Tuesday morning

This was our free morning. We split up into several groups and had people from each group write about their experiences. First from Shari Breiland...

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It was a beautiful sunny morning in Jerusalem and our group of 6 (Matt, Cathy, Sarah, Joyce and I) set out to the Old City to do the Rampart Walk up on the city walls. It was interesting to see the local people starting their day and merchants opening up their shops as we made our way through the Old City of Jerusalem to start the Rampart Walk at the Jaffa Gate.
The view from the top of the walls was great and we got a birds-eye view of some of the sights we had visited over the past couple of days...the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, and the skull of Golgotha, to name a few.
The morning exercise felt great before we made our way to the southern tip of Israel.

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Next from a small group of ours that went to Bethlehem for the free morning:

Today was our free morning in Israel. We visited Bethlehem last Saturday, but were under time constraints and unable to wait for 2 hours in the Church of the Nativity to enter the grotto beneath the church. This is the traditional location where Jesus was born, and where his mother, Mary, laid him in the manger. While I understood that we didn't have the time, my heart felt heavy to have come all this way, and not to visit this Holy place. So our tour guide, Elie, arranged for a car and driver to take us to Bethlehem today. I was joined by Monica and Arlen Simon, and Dee Larson. Our driver, Mahmoud, was prompt, and we easily traveled through the check points on our way to Bethlehem. We drove through Shepherd's Fields, and were dropped off right in Manger Square in front of the church. We went inside of the church, and were told that it was closed for 1 hour. We had prearranged our pick-up time, and only had 1 hour to accomplish our mission. The guard was emphatic--closed for 1 hour. The other guard must have sensed our dismay, because he asked us if it was just the four of us. We nodded, and he motioned us to come with him. He directed us to join a tour group who must have made prior arrangements, and we made our way into the cave. "Quickly, quickly, faster!" we heard from the Tour Guide. We started to hurry along as well, and our friendly guard stopped us at the steps and said, "No. You stay." So the four of us had at least 5 minutes alone in the cave where it is believed that Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, was born. My heart is full. I am so glad that we went, and I will never forget those moments as long as I live. (Written by Susan Degner)

(Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem)

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Finally, from our group who went shopping!! ...from Susan Zelewski
Today a small group of us returned to the Old City in Jerusalem for shopping. It was a wonderful to get to experience the Old City early in the morning prior to the arrival of all the pilgrims and tour groups.
The narrow streets were quiet and even dark in spots. Just a few local residents were out beginning their days and many times the only places open were markets selling fresh fruits, veggies and fresh baked bread and a couple of grocery stores.
It was amazing to get to clearly see areas along the Via Dolorosa. We had only glanced the day before due to the crowds.
As the souvenir shops opened, our group of 7 found a great store run by the Barakat brothers. From silver cross necklaces to olive wood figurines, music boxes and Nativity sets. These were lots of great finds.
Good thing we had Van along to serve as master negotiator. He brokered some great deals. We each had our own shopping agendas and all completed.
The next stop was a spice shop (also run by the brothers) where we found local spices to buy. On our return to the hotel, we stopped at a local candy store and then bought rings of bread covered in sesame seeds with local spices to sprinkle on top for later in the day.

Not only did we enjoy a wonderful morning of shopping, but we were also lucky enough to experience e early morning Old Jerusalem.

...the rest of everyone simply laid low at the hotel (Pastor Troy included!!). And it was tremendously enjoyable - a worthy breather during this full trip!! It was a beautiful morning!!

Date: Monday, February 13

Author: Darla Sheldon

What a privilege to be on this trip and to be able to write this blog on my 66th birthday! Our day began with a 5:45 a.m. wake up call, another breakfast fit for a king (probably a chubby one :) ), and on the bus by 7 a.m. for a very full day. Here was our itinerary: 1) Temple Mount - considered the holiest place in the Jewish faith because it was where King Solomon and. Later Ezra and Nehemiah built the Temples. Today, however, it is the location of the Dome of the Rock mosque which is so visible in most pictures of Jerusalem. The Temple Mount is under Muslim control, but Israeli security. We all had to go through security (just like at the airports). We could not wear a visible cross, we had to wear modest clothing, we could not have food. Soldiers were visible everywhere because there had been an incident yesterday where they had to shut everything down. Today was peaceful. 2) Walked the Via Dolorosa and visited the stations of the cross leading to the crucifixion and Jesus being put in the tomb.

3) The Church of the Holy Sepulchre which contains stations #10-14, the rock of Golgotha and the tomb of Jesus. 4) The ancient Roman cardio street of shops and ancient ruins 5) Israel Museum with a fascinating 1/50th scale model of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus.

6) Garden Tomb which is a new site found more recently and run by Christians. They believed the exact place is not known, but said the place is not to be revered but what happened there is the most important -- Jesus died for our sins. 7) The bus took us to our hotel for an awesome banquet again

PLUS a special chocolate ice cream cake to share with all for my birthday! Highlight of my day: my husband buying me a beautiful olive wood nativity set for my birthday!

My thoughts for today: The unrest of all the different sectors of people here in Israel makes me appreciate our country and all it's flaws. We live in the greatest country.

Written by Darla Sheldon on her birthday!!

Day 9 ( already?!)

Our first site on this day was Masada. Another of Herod's palaces. The palace is built on the top of a mountain with all of the amenities of a 5 star hotel, steam baths, a pool, bath houses, a synagogue, and a church for monks who lived there for a time. The steam baths utilized a raised floor and a system of clay tubes in the walls to distribute the steam throughout the room. Hot water was poured in from the outside by a group of dedicated employees:)
The labor to build a site like this is unbelievable, and with the added extravagances makes it even more so.
We also took time here to have a small worship and reflect on the trip thus far. We said prayers for friends and family at home and sang "Be Thou My Vision".
The trip up was either by cable car, or a moderately difficult hiking trail called the snake path the climb was about 1100 ft (900 ft below sea level at the bottom to 200 ft above sea level at the top).
We misplaced Van Larson for a bit but discovered him safe and sound at the bottom. (he discovered a McDonalds restaurant at the visitors center so he was a pretty popular guy with a group tiring of falafels)
Our next stop was at Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. The site is not as developed as the others we have seen, but still a must see if your in the neighborhood.
The story is that a young Bedouin goatherd discovered the site by accident, our guide disagrees with this discovery and tells a less romantic version. Whatever...sometimes the fiction is better than the facts.
Our third and final stop,of the day was at the Dead Sea. At 1300+ feet below sea level it is the lowest dry land on earth. As you drive by you can see where the lake was at one time, and through evaporation and low rainfall it is steadily receding.
About half of the group chose to float in the sea. And if you chose to swim, you should also take advantage of local mud and apply it to your skin for a mud bath. Shortly after arriving 14 somewhat pale Scandinavian/Germans were covered in mud and loving it. The trick was to get clean afterward, the mud was rather sticky and took some scrubbing to get off (I think Pastor Troy was still wearing some at dinner). It was a great day, the weather cooperated and we are seeing and learning much.

Submitted by Jay
(miss you Emily, Karl, and T-bone)

A unique and thought-provoking day in our journey

Today was a day of listening, learning, and feeling the tensions that simmer so close to the surface of this beautiful and holy land. We heard statistics and stories that left many of us saddened, perplexed and wanting to know more.We came to see that for people on both sides of the issues, and for many complex reasons, the desire for peace is matched by the passion of their convictions. There are no easy answers or simple solutions.There is, however, hope, which is expressed by everyone.Hope is present in abundance at Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem where we began our day. Reverend Mark Brown, regional representative of the Lutheran World Federation Jerusalem Program, talked about the plight of the Palestinians and their need for health care. Established as a major medical facility in 1948, it became a haven for Palestinian refugees from the West Bank and Gaza. Today it's known for specialty departments in areas such as cancer and diabetes. It operates with assistance from a number of countries and organizations, including the U.S. and the ELCA.Last year, the U.S. provided $5.5 million for a top of the line radiation machine that provides treatment for more curative and complicated cases and treatment. And some of those school kits, health kits, blankets and quilts organized or made by Calvary members in Grand Forks make their way here.

Caption 1: Pastors Troy, Mark and Sarah pose with a card made by Calvary kids during the children's sermon. We also presented the Hospital with more than $2,000, raised mostly through the noisy offering.Then we boarded the bus for Bethlehem where we met our Palestinian Christian guide, Husan, who took us to the International Center, where we learned about Diyar, a program that provides cultural and recreational activities, education, health and wellness programs and counseling for Palestinian youth. Caption 2: A Deacon from the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church talked about the plight of the Palestinians and the challenges of being a Christian in an Islamic land, while at the same time facing various Israeli government restrictions.

Despite efforts to keep Christians in the communities, numbers have fallen and only about 10,000 remain.After that, it was time for a bit of sightseeing. We made our way through the colorful, crowded streets of Bethlehem to the Church of the Nativity. A two-hour wait kept us from seeing the grotto where Christ was said to have been born, but we had a special treat at our next stop, Shepherd's Field. This is where an angel appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus. As we were singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing in a lovely chapel, we were joined by a group of Canadians who added their voices to the choir. The results were quite impressive!Caption : The lively streets of Bethlehem.


Last on our tour was a visit to a Palestinian refugee camp near the Israeli security wall erected about 10 years ago. We got an up-close look at the wall, which separates Bethlehem from an Israeli settlement. We walked through the camp, which is actually a series of buildings, not huts or tents as some of us might have expected. It's been a camp since 1948 so it's likely to have evolved over time.

As we left Bethlehem, we passed through a check-point where two young, smiling, armed Israeli guards boarded our bus and did a security walk-though. At the end of the day, we all had a lot to digest and think about.

Our First Day in Jerusalem

Yes, I rode a camel yesterday – in Jericho! …in case there is any question (see the blog from Feb 9 for that). When an opportunity such as this presents itself, one shouldn’t pass it up! What a hoot!!

We arrived in Jerusalem last night and checked into a beautiful hotel. At 8am this morning we were on the bus heading for the sights of historic Jerusalem. We started high above the city, looking out at the Dome of the Rock (which was located on the very site of the temple in Jesus’ day), the Golden Gate (where Jesus entered Jerusalem; it is now closed), an ancient city to the east of the city where there is a very large Jewish cemetery, and the old eastern wall of Jerusalem. It was rainy and cool, so with umbrellas in hand we made our way down into the Kidron Valley over very rough terrain and questionable stairways for Don(!). He’s been a trooper and refuses to miss out on anything. So far, so good!! We descended down from the Mt. of Olives to the Church of Agony, in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed before he was arrested.

(Two pics: Sherry Burg, Joyce Wicklund, and Sarah & Jay Raymond hiking the traditional route of Jesus' Triumphal Entry, from the Mt. of Olives down into the Kidron Valley; second pic: Don Anderson & Shawn Bubb doing the same)

We spent time at the Church of St. Peter on the slope of Mt. Zion where Peter denied Jesus three times. Then we also visited King David’s tomb, and the Upper Room – known as the location of the Last Supper.

Extra curricular standouts include:

·         A donkey kissed Jay Raymond (smack)!
·         A strike of sanitation workers - whew, the smell!
·         A farmers’ market with luscious fruit, vegetables, and very big fish (displayed in open air).
·          A real dungeon deep in the bowels of the city
·         Clean bathrooms!!!!
·         A large Korean choir that appeared out of nowhere in the Church of St. Anne and sang Amazing Grace in Korean. They were a real delight and sounded like angels!

We didn’t finish exploring the whole city, but we’re going to continue on another day – there is just so much to see!! (pic: walking through the Old City of Jerusalem; group members Don Anderson, Monica Simon, Sharon bubb, Joan Johnson, Dean Wieland, Jay Raymond)

Written by Ellen (& Don) Anderson

The Road to Jerusalem

Our first stop was Mt. Tabor: rising 1800 feet above sea level is this traditional site of the Transfiguration of Jesus. We had 19 brave walkers up the hill, who huffed and puffed and made it to the top (although the other 9 riders had to be a little brave to ride the taxi too!). We had a short worship service at the Church of the Transfiguration, and during the prayer Sarah said something to the effect that "we are still pinching ourselves" as we realize we are really here, really in Israel!

Our second stop was the "Harod Spring," which bubbles up from the Gideon Cave at the foot of Mt. Gilboa - the site where Gideon's soldiers were tired and were selected for the war against the Midianites.

Next we had lunch and time visiting Bet She'an National Park in which we walked among the ruins from the late Canaanite period (Egyptian period, 1450-1150 B.C.), later taken by King David and destroyed in 732 B.C. and built upon again and again until being devastated by a severe earthquake in 749 A.D.

Then we drove by Jericho, stopped at a rest area and Jay Raymond, Joyce Wicklund got $1 camel rides, but later Ellen Anderson, Darla Sheldon, Mary Schieve, and Monica Simon had to pay $5 (quite an inflation rate!). Who knew, camel rides at the gas station/convenience store!!

Then we passed by the "old" Jerusalem-to-Jericho road, featured in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Then we arrived in Jerusalem, checked into our rooms at the Grand court Hotel, feasted, and are going to be ready for another unbelievable day on our journey in the Holy Land.

Written by Sharon & Shawn Bubb

North of Galilee

Today Feb 8.  Our first stop was on the eastern side of Galilea at Kursi.  We saw the miracle where Jesus drove demons from the man who was possessed.  We visited an excavated church site. Interesting, there are many wild animals of prey who roam the site. From then onward to route #20 northeast, onward toward the border between Israel and Syria. Today was pleasant, but we remember the tensions of war between those two countries. We understand that only 30 or so miles away, there was conflict recently, in the city of Damascus - though we would know none of that, aside from the news! (Photo at right: looking from Israel into Syria).

(Two pictures above: at Caesarea Philippi)
We saw many acres of citrus, apple, and plum trees, plus many acres of grapevines. God has blessed this area with an abundance of healthy food. On highway 90 we drove through the majestic Jordan Valley, and it looks in some parts to be growing rocks! We also saw snow on the top of Mt. Hermon - the tallest mountain Israel. In the area of Dan, we walked through excavated ruins. At Caesarea Philippi, we hiked some around the area. It was here that Jesus asked Peter who Jesus was; and Peter answered: "You are the Christ, the Son of God" (Matt 16). On our way back, we stopped at the site where the River Jordan comes out from the Sea of Galilee. There we had a remembrance of baptism service, for those who chose to do so, along with confession of sin and prayer and songs for all. It was a beautiful day to be walking on God's great earth.

(Top pic: Jay Raymond, Sharon Bubb, & Susan Zelewski taking a wade in the Jordan River)

Written by Mae (& Dean) Wieland