Friday, May 1, 2009

Middle East Travel Seminar 2011

Our next travel seminar is scheduled for January 2011. Watch the LPTS website for information beginning in Summer of 2010. If you are interested in learning more or being put on a list of prospective travelers, contact me at ptull@lpts.edu!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Almost all at home

Now that nearly all of the group has gone home I will add one last note. One of our number, Bruce Somerville, unfortunately suffered a mild heart attack in Jerusalem. He was taken to a hospital nearby where he experienced the excellent medical care available in Israel, and was released just before the rest of the group departed for home. So Bruce and his wife Pat are enjoying a few days of peace and quiet in their hotel in Jerusalem before they fly home on Friday. I saw them yesterday and he looks and says he feels very good.

I am staying not in Jerusalem but at Tantur Ecumenical Center, which is just outside of Bethlehem on the road to Jerusalem. Yesterday I met a friend in Jerusalem for dinner, and today I walked through the Israeli checkpoint to visit Rana Khoury at the International Center in Bethlehem. We talked about various projects and partnerships our churches and our travel seminars might be involved in, including a nature reserve they have developed near the Dar al Kalima College. She also answered some questions for me about the refugee camp that they visited--too long and complex to discuss here, but the long and short is that people remain in the refugee camps in the West Bank for a variety of reasons, such as that their entire family and society are there, that they cannot afford to build homes elsewhere, and the fact that it is all they have ever known. Still, she said it was so important not simply to hang onto victim status, but to find ways to survive and thrive even in oppressive situations such as the people in and around Bethlehem face.

Walking through the checkpoint in itself was an enlightening experience, even though I did it not in the busy part of the day but when hardly anyone else was coming through. Several people have told me that in the morning beginning at 4:30 or so, 3000 men are waiting in line to go to work in Jerusalem, so the checkpoint can take hours. Going in was not so intimidating because I walked with a woman from Sweden who lives in Tantur and works in Bethlehem. On the way out, I walked from the Lutheran Church at the top of the hill down to the checkpoint. It meant walking many hundred feet alongside the grey wall, reading the graffiti, till I found the entrance. Then, walking up a long ramp with wire fences on either side, through at least two turnstiles, past two different glass booths in which Israelis sat checking everyone's papers, through a metal detector ("put all your belongings on the conveyor belt, walk through the gate and wait for instructions" from a disembodied voice), and so on through the maze. The Palestinian man in front of me had to put his hand on a machine for his handprint to be identified. Then we were out on the Jerusalem side. What must it be like to have to do that every single day? Because they could see my blue U.S. passport and my definitely western skin, they waved me through as if they didn't have time to check my papers, but all the people around me were checked very carefully, taking off belts, shoes, etc. etc. etc.

Someone commented to me the other day that Jerusalem is above all a very interesting place, and I have to say that is very true. It's all here: history, archaeology, religion, culture, politics, conflict, intense diversity, great beauty, great ugliness. The streets of both Arab East Jerusalem and Jewish West Jerusalem are so alive with people. Where else can you wait on the same street corner with someone dressed as King David trying to sell his harp for eleven sheckels to another person who is dressed as if he just stepped out of an 18th-century shtetl in Poland, as I did yesterday? Where else can you find priests of six different Christian denominations competing with one another for "most colorful vestments," "loudest entrance," and "best bells and smells"? Where else can you find little boys yelling on a soccer fields on top of a building that is built into the side of a 16th century city wall? Where else do people compete for ownership on the basis of their ties to people not simply four generations back but, sometimes four millennia? What greater challenge to peace exists than the city of peace itself?

Several of our speakers told us in a variety of ways that there is no such thing as a "solution" to the political and social problems faced by Jews and Palestinians in the Middle East. Rather than one comprehensive solution, there are rather many many ways of working out partial truces and agreements that can serve to allow people to survive and thrive here. President Obama's new envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, is here in Israel today attempting to extend the recent truce between Israel and Hamas into a longer-term agreement. It is hard to believe anything lasting is possible in a situation in which there is so little trust, much less love, between the two sides, where the extremists on both sides profit by continuing to stir up trouble for the many. But we still have to believe things impossible for humans are possible for God.

My prayer for this group of travellers is that we will continue to seek peace and pursue it, both peace at home where each of us lives and peace around the world, especially in this region that is home to millions and emblematic to billions more who have never even had the opportunity to be here in person. With Isaiah of Jerusalem 2800 years ago we have to share the hope that nations "shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Monday, January 26, 2009

Last day in Jerusalem

As we get ready to leave Jerusalem, the weather is still warm. Quite a change from the weather we are going into in Louisville, I understand! We've enjoyed good weather throughout our trip but that hasn't been good for the places we have been. Every place desparately needs rain. Our speakers have commented not only on the need for rain, but also for a better water policy throughout the area so that people on both sides of the Separation Wall have equal access to water. Being in this land reminded me of how much we take water for granted, yet even in the United States, there are issues with who gets water. We believe in Emmanuael, God with us, who came to bring us living water. Throughout our journey, we have been reminded that living water is important not only for our spiritual well-being, but also for our physical well-being.

We have all been transformed by this trip - by the places we've seen, by the people we've met, by the worship we have experienced. Many of us came with questions, and we leave not with answers but with more questions. Some of us may have come with the belief that the problems in this region can be solved with a simple solution. There is no simple solution here, yet I leave with hope - hope because I have met people who still have hope when it seems hopeless, hope because there are people nourishing dialogue and discussions on all sides of the political spectrum here, hope because I worship a God who is ever present even in the most hopeless times.

Blessings to all of you who have supported us throughout our journey.

Diana Moore

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Final Night

Tonight is our final night in Israel. It's hard to believe that these two weeks have already gone by. It's been an amazing journey in which I feel I am leaving with knowledge, understanding, questions, and friends.
I've appreciated the education we've had here and hope to keep asking questions. I know that problems cannot always be solved, but we can certainly learn from them and try to improve our actions.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Peace,
K ><>

Saturday, January 24, 2009

This evening we had an interesting experience. At dinner we danced to Middle Eastern music, followed by friends of the hotel who taught us some dance moves. It was great fun! And it helped people to break out of their comfort zones a bit. I really enjoyed that and had a great time. It's hard to believe we'll be leaving soon....
Peace,
K ><>

Some photos...





























I decided to take a break from writing and put up just a few pictures. The pictures are: the security wall, a close-up of one of the faces on the door of the Church of Peter of Gallicantu (Dad, I figured you might enjoy this one), the Dome of the Rock, and the Western (Wailing) Wall (where you can see the partition between the men's and women's side). The rest are from the streets of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I have taken many, many more pictures, so if you want to see more, let me know when I get home!
Peace,
Cory

Friday, January 23, 2009

Conflict

Today was the first time I didn't feel like a tourist. We had some free time, which gave us some time to choose whatever we wanted. I spoke with some locals and some other tourists and it gave me some perspective on people. A few of us went to see a protest and saw the Palestinian/Israeli conflict in person. Even more so, we saw it first hand when our guide, who is Palestinian, was stopped before going into the old city. We were simply traveling from our bus to our hotel, but because of extra "security" he was stopped by an officer. He had all the appropriate paperwork, which he showed them, but the man would not let him through. Finally, another officer waved him through, and we all passed through peacefully. There seemed to be no real reason to have stopped our guide, other than he was Palestinian and perhaps the officer was having a bad day.
It has been nice to be a tourist and to see different places here, but it was also nice to blend in a bit and just observe everyday life. I'm learning so much. I wish there was a simple answer to the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Can't believe the trip is coming to an end so soon....
Peace,
K ><>

Friday in Jerusalem

It's been an interesting day in Jerusalem. During the morning there were police and military, including mounted police, everywhere blocking off the entrances to the Old City of Jerusalem to prevent Muslim men below the age of 50 from reaching the Al-Aksa Mosque/Dome of the Rock to pray (The area is also know as the Temple Mount). We had been doing a tour of East Jerusalem and had to get off the bus to walk back to the hotel because the streets were blocked. The police and the military almost did not let us get back to our hotel. It reminds me of that Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times." We have certainly been living in interesting times during our time here.

Diana Moore

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Western Wall

Yesterday we visited the Western Wall...actually we visited the whole area- Dome of the Rock, Al Aqsa mosque, Western Wall, but I'm going to focus on the Western Wall.

It was a Thursday and, apparently on Mondays and Thursdays, many Jewish families come to the wall to celebrate bar mitzvahs. There were lots of people there when we got there, certainly an air of excitement. Our group gathered aways back from the wall and each of us read one of the prayers we were carrying. I had asked people to choose one that seemed to call to them, since we couldn't pray them all; most were the prayers I had been praying each night and it was moving for me to hear those prayers spoken at that place for the last time. After we each read a prayer, I said a closing prayer and we (men and women separately since there is a partition between the men and women's side) approached the wall. As I approached, it amazed me how many prayers were put in the wall already. I said each of my prayers, folded them up and placed them in the wall. I stayed for a few moments to say a final prayer. There were many women at the wall praying, some silently, some out loud. At the wall, the mood was prayerful.

Not far back, the mood was definitely festive. On our side, there were women lined up and looking over the partition wall between the men's and women's side. Lots of communication was happening between the two sides. Someone else in the group said she saw things being thrown over the partition. I am glad we got to go there on a day with so much activity.

The rest of our day was spent at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are. In the evening, we met with Gershom Goremnberg, who wrote The End of Days about how fundamentalist religion plays into the conflicts here. Honestly, I don't have the energy to write about all of that...

Until the next time...

Peace,
Cory

Jerusalem Continues....

Today was a really interesting day. We began by going to the Dome of the Rock. It was interesting to learn more about Islam and to hear someone else's perspective on the whole Temple Mount/Dome of the Rock issue. I appreciated the conversation.
Directly after the Dome of the Rock we went to the Western Wall. This was an experience. I took many prayers with me, and found a place to shove them into the wall. It took a while to get to the wall because it was packed. I didn't want to butt in, because I felt that the Jewish women had more of a right to be there than I did. Finally, I found a place to pray, and as I prayed, another woman shoved her prayers by the ones I put in, making them to explode all over me, knocked right out of the crack. It was intersting, and a bit symbolic. As I reflected on the the situation, I realized that many of the people there were probably praying for the Temple Mount. It seemed so odd considering we were just up there.
After lunch we went to the Israel Museum, which had the Shrine of the Book. This was really interesting to me. I loved seeing the old scrolls, trying to translate it, and to just feel the history and tradition behind many of the writings we call sacred.
Lately it has been coming to my attention that there is not only conflict among religions, but within religions. We try to find peace with religions that "look" different, but we cannot even all agree within our own religion. How can we make progress with a stranger when we cannot even be friends with our own neighbors?
Peace,
K ><>

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Relationships

Today we went to Tantur and met with Fr. Mike McGarry. Tantur is a center that provides a place to stay and study for theological scholars and persons seeking to explore and deepen their faith. It also provides a neutral space for local peacemakers to meet. Fr. McGarry said the center often hosts meetings between Palestinians and Israelis to meet and be in dialogue. This for me was another sign of hope.

We also visited a nature preserve which is focused on the landscape during Biblical times. As we toured around, various plants, animals, and structures were explained to us through the context of the Bible. This was also fascinating.

I think what I have been thinking the most about throughout the day is relationships... I think so often when we talk about issues, all sorts of statistics are cited and personal stories are called "anecdotal evidence" and not given much importance. Being in places like this, it seems that it is only through hearing stories and forming relationships that peace is possible.

Through the prayers I have carried, I feel I have a deeper understanding of the people who gave me prayers for which I know the person who wrote the prayer or who is being prayed for. By reciting the prayers, I have a deeper appreciation for our need for God to hear us. It is likely that tomorrow our group will go to the Western Wall, where all of the prayers I have prayed each night will be put in the wall. At our evening meeting, the box that has held those prayers was passed around our group. Each group member took several of those prayers. Tonight there will be 28 of us praying those prayers, instead of just me. Tomorrow as a group, we will be honoring those prayers by putting them in the wall. I know for me, that action will be one of the many ways my relationship with God is deepened on this trip...

I think one of the many things that makes this trip so rich is the group of people with whom I am traveling. We are a diverse group in age and experience and our evening reflections help me to put together what we have done each day. The relationships formed here, whether fleeting or lasting, make being here more meaningful because of the depth of reflection.

In our meeting with Fr. McGarry, I was reminded that I need to be careful with how I talk about the people and the situation here. The fact is, though I have learned a lot, the situation is complex and there is much I still don't know and understand. His advice was "come back and get more confused." :) We have only met a few people and heard a few stories. By talking to more Palestinians, by talking to more Israelis, by talking to more people at home, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or of some other belief system, by listening and being willing to be confused and changed by relationships, that is how understanding happens. Being in dialogue, both talking and listening is how the possibility of creating a more peaceful situation may happen...

The last thing I want to talk about is my relationship with my country. I love my country. I am critical of my country. Sometimes I think when I speak up about problems I see in the U.S., people think that I don't like the U.S. I do love my country, and one of the very reasons that I love it is that I can speak freely. However, just as I want to be the best person I can be, I also want my country to be the best it can be. Acknowledging where we are lacking, we may seek ways to make our country even better. I truly don't remember if I wrote this last night, but yesterday, watching the inauguration, I was so proud of my country. I was proud to be an American.

I will stop there. It is getting late and tomorrow will be a long day.

Peace,
Cory

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Peace in Jerusalem

I will keep this short because it has been a long day. The best part of my day was going into the Chuch of Mary Magdalene. We met this lovely woman who had moved from California to the convent there in the White Russian church. She eagerly showed us the church and explained the beautiful paintings inside. She didn't preach at us, but shared her faith in a way that it was clear she could not keep it in anymore. It was refreshing to see this. I enjoyed the stories and hearing her passion about the church. There was something peaceful about it.
I was less excited about the stations of the cross and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For the stations, they were just so minor seeming and surrounded by current life. The church was too divided and a bit too much for me. I felt like much of it really was too focused on his death, when I think, personally, we should focus on Jesus' life and ministry and resurrection.
It was still a great experience.
Peace,
K ><>

Jerusalem

We descended the Mount of Olives this morning with the Golden gate in full view as we approached the walls of Jerusalem. Along the way we visited the Garden of Gethsemane. There we saw olive tress that were over two thousand years old. I recalled that here was the place where Jesus contemplated his immediate future in prayer and ended that session with God with the affirmation, "not my will, thy will be done". Having surrendered his will to accept his crucifxtion, Jesus began his journey to the stations of the cross.

I was profoundly moved to see the olive trees in the grove where our Lord wrestled with his destiny. I was further moved by touching the stone that is believed to be the very stone that was in the garden on that fateful night so many years ago. I could have lingered for a day, feeling the human connection to Jesus' humanity in the common experience of discernment that sometimes leads us to surprising and yet compelling choices. Alas, our schedule moved us to enter the Golden gate where we visted the Church of St Ann, the spring of Siloam, and the final stages of the cross.

The tradition of St. Ann, the Virgin Mary's mother, was new and welcoming Christian tradition. The group sang several songs in the Chapel and visited the grotto where Mary was probably born in the lower lev

The most profound experience of today was the visit to the Church of the Holy Scpulchre where we walked the final stations of the cross. We touched the stone of Golgotta, looked in the scpulture of Christ, saw the place where the cross of the crucifix was found and so much more. At the end of the day I was a little overwhelmed that I had been to the stations of the cross in one day! I am aware that I will appreciate the stations of the cross and all this experience means to me and my faith for years to come. Today, I learned traditions that were new and welcoming. I look forward to our future exploration of the land of the bible.

Inauguration in Jerusalem

Rather than "next year in Jerusalem", it is "this year in Jerusalem" and on inauguration day. Since the day is so important for us, I thought everyone in the world knew who Obama is. Today I realized that was not the case. There were correspondents wandering through the bazaars in the Old City of Jerusalem today asking individuals what they thought about Obama. They asked one seller and he responded: "Who's Obama?" It was a reminder that local matters - whether you manage to get people to buy your goods - is often more important than who is being elected in some far away country.

Today we left Bethlehem and came to Jerusalem. I felt like I was being fed with a fire hose. There was so much to absorb. We started on the Mount of Olives and walked down through the Garden of Gethsemene. One of the wonderful things that happened today on our walk is that we met a Russian Orthodox nun outside the church of Mary Magdalene who was from the California. She offered to show us the church. Trisha, in all her years visiting Jerusalem, had never seen the church so we were all excited to visit this unexpected treasure.

We saw a lot of expected and unexpected treasures today. I'm having trouble absorbing everything.

Our evening ended watching the inauguration. We lined up chairs in the lobby of the hotel we're staying in, turned up the volume, and watched the inauguration while a group of Romanian Orthodox pilgrims watched us watching the inauguration - and at the end - told us congratulations. In this country of turmoil, it was a blessing to see a peaceful transition of power, albeit from a distance, one that didn't involve violence or a military coup.

Let us pray that the hopes and dreams that President Obama announced in his speech get spread throughout our nation and the world.

Diana Moore

Watching from afar...

I wrote yesterday before the inauguration. After writing, it occurred to me that I hadn't mentioned many of the places we visited. I did mention the Russian church, but didn't talk much about it- I'll have to tell you about that when I get back. I didn't mention going to the Garden of Gethsemani. This, unlike some of the places we visit, it thought to be the authentic site, rather than a traditional one. The garden was small, with a few flowers, but some most amazing olive trees. Several of the trees are thought to be 1500-2000 years old. One tree is about 3000 years old. Could Jesus have prayed below that very tree? It is awesome (in the true sense of the word) to think about...

Our group gathered together in the lobby of our hotel to watch the inauguration. It was so exciting! Before Obama was sworn in, as several people were talking about how all of our presidents have been freely elected, I couldn't help but think about how though all of our presidents have been freely elected, our country has also been directly or indirectly in the overthrow of freely elected governments. It makes me sad... I think again about Mitri Raheb's wish that the United States promote its values not only in the U.S. but around the world. Obama's speech addressed, in general terms, these ideas. He talked about extending our values throughout the world through cooperation, about helping our poorer neighbors, and other lovely ideas that give me hope...I am not so naive as to think that everything he says will happen, but the fact that he says things that resonate so deeply with me keep me optimistic. It was wonderful to watch history in the making, and even more incredible to do so from outside the country...

After watching the inauguration, I had the interesting experience of watching Aljezeera English commentary. There were many (deserved) harsh words about the damage our country has done in the Middle East, in Israel and Palestine and one Palestinian commentator talked about what would have to happen for there to be true change in the Israeli/Palestinian situation. Some of what she said was similar to what Raheb had said. I wish I had more time to write, but we have a meeting right now.

Have a wonderful day. I'm sure I'll be writing in the evening.

Peace,
Cory
This morning we went from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, where we will be spending the rest of our days. Bethlehem is in Palestine and Jerusalem is in Israel, so we had to cross through the Israeli checkpoint. This was very easy for us. Our guide, who is Palestinian, could not cross with us on the bus. He had to go to the checkpoint earlier in the morning and stand in line for over an hour before going through a check similar to what we go through at the airport- shoes off, metal detector, document check... He (like all Palestinians) must have a special permit to get into Jerusalem. He can get one because he is a tour guide. However, many people cannot get them and the permits are very specialized, so that a person who has a business permit would not be able to go to Jerusalem for, say, medical services, without getting a different permit. Also, Palestinians cannot take their cars out of Palestine. They must walk through the checkpoint and take a taxi on the other side. For those who work in Jerusalem, this costly (both in time and money) routine happens twice a day. Also, Palestinians are not permitted to spend the night in Jerusalem, so they must make sure they leave early enough to get through the checkpoint in the evening. I cannot imagine living like this...

In Jerusalem, we did a lot of walking. There were several places that were particularly moving for me. One was the Pater Noster Church, the traditional place that Jesus taught the Our Father. All around the church, the prayer is written in any language you can imagine. It is beautiful. The traditional place is actually in a cave and when we walked down to it, all I could do was to recite the prayer, both in English and Spanish. As with many places, it is hard to describe the feeling...

Another place that was particularly moving was our visit to St. Anne's Church, traditional site for Mary's birth. The church is a Crusader church and the acoustics are absolutely spectacular. Our group sang two songs together. Later, as we were walking around, someone in the group mentioned how it would be beautiful to sing the Ave Maria there. We were in a chapel below, and I started humming it and then singing it as I was going up the stairs. When I got into the church, I stopped and sang the whole thing. Honestly, I don't know if I sang all the right words, but I did sing all the right notes and it was quite incredible. It was one of those moments that seemed to last a second and a long time all at once. I want to go back there when we have free time later in the week...

There is now a line of people waiting to use the computer, so I am going to end there. I could write about our impromptu visit to the Russian church dedicated to Mary Magdelene or our visit to the Church of the Holy Sepuchre, but that will have to wait.

This evening (afternoon for you all), our group will be watching the inauguration...

Until the next time...

Peace,
Cory

Monday, January 19, 2009

Discomfort....

This evening we spent the time talking about discomfort - many things about our time in Bethlehem has made us all feel uncomfortable. There have been some good things that have come out of this part of the trip, and I'm glad I'm here, but I must admit, I'll be thankful to begin our journey into Jerusalem.
Today we spent much of our time going through the International Center and the Wellness Center and the school. It was fantastic to see the different opportunities being offered.
This afternoon we went to Herodion. After seeing so much that pertains to Herod on this trip, many of us have renamed Herodion - "Herod Land." Yes, much like an amusement park. Perhaps they will sell Herod bobble heads...
Now I'm relaxing in the Bethlehem hotel. Last night here. Tomorrow we start in Jerusalem!
Peace,
K ><>

Holy Ground

When Mitri Raheb talked to us on Saturday, one of the things that he said that really resonated with me was: "Out of this country, the most powerful images came. Out of a hopeless situation came hope. Out of the smell of death came the most powerful image of life. Everything around us tells us that we won't have life but Christ came to give us life and give us life in abundance." We saw that life in abundance today. The International Center in Bethlehem where the community comes together to have concerts and movies, a school where Muslims and Christians, boys and girls, are in classes together, and a health and wellness center open to the community showed us life in abundance.

We have seen holy places, churches and ruins too many to count; yet for me today we truly saw holy ground. We saw places where children are being encouraged to work together, to focus on peace and love and faith. Is that not holy ground?

Yet, I also believe that our time together as a group is holy ground - a time when we discuss our discomforts, a time to discuss what meant the most to us during the day, a time to reflect on how this visit has had an impact on all our lives. Holy ground. We are truly standing on holy ground.

Diana Moore

Bethlehem

Our experiences here in the land of the Bible have been awe inspiring moving. The most memorable experiences of Israel and the West Bank are the people who live here and the hospitality they extend to us.

In Jericho I stood on the sea shore of Galilee where it is believed that Jesus shared a meal with the disciples after his resurrection. The beautiful Primacy of Peter Church is located on the site. I walked along the seashore,  looked at one of the seven springs that are located in that area, picked up the black pebbles scattered along the shore, and gazed out onto the lake. I felt the presence of the saints who have taken this and other pilgrimages of faith before me and I am deeply grateful for my faith journey that responds to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Bethlehem is not a little town anymore! It is a rambling, heavily populated city. Worship was at Lutheran Christmas Church on Sunday morning. The worshippers were of a variety of ethnicities and from a variety of denominations. We spoke in different languages. Early into the service I imagined the death of Jesus and the curtain rending in two to open up the Holy of Holies so that all persons may have access to God. I was moved and grateful to notice that the worship service was testimony that Jesus' work continues in us, the Church, today.

Lastly, at the Church of the Nativity I saw the birthplace of Jesus, and the place where Joseph received the warning from the angel to flee the city to protect the Christ child. While at the church of the Nativity, the Armenian Christians began their celebration of Christmas on Sunday and we had the opportunity to witness the Christmas Eve opening celebration. 




 

Hope...

Today we visited the various projects of the Christmas Lutheran Church. We saw the International Center, the college, the Dar Al-Kalima school, and the Health and Wellness Center. The International Center has a beautiful theater used for performing arts programs, showing movies once a week, and for hosting conferences. The theater is equipped with technology to provide simultaneous interpretation for multilingual conferences. The college is housed in the same building, but they are in the process of constructing a separate campus. The college has programs for tourism, the arts-jewelry-making, glass blowing and stained glass, and ceramic work- and documentary film making- programs not available elsewhere and that allow people to use creative expression to work through the stresses of their reality.

The school was really impressive. The mission statement, the teaching methods, classes available (like swimming), as well as extracurricular programming were wonderful. The school and all the other services of Christmas Lutheran are available to all people and they serve more Muslims than Christians (60%). I asked how the school, as a Lutheran school, dealt with teaching faith and addressing spiritual needs of Muslims. The principal (our guide at the school) said that Muslims an Christians, who are together all day, except when they go to separate classes for religion, so they are learning about their own faith. Each month the groups come together to highlight the commonalities between the two faiths. Both Christian and Muslim holidays are celebrated at the school. I also asked if there were opportunities to dialogue with Israeli students (as teaching peace is also part of the mission). Older students have come together with Israeli students in the past, but the principal was clear that it is not possible right now with the situation in Gaza. She also felt that part of the problem is that Israelis are not teaching peace in their school, but having gotten together in the past, perhaps it will happen agai in the future.

The Health and Wellness Center also provides many services, such as places for women to come exercise, an audiology clinic, and physical and mental health programs. Our guide at that Center told us that people here will not go to private therapy sessions because they think doing so means they are mentally ill. Therefore, the Center tries to use group settings to help people deal with some of their problems and stresses without the stigma of personal therapy. Of course, they are also working to make people realize the benefits of therapy.
All of the programs of Christmas Lutheran focus on empowering women. They work on various aspects of advocacy and women have chances in Christmas Lutheran that they don't have anywhere else. For example, the college has the first woman dean in the country. Also, one of our guides was among the first women to be able to preach in this country.
Seeing all of these things give me hope. It also leads me (and many others in our group) to think about all of the people who don't have access to such services. It makes me think about the people who aren't willing or ready to work with one another. How do I deal with that fact? It makes me think of my own responsibility to act on what I am learning here.
Anytime I go on a trip like this, I wonder after I return if I am doing enough. I generally convince myself that I am not. Am I a faithful witness to what I have seen? I hope that I am. I hope that the fact that my students are reading some of what I read while I am gone and are also required to check this blog and respond to what they have read helps me to share the stories I hear. I hope that, while some of my students may not be affected, some will... Some will be inspired to learn more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or will begin to question what the word "justice" really means.
For about a year, I have reflected on the idea of planting seeds. In my reflections, it occurred to me that being in these places, I am allowing others to plant seeds in me. By carrying stories back to others, I am planting seeds. It is likely that I will never see the fruit of seeds I have planted. However, I have hope that some seeds will bear fruit.
I have hope that even if I don't create schools and wellness centers and amazing projects like those I see here, I am still doing something good. I am a witness. It can be an easy, an inspiring, a frustrating, or an uncomfortable thing to do. Sometimes it feels like being a witness is not enough. But it is a step. And my hope is that my step will lead me to take another step and another, that it will lead me to act on what I've seen in a more tangible way...and maybe as I take these steps, I'll even find someone else who experiences my witness and decides to take some steps with me or maybe even steps farther than I know how to go...This is my hope.
That's all for this evening.
Peace,
Cory

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Today is Christmas for Armenian Christians. We got to visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem this afternoon and were blessed to see the Patriarch of the Armenian Church process into the church with many priests. They wear black head coverings that come to a point and unfortunately reminded us of the KKK. They are beautiful singers. We saw the tradtional site of Jesus' birth, where he lay in the manger and where Joseph was told by the angel to take his family to Egypt. The church is controlled by three different religions: Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, and Armenians. A lot of repairs need to be done but it is difficult to get a consensus from the 3 groups so they have decided on a neutral group to do the repairs... if there had been Presbyterian influence they'd still be picking a committee.



This morning we attended worship at the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church. We walked through streets filled with markets and were told that the ones that were closed were owned by Christians and the open ones were Muslims. A group from a Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis joined us in worship with the natives and Trisha was invited to do one of the scripture readings. The first hymn was "Fairest Lord Jesus" which is one of the first songs I learned as a child. A bishop from Germany did the sermon which was more or less a conversation between him and the Arab Lutheran pastor of the church. The bishop spoke of living in Germany before the wall came down and compared it with the walls built by the Israeli's to keep out the Palestinians.



In late afternoon we visited a refugee camp for Palestinians and I was saddened by the way these people live, in squalor. I saw children who were riding trikes and bikes that were so sweet and wanted their picture taken. If they wanted to go to Jericho they would have to get a pass from the Israelis who don't always grant them. I visited Jericho with no trouble a few days ago.

Most of all, today, I prayed for Portland Avenue Church and hoped that the Holy Spirit was working madly in the hearts and minds of the members this morning. I thank all who may have gone to show their support.

Bethlehem continues....

Here we are, still in Bethlehem. I'm really glad we had the opportunity to stay here - I do not think you can truly have the full experience unless you stay here, and I have heard from many that it is advised that tourists don't stay here. But so far it has been an intersting experience.
This morning started with a walk down the roads of Bethlehem. We got a little lost, but made it back safely. It was neat to walk by all the shops, seeing everyone busy at work, preparing for the day.
Next, we went to the Christmas Lutheran Church for the service. I was a bit disappointed because I wanted Mitri Raheb to preach, but the service was still good. I love listening to different languages, and it made me wish I knew Arabic. In fact, once we have traveled into the West Bank, I realized that I could no longer use my limited Hebrew knowledge. In Israel, you can sort of guess whether to say "Todah" or "Shukran" when saying thank you. In Palestine, everyone speaks Arabic, so "Todah" does not work. It seems simple, but we have to be really conscious of what we are saying.
I noticed at the end of the service that the benediction was a typical sending - to go out into the world and spread the love of Christ. I thought this was very interesting. Even though this is something used often, usually meaning to share it with our neighbors, it made me realize even more that the members of this church could not actually go out beyond the borders of Bethlehem. I realize it is metaphorical, but it really made me think beyond the walls.
This afternoon we saw the Church of the Nativity, which we were a bit rushed through. Although, the Armenian service was beautiful. Then, we went to the Refugee Camp. There was quite a discussion about this during group this evening, which I will leave you in suspense. But my own thoughts - I think they need space for healing, but it's hard to do in a different land, separated from family. We can give money, we can offer food, but it doesn't solve the problem of the loss of land. It's more than losing land - it's losing all that you know and grew up with.
This evening has been fun and relaxing. It's been nice to hang out in the lobby with friends, chatting and blogging and laughing.
I'm looking forward to our new adventures.
Peace,
K ><>

Bethlehem

Today was a later day than most. After breakfast and before the church service, several of us went for a walk through Bethlehem. It felt very different from other places we've been. As a woman, I felt less comfortable than I have been since we've been here...some winks, some comments, some looks...However, despite that, I loved walking around the city. We are near the market area and walking through there with so much going on was wonderful. So much going on, so much real life which we haven't gotten to see much of while we've been here. Like in Latin America, the stores are very specialized- some sell only certain kinds of clothes, some sell spices (those smelled sooooo good as we passed by), some seemed to sell only shoelaces, though I think the guys inside were tailors... We wandered somewhat aimlessly for about an hour. It was nice to get out.


The church service was at Christmas Lutheran Church, where Mitri Raheb (who we met last night- my rock star) is pastor. This morning, besides us, there were also guests from Minneapolis and from Germany. Raheb, a German bishop and a German pastor gave the sermon as a sort of dialogue, comparing the current situation in Palestine, with the walls and checkpoints, with the division of Germany during WWII. It was so interesting to listen to them.


After the service, we had lunch and visited the Church of the Nativity. Getting to see the traditional sites of Jesus' birth and the manger was a little frustrating only because we didn't have much time to be there. What was most interesting about the visit was that today is Christmas Eve for the Armenian church. What this meant is that we saw the procession for the beginning of the celebration service. The patriarch came in with great ceremony while there was some incredible singing going on. It was pretty cool to watch.

After that we went to the Deheisheh refugee camp. The camp was begun in 1948, when Palestinians were forced from their land when Israel was created. The man who took us around was born in the camp, as I'm sure many of the current residents were. It has been around a long time. Tha camp challenged all stereotypes about what a refugee camp looks like. It is in the middle of Bethlehem and, had I not known it was a refugee camp, I'd have thought it was a regular part of the city. I don't have time to write everything we learned there, but our journey there led to a lively discussion within our gorup afterwards. I am still processing it all and will try to write about it later...

Others are waiting to use the computer, so I will stop there. More to come...

Peace,
Cory

Bethlehem

This morming we went to worship at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. Mitri Raheb is the pastor and he is an incredible man. He wrote one of the books we read, Bethlehem Besieged, and it was my favorite. I recommend it!! Anyway, we worshiped at his church this morning. It was a very meaningful service for me. The worship service was conducted in Arabic, English, and German. There was a Lutheran bishop with a group of pastors from Germany, a group from Minneapolis, and our group from Louisville in addition to the congregation that worships there. Listening to all those voices singing, saying the Apostle's Creed, and praying the Lord's Prayer in three different languages was an overwhelming experience. I thought it would be hard to top that worship service but then when we went to the Church of the Nativity, we got to experience the Armenian Christmas procession. Today is Armenian Christmas Eve and they had the Armenian patriarch participating in worship today.

Today's worship experiences reminded me that we all worship the Risen Christ, albeit in different ways. As Mitri Raheb reminded us last night, we need to not worry so much about how our worship is different but how much we follow the Risen Christ. Let us follow in his footsteps so that we can transform the world.

Diana Moore

Saturday, January 17, 2009





















Friends, we are currently in Bethlehem getting ready to go to church. We left Qumran yesterday and visited the cave were the Dead Sea scrolls were found. It over look the Dead Sea and it's such a beautiful sight.  I for once mustard the courage and swam in the Dead Sea. It was so salty and even though i knew I would not sink I still was afraid of getting in the water only for a friend John to hold my hand and walk me into it. After I got into it I was okay. As soon as we got out of the water the whole body turn white as the salt dried on our body.

Before Qumran we had been to Herod's palace in Masada. I was not so much afraid of height, taken the rail up there did not bother me. Standing on top of the mountain overlooking the Dead Sea was such a spectacular sight. As much as Christians do not have much connection sends the message that our visit is not solely based on visiting Christians sights alone but absorbing the history of the entire region as much as we can.

Well, there is nothing fancy to talk about of our current hotel after leaving a 5 star hotel in the Jordan valley and coming here this hotel  seems like a 1 star hotel. But the thought that came into view in light of this hotel is that, we have been so fortunate to even have a shower in a comfortable hotel, we have a bed to sleep on, we have to TV to watch and listen to news, and we have been blessed with lights to light our path to our rooms, the people of here most of them do not have it as we had or do have. Driving here there was indications of tents, people living nomads lives, people in the Gaza area who have their lights and water cut off. With this perspective in mind our current situation is admirable. What do we therefore have to complain about, absolutely nothing! 

Today we visit the Church of the Nativity as well as a refuge camp. As I wrote in my previous blog I will send pictures. Now enjoy these pictures from yesterday. 

Meeting a Rock Star..at least in my mind...

So, I enjoyed today for two reasons: We got to float in the Dead Sea and we got to talk to Mitri Raheb (my version of a rock star). We also went to Masada and Qumran, but I'm going to focus on the two things that were highlights for me.

Dead Sea: Walking into the Dead Sea and then lying down in the Dead Sea was quite an experience. When I lay down, I floated as if I were on a swimming pool raft. We were in water that was just a few feet deep, but we were so buoyant that our bodies didn't touch the sea floor unless we put our hands under the water to feel it. We saw some people covering their bodies with Dead Sea mud. We didn't have time to do so... I think what was nice about the experience besides the novelty of it was that it was not intellectual- it was a brain break, an emotional break, just some good fun. After our dip in the sea, we changed into our clothes for heading into Bethlehem, so I was changing into different clothes from the ones I'd arrived in and almost left my shorts, so I had to run back down to the beach. I did find my shorts- yea!

A short serious note about the Dead Sea- it is drying up- we could see how much higher it used to be and some are projecting that it will be completely dried up in 35 years... I'm sure it doesn't help that that there are channels (man-made, if I remember correctly) coming out of it, from which water is desalinated and used...

Now, the rock star! In preparation for the trip we read the book Bethlehem Besieged, by Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor in Bethlehem. It was by far my favorite book from the many that we read. This evening we met and had a conversation with him. Because I loved the book so much, I was very excited to get a chance to meet him face to face (I told him I felt like I was meeting a rock star, too). Our conversation with him was wonderful. I wrote down as much of what he said as I could. The reason I am so enthralled with him is because his congregation is doing so much outreach here in Bethlehem. They have a school, a college, a program to care for the elderly, a Health and Wellness Center. They work to empower people. In a place with very little hope, Mitri Raheb gives me hope. I am looking forward to visiting the various ministries he and his congregation have started...

There were a few things he said (that were not so hopeful) that really stuck out for me. I'll comment on two of them. First of all, this man who lives in the midst of so many horrible things, said that in the past, he used to try to talk to members of the U.S. Congress so that they would understand the Palestinian reality of the Israeli policies our government supports. He said he stopped going to talk to Congress members, because it is hopeless talking to them. It saddened me to hear him say that. He said he hopes we will ask our government to support American values (he specifically mentioned equality, freedom, cooperation, and right ot land ownership) in the world and especially in the whole Holy Land (Israel and Palestine). The other thing he said that stuck out was his opinion of Hamas. He doesn't see Hamas as a terrorist group and said that he feels they can be compared to some groups that Israel would call freedom fighters (unfortunately I don't remember the specifics of who he meant). This was interesting to me and reminded me of being in Colombia. Here is the similarity I see: if we call Hamas terrorists, that changes the way we are involved in the conflict here. In Colombia, after 9/11, the U.S. started referring to the leftist group the FARC as a terrorist group, which had not done pre-9/11. That changed the way the U.S. was involved in Colombia and allowed our government to be more active there militarily. Hmmm...I still want to learn more about what people say here about Hamas, but that similarity in two places where the U.S. is very involved and supportive of the governments is striking to me...

Anyway, I will stop there. Tomorow we will be going to Raheb's parish for the Sunday service and visiting the Church of the Nativity.

Until the next time...

Peace,
Cory

Bethlehem at last!

The first week of our journey has been a week filled with fun, new sights, and revelations as we have had the opportunity to visit the people and the archeologicy of the land of the Bible.

History came alive in Cesarea, Tiberias, Bet She'an National Park, the Masada National Park and the Quam'ran. The Church of the Beatitudes, the Church of the Primacy, the Church of the first feeding of the multitude at Tabgha and other holy sights were meaningful and moving for me as a person of faith.

Traveling to Bethlehem today, I noticed Bedouin tribes, shepherds with their sheep, and the walls in Jerusalem that separate people from one another. The freedom of the Bedouin tribes, sherpherds and sheep, juxtaposed with the confinement of walls that limit mobility for some in Israel reminds me that this is a complex society that needs our prayers. Pray for peace for all the peoples in Israel.

Bethlehem

Today was an exciting day! We started by going to Masada. I was not a huge fan of the heights, but I made it ok! The cable car was the worst, with so many people crammed in a little place, going up the mountain. The view was beautiful. And I didn't know the story beforehand, so that was interesting.
Next, we went to the Qumran caves. This was really neat since I have read so much about Qumran.
The best part was this afternoon when we went to the Dead Sea. It was so much fun to float and just relax!
We then traveled to Bethlehem. I'm not sure what I was expecting.
Hope you are all doing well!
Peace,
K ><>

Friday, January 16, 2009

The West Bank

It seemed like we spent a lot of time on the bus today, but it gave us a bit of a rest.
We started at the Church of the Beattitudes. It was a wonderful church but very touristy. I stopped to reflect for a while, but there was so much going on it was difficult to focus for too long. But it was still a nice experience.
We next traveled to Bet Shaen. I found it interesting that it was "ok" for the Arab towns to be destroyed but the Jewish towns cannot be excavated. There is clearly a preference here.
We then traveled to Hisham's palace from the Umayyid dynasty. Also interesting.
We traveled into the West Bank today. This was a drastic difference. First, the landscape changed. Green mountains to mounds of sand. Plus, the "opulence" disappeared. We also had to go through many check points to get here. It also seems that the towns are more impoverished looking. This is just my immediate impression.
Our hotel, however, is quite different. It is VERY nice. It reminds me of the Shining, thanks to Brandie. It's gorgeous, but pretty empty.
I'm really looking forward to tomorrow - we're supposed to go to the Dead Sea! :)
Peace,
K ><>

From Connie

This morning we left Tiberias and went to the Church of the Beatitudes, still on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. Then on to Beth She'an. We were able to see "No Man's Land" between Israel & Jordan on the way to the West Bank. We also had to go thru an Israeli/Palestanian checkpoint to reach the West Bank.
Tonight we are staying @ the Inter-Continental Hotel in Jericho.
Later, Connie

Friday night

Greetings from Jericho and blessings,
Janice Hilkerbaumer

This is my first attempt to reflect on this trip on our blog and my contributions will probably be infrequent. Our days are so full that I don't think straight by evening. The things we are seeing, the history, the biblical connections, the cultural and political dynamics are almost overwhelming. Yesterday's visits to sights around the Sea of Galilee were especially meaningful and moving. Just being by the water that was such an important place for the livelihood of the disciples and for Jesus' ministry was very special. The archeological sight at Capernaum was another high point.

Today we visited the Mount of the Beatitudes, the amazing ruins of Beth Shean--a Roman City, and Jericho. Tomorrow we'll have time for swimming--really floating--in the Dead Sea and then we'll go to Bethlehem where we will stay for two nights.

The dialogue about the current situation between Israel and the Arab/Palestinian communities is especially poignant as fighting continues in Gaza and we observe the impact on both populations of this long standing conflict.

Blessings to all.

On to the West Bank...

Greetings from Jericho! We are now in the West Bank and it is amazing to me how different things are from where we have visited so far...

This morning we passed by thr archaelogical site of Migdal, which we know as Magdelene. We were told it was the first town Jesus (or any traveler) would have come upon if a person were traveling from Nazareth to the Sea od Galilee. The archaeologist who is doing the excavation is not there, so we only got to see it from the road..

Then we went tothe Church of the Beatitudes, the place from which it is said Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount. Like me, you might think that he spoke from the top of a mountain. However, Jesus actually spoke from a spot that had a shape similar to a theater; he would have stood down low and spoken facing up, so that his voice would be projected better upwards to those listening... Before we entered the church, Elizabeth read Matthew 5, which contains the Sermon on the Mount. So amazing to be standing in that spot hearing that reading. I got particularly teary when she was reading verses 13-16, because it was read by Mary E. at the blessing done for me at Trinity...Around the church, other groups were also reading (I assume) the same passage in several different languages. That was pretty cool...The Church is beauiful, octagonal for the 8 Beatitudes. High up in stained glass windows are each of the Beatitudes written in Latin. After taking my pictures, I sat down to pray, as always with your prayers in my hands. It was extremely moving (though moving does not adequately describe the feeling), as I felt again that I was walking on the same ground where Jesus very likely had walked... The whole lake area is pretty small, so it is easy to imagine Jesus going from place to place, all of the various places we visited over the last few days...

While I was praying, I had my eyes closed and when I opened my eyes and looked up, the window my eyes rested upon was the Beatitude "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." It seemed appropriate that my eyes would fall there, as so many of the prayers I am carrying are for people who are seeking healing and consolation for themselves, loved ones, and our world.

We also visited Beth She'an and Jericho. but I want to focus on our first venture into the West Bank. First of all the landscape quickly changed to very dry and rocky from pretty green. In other places in the West Bank, I am told, it is much greener, but where we have been it is dry and rocky. To get into the West Bank we had to pass through an Israeli checkpoint and a Palestinian checkpoint. Both were simple stops and we got waved on. Of course, it is not so easy for many people, but I'll save that for another day... We saw several sheep and goat herders with their animals out to pasture (I'm not sure what the animals found to eat...). We saw an Israeli settlement from afar, but even from a distance it looked much nicer than many of the Palestinian homes that were near the road. Some of the structures reminded me of the make-shift homes I have seen in Central America...Not so sturdy...The signs were now in Arabic and some times bilingual Arabic and English. Hebrew did not appear so much.

We have only been here a few hours. I know I will be learning much more about the situation and it is because I know I will be learning more about the complex political/cultural/religious (they can't be separated) context that I had this thought: I am sure there are many people who are visiting many of the places I have been and will be visiting who are interested only in visiting the holy sites. That is disturbing to me and quite frankly, it seems irresponsible. At numerous archaelogical sites, we have learned about how politics plays into what and how much gets excavated. How can one ignore the present state of this land? How can a person come here and be so short-sighted as to only look at one tiny sliver of history here? That sliver still plays an important role in life here tolday. These places are full of so much beautiful history, but they are also filled with great violence and suffering in the past and present, in part because of the long history of the interactions between Judasim, Christianity, and Islam.

Being in the West Bank makes me more anxious to hear people's stories. People here and now. Stories are powerful. Jesus told a lot of stories. I wonder how, both during and after this trip, the stories that I know about Jesus and told by Jesus will weave themselves together in my mind with the stories I hear from the people I meet here...

That's all for now.

Peace,
Cory

Cold, Conflicted, Closed Crossing, and Cats- re-posted

The following entry was posted on 1/13 under someone else's name and accidentally got erased, so I am re-posting it. Today's entry will be separate.

I got up this morning and took a walk through Haifa. It was cold, the sun was getting ready to rise when I got up and had risen by the time I finished. When I set off, I had no idea where I was going. My sense of direction is pretty bad, even on a good day, so I was careful to look for landmarks as I was walking. I ended up walking through a residential neighborhood. Nice homes, quiet. A woman was out in her crocks and what looked like pajamas walking her dog. There were a few people out walking, some clearly for exercise, some trying to get somewhere. I wandered through a park with some interesting animal mosaics on the benches. I love mosaics and the park reminded me just a little of Parc Güell in Barcelona- though not nearly as big and not nearly as cool.

Haifa rivals San Francisco in terms of its hills. I went up and down several hills on my walk. Since I stopped running awhile back (always with the intention of starting back tomorrow, next week, etc. and never quite doing it), it felt good to use my muscles. Maybe I’ll actually get a run in while I’m here, tomorrow…or maybe next week…

After the walk, we had our devotional and a nice breakfast. We walked to the Baha’i Shrine. It was beautiful, though I was feeling conflicted about the contrast between the beauty (particularly the vast amounts of water for the grass and other non-native plants in the landscaping) and the resources being used that could perhaps be used elsewhere. Yesterday we had learned about Israeli conflicts with other nations that had begun because of a shortage of and drying up of water in the area, so that idea was rolling around in my head as I looked at the fountains and the plants I mention above. When I brought this is up this evening, someone reminded me that we Catholics don’t have much room to talk about resource usage when we have the incredible riches at the Vatican and so many poor that our social teaching says we should be helping. She was not rude when she made the comment (I’m not sure she knows I’m Catholic), but it was a point well-taken. I think about the issue in my personal life, too. I have so much and I have visited many places where people have so little and yet even seeing that poverty does not prompt me to give as much as I’m sure I could…

After leaving the Baha’i Shrine, we went to Acre, a Crusader fortress. Impressive. What was interesting about it was that the Turks built right over it, not knowing that it was there, it was so covered with dirt and sand. Archaeological digs are still going on… It was interesting to see the work in progress. We also visited the Al-Jazzar mosque. I had never been in a mosque before. It was interesting, quite beautiful. There was a big digital clock on the wall in the front that had not only the current time and date, but the 5 precise times that Muslims should pray today. Claudia (our guide) told us that the prayer times change slightly from day to day. Also, apparently the prayers do not need to be said right at the time of the prayer call, but must be done before the next prayer call happens. We heard one of the calls when we were wandering around Acre.
After Acre, we went to the Israel-Lebanon border. It is a closed border and there is some sort of funky thick mesh over the gate so that you can’t see well into the border-crossing area. There was also a lot of nice barbed wire. We took pictures. There was a soldier watching us from the other side of the gate. Diana, my roommate, told us tonight that she had been at the same border several decades ago…on the Lebanon side…it was a closed border then…it is still a closed border.

Tonight we are staying in a kibbutz. It is very simple, not like the hotels we’ve stayed in so far. This place reminds me of Central America…except it’s a lot colder than most of Central America (except Todos Santos where I lived in Guatemala).

There are lots of cats here…there have been lots of cats everywhere we’ve gone today. Most are pretty friendly, so I’ve been calling them over to pet them and they seem pretty happy to receive the affection. A few are missing bits of ears. The reason became clear when I saw one of the dogs at the kibbutz biting and pulling on one of the cats’ ears. The cat was complaining, but not running away, so I guess they have a strange sort of affection- the dog had been licking the cat earlier. Stray cats seem to pretty common around here. At Acre, I was told I could take the sweet orange kitten that followed us out. I promise (Mom and Dad) I won’t bring one home.
Tomorrow we head to Zippori and then to Nazareth. I am looking forward to Nazareth. We will also be staying in the same hotel (in Tiberias) for two whole nights!

Until the next time…

Peace,
Cory

Friday night from Jericho

Today was a day of contrasts for me. We left Tiberias this morning and went to the Church of the Beatitudes. This was the first morning when we were with a whole crowd of other people. At the sites we've been visiting, we haven't been overwhelmed by people but this morning there were more people than normal. Yet that made it somewhat holy for me. We read the scripture passage on the Beatitudes in English and were surrounded by other groups reading in different languages. It was a beautiful experience. And when I went in this church, tears welled up in my eyes. I'm not certain why but I think part of it was that in this church, I really felt the power of people's prayers. I know that thousands of people have prayed at the other sites we have visited but in this place the urge to just sit and be was overwhelming so I just sat for awhile and prayed. It was an incredibly moving experience for me.

As we left Tiberias, we drove south toward Jericho. And that is where the contrasts came in. The land is very different. This is a much more brown and dry area although there are springs in Jericho. We had to go through checkpoints because we were entering the West Bank - first an Israeli checkpoint and then later an checkpoint controlled by the Palestinian authority. I have learned a lot about this area and I learn more every day I am on this trip. We passed Israeli settlements, surrounded by barbed wire, that are in the midst of Palestinian land, settlements that are lush and green because of the amount of water they get, yet just outside the borders of the settlement, other people don't have access to the same amount of water. We heard someone say on our trip that much of the fight in the land is over water and not over religion. I thought that was an interesting concept and I saw it in action here.

We passed checkpoints; we rode by the no-man's land between Israel and Jordan with mines still in between the fences even though Israel and Jordan have made peace. It reminds you of what a fragile peace exists in this land. On the day earlier in our trip when we visited the Lebanese border, I remembered visiting Lebanon years and years ago and looking over at Israel just as we looked over at Lebanon through a locked border crossing. There were times in the years since I visited Lebanon that the borders were open between Israel and Lebanon but that time is no more. Maybe in some far, far distant past, there was peace in this region and and all the borders were open but that time is no more. This trip has given me a greater awareness of borders and the freedom - or lack of freedom - to cross borders than ever before.

During some of the discussions on this trip we have talked about other borders - the border between the mundane and the holy. The trip has reminded me that the mundane is often holy even if we don't always realize it. And the holy encompasses our whole lives, our whole existence, even though we don't always recognize the holy in our lives either. And in acknowledging the holy in our lives, I am ever reminded that the Holy One is ever present with us as we push against those borders of our lives - borders that make us acknowledge our inadequacies, borders that make us acknowlege our prejudices, borders that make us admit our lack of knowledge. The Holy One is present with us on this trip as we deal with all those borders in our lives and is helping us cross those borders into new and transformed lives.

Diana Moore

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Another on the Move






Hello friends,

It has been so far great and an honarable learning experience. We have been to so many sites and every place we go comes with a great understanding and confirmation of what I believe. We are on our way to Jericho and on our way visit the Mount of Beautitudes, we will also stop be the Roman historical city a Dicapolis. As most of you know I do not write much and would like to let my pictures do the talking for me as it is said "pictures speaks louder than words." 
Enjoy this and see you soon.


Life Lesson for the trip (so far) . . .

I want to apologize to any of my friends if they have been trying to follow the blog for not responding so much for the first few days. It was quite frustrating to not be able to remember my sign in information and then there was the issue of time management of use of the communal laptop. I did bring mine but at some places internet is a little too expensive. Anyway I am writing today and if anyone has been reading the blog knows that Megan likes to come up with little lifes lessons for the day. Well I have come up with my own life lesson for the trip (so far). If nothing else happens on this trip (which I doubt that will be the case) I have learned that land does not hold the same meaning for me as it does for the Israelis and Palestinians.



Coming on this trip to the Holy Land you can imagine the high expectations (premeditated resentments) that I had for myself and my spiritual growth. I had people commenting that I would probably feel holy just stepping of the plane. Well that has not been the case. In my first few days of travel I was feeling disappointed because I wasn't FEELING this overwhelming presence of God in these holy sites. I was disappointed with myself and was beginning to wonder what was wrong with me. Had I made a mistake by coming? So of course I had to analyze the situation. How is it that I feel more spiritual at home in Louisville, Kentucky than I do here in Israel? This is what I came up with - when I am home I am of service. It is being of service that makes me feel the closest to God. I am here in the holy land but I am just sight seeing, I am not being of service. This reminds me of a prayer that I try and pray every morning, it states: I pray that I may not seek pleasure as a goal but that I will be content with the happiness that comes from doing the next right thing.



This was only intensified when we traveled to the Church of the Annunciation. This church sits over the cave (yes, I said cave) that Mary lived in when the angel Gabriel vistied her with the news of her calling. When I looked in the cave it did not evoke any emotion in me whatsoever. It wasn't until I sat down and thought about what may have occured in that space that made it sacred. It wasn't the land itself but the act that gave meaning to that experience for me. Of course I can say this because as an American I don't have to fight to gain land back that was taken from me or arm myself to protect the borders of my home from the threat of Indiana. That is how I put things in perspective for myself. America fights in wars, but they are far away and are completely absent from my own personal experience unless I turn on the news. For the people of Israel, for anyone who lives in Kentucky (sorry Michelle) that is how it is for the people of this land, if we had to defend our borders from Indiana. It is that close for them. That can't escape it - the threat is knocking on their door. So it is easy for me to say that land has no meaning - I haven't had to risk my life for it.



Last thing for now. Yesterday was amazing. We went to the city of Safed and met with Tova who is a woman and an Orthodox Jew. She explained her faith to us and specifically Jewish Kabbalah. Let me just say that Madonna, Demi, and especially Ashton are NOT really practicing Kabbalah. First you have to be at least 40 years old (not Ashton) and it is only after studing the Torah, Midrash, and the Talmund that you can move on to Kabbalah. There are stages one goes through in establishing their relationship with G-d (I will explain) and Kabbalah is the mystical part, the part that we cannot understand but yet we pursue it anyway. So it is only through extensive study and wisdom that one approaches Kabbalahism.



Well I have to get on the bus but I have so much more to share so I will write later. But after yesterdays experience it has only strengthened my desire to be some sort of religious ambassador so please pray that I get into law school. I am fascinated with other religions especially Judaism and Islam. But the bus is waiting. . .
Today I received an email from a friend reminding me of the violence that continues to happen near us, though we have not seen an evidence of it in our travels. Thinking about that has left me unsettled. I am unsettled not because I feel unsafe, but because it is so easy to forget what is going on so close to us as we go to all of these sacred places. As we learn about the various sites, we learn about how these places were fought over, conquered, and reconquered, because they were considered sacred (though that is only a part of the story- it is much more complex). As we learn these details in history, I see more clearly how the religious and political are tied together. I am not sure what to do with that, because I know it is my faith that guides my decisions and I think everyone, being honest, would say the same, whether the faith be religion, science, or some other guiding factors. But I have problems when we are so certain about our faiths that we must prove everyone else wrong.

Thus far we have visited the Baha'i Shrine, a mosque, several synagogues (today), and a number of churches. We have learned about some of the beliefs and practices of the faith traditions, all of which, at their core, are about love, mercy, and compassion. And yet, in the name of these faiths (at least Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), horrible things have been done. The Baha'i faith does not believe in the use of violence for any reason, even self-defense. It is a young religion. It would be interesting to see how it evolves... Anyway, as I consider these 3 large faith communities, I wonder why one MUST be right. What I mean to say is this: Because I am a Catholic, I believe certain things. However, I do not believe I have a monopoly on Truth. I am human, the Catholic Church is made of humans. We do not know it all. Neither do the Jewish people. Neither do Muslims. Neither do agnostic scientists like my brother. I do believe there are some absolutes in the world and in what is right or wrong, but I also think we can learn from each other's traditions and that doing so can enrich our own faith lives. I wonder why it is so hard for people to acknowledge the truth of others' stories sometimes...this line of thought is one that I know I will continue to pursue for a long time...

Before writing about today, let me say that I have been reading your comments. Thanks for reading and commenting. I have been writing your prayer requests as I receive them. Again, I say thank you for putting your trust in me to carry them.

Let me write a little about today. We first went to Safed and with an Orthodox Jewish woman named Tova as our guide, visited 3 synagogues. Tova was well-prepared and gave us some wonderful insights into the Jewish tradition. I am so glad we are getting such a broad view of things here.

We also visited several churches. the Church of the first feeding of the multitudes (where the story of the loaves and fishes is said to have happened, Mt 14, 13-21) and the Church of the Primacy of Peter (where Jesus is said to have appeared to Peter and other disciples and told Peter that he was to "Feed my sheep" and "Follow me," John 21). My favorite place was the Church of the Primacy. There are stairs carved into the rock there that are from the time of Jesus and that very likely are truly, not just traditionally, somewhere Jesus walked. Wow. The rock the stairs are carved from has a lot of little pockets in it and many people have written their prayers and put them in these pockets. I took a blank paper from my prayer box and wrote a prayer which I hope represented the many prayers I am carrying with me. It was a moving experience.

Then I entered the church. Our visit to this particular site was more leisurely visit than others and I happened to walk into the church when no one else was in there. It is a simple church, built upon the rock from which the stairs are carved. I sat and again prayed as I was taking in the rock. As I looked at it, I again felt connected to so many people, from 2000 years ago and on, from the very beginning (that is hard to imagine) who have been at that place. The rock itself looked rather ordinary, but its history makes it amazing. While I was in there, I thought about some reading we had done about some of the holy places and how some people licked places that were holy. When I read that, I didn't really understand wanting to lick something holy, but today I understood that desire to take it in. I did not lick the rock, my American germ-aware sensibilities kicking in, but I did take it in with my hands. I am continually amazed by my own reactions to being here...and we are still early in the trip. What will awe me next? I can't wait to find out...

Until the next time...

Peace,
Cory
HELLO from Connie
Yesterday we started in Zippori (Sepphoris) the most important city in Galilee in 37 B.C.E. Beautiful mosaics, 4500 seat Roman Theater. We visited the Church of the Enunciation then went to a Reinactment of a Nazareth Village, seeing a shepherd tending his goats, the place where they stomped the grapes for making wine, their olive press which they still use today. They waste nothing.....the first press of oil is blessed to be used in the church, the 2nd press is for the home, the 3rd press is to light the lamps & the seeds (hulls) are burned for heat. There was a woman weaving the lamb's wool & a carpenter as in the days of Jesus. We also had a biblical lunch outside with items grown in the village.
Today we started in Safed, city of the origin of Jewish Kabbalah, went to Capernaum to the house where Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. Had lunch of "St Peter's" fish, caught in the Sea of Galilee in a Lebanese Restaurant.
It was a full day, but a very good day.
Later, Connie

Capernaum and More...

I think I had more of a "spiritual" experience today. No "a-ha" moments - just a general feeling of the presence of God. I realize God is around all the time, but those moments when I truly can feel it and appreciate it are the times I cherish most.
We started the day by going to Sephad and learning about Judaism and Kabalah. This was absolutely wonderful. As I've mentioned before, I love world religions, so this was right up my alley. Our guide, Tova, was wonderful, and I enjoyed hearing her thoughts and opinions.
This afternoon we went to some churches. They were nice, but I really was moved at the place where it is thought that Peter lived, which was right next to the synagogue it is thought that Jesus attended. Jesus may not have walked there, but that doesn't matter to me. To be standing in the synagogue, it was very meaningful for me. I stepped out the door that was distinguished for the women, and sort of imagined what it would have been like to be a first century Jewish woman. I thought of what Mary's life must have been like. How wonderfully awesome and scary it must have been to have been approached by an angel of God.
Today was a peaceful day. I had plenty of time for meditation and didn't feel rushed around. I began the day with watching the sun rise over the Sea of Galilee, and it was wonderful. It reminded me of times spent on the beach with family, sipping coffee and enjoying the sea breeze. It was a great way to start the day.
As I sit and watch the news, I see all the horrible tragedies happening in Gaza. While we don't see the tragedy here, people are talking about it, and we know it's going on. We continually pray for peace, whatever that may look like, because I do not think we can fathom it in our infinite minds, but trust that God will create peace in a way we cannot imagine.
Peace,
K ><>

Along the Sea of Galilee

Today we went to the site where Jesus appeared to the disciples after the resurrection. (John 21). I could see that. I could feel that. I could imagine Jesus standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee telling the disciples to throw down their nets - and they come up with a net full of fish. I could just imagine them around a charcoal fire right next to the sea and being amazed that this was the Messiah who had been crucified yet was here among them. It was a very powerful moment. And then we went to Capernum and saw the house of Peter and the synagogue where Jesus preached. The foundation of the excavated synagogue was there in the time of Jesus. It was amazing and very awe-inspiring.

The thought for the day for me came from an Orthodox Jewish woman who showed us around Safet, a town of Jewish learning and schools. "We are always in the presence of God." Just the way she said it was a good reminder that our lives are always open to God no matter how much we try to hide our inner lives from others and from ourselves.

Please continue to pray for the people of this land. There are still many divisions among the people here.

Diana Moore

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Yea! I have figured out how to log on to my account. It only took me four days to do. But now it is late and I am tired so I am not going to say anything at this time. Plus Megan has pretty much said it all, although I do not endorse all her views she outlines the day rather well and with humor. So I will add my own two cents tomorrow.

Tiberias

There is a breeze blowing off the Sea of Galilee. In fact, there has been a steady breeze all day today. Our guide says it may bring rain. We've had such sunny weather so far. No rain except the night we arrived. It's been good to have sunshine since we've been trooping up and down rocky paths as we visit excavated ruins. It would certainly be more challenging in the rain!
You realize you are in an ancient land when you can see the marks of the chariot wheels on the Cardo, the main street in Sepphoris (I'm not certain about that spelling). Mosiacs of Roman mythology exposed to the sun - and tourists. A city lost - and now found again.
Caves that people in Nazareth once lived in. Some lost. Some found. Mary's place, the place of the annunciation, a cave. Not the building we all envisioned as children.
That is what we find - places once lost are now found again. Yet, it is not just places that are found. We find ourselves when we visit these places. They call to us in ways we did not anticipate. They confuse us in ways we can't explain. They challenge us to see with new eyes, to hear the stories with new ears, to examine our faith with new information.

Diana Moore

No alliteration today

I decided not to try to be clever with my title today. I'm a bit tired. It's been a great day. For the next couple of nights we're staying in Tiberias and our hotel is right next to the Sea of Galilee. We all have views of the lake (it's not actually a sea) and I think we'll sleep well tonight with the sound of the waves so close...

Today I want to focus on our visit to the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. The church is beautiful, with pieces of art (many of which are mosaics and I LOVE mosaics) from every country in the world. The catholic part of the Catholic faith made sense there- I could see it in the diversity of the artwork. Underneath the church is the shrine with the cave where it is said that Mary received the message and said YES! to God about becoming the mother of Jesus. I think what moved me even more than seeing the actual cave was just being there, where so many people had gone before me, and knowing that I was a part of something so much bigger than myself. I took out the necklace with a pendant of Mary blessed by Pope John Paul II that Betsy gave me before I left to wear throughout the trip and I took out the box with prayers and was overwhelmed by the emotion and the connection I felt from the past, in the present, and leading into the future...Amazing doesn't begin to explain it.

On a lighter note (actually a potentially heavier note), the food here has been terrific. We have hummus (one of my all-time favorite foods!) at every lunch and dinner and so many wonderful vegetable choices. Yum, yum, yum! I could eat this food all the time...maybe I need to keep the Mediterranean diet in mind when I plant my garden this spring...

Before signing off, let me thank you all who are reading and who have responded to what I've posted. It's nice to know you are sharing this with me. Signing off for now. Others are waiting to write. More to come...

Peace,
Cory

Tiberias....

If I ever decide to move here, I think I could make a living as a hotel porter. Megan and I successfully loaded up the bus with Cory and the help of others and the bus driver asked if we had previous experience. Clearly we're professionals :)
We left the Kibbutz and went to Zippori. It was interesting to see and wander around a bit. But my favorite part of the day was going into Nazareth to see the Church of the Annunciation. First, we were rerouted by someone at the church, then when a few of us got inside, the man at the other gate argued with oru guide, Claudia, and tried to lock the other members of the group out of the church. Trisha and Claudia stepped up, and no one was left behind.
The church was gorgeous. So many paintings and depictions of Mary from all around the world. I loved it. Before coming here, I told someone that I felt that Advent was leading up to this trip - preparing me for the journey. I see it more clearly now. I preached in December on the Annunciation and to be at the church was very meaningful for me. I feel Protestants don't talk about Mary enough, and this was a beautiful place for Protesants to be. We also saw some examples of caves that first century people lived in. While this was interesting, and I am not so positive that it was the EXACT place of the annunciation, I still felt very spiritually connected to the place. It was beautiful.
Next, we went to Nazareth Village for an authentic first century meal. It was delicious, and there was HUMMUS. (We even had hummus for breakfast - they even had to go containers - now I have an emergency supply!). The tour of Nazareth Village was not my favorite. Some of it was way too touristy. I am glad I went, but I felt uncomfortable there. I have been sitting in that discomfort and trying to figure out why. It challenged me.
We are now in Tiberias. We have a fabulous view! :) I can see the Sea of Galilee from my balcony.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Maybe tonight I can actually get some sleep....I stayed up laughing too late last night, but it was worth it!
Peace to you all,
K ><>

Western and Central Galile - January 14, 2009

Wednesday, January 13


What a day! We began our day at the Kibbutz Hotel where we spent the night in Gesher Hazir near Nahariyah. Today we headed out to Western and Central Galilee after devotions and a hearty breakfast.


We visted excavation sites in Zippori where Joseph the carpenter may have traded and where a synagoue was discovered from the period of the Roman occupation. We visited two sites where Mary may have received the news of the Annunciation from the angel Gabriel, and the Church of the Annunciation. We lunched at Nazaeth Village, a recreation of first century Nazareth. There was a stunning view of Mt. Tabor from the Cliff of Arbel, and other sites as we wound our way toward the Ron Beach hotel in Tiberias.


This has been a day to remember!


We got up at 6:30 at the kibbutz this am when Trisha Tull knocked and said "Good morning, Brandie and Maryann" There were no phones in the rooms so Trisha became a full service guide. The kibbutz was interesting. No longer used as such, it is more a traveler's hostel. There were cats everywhere that were really friendly and several dogs as well. I have been eating humus at every meal (a food I have shunned in the past but I nnw love it). Connisseurs say that it's more pure here.

We traveled to Zippori Park where there is an old synagogue that has been partially restored. It had mosaics on the floor that were beautiful. The closer you walked near to where the Torah was read the more biblical were the stories told by the mosaics. There was a long walk to get up to that site and with all the walking I have been doing, I'm either going to be stronger when I return to Louisville or dead.

We drove in the very comfortable bus with Talib as the able driver down narrow paths that a lesser person wouldn't fear to tread. Our guide, Claudia, is an Arab Christian with an extensive knowledge of the sites we visit. Apparently other folks (who are locals) have commented on the great explanations she gives. There are other guides who are not as knowledgeable and spout all
sorts of untruths.

We then went to Nazareth to see actual digs. Good archeologists will not just destroy upper layers because they have a particular period they are searching for. You can therefore see layers from the time of Jesus, as well as the Byzantine, Roman, and other periods, as well.
We left the actual digs and saw the Church of the Annunciation which is lovely but only a traditonal site not necessarily the actual one. We saw a museum in the Basilica with pottery from the time of David. More walking back to the bus. With narrow streets the bus can't always be right where I would want it to be. We went to Nazareth village next. This is a modern village set up to look like it would in Jesus' time. The area is rocky and there are shepherds abiding in the fields and actual donkeys and sheep and goats and lots of olive and grape trees. We were
shown how olive oil was made in a real, ancient press. Another gentleman showed us how he cut wood with an ancient saw and Yohan helped him. We had lunch at this place and were feed an ancient meal. the flat bread was warm and delicious. Dessert was apple slices with fig jelly which I surprised myself by loving.

We are now in Tiberius at the Ron Beach Hotel which is right on the Sea of Galilee. I am looking out my room window while I blog watching sea gulls floating above the sea. We we'll be here two days which is a blessing because we won't have to pack up our stuff for the umpteen millionth time. I intend to have some quiet time here for meditation because so far we have moved at a fast clip and it has been hard to really be contemplative. Hi Family, Portland church, friends at New Goshen, et al.