Day 09 - Jerusalem: Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, Saint Anne's, Pool of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Ramparts, Southern Steps, Farewell Dinner

“Christian Jews are the happiest; their faces shine, they wear smiles, they are in a good mood,” so says the weaver from California who paused to talk with a few of us. He had only been living in Israel for 4 months. The reason for moving to Israel? “I was called and wanted to come home.”

That same sentiment had been expressed by Adam, a man on our second flight to Israel 10 days ago. Adam had been born and raised in the US, moving to Israel when he had finished college. “It was home for me.” He stayed “home,” married a woman from the States who had emigrated to Israel and now has  3 kids. It was the reason given by Ossie as well, a woman in one of the parks where we ate lunch earlier this week. She had offered me a yummy gluten-free snack she had discovered for her daughter who has Celiac Disease. Ossie, who was also born in the United States said, “It felt like coming home.”

I had not thought further about it until today. I'm not Jewish so why would it feel to me like I was at home? The thought lingered in the recesses of my mind, out of any conscious deliberation about it. The sense of being at home lingered but I didn't understand what it was about. Throughout this day, I've been aware of the camaraderie that has developed within our group. We have become a community of believers, showing thoughtful concern for each other, giving support when it was needed, and sharing what we had that would be useful to someone else. It came to me that what I've been experiencing is just what Jesus commanded us to do: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” That's what the weaver had perceived in Christian Jews. That's what we have been demonstrating by reaching out a hand to steady someone; by pausing and waiting for others so they would know which way to go; by lending an arm or walking poles to someone in need; by sharing snacks, tissues, hand sanitizer, a seat. 1 John 4:12 says, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete.” I can imagine God smiling each time His love is made complete through the way we’ve come together on this trip.

Today's adventures started with a visit to the Mount of Olives where Dan said, ”The recorded history of planet earth lies before your eyes.” Indeed it seemed we could see evidence from antiquity to the present. Below and beside us was the Jewish Cemetery which dates from the present back to the years of the Crusades. Around and below us was a thriving metropolis built upon layers of substrates that indicated civilizations from before that time. And beneath the shade of ancient olive trees, a wedding was taking place. It was all here before us. Leigh reminded us of the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of talents challenging us to reflect on what we are doing now in our lives in order to be prepared for the second coming of our Lord, and how we might invest what we've been given.

With that thought fresh in our minds, we walked the route Jesus most likely walked, down from the Mount of Olives and to the Garden of Gethsemane. We learned that the glass shards embedded in the top of the stone wall around the Jewish Cemetery had been added to the wall because the cemetery had been vandalized by grave robbers countless times. We learned the olive trees in the garden dated back to at least the Crusades, although the age of an olive tree is difficult to determine because it doesn't have concentric rings. It grows with twists and turns as the center core dies, instead of adding layers to the outside as other trees do. We were blessed with time to spend with these exquisite trees, and the enjoyment of quiet surrounded by plants still in bloom, insulating us from the sounds of traffic and city life outside the garden. Gethsemane gave us an opportunity to pray, contemplate, reflect and wonder. I wondered if the trees had witnessed the agony of Jesus, if they had heard His beautiful prayer to our Father for each of us, if they had witnessed the droplets like blood falling from His brow, and if they knew of the betrayal that led Him away. We left there to walk around the Basilica of Gethsemane, The Sanctuary of the Agony of Jesus, across the street, which helped us continue in contemplation of what Jesus did for each one of us.

As we made our way back into the city and walked through the Lyons Gate, we entered the Christian Quarter. At St. Anne's, Elsie led us in singing. The walls embraced the sound, surrounding us and sounding incredible. It was a joyful sound lifted to the Lord and made me feel it was coming straight from hearts filled with love. I could feel Him smile.

The walk on part of the Via Dolorosa led us to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Roman Catholic Basilica in all its glory. It overwhelmed my already heightened senses and saturated every part of me. What a morning of contrasts! I was more than ready for a break.

We walked through the Jewish Quarter, without knowing we had left one Quarter for another, having seen no demarcation. When we arrived at a plaza with a beautiful golden Menorah, we were surprised by a truly American lunch—pizza! Elle even provided gluten free pizza for those of us with gluten sensitivities. We were once again blessed by Dan's choice of a place to eat. The park-like plaza spilled forth a variety of people, of all ages. Many of us enjoyed the people-watching as much as the pizza, but the “icing on the cake” was the two hours of free time afterward! We took off in all directions, strolling at a leisurely pace, browsing and shopping, exploring, and some just sitting with a coffee and or ice cream from local vendors. It was a highlight because we needed the down time.

When everyone had returned, we headed to the Southern Wall of Temple Mount, and the Southern Steps. Climbing the steps to various advantage points, we noticed they were at different heights and depths, causing for a concerted effort to pay attention. Dan began his talk by taking us back more than 2000 years, explaining the purpose of the design being intentional: to focus, concentrate and look down, a humbling experience. He said this was very likely a place where Jesus sat to learn as a 12 year old and taught when He began teaching “on the Temple steps”. And now here we were, on those steps, learning about what Scriptures are telling us. As present day disciples, we were here learning, in order that we might teach others  the Truth about this incredible love story of God's gift of salvation to the world! I felt honored and blessed! What a privilege!

Before leaving for our Farewell Dinner, we had one last visit to the Western Wall. Those who had not had the time to touch the wall when we were here previously, were given the opportunity to experience prayer at the wall and to leave written prayers if they wished to do so. While there, we were given an unexpected gift of seeing  and hearing a large congregation of Jewish youth break into laughter, circle dances, chanting and singing—all with great energy. The quiet, somber heaviness of the atmosphere in that plaza began to lift, it had come to life and it was joyful! A number of our group were pulled into a circle and joined with enthusiasm, adding to the energy all around us. Eventually the young people all around us broke up the circles, laughing, and talking with each other, and it was time to leave.

I am sorry to say I didn't get the name of the restaurant Dan chose for our dinner, but we went back to the Christian Quarter, or was it the Jewish Quarter?? We entered a small restaurant and climbed a lot of stairs that opened to a glass enclosed room on the rooftop. It was awesome—although many would have sacrificed the view to have a room closer to ground level, and avoid those stairs, the room was special and accommodated all of us, and free of other groups or individuals to disturb us. The food was served to us family style. We knew then this would be memorable, if only because we didn't have to navigate a buffet line, balancing dishes and glasses, looking for what was appealing while the hot food on our plates got cold. Laughter, conversation, lighthearted teasing and faith could be heard and felt all around us. The food was traditional but we were served dishes we had not yet had in the places we had been staying, including baba ganoush, and chicken and lamb kabobs. Everything was delicious and we ended the night with an intimate time of personal sharing. We all expressed gratitude to our guide, Dan, and his trusty sidekick, Eli, our driver and lunch provider. I'm not sure Dan would agree or even knew it, but his words seemed to be guided by the Holy Spirit, or maybe the Spirit guided what each of us heard, because it seemed each of us got exactly what we needed to hear from each lesson. And there is no way we would have come through 9 days of driving in Israel, especially in Jerusalem, if the Holy Spirit had not been guiding Eli and that bus! Eli's skill is incredible but the Spirit is in that man and I was glad for it. He is one of the “happy Jews” with smiles and kindness that overflows.

I have repeatedly been struck by my observation that there is no visible demarcation between Christians and non-Christians, but the weaver knew the distinction that set Christians apart. And the Master Weaver of the Tapestry of our lives weaves everything together for good for those who love Him. May we follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit as He leads each of us in completing the good work He has begun!

Reflections on our trip: Friday, December 16, a long  day of travel

Eli brought us safely down from our mountaintop experience and we had to step off the bus into reality. Some of the things we will miss as we leave the tribe to return to our lives:

**     The camaraderie, fellowship with other Christians, togetherness, connection, the “Tribe”, the Community of caring; singing together;

**   New discoveries daily, being intellectually challenged, the excitement of learning, the wonder at all that is unseen beneath the surface;

**     Explanations that gave clarity and enlightenment to the Bible, connecting the dots, evidence for what we believe;

**    Variety in our food choices, experiencing culture through the cuisine, fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal;

**     The beauty all around us, history brought to life, a new appreciation daily for what the rocks can tell us

**    Dan’s insights, his teaching style, the depth of his material, his voice.

There are some things folks said they will not miss:

**     Early wake-up calls, jumping out of bed with both feet running, being rushed—especially in the mornings;

**     The packed agenda and lack of free time/down time/breaks built into the schedule/solitary time, and the stress that goes with it;

**     Finding restrooms, waiting in long lines at restrooms, trying to find toilet tissue, hand towels and soap;

**     Trying to identify food that was safe by those with food sensitivities and allergies, lack of coffee and tea at lunch and dinner, overeating because of all the food that was available;

**     Worries about being on time, finding restrooms, losing something, leaving something behind, and luggage going over the weight limit;

**     Looking for my “buddy;”

**     Beds that are split apart;

**     Germs all around us in close quarters;

**     Stones;

**     And, yes, STAIRS!!!

Many of us have been profoundly affected by our experience of the Holy Land. In their own words:

     “I’ve been enlightened with more clarity and understanding of how all I've read works together.”

     “I am challenged to think about Israel's position in the world and their constant threat of attack.”

     “Praying at the Wall affected me deeply and will continue to be a profound experience.”

     “I’ve become more aware that many people see Jesus as an important historical figure, but not the Messiah, and I'm challenged by what to do with that awareness.”

     “My heart has been touched and I can now recognize more clearly the pain of losses.”

     “I have more compassion for this nation with the realization of all the pain they've gone through.”

     “The Lord brought me to the realization that pride is an integral part of independence, and through His power, I was able to accept help.”

     “I don't like to read, but now I'm going to read the Bible.”

     “I’ve been deeply stirred by the correlations between history and the Bible.”

     “I’m trying to be more accepting of people and other religions, while being more open with my own.”

     “The Lord is my Shepherd, and He is enough. I'm at peace with knowing He is guiding my life.”

     “During the boat ride across the Sea of Galilee, I was able to fully forgive someone that was in my life and actually heard this person apologize to me, which allowed me to find a peace that passes all understanding.”

     “I learned to focus on the Lord being with me, and I don't feel so afraid. When I trust God, I can do things I never thought I could do before.”

     “Scriptures have become more real for me.”

     “For me, this trip has helped me to break out of the forced isolation of Covid and my medical condition; I've come back to life.”

     “It has given my faith a deeper foundation and made me stronger.”

     “It is no longer faith, it's a knowing.”

     “My faith and my walk with Jesus have deepened. It has made me want to be a bigger light in a dark world.”

     “A bridge has been built between the past and the present.”

     “Reading the Bible will feel more real and not just stories.”

     “I’m one step closer to relating to Jesus as my Friend and my Savior.”

     “My relationship with Jesus was focused on His being more fully God. I now have a relationship with a Jesus who is also fully human. The curtain has been torn.”

Well, ladies and gentlemen, for those of you reading this blog, may you each have a mountaintop experience in your lifetime that takes you into His presence like it has for those who went on this trip. For all of you with whom I traveled, thank you for touching my life. I have been blessed by being a part of this Tribe. I pray that each of us will carry all that we've experienced into the next chapter of our lives, by the power of His Holy Spirit.  If you let Him lead, the old will be gone, the new is about to begin. And it will be determined by the Creator of this universe if you follow where He leads. I think we are all looking forward to seeing and hearing about all those new experiences! May God bless you on your journey!

Dawn McCalla