diane Taylor (Judith's friend), Ted & Paula Todd.

It's a great group of people.  We fully anticipate having the time of our lives.  We wish all of you could go with us.  

Pastor Walt

Yesterday, we finally got our Official Itinerary.  A week of so late due to the events of Egypt creating caution and alternatives.  Here's what we are doing:

February 21 - depart USA on flight to Tel Aviv

February 22 - arrive Tel Aviv and head to Tiberius hotel

February 23 - Caesarea Maritime, Megiddo, Nazareth, Cana

February 24 - Boat ride on Sea of Galilee, Tabgha and Primacy of Peter Chapel, Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum

February 25 - Beit Shean, Jericho, Qumran, Bethlehem - (begin stay in Jerusalem area)

February 26 - Mount Olivet, Garden of Gethsemane, Mount Zion, Upper Room, David's Tomb, House of Caiaphas

February 27 - Church of St. Anne and Pool of Bethesda, Antonia Fortress, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, TEmple Mount Southern Wall Excavations, Western (Wailing) Wall, Cardo 

February 28 - free day, side trip to Masada if desired by travelers

March 1 - Ein Kerem, Yad Vashem, Garden Tomb (10 day travelers head back to USA at end of day)

March 2 - Cross border to Jordan, Mt. Nebo, Madaba

March 3 - Petra

March 4 - Jerash, recross border to Israel and return flight to USA very late at night

March 5 - arrive in San Diego!

You can Google any of these sites and you will find interesting information on them.  They are the classic sites to visit on a trip like this.  

Keep us in your prayers.  

Pastor Walt

Well, everyone has been watching the events occur in Egypt - "power to the people!"  we send our prayers and highest hopes that the Egyptians will be able to take a full stride forward toward freedom and civil rights.  As these events continue to unfold, anxiety has risen a bit about our endeavor.  We are assured that all will be well, or at least that Educational Opportunities will take all precautions and keep us safe on our trip.  This has meant that those travelers of our group that were going to take the extension trip up the Nile have had their plans canceled.  They will now be joining others of us who are taking an extension into Jordan.  So far it is still "good to go" in Jordan.  We'll have 26 travelers in total and 20 will extend the Israel trip into a few more days in Jordan.

We've all been doing some preparation studies for the trip.  I will post in the near future the bibliography I distributed to the group which contains some excellent books to round out our perspectives on the Middle East and the ancient roots of our faith.  Of course for us pilgrims, the primary source book is the Gospels.  We are reading the Gospels, and in particular noticing where things are happening, so we can connect event or lesson to physical location we will be visiting or passing.  One of the great blessings of this trip will be that which comes from allowing one's religious imagination make the connection between scripture story and place visited.  It's a real trip and religious high when this connection take holds of you.  

Keeps us in your prayers.

Pastor Walt