Joey woke very early because it was the day of the big parade. He got to sleep overnight with Grandpa and Grandma so he could be ready with Grandpa. After a breakfast of cereal and pancakes, Joey went upstairs to see if his Grandpa was ready. In his entire five years of life he had never seen Grandpa wear such funny clothes.
He called out to Grandpa, “Hey, that’s a silly costume! Are we going trick or treating? I could dress like a pirate!”
His Grandpa laughed and asked Joey to sit on the big chair in the bedroom as the elderly man stood in front of the full length mirror. He already had a pair of olive drab pants on, along with a shirt of similar color. He wore tall boots laced tightly to the top. He had been trying on his jacket when Joey entered the room.
Joey began to ask questions about Grandpa’s clothes. He noticed the shoulder sleeve picture sewn on to the jacket. “Why is there a bird picture on your jacket?” His Grandpa pulled up a chair next to Joey and looked like he was really happy that Joey was interested.
“Oh, this is a picture of an eagle. Remember that big bird we saw soaring over our heads when we went fishing up north last summer? This one is actually called a screaming eagle. Sometimes the eagle will make a loud noise that sounds like a scream before it dives from the sky to catch a fish in the water. A long time ago I wore this jacket with this picture on it when I had to jump from the sky out of a plane in the middle of the night.”
Joey’s eyes opened wide as he heard this, “You mean that you flew through the air over houses just like Santa Claus?”
Grandpa smiled and replied, “No, but there was a time just before Christmas in 1944 when I had to jump as a paratrooper over Belgium in Europe. I was in the 101st Airborne Division and we were known as the “Screaming Eagles” because of how we jumped into battle.”
“That must have been fun!” Joey exclaimed.
“Well, I can tell you that it was fun when we were just practicing. But I was very scared that night because I thought that I might have to die in the battle.”
“I am glad that you didn’t die, Grandpa!” said Joey as he climbed on Grandpa’s lap and hugged him.
As Grandpa put his helmet on, he continued with his story, “We were fighting an important battle called the “Battle of the Bulge”. For a while we were surrounded by Hitler’s army and it didn’t look good but we held our ground until General Patton broke through with his men.
Joey looked up at his Grandpa and replied, “Mom says that Daddy is fighting the battle of the bulge and that’s why his clothes don’t fit.”
Grandpa laughed at that comment, “No, Joey, this battle was about a bad man who had his army trying to take control of a country and they killed lots of nice people to do it.”
As Joey hugged his Grandpa again he noticed that there were lots of spots on the sleeve of Grandpa’s jacket. “Grandpa, your jacket looks like it is dirty. Can’t Grandma wash it for you before the parade?”
Grandpa paused before he spoke and Joey noticed that his Grandpa wasn’t smiling any more and that there were some tears in his eyes. “Joey, I will never wash away those spots. Those are from blood that was shed by a dear friend of mine who was shot during that battle. His blood got on my jacket as I pulled him behind a mound of dirt.”
Joey offered a suggestion, “Aren’t you supposed to put a band aid on when you bleed? That’s what Mommy does for me when I fall down.”
“Joey, I couldn’t have found a band aid big enough to cover where it was bleeding. My friend died from being shot and I will never wash his blood from my jacket. I will always remember what he did and how he died so that nice people could be free from a bad man like Adolf Hitler.”
Joey jumped off Grandpa’s lap and brought the tissue box from Grandma’s side of the bed. Grandpa blew his nose and rubbed the hair on the top of Joey’s head.
“Hey, Grandpa, in Sunday School my teacher said that Jesus had to bleed. She said that because he died on the cross we will be free. Isn’t that kind of the same thing that your friend did?”
“You know, Joey, my friend did a very brave thing. In fact there were 580 men from our regiment that were killed, captured or wounded in that terrible battle. That’s why those of us who are still alive are marching in the parade today. We want to remind people of the high price paid for their freedom. We want them to remember how many people died for them. That’s why you get to ride on the big wagon in the parade with other grandchildren and great grandchildren. There will be a big sign on the wagon that will say, “We did it for them.” Do you remember how to salute just like I taught you?”
Joey stood straight and gave as good of a salute that his Grandpa could expect from a five year old.
Grandpa saluted back at him. “Joey, I am glad to hear what you learned in Sunday School. Jesus had to fight a bigger battle than what we ever did. He had to fight against the devil and all the sin that the devil brought into our world. Many people were captured by the devil and needed to be set free from their sinful ways. Many people had forgotten about God and did bad things to other people. When Jesus died, we call that day “Good Friday” because it was good for all people of all time. All people who are sorry for their sins and believe that Jesus died for them are free now to follow him all the way to heaven.”
Joey smiled at his Grandpa, “Somebody should carry a sign in the parade that says, ‘Jesus did it for you’!”
Grandpa stood and picked Joey up into his arms as they headed downstairs. “That’s a good idea, Joey! That’s a message that everyone at the parade needs to hear.”
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Travel Blog from our recent trip to Israel
June 29
Leaving home can always be an emotional experience. We paused in the car in our driveway to ask for God’s blessings and safety for the next twelve days. We had waited so long for this experience and for a short time we had wondered if we could even go with Roberta’s back problems. We had gone on enough trips in the past but there were special emotions about this one. For us that usually meant saying good bye for a time to our children but since they are all so far away the good byes this time were to our two little dogs, Sunday and Waldi, who have captured our hearts in their short lives. Our concerns are greatest for Waldi since he seems to be the one with the most fears socially with other dogs and with loud noises. But we left them in capable hands at a brand new kennel.
Our trip out of Chicago O’Hare was right on schedule. The ticket clerk was a young man who was a native of Poland, Leschek, and I engaged him in a brief conversation regarding the homeland of my ancestors. We spoke a few Polish phrases and he commented on the meaning of our last name, staff, in Polish. When I asked him for an aisle seat for Roberta, he said he would put in a note for the clerk at the gate. We met with Chris and Joyce from Alsip, Illinois at our gate and we were pleasantly surprised when our name was called and we received an upgrade to a premium coach status. Thank you Leschek! As we waited at the gate another flight departed from that same place headed for Mumbai, India by way of Air India. We were surprised how some of the airport personnel physically herded them like sheep through the gate. When our flight to London was called, no one treated our fellow passengers in that way.
We flew British Airways and the premium status gave us seats like we had experienced in the past with Midwest Airlines. They give each passenger a little gift pouch with sleeping blinds, a fresh pair of socks, a pen, and a toothbrush. We had headphones for the TV and audio. The British have some special innovations on their planes. The life jacket has a whistle and a light. They must have watched the end of the movie Titanic! I set my watch ahead immediately by six hours for the time in London. Add to that the eight hours for the flight and we were facing serious jet lag. Because our body clocks were still on Wisconsin time it was hard to sleep much at all on the plane even though it took us through the night. I watched two movies and slept about 45 minutes. Being a map aficionado, I enjoyed following our progress across the Atlantic on the TV screen imbedded in the seat in front of me. The nearly full moon rose and glimmered through the clear night over the Atlantic. My book that I chose for the trip is one that connected me to Cana as she is spending her summer in India. It’s called “Dreaming in Hindi”. It is a memoir of the year that the author spent in Udaipur, India from September of 2001 to summer of 2002. The author’s basic discovery is how becoming immersed in a foreign language and culture opens our minds to fresh perspectives on our life and how we relate to others. It is a difficult read in that she often digresses to include research she has done on the subject.
June 30
We landed at Heathrow in the morning. The security protocol at London’s Heathrow Airport was confusing for us. We left the plane and took a bus to the terminal where we waited for a long time in several lines, each time producing our passports. There was a scary moment when we reached the top of a long escalator ride only to be held up by a line that wasn’t moving. The escalator kept pushing people up and one man shouted from behind us and even pushed. I feared that a panic and trampling would ensue. But the people in front moved enough to give us space. We only had a two hour layover so our waiting in lines took up most of it. We met more members of our group, John from Austin, Texas, and Joel and Laura from Mexico, Missouri. We have spent the last four years with this group at our various Pastoral Leadership events so it is comforting to face this adventure with them.
As our plane taxied out to depart, I chatted with a fascinating man in the seat next to me who was French and traveled periodically to Tel Aviv on business. He was a Free Mason by what he was reading. We both slept a little more on this part of the trip even though it was during daylight hours. The second leg of our trip, again on British Airways, took us from London to Tel Aviv, about a six hour flight that carried us over Europe and the Mediterranean.
We had been prepared for our entrance into Israel by several sets of advice on what to say and not say to the people at border check. All of our fears were for naught. The woman who looked at our passports asked what our purpose was and I explained about it and that our group was all in the ministry. She teased me that since I wasn’t wearing my clerical collar, I should be more in a vacation spirit. No one looked at our luggage and no other paperwork was required. Our luggage all arrived safely and we met the rest of our group, Bill and Deb, from Indianapolis and Phil and Jay from Atascadero, California.
We traveled the 90 minute ride from Tel Aviv to Bethlehem in a nearly new van driven by a Christian Arab, who appeared to be in his late twenties and talked about his upcoming marriage. I noticed that he had a rosary dangling from the interior rear view mirror. He spoke as he drove and we were able to get a glimpse at the convoluted situation, politically and socially, in Israel and the West Bank. One of the surprising things that he shared was how in Israel there are people who are Jewish, Messianic Jews, Arab Christians and Arab Muslims and they are all considered to be Israelis. Of course, most are Jewish, but many of them are what we might call secular Jews in that they do not live out their faith through worship practices, diet, and adherence to Jewish ceremonial laws. The Holy Land is a very divided land with Israel in control but the Palestinian authorities have limited rule over about half of the land. In what is called the West Bank there are also the same basic divisions of people as in Israel but the Muslims are in the majority.
Our ride from the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv took us through Jerusalem. This land is way more hilly and mountainous than I had ever imagined and to think that Jesus walked wherever He went! The city of Jerusalem is very modern outside of its old city marked by ancient walls. There is a curious juxtaposition of old and new wherever we look. Our plans are to come back to Jerusalem the following week after we complete our mission goals in Bethlehem.
Our first impressions of Bethlehem were about the wall. A 25 foot high concrete wall separates Israel from the Palestinian territory. The Israel side of the wall is clean grey concrete giving the impression of the entrance to a prison. Having done prison ministry in most of the Wisconsin Correctional Institutions, this was not a new experience for me but I was fully aware of the fact that on the other side were people living who had committed no crime.
The wall is relatively new, having been erected in November of 2005 because of numerous issues with terrorist attacks in Jerusalem. The wall itself is four times the length of the old Berlin Wall that separated the east from the West. Beyond the concrete section of the wall a razor wire fence carries the separation for many miles into the countryside. The plan is for the wall to eventually traverse in serpentine fashion over 430 miles of the Judean hillside. Because of the wall, many tourists have avoided Bethlehem and its surrounding countryside that is rich in its religious heritage. The wall and its corresponding security measures has hurt the economy of Bethlehem and it has been crippled with unemployment among its young people - approaching levels that the United States had during the depression. I reflected upon how we are considering walls and fences along our border with Mexico and I can see how complex the issues can be.
Our driver came to the security gate and merely had to say that he was transporting 11 Americans and we were waved through. He explained that his statement of us being Americans was like saying that he had 11 VIPs. On the other side of the concrete wall, the Arabs have extensively painted it, not with gang type graffiti but with social commentary. Our driver explained that the residents of Bethlehem are faced with complicated and ever changing security procedures that limit their mobility. There are different license plates issued, which indicate where the driver is allowed to go. Our driver lives in Jerusalem and because his employment is in the tourism arena he has none of those same problems.
The driver took us to a point only a few blocks beyond the wall where we disembarked the van and proceeded to walk the remaining distance to where our accommodations would be. We are staying in the ancient part of Bethlehem and the streets are not easily traversed by a van especially since the people walk down the cobbled streets as if it was a sidewalk. Thankfully our luggage was transported the balance of the way in a smaller vehicle.
Roberta saw that her walking was going to be a challenge. The combination of pavement, cobbled areas, cracks and innumerable steps were before her. But she and I trusted that it was God’s will for us to be in this place at this time. We developed a system where I would walk a half step in front of her and she would put her hand on my shoulder since railings were almost non-existent here. She has made such good progress since those weeks back in March when making this journey seemed to be impossible.
We rejoiced at the sight of the steeple of Lutheran Christmas Church in the heart of the old city. It is the only Christian Church presence in this section of town. The Germans who built and designed the church over 100 years ago sought to make it appear like a woman’s hat in those days. Wrapped around the church building is what has been called the International Center of Bethlehem. The visionary Lutheran Pastor, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb is a native of Bethlehem and developed a long term plan for reaching the Arabs of Bethlehem through a multifaceted approach centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There has been continuous Lutheran Divine Services in the church since 1893. It is our plan to attend there on Sunday. The old school building has been dramatically renovated and expanded to hold a sizable media center, artist’s workshop, gift store and educational space. The connected buildings also have classroom spaces for music classes during the week and Sunday school. We were greeted and shown to our very nice rooms in the Abu Jubran guest house. It has thirteen rooms with reasonably modern amenities including air conditioning and internet. We made a quick trade of room assignments with another couple to minimize steps for Roberta, yet the total number of steps up and down to get from our room to the lobby was 43! No elevator option for it either. Each of the rooms had a special name outside the door. We were in the Bet Jibran room with a charming view over looking a small courtyard. The work of renovation and expansion was made possible by a large grant from the government of Finland which is supportive of Dr. Raheb’s vision for helping the people of Bethlehem. The architect was also Finnish and it shows in many ways.
After unwinding and unpacking we met for an evening meal in the dining room. We are the only guests here during our stay so it is like being on a private retreat. The middle eastern fare spread before us was abundant with vegetables and modest in protein. Colorful dishes of hummus, cabbage, and other vegetables were offered along with pita bread. We were introduced to tabbouleh salad made with finely chopped parsley, tomato, onions, lemon juice, olive oil and other spices. We were all quite hungry when we got to the table, and were not aware what the menu for dinner would be so we eagerly enjoyed the salads, so when they brought out the main course, roast chicken with an onion bread, we were nearly satisfied. The meal finished with several slices of melon, which was a common dessert.
On the wall of our dining area was a magnificent original painting of the Last Supper of Jesus with His Apostles. It was markedly different from the Leonardo Da Vinci version. This artist, Sliman Mansour, who is a noteworthy Palestinian painter, shows the upper room in Jerusalem as a rooftop patio. Jesus and disciples are truly reclining at table in Middle Eastern fashion.
Our plans for each day during our stay were to have morning and evening devotions together. Before coming here we had a division of labor. My job was to prepare an orientation to Arab and Jewish culture and language. One of the pastors, John, set out a list of readings, devotional topics and music for each devotion that corresponded to where we would be in the Holy Land each day. I was assigned three devotions to do.
After the meal we went out to look at the view. What a stunning landscape! As we began our devotions outside around a table on the elevated patio overlooking the town we found that we would have competition. The Arab Muslims pray five times each day and one of those times is at sunset. They have numerous mosques in the town and each one is outfitted with speakers attached to the minaret (steeple). They start with a call to prayer followed by rather loud chanting in Arabic and then a short message. The chanting sounds much like the bellowing of cattle in the distance because of how the Imams of the mosques hold the last syllable for as long as their breath allows.
At the end of our devotional time we sang the assigned song along with the common doxology. The harmony of pastors and spouses singing the doxology resonated over the hills where our Savior was born. It was an emotional and spiritual high! In the early night sky to the west the planet Venus singularly cast its light over Bethlehem. We all got a little teary eyed thinking about the Star of Bethlehem marking the place where the infant Savior was located by the Magi.
July 1
Evidently the five times of Muslim prayer loosely define when the dawn prayer should start. I think there is one for the bakers and shopkeepers because we woke to hear the chanting at about 3:30 A.M. Our plans for the first full day in the Holy Land were ambitious. It was to spend the entire day with the Ajyal program. Lutheran Christmas Church works with several other Arab Christian congregations to reach out to the older residents of Bethlehem. After breakfast and devotions we walk through the old city a few blocks to the Shepherd Hotel where we met those residents and our bus transportation. Upon stepping out of our building the overwhelming smell coming up the hill was that of fresh bread. The name Bethlehem means “House of Bread”. The early morning sun from the east was catching the stone and plastered buildings on the hills.
We were surprised that many of the people we would travel with on this day could speak English reasonably well. One of them, named Mary, quickly introduced herself to us and we learned as the day unfolded that she was filled with exuberance. Their English was a good thing since the seminary doesn’t offer Arabic. We were heading north to the area called Nablus, part of the west bank. It was one of the few towns in the West Bank that the Israelis would allow Bethlehem residents to visit.
Roberta and I sat in the back section of the bus along with Chris and Joyce. A German woman named Martina, was sitting in front of us. She was assisting this day on behalf of the Anglican Church in the area. She had been here for six months so she was an abundant source of information. One of the staff members from the International Center was a woman named Raida, who had her husband and three children along. Her last name was the same as a man I had come to know from my youth, a Christian Arab neighbor who had fled from Palestine in 1948 at the beginning of the Zionist movement. Her 12-year-old son sat next to Roberta and I, but his English was limited.
In the West bank the roads are very hilly and curved and there were also limitations as to which roads the bus could take so what looks like only about forty miles on the map actually took nearly two hours. A form of bingo was played by many of the people on the bus, and one of the pastors from our group, won the prize. We arrived in the city of Nablus, the site where Jesus had met the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). We stopped at the church which marks the very spot and even drank water from the well pulled up by a bucket. The tradition says this water enhances fertility. That would be a miracle for us now wouldn’t it!
A priest spoke in Arabic about the efforts to reach the scattered Christians of the area. The Lutherans from Bethlehem were participating in the social ministry efforts of this endeavor. This priest traveled with us for the rest of the day and spoke again several times. Another church that we stopped at in Nablus was called Good Shepherd where several lay leaders from Lutheran Christmas Church come periodically to conduct services.
Our lunch experience was noteworthy. We had reservations for the sixty people in our group at a place overlooking the city. The salads were like what we had the night before and again we had baked chicken. But then these dear older residents of Bethlehem began to dance to the piped in music. I am thinking that this could transform our older adult ministry back home. The improvised dancing went on for an hour and we saw how people could live in joy even though there is political repression and limited economic opportunity.
In the afternoon we came to a place where a small enclave of people still worship as the Samaritans did in Jesus’ day. We saw where they celebrated the Passover by slaughtering lambs. Nearby was Mt. Gerizim where they had always worshipped since the Jews did not allow them in the Jerusalem temple. While the rest of our group were visiting a small museum, Roberta and I took a break on a bench in the town while sipping on cokes and watching the children play.
Our trip back to Jerusalem was slow because of some road construction but the woman, Mary, we had met first thing in the morning led in singing and clapping and joke telling. Other Arabic women took turns telling jokes. Some of the jokes don’t translate into English very well. We noticed how the minarets at night all had green lights near the top. Some of the towns we passed would have only a thousand residents but still had four to five minarets piercing the night sky. We learned that this was symbolic of their hope in heaven, contrasted by the barren earth by comparison. By the time we got back we were tired of bouncing in the back of the bus and glad to share an evening meal and devotions back at the International Center.
July 2
After our morning devotion time and a breakfast of boiled eggs, meat, cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus and pita bread we were taken around to observe the various aspects of the ministry of the International Center of Bethlehem. The visionary leader, Dr. Raheb, unfortunately is in Minnesota for the week at a conference, so one of the staff persons was our walking tour guide. She showed us the large auditorium which has been used for live theatre and projecting movies. It is the only such facility in the town and as a result it brings many Arabs into the building. This young woman gave us an impassioned orientation to the whole situation of the Arab and Israeli recent conflicts in Bethlehem. She is Lutheran yet has been black listed from being able to travel freely. Her Arab heritage is all that seems to matter. Their national identification cards show their religious and ethnic background at every security checkpoint. She is hopeful of being able to go to school in the fall at Concordia St. Paul. She told us that the church is one of six Lutheran congregations that form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. This tiny synod is not yet in fellowship with the LCMS but has numerous roots culturally and in worship style from Germany because it was founded by German missionaries.
Several taxis took us to the new facility on the edge of town called Dar Al-Kalima Lutheran School. It also houses a health and wellness center on the lowest floor. “Dar Al-Kalima means ‘the house of the Word.’ Our guide for this part of the tour is a young administrator who shared some of Dr. Raheb’s passion for the place. He explained that “House of the Word” did not mean ‘the words,’ since their people are fed up with rhetoric and speeches. The Word means the Logos, or the power which is shaping the world. It is the Word that became flesh and tanglible,” Pastor Raheb frequently refers to the passage in the Gospel of John, chapter one.
Through diligent research on the part of Dr. Raheb, he was able to show that this location on Mount Murier was originally deeded to the Lutheran Church. Palestinian Authorities agreed and gave it to Dr. Raheb for a Lutheran School. With much work and support a 40,000 square foot, three-level building, along with playgrounds and gardens, was built a record time of nine months. Its purpose is to provide not only basic education for twenty-first century children but to do so in creative, dynamic, imaginative ways which stimulate ideas, discussion, research, independent thinking linked with team work and learning. Another way in which Dar Al-Kalima is a model school is in its extra-curricular activities program. When the regular school day is over by about 1:00 pm, another structured program begins which offers classes and experiences to train a new generation in personal, family, community, societal and government development. The structure of the extra-curricular program is designed to interest and delight the students. They may choose from programs including music, art, languages, vocational education and training, physical education, health, ecology, cultural and technological education. Each student is required to take four classes in the extra-curricular program. Dar al-Kalima School is considered a pioneer in implementing this method, which suits the Palestinian vision and ambition. Many students are discovering new interests and learning what their career path may be in the future, as well as preparing themselves to be leaders in the coming Palestinian state.
There is a hill up behind the school with a splendid view over Bethlehem and the Dar Al-Kalim school. From there we were able to see the full range of the facility and especially the Health and Wellness Center, located in the lower level of the building and utilizing the outdoors area. They have begun to plant gardens and a natural reserve open for the community as a place for picnic, rest and exercise.
Dedicated in September 2003, that center now serves children in the school and families and adults in the community with the exercise equipment, aerobic exercise classes, swimming lessons and swimming exercise in the beautiful pool, classes in nutrition, health awareness and preventative medicine as well as auditory testing to locate hearing problems in children. Other medical clinics are also being developed. Afternoons and evenings are busy times at the Health and Wellness Center, now serving thousands of people each month.
We returned to the Art Workshops area of the International Center and took on a project of dismantling shelving that will be put together again at the School. We had the energy and teamwork but would have gladly paid a high price for just one extra Philips screwdriver. In the room where we worked, there was a large hole in the ceiling that had been made by a missile fired from the Israeli side of the Bethlehem wall during what was called the Second Intifada in 2002. There has been a time of relative peace for the last five years but that peace is fragile.
July 3
At our Saturday morning breakfast we sang Happy Birthday to Roberta. It was special for her to have a birthday in the town of Jesus’ birth!
After breakfast, we met our tour guide, Johnny, who is a true professional. He is a Roman Catholic Arab who spent the first part of his adult life working in the hotel business but for the last ten years has followed in his father’s footsteps as a group tour guide. He is fluent in Hebrew, Arabic and English. One measure of a person’s fluency is their ability to express humor in that language. By that measure, Johnny is very fluent. We were regaled with his teasing, puns and on the spot quips.
He took us to the east for about a one mile walk to the Church of the Nativity where tradition has held that Jesus was born. This cathedral size church was built by Helena, the Mother of Constantine, the Roman Emperor who made Christianity the official religion of his empire some 300 years after Christ. The edifice suffered attacks by foreign powers over the centuries but some of the original floor to the church remains intact.
Our walk there was through a narrow cobblestone route past numerous small shops where peddlers called out for us to look at their merchandise. This area was different than what we had seen near our home base because these peddlers clearly were going after the tourist market. As we walked we observed some distinct contrasts in how residents of Bethlehem were dressed. The vast majority of men and children are dressed in western style much like any of us. Some of the older men maintained their traditional Arab clothing of long robes and sometimes a hat or scarf. Most of the women were in very traditional Muslim garb where only their face shows through their black robes and scarf. We noticed that even with that modesty, some of the younger women still put substantial makeup on and wore plenty of jewelry.
Johnny pointed out how the door to the church was made very small so that marauding enemies could not ride their horses into the church. Our group had a bit of an incident when we were inside. As we waited in line, there was a person in the group behind us who was coughing. A priest who was monitoring the line assumed that someone from our group was laughing so he closed a door in front of us. It took fervent intervention of our guide to settle the matter.
The church is filled with icons and has several different denominations holding a presence in the church. We then proceeded in line to the Grotto of the Nativity, a rectangular cavern beneath the church, is the Church of the Nativity's focal point. Entered by a flight of steps by the church altar, this is the cave that has been honored as the site of Christ's birth since at least the 2nd century. We were encouraged to kneel and touch the very spot.
Attached to the church was the Church of St. Katherine, where the annual Christmas Midnight Mass is held which is often featured on TV. Just to the right upon entering the church, steps descend to some caves beneath the Church of the Nativity. We saw rock cuttings and ancient tombs with various modern additions commemorate various people and traditions that included the Chapel of the Innocents, the Chapel of St. Joseph and the tomb of St. Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin.
We stopped for lunch at a restaurant just off from Manger Square. It was a continuation of celebrating Roberta’s birthday. As we were taking pictures, a Muslim woman seated at the next table muttered out loud, “Infidels!” She was absolutely right! We do not believe in Muhammed or in Allah.
After lunch we visited the Milk Grotto that is considered sacred because tradition has it that the Holy Family took refuge here during the Slaughter of the Innocents, before their flight into Egypt. Tradition has it that while Mary was nursing Jesus here, a drop of milk fell to the ground, turning it white. Our group did some shopping at the open air markets on the way back to the International Center.
Upon our return we were able to see some of the rest of the facilities, which included some caves under the buildings. We also went into the church building and were able to take some photos. Each Sunday the worshippers gather in the 110 year old sanctuary. The church that has many interesting features showing a German heritage.
The windows in the church came from the Emperor Stained Glass Factory in Germany. They are in a unique style, similar to German windows, and made to reflect the Bethlehem and Holy Land environment. In the church chancel, at the front, are three windows depicting the Christmas story, complete with angels, shepherds and the Holy Family. At the left, in a shallow, rounded chapel, are three windows showing the life of Christ until his baptism, including the flight to Egypt, portraying Jesus and his family as refugees. This picture is particularly pertinent and poignant for the congregation of today because two-thirds of the people are refugees themselves. At the right, in another shallow, rounded chapel, are three windows portraying Jesus’ passion and resurrection, with the crucifixion in the center window. The remaining windows in the main church are related to Bethlehem’s biblical history and landscape. Each window has a corresponding Bible verse in German. There was also a Bible verse in German on the organ console.
The church was bombed in the 1967 war and the roof and ceiling were damaged. The church was also in the middle of fierce Israeli shooting and bombing in 2002. People were under curfew in their homes and could hear glass breaking everywhere. Pastor Raheb, who lives with his family in the parsonage on the church compound, also could hear glass breaking and feared it was the stained glass windows. No one could get out to check until a few days later. When Pastor Raheb finally went into the church he was astounded and grateful to see that all the windows were unbroken and intact. There is one small hole in the red robe of a person in the left chapel windows, which is hardly noticeable but serves as a reminder of the frightening chaos and the damaging attacks in 2002.
The organ in the church was manufactured in Berlin, Germany, around 1890. By the 1990s the organ had developed many problems and was basically unusable. A partner congregation in the U.S., the Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, took on the project of rebuilding the organ. An organ specialist came to Bethlehem and took the organ completely apart. It was shipped to the U.S. where it was completely rebuilt and repaired, and shipped back to Bethlehem to be put back together and usable in time for the 2000 Millennium celebrations. Today the 19th century organ once again leads joyful and meaningful worship in the Lutheran Christmas Church. The bells in the church tower were donated to the church by Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany.
During our supper we had a birthday cake for Roberta with a small fireworks tube on it that reminded us that we would be watching fireworks back home. Roberta was surprised the next day with the gift of a scarf from the young woman who had led us around the facilities earlier in the week.
July 4
After breakfast, we attended the Divine Service in the Lutheran Christmas Church. It was nearly all in Arabic except for the Epistle which was read by Phil. Many of the member families have been part of the congregation for several generations. The members seemed to be all dressed much like people back home. Several of the tunes were familiar but of course in Arabic. We were surprised that there were not more children but after the service during the coffee hour, we found out that they were in Sunday School. They have about 200 active members.
We had to search a little for a lunch place. On Friday, businesses that are owned by Muslims were closed. On Saturday the Jewish places were closed and on Sunday the Christian places were shuttered. Everyone’s faith is obvious. We had schwarma and schnitzel sandwiches and then met with our guide, Johnny, and van driver, Michael for an afternoon of excursions.
We headed first to the ancient site of Herod the Great’s palace and fortress called the Herodian. It had a breathtaking view, overlooking the Judean Desert and the mountains of Moab to the east, and the Judean Hills to the west. The ruins still visible gave some idea of what Herod’s life was like and how he had constructed it to assure safety from enemies. We descended from the top of the truncated hill through a maze of tunnels leading to the cavernous but empty water cistern. Even with such a fortress and Herod’s murderous attack on the innocent baby boys of Bethlehem to keep a new king from challenging him, it couldn’t stop him from succumbing to a bout of syphilis.
The roads descending to the east of Bethlehem on the way back lead through the mostly Christian village of Beit Sahour, which includes the Shepherds’ Fields. The place has been identified since ancient times with the shepherds who saw the Star of Nativity. It is about two miles from the Church of the Nativity. We had been able to see actual modern day shepherds and their flocks in the fields during our various bus trips. And of course, we were delighted to see donkeys and camels as well!
Our van also stopped for a few minutes so that we could see the ruins of Solomon’s pools. The area around it was filled with litter, making it a less than desirable stop. It was good to get back to our accommodations in Bethlehem and be fed a meal and be fed the Word of God in our nightly devotions.
July 5
On Monday morning we packed up to move to Jerusalem for a few days. Before we left Bethlehem we were able to stop and view the separation wall close up. The Bethlehem side of the wall is covered with pictures and messages mostly in English. Obviously those who painted on the walls were seeking to make an impression on Americans and Brits of their opposition to the wall.
Some of the messages were poignant and some humorous: “Tear down this wall”; “Jesus wept”; “I want my ball back”. The serpentine wall seems to arbitrarily divide neighborhoods in a way that adds to the exasperation of the residents of Bethlehem. We made an additional brief stop at Bethlehem's Aida refugee camp, where some 5,000 Palestinians live, two-thirds of them under the age of 18. A large sculpture of a key has a sign tagged to it in Arabic and in English. It says “Not for sale”. This represents the feelings of the refugees that they never agreed to give up their ancestral land and homes.
Our stay in Jerusalem was in the Old City within the ancient walls. The van dropped us off outside the walls and a small tractor with a trailer met us to transport the luggage. We walked through the Jaffa Gate and headed down David Street which is a market area. A sharp turn on Mark Street and in a few minutes we were at the Lutheran Guesthouse, which is considered one of the most beautiful, and atmospheric places to stay in the Old City. This well run guesthouse occupies a series of restored stone buildings and terraced gardens overlooking the main bazaar.
Our room was down the hall from the lobby, a refreshing change from the many steps we had to negotiate in Bethlehem. The whole place has a distinct European flavor and other guests were from Northern Europe. We unpacked and headed for lunch at a small café that Johnny recommended on Muristan Road just down the block from the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer.
We were given the opportunity to shop and we discovered a shop that featured the work of the famous painter Bracha Lavee. We bought two of her prints. My favorite is one that depicts the days of creation and the “Shabbat”, God’s day of rest. We had a little anxiety in converting shekels to dollars in our mind and then got slightly lost. A shopkeeper gave us directions back to the Guesthouse but insisted that we first look at his items for sale. One of his associates ushered us to a back alley room where we felt uncomfortable and also had no desire to consider purchase of any of his rugs.
Our evening meal at the Guesthouse was a distinct change from the Arabic meals we had experienced thus far. It was roast chicken quarters with whole potatoes. They also had a small salad bar. The room available to us for our evening devotions had a high vaulted ceiling with a great view of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It also served as the library and had comfortable seating along with the surprise of a grey cat that appeared from out of nowhere. In the evening a crowd gathered in the garden to watch a World Cup Soccer match on a large screen.
July 6
I enjoyed a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, while others stayed with more of the ethnic cuisine of hummus and pitas. Some of our group did an early morning excursion to the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer because John had discovered that the steeple would be open and he had heard that the view from the top was the best in all of Jerusalem. I elected to go along and climbed the 178 steps to the observation level above the bells. From there I was able to take pictures in all four directions.
We went back to the hostel to connect with the rest of our group and then headed to meet Johnny outside the Jaffa Gate for a full day of touring the religious sites of Jerusalem. We left by Michael’s van across the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane which sits at the base of the Mount of Olives. Johnny carefully explained that we can be certain of the veracity of this place and he used Scripture to back up his position. It was moving to look at the small garden of ancient olive trees where Jesus prayed in agony. Eight of the trees have been scientifically verified as being more than two thousand years old. It was so awesome to consider that these living trees that still were bearing olives were also bearing witness to the Living God who had prayed beneath their branches! One of the smaller trees had a sign on it identifying it as one that had been planted by Pope Paul VI in 1964. Next to the Garden was the Church of All Nations that featured a large rock, believed to be one on which Jesus had prayed. The rock was encircled by a wrought iron sculpture designed to look like the crown of thorns.
All around Jerusalem we saw many Israeli soldiers carrying automatic weapons. It was a little unsettling.
There are two times in Scripture when Jesus teaches His disciples to pray. We traveled a short distance up the Mount of Olives to one of the locations where He did this. The location is now marked by the Church of the Pater Noster (Our Father). It is surrounded by a beautiful garden and features plaques of the Lord’s Prayer written in more than sixty different languages.
We drove around the walled Old City and Johnny gave us the brief history of each of the named gates. There are two distinct places where it is claimed that Jesus was crucified and then put into the tomb owned by Joseph or Arimathea. The first one we visited was the Garden Tomb. Unlike many of the other sites we have been to, this one does not have a church built over it. The facility had a special guide to explain each of the features of the place. We saw a rugged cliff that had the appearance of a skeleton face, thereby fitting the name Golgotha (place of the skull). The garden itself had several winding paths and one of them led down to the opening of a tomb. We were able to enter it and take pictures and pray. I wept. Our local guide suggested that since Jesus is no longer in the tomb we should take Him with us and share Him with the world. The guide also arranged a quiet spot for our group to have a private communion service led by Pastor Bill and Pastor Joel.
We made a very moving visit to the western Wailing Wall. The lower half of the wall is all that remains of the Jerusalem Temple where Jesus visited each time He came to Jerusalem. There was a long fence dividing the access to the wall forcing women to the right and men to the left. Each of us prayed facing the wall where many tiny prayer requests written on paper slips were jammed into the cracks of the wall. Facing that wall caused us to close out all distractions of the world. On the other side of the wall was the gold covered Dome of the Rock which is the holiest place in Jerusalem for the Muslim people. They believe that Mohammed ascended to heaven from there.
We also visited the ruins of the pool of Bethesda and nearby was the Church of St. Anne, the mother of Mary. This church was designed for the singing of Gregorian chant and Johnny suggested that our group sing in the Church. We were the only group in the church so we went to the front and sang the Common Doxology in harmony. The acoustics were so perfect that the sound continued a full five seconds after we sang the amen. It seemed as if we were a choir of a hundred!
In the afternoon we traveled the Via Dolorosa. This route has changed some over the years and it can not be trusted as the exact route Jesus took from his trial before Pilate to Calvary. It was mostly an uphill climb that was a challenge for us to keep up with the rest of the group. But I thought of Jesus carry the cross and walking this way of suffering to His execution and carrying the burden of my sins.
There were stops along the way marking the 14 events of the Roman Catholic Stations of the Cross. A few points about it are worth mentioning. We stopped at each of the Stations and one of them was the Chapel of the Flagellation where Jesus was scourged. Johnny talked about how the Roman soldiers would often play games such as naming one of their prisoners as King, giving him some privileges only to eventually kill him anyhow. Some of their various games were scratched into the floor tiles including a large tile that was at my own feet. At another place there was a handprint worn into the wall where it was believed that Jesus had leaned to rest. My own hand fit the worn print.
Stations 10-14 are all inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. One of the paintings in the church contrasted Christ with Adam and it depicted Adam as a buried skull under the cross. We climbed to a rocky point within the church and were allowed to touch the rock through a metal opening in the floor. The church also had a large stone, purported to be the stone on which Jesus’ body was anointed for burial. The whole church was very dark and foreboding.
We returned to our hostel for supper and evening devotions. One of our other practices each evening was to openly discuss the events of the day and what had an impact upon our lives.
July 7
Leaving Jerusalem this morning we made a few more stops. We went to what is believed to be the location of the Upper Room. While there, a little girl from a Christian School in Jerusalem that was on a field trip gave us each a slip of paper witnessing her faith. We were charmed by that gesture. We were taken down some steps from there to the Tomb of David and again the men and women were separated. Men were required to wear a hat at the Jewish sites. On the way to David’s Tomb, I had noticed the symbol of the Order of Masons on a stair railing. It seems that everyone has a presence in Jerusalem!
Our van took us up to the top of the Mount of Olives overlooking the Garden of Gethsemane where we had visited the day before. The view was spectacular of the old walled city of Jerusalem but our stopping point was a veritable tourist trap where one could sit on a camel for a photo op at the mere cost of forty shekels (10 bucks). I bought a widow’s mite coin from a peddler. Who knows whether it is authentic or not, but it will be a future object lesson.
Leaving the heights of Jerusalem some 2700 feet above sea level, we began our descent to the Dead Sea. In the span of only twenty miles we went down 4000 feet through very rugged desert terrain where we saw Bedouin shepherds living in abject poverty next to a fully modern roadway. It gave us a better sense of Biblical references of going “up” to Jerusalem and “down” to Jericho.
The vast expanse of the Dead Sea lay before us and it shimmered in the 105 degree heat. Our first stop was at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We were able to see the actual cave sites from a distance and ate lunch there. Our group had requested that we skip the 3 hour round trip excursion to Masada since it was so much like the Herodian fortress south of Bethlehem that we visited last week. We opted for swimming in the Dead Sea. Mom watched and took pictures. It was a novel experience but involved some heat exhaustion by the time we were back on the van.
We traveled north along the west side of the Jordan River Valley with the high ridge that contains Mt. Nebo to the far east side. We began to see some plantations of dates and cultivated vineyards. Most of the trip north was in Palestinian territory that had a suffering economy. Razor wire fences served as a border to keep people from fleeing to Jordan.
Eventually we passed through a security checkpoint upon reentering Israeli land. Even though we have seen the force of their military often, it still does not feel comfortable to have to show our passports again to the soldiers. What a dramatic difference there was being back in Israel! One couple from our group is from California and they said that it looked much like their home state. The farming was very well run and prosperous.
I took pictures of various historic locations along the way but the van did not stop until we reached the town of Bet Shu-an. We walked through a very extensive archeological site that captured the essence of an ancient town. Nearby was Mt. Gilboa where Saul and his son Jonathan died three thousand years ago.
We then headed away from the Jordan Valley passing by Mt. Tabor (transfiguration) and into Nazareth. This is our final home base on our trip. We are staying at a modern hotel (with lousy wifi). Our hotel was in the center of Nazareth and most of the other guests were Italians. We had a buffet supper before searching for a suitable room for our group devotions for the evening. We have plenty of excursions set up for the next two days.
July 8
Our hotel in Nazareth is much like many we have been to in the states and the food here is less Israeli than what we experienced in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. After our breakfast buffet, we headed off for the Sea of Galilee. Nazareth is an elevated city much higher than the Jordan Valley and we enjoyed the vistas during our descent. We went through the village of Cana so quickly that I was unable to get any good pictures but our guide made up for it on the way back.
There is a natural watershed that Jesus would have traveled through but the newer roads take a different course. Our first view of the Lake was magnificent. Fertile farmland is on the west side where we are and the Golan heights are across the Lake to the east. Our intentions were to spend the entire day on the northwest side of the Lake where Jesus did so much of His ministry. We passed a few ruins that marked what was left of the village of Magdala where Mary Magdalene came from. This area is covered with volcanic rock from the days of a cataclysmic event that split the earth open to form the Jordan Valley. Up until this point most buildings that we saw were constructed with dolomite limestone much like what we have at home from the Valders quarry. Now we see the dark grey volcanic rock all over in buildings both ancient and new.
Our first stop was at the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. One of our group members read the beatitudes aloud from her Bible as we imagined Jesus preaching there and using the things He saw as object lesson: birds of the air, lilies of the field, city on a hill, etc. Next went to the Chapel of the Loaves and Fishes near the location where Jesus fed the 5000. The grounds of each of these the places are beautifully landscaped and the flowers are so wonderful. We could easily see that there was no way for such a large crowd to find enough food from the tiny villages.
We went to the place where Jesus restored Peter after the Resurrection and told him, “Feed my sheep”. The location was right next to the water where Jesus had prepared a breakfast for Peter and the others and a a flat rock there is hallowed as the “table of the Lord”. We were allowed to wade into the Lake and I retrieved a few small shells and a tiny rock as my personal souvenirs.
This part of the trip has been a little easier to walk than in Bethlehem or Jerusalem because there are less steps and paths are more modern. We went on to the ruins of the city of Capernaum where Peter had his own home and of course a church was built over it. It was there that Jesus had healed Peter’s mother in law and also there that Jesus had made his ministry home. Because of the unbelief of Capernaum and two neighboring towns, Jesus cursed them and nothing but ruins are left. We sat for a while in a grove of ficus trees where about twenty young seminarians were studying scattered apart on the stone benches. A stray cat walked into our presence and made friends with Roberta.
We ate lunch at a restaurant that featured “St. Peter’s fish”. It was served whole and looked much like a crappie or large bluegill. The fish tasted ok but we had to fight through the bones. That place had a package deal for us to ride on a large wooden boat on the Lake. In the gift shop of the Lake excursion place I bought a Jewish prayer shawl called a Talith like Jesus would have worn and Roberta got a few more prints done by the artist whose work we had admired in Jerusalem. The boat had enough room for fifty people but our group of eleven had it to ourselves along with the crew. We sang, prayed, danced and just sat transfixed with the seashore that had been the home for Jesus. As we approached the dock on the return from the excursion, John bumped the top of his head on a sharp corner of the speaker for the sound system. Blood flowed freely and one of the pastors ran to get our medic kit from the van once we were at the dock.
On our return we stopped several times to take some high level pictures of the Lake from the city of Tiberias and before we got back to Nazareth we did stop in the village of Cana for twenty minutes. We did some shopping there and I got a great picture of a sign that said “Hello Cana”. After our supper we were both exhausted and went to bed early.
July 9
The destination for our last full day of travel in Israel was the site of the ancient ruins of Caesarea Maritima. It is located on the Mediterranean about an hour drive southwest of Nazareth. It was originally built during the two decades before Jesus’ birth and was considered one of the finest man made harbors in the world. It was named in honor of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus.
As we approached the area, Johnny explained that this was now a location for wealthy people to vacation. The prevailing westerly winds off the sea created sand dunes well inland where expensive resorts have been built and it is also the only place in Israel where one can golf.
When we finally came to the sea, there in front of us loomed the juxtaposition of natural seaside beauty and the ruins of a two thousand year old culture. A substantial section of an aqueduct remained along the beach. It reminded me of the final scene in Planet of the Apes when Charlton Heston comes upon the ruins of the Statue of Liberty emerging from a barren beach.
We kicked off sandals and shoes and tested the temperate water lapping the beach and took full advantage of the photo opportunities. Johnny led us on a walking tour of the ruins as we learned how the buildings that were once so magnificent had been destroyed through a cycle of serious earthquakes and foreign invasions.
Caesarea is mentioned several times in the Bible. It was there that Peter baptized the family of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion (Acts 10) and it was also the place where Paul was imprisoned for two years before boarding a ship for Rome (Acts 23-25). It was a location of many cultures over the centuries because of its desirable location on the Via Maris (Way of the Sea). This was a major trade route connecting Africa and Europe and Asia. It was a city that eventually fell into the hands of the invading Muslims and later recaptured by the Crusaders.
At one time, the city was known for its extensive ecclesiastical library and many of our church theological giants came there to study. The visible remains are substantial and include a theater, pillars with capitals from several eras, remnants of Herod’s breakwater, a sports coliseum, as well as the afore mentioned aqueduct.
We headed back to Nazareth for the afternoon and Johnny arranged for a carry out order of pizza for our group. We headed to a picnic location overlooking Nazareth, not far from where the Pope had visited Nazareth and spoke before a crowd of over forty thousand at a natural hillside amphitheatre. The pizzas were unlike what we have at home. The choices were onion pizza, goat cheese pizza and hyssop pizza. We ate them standing around a rock on the hillside where the young people of Nazareth must have come to party often due to the extensive amount of glass on the ground from broken beer bottles. In that same park area on Mt. Precipice, we were able to see a panorama view of the Jezreel Valley all the way to Mt. Tabor and beyond. This was the location described by Luke in Chapter 4 of his gospel where the angry leaders of the synagogue in Nazareth had taken Jesus to throw Him off the cliff. Jesus calmly walked through the mob because His time to die had not yet come.
We returned to Nazareth to visit to the Church of the Annunciation which was only a few blocks from our hotel. This is the traditional location of where Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel that she would bear the Christ Child. They have combined some of the key aspects of Jesus formative years in Nazareth by including a memorial cave to the carpenter shop of Joseph. Over the entrance to the church is the quote from John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” It was written in Latin.
The Church of the Annunciation has a lower level where the reputed annunciation occurred. A group of Italians were standing in a circle celebrating Mass as we entered. I was surprised how easy it was for me to follow what the priest was saying because Italian is so close to the Latin which I had studied for four years. Just after the Mass the priest spoke to them how special it was for them to receive the true body of Christ in the very place where He had come to take on human flesh in the womb of Mary. We went up the steps to the upper level where a more modern Basilica had been built filled with stained glass windows and Christian art. Beneath the whole structure were a series of cave like rooms dedicated to Joseph featured the Biblical stories on stained glass that were compiled by Matthew in his gospel.
We went back to our hotel and began the arduous task of packing and getting organized for our return trip.
Since four of our group did not need to leave early on Saturday, we had a time of tearful good byes and hugs at the evening devotions and at dinner. John had an appropriate closing devotion about Simeon who declared that he could now depart in peace because he had seen his salvation that had been promised. We are so grateful for the many personal and appropriate devotions shared by the members of our group. This marks the official end of our trip but also the conclusion of our four year adventure in the Pastoral Leadership Institute program. The friendships we have made will never end.
July 10
Our return home began with a wake up call at 2:45 AM. We needed to be at the airport in Tel Aviv by 5:00 AM for all the processing involved with an international flight. The promised bag lunch from the hotel was not produced so we just had some orange drink. I tried to lay on the back seat of the van but that was horribly uncomfortable. When we arrived at the security checkpoint outside the airport we were told to pull to the side and we waited for about twenty minutes before anyone came to check documents and passports. It was right at their shift change and they were definitely playing their own little game of ruling their domain. The first leg of our trip was back to London and five of our group members were on the flight.
Neither of us slept much and the whole flight was during daylight hours.
We had a four hour layover at Heathrow where we decided to have a distinctively British lunch. Roberta had fish and chips and I had a British beef pot pie that was very nicely done. We were a bit frustrated because the last leg of our flight had us not sitting together and Roberta wanted an aisle seat so that she could get up to relieve her back pain as often as needed. We found a compassionate agent at the gate who worked it out. But we were in the third from the last row in the plane. It was completely booked with over 300 passengers. I had a woman sitting next to me from India who was traveling to visit her daughter. We chatted a bit and she was friendly. She told me that her marriage had been arranged by her parents, but that she would only do that for her daughter if her daughter was unable to find a husband on her own. The woman was from Bangelore, where all the telemarketing companies have subcontracted their work.
Our flight to O’Hare was about eight hours and went off without any difficulty. Neither of us slept much. We arrived and went through customs and reentry quickly, caught our shuttle to where the car was parked and made our way home. We arrived a little after 10 P.M. after surviving a day with an extra eight hours in it because of the time change. Happily we picked up the dogs from the kennel on Sunday and they rejoiced at being with us as well. As I finish this blog four days later, I must confess that we have not fully readjusted to the time change and jet lag.
We are thankful for so many things about this trip. It was a place we had wanted to visit for a long time and our memories are indelibly marked by what we saw and the people we met. We rejoice that the Gospel is still being preached in the land where it was first preached. We are thankful that Roberta’s back had improved enough to make the trip. I look forward to using what I have learned and what I have seen within the context of future preaching and teaching in my ministry. Our thanks also go out to all who had us covered in prayer before and during this trip. To God be the glory!
Leaving home can always be an emotional experience. We paused in the car in our driveway to ask for God’s blessings and safety for the next twelve days. We had waited so long for this experience and for a short time we had wondered if we could even go with Roberta’s back problems. We had gone on enough trips in the past but there were special emotions about this one. For us that usually meant saying good bye for a time to our children but since they are all so far away the good byes this time were to our two little dogs, Sunday and Waldi, who have captured our hearts in their short lives. Our concerns are greatest for Waldi since he seems to be the one with the most fears socially with other dogs and with loud noises. But we left them in capable hands at a brand new kennel.
Our trip out of Chicago O’Hare was right on schedule. The ticket clerk was a young man who was a native of Poland, Leschek, and I engaged him in a brief conversation regarding the homeland of my ancestors. We spoke a few Polish phrases and he commented on the meaning of our last name, staff, in Polish. When I asked him for an aisle seat for Roberta, he said he would put in a note for the clerk at the gate. We met with Chris and Joyce from Alsip, Illinois at our gate and we were pleasantly surprised when our name was called and we received an upgrade to a premium coach status. Thank you Leschek! As we waited at the gate another flight departed from that same place headed for Mumbai, India by way of Air India. We were surprised how some of the airport personnel physically herded them like sheep through the gate. When our flight to London was called, no one treated our fellow passengers in that way.
We flew British Airways and the premium status gave us seats like we had experienced in the past with Midwest Airlines. They give each passenger a little gift pouch with sleeping blinds, a fresh pair of socks, a pen, and a toothbrush. We had headphones for the TV and audio. The British have some special innovations on their planes. The life jacket has a whistle and a light. They must have watched the end of the movie Titanic! I set my watch ahead immediately by six hours for the time in London. Add to that the eight hours for the flight and we were facing serious jet lag. Because our body clocks were still on Wisconsin time it was hard to sleep much at all on the plane even though it took us through the night. I watched two movies and slept about 45 minutes. Being a map aficionado, I enjoyed following our progress across the Atlantic on the TV screen imbedded in the seat in front of me. The nearly full moon rose and glimmered through the clear night over the Atlantic. My book that I chose for the trip is one that connected me to Cana as she is spending her summer in India. It’s called “Dreaming in Hindi”. It is a memoir of the year that the author spent in Udaipur, India from September of 2001 to summer of 2002. The author’s basic discovery is how becoming immersed in a foreign language and culture opens our minds to fresh perspectives on our life and how we relate to others. It is a difficult read in that she often digresses to include research she has done on the subject.
June 30
We landed at Heathrow in the morning. The security protocol at London’s Heathrow Airport was confusing for us. We left the plane and took a bus to the terminal where we waited for a long time in several lines, each time producing our passports. There was a scary moment when we reached the top of a long escalator ride only to be held up by a line that wasn’t moving. The escalator kept pushing people up and one man shouted from behind us and even pushed. I feared that a panic and trampling would ensue. But the people in front moved enough to give us space. We only had a two hour layover so our waiting in lines took up most of it. We met more members of our group, John from Austin, Texas, and Joel and Laura from Mexico, Missouri. We have spent the last four years with this group at our various Pastoral Leadership events so it is comforting to face this adventure with them.
As our plane taxied out to depart, I chatted with a fascinating man in the seat next to me who was French and traveled periodically to Tel Aviv on business. He was a Free Mason by what he was reading. We both slept a little more on this part of the trip even though it was during daylight hours. The second leg of our trip, again on British Airways, took us from London to Tel Aviv, about a six hour flight that carried us over Europe and the Mediterranean.
We had been prepared for our entrance into Israel by several sets of advice on what to say and not say to the people at border check. All of our fears were for naught. The woman who looked at our passports asked what our purpose was and I explained about it and that our group was all in the ministry. She teased me that since I wasn’t wearing my clerical collar, I should be more in a vacation spirit. No one looked at our luggage and no other paperwork was required. Our luggage all arrived safely and we met the rest of our group, Bill and Deb, from Indianapolis and Phil and Jay from Atascadero, California.
We traveled the 90 minute ride from Tel Aviv to Bethlehem in a nearly new van driven by a Christian Arab, who appeared to be in his late twenties and talked about his upcoming marriage. I noticed that he had a rosary dangling from the interior rear view mirror. He spoke as he drove and we were able to get a glimpse at the convoluted situation, politically and socially, in Israel and the West Bank. One of the surprising things that he shared was how in Israel there are people who are Jewish, Messianic Jews, Arab Christians and Arab Muslims and they are all considered to be Israelis. Of course, most are Jewish, but many of them are what we might call secular Jews in that they do not live out their faith through worship practices, diet, and adherence to Jewish ceremonial laws. The Holy Land is a very divided land with Israel in control but the Palestinian authorities have limited rule over about half of the land. In what is called the West Bank there are also the same basic divisions of people as in Israel but the Muslims are in the majority.
Our ride from the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv took us through Jerusalem. This land is way more hilly and mountainous than I had ever imagined and to think that Jesus walked wherever He went! The city of Jerusalem is very modern outside of its old city marked by ancient walls. There is a curious juxtaposition of old and new wherever we look. Our plans are to come back to Jerusalem the following week after we complete our mission goals in Bethlehem.
Our first impressions of Bethlehem were about the wall. A 25 foot high concrete wall separates Israel from the Palestinian territory. The Israel side of the wall is clean grey concrete giving the impression of the entrance to a prison. Having done prison ministry in most of the Wisconsin Correctional Institutions, this was not a new experience for me but I was fully aware of the fact that on the other side were people living who had committed no crime.
The wall is relatively new, having been erected in November of 2005 because of numerous issues with terrorist attacks in Jerusalem. The wall itself is four times the length of the old Berlin Wall that separated the east from the West. Beyond the concrete section of the wall a razor wire fence carries the separation for many miles into the countryside. The plan is for the wall to eventually traverse in serpentine fashion over 430 miles of the Judean hillside. Because of the wall, many tourists have avoided Bethlehem and its surrounding countryside that is rich in its religious heritage. The wall and its corresponding security measures has hurt the economy of Bethlehem and it has been crippled with unemployment among its young people - approaching levels that the United States had during the depression. I reflected upon how we are considering walls and fences along our border with Mexico and I can see how complex the issues can be.
Our driver came to the security gate and merely had to say that he was transporting 11 Americans and we were waved through. He explained that his statement of us being Americans was like saying that he had 11 VIPs. On the other side of the concrete wall, the Arabs have extensively painted it, not with gang type graffiti but with social commentary. Our driver explained that the residents of Bethlehem are faced with complicated and ever changing security procedures that limit their mobility. There are different license plates issued, which indicate where the driver is allowed to go. Our driver lives in Jerusalem and because his employment is in the tourism arena he has none of those same problems.
The driver took us to a point only a few blocks beyond the wall where we disembarked the van and proceeded to walk the remaining distance to where our accommodations would be. We are staying in the ancient part of Bethlehem and the streets are not easily traversed by a van especially since the people walk down the cobbled streets as if it was a sidewalk. Thankfully our luggage was transported the balance of the way in a smaller vehicle.
Roberta saw that her walking was going to be a challenge. The combination of pavement, cobbled areas, cracks and innumerable steps were before her. But she and I trusted that it was God’s will for us to be in this place at this time. We developed a system where I would walk a half step in front of her and she would put her hand on my shoulder since railings were almost non-existent here. She has made such good progress since those weeks back in March when making this journey seemed to be impossible.
We rejoiced at the sight of the steeple of Lutheran Christmas Church in the heart of the old city. It is the only Christian Church presence in this section of town. The Germans who built and designed the church over 100 years ago sought to make it appear like a woman’s hat in those days. Wrapped around the church building is what has been called the International Center of Bethlehem. The visionary Lutheran Pastor, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb is a native of Bethlehem and developed a long term plan for reaching the Arabs of Bethlehem through a multifaceted approach centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There has been continuous Lutheran Divine Services in the church since 1893. It is our plan to attend there on Sunday. The old school building has been dramatically renovated and expanded to hold a sizable media center, artist’s workshop, gift store and educational space. The connected buildings also have classroom spaces for music classes during the week and Sunday school. We were greeted and shown to our very nice rooms in the Abu Jubran guest house. It has thirteen rooms with reasonably modern amenities including air conditioning and internet. We made a quick trade of room assignments with another couple to minimize steps for Roberta, yet the total number of steps up and down to get from our room to the lobby was 43! No elevator option for it either. Each of the rooms had a special name outside the door. We were in the Bet Jibran room with a charming view over looking a small courtyard. The work of renovation and expansion was made possible by a large grant from the government of Finland which is supportive of Dr. Raheb’s vision for helping the people of Bethlehem. The architect was also Finnish and it shows in many ways.
After unwinding and unpacking we met for an evening meal in the dining room. We are the only guests here during our stay so it is like being on a private retreat. The middle eastern fare spread before us was abundant with vegetables and modest in protein. Colorful dishes of hummus, cabbage, and other vegetables were offered along with pita bread. We were introduced to tabbouleh salad made with finely chopped parsley, tomato, onions, lemon juice, olive oil and other spices. We were all quite hungry when we got to the table, and were not aware what the menu for dinner would be so we eagerly enjoyed the salads, so when they brought out the main course, roast chicken with an onion bread, we were nearly satisfied. The meal finished with several slices of melon, which was a common dessert.
On the wall of our dining area was a magnificent original painting of the Last Supper of Jesus with His Apostles. It was markedly different from the Leonardo Da Vinci version. This artist, Sliman Mansour, who is a noteworthy Palestinian painter, shows the upper room in Jerusalem as a rooftop patio. Jesus and disciples are truly reclining at table in Middle Eastern fashion.
Our plans for each day during our stay were to have morning and evening devotions together. Before coming here we had a division of labor. My job was to prepare an orientation to Arab and Jewish culture and language. One of the pastors, John, set out a list of readings, devotional topics and music for each devotion that corresponded to where we would be in the Holy Land each day. I was assigned three devotions to do.
After the meal we went out to look at the view. What a stunning landscape! As we began our devotions outside around a table on the elevated patio overlooking the town we found that we would have competition. The Arab Muslims pray five times each day and one of those times is at sunset. They have numerous mosques in the town and each one is outfitted with speakers attached to the minaret (steeple). They start with a call to prayer followed by rather loud chanting in Arabic and then a short message. The chanting sounds much like the bellowing of cattle in the distance because of how the Imams of the mosques hold the last syllable for as long as their breath allows.
At the end of our devotional time we sang the assigned song along with the common doxology. The harmony of pastors and spouses singing the doxology resonated over the hills where our Savior was born. It was an emotional and spiritual high! In the early night sky to the west the planet Venus singularly cast its light over Bethlehem. We all got a little teary eyed thinking about the Star of Bethlehem marking the place where the infant Savior was located by the Magi.
July 1
Evidently the five times of Muslim prayer loosely define when the dawn prayer should start. I think there is one for the bakers and shopkeepers because we woke to hear the chanting at about 3:30 A.M. Our plans for the first full day in the Holy Land were ambitious. It was to spend the entire day with the Ajyal program. Lutheran Christmas Church works with several other Arab Christian congregations to reach out to the older residents of Bethlehem. After breakfast and devotions we walk through the old city a few blocks to the Shepherd Hotel where we met those residents and our bus transportation. Upon stepping out of our building the overwhelming smell coming up the hill was that of fresh bread. The name Bethlehem means “House of Bread”. The early morning sun from the east was catching the stone and plastered buildings on the hills.
We were surprised that many of the people we would travel with on this day could speak English reasonably well. One of them, named Mary, quickly introduced herself to us and we learned as the day unfolded that she was filled with exuberance. Their English was a good thing since the seminary doesn’t offer Arabic. We were heading north to the area called Nablus, part of the west bank. It was one of the few towns in the West Bank that the Israelis would allow Bethlehem residents to visit.
Roberta and I sat in the back section of the bus along with Chris and Joyce. A German woman named Martina, was sitting in front of us. She was assisting this day on behalf of the Anglican Church in the area. She had been here for six months so she was an abundant source of information. One of the staff members from the International Center was a woman named Raida, who had her husband and three children along. Her last name was the same as a man I had come to know from my youth, a Christian Arab neighbor who had fled from Palestine in 1948 at the beginning of the Zionist movement. Her 12-year-old son sat next to Roberta and I, but his English was limited.
In the West bank the roads are very hilly and curved and there were also limitations as to which roads the bus could take so what looks like only about forty miles on the map actually took nearly two hours. A form of bingo was played by many of the people on the bus, and one of the pastors from our group, won the prize. We arrived in the city of Nablus, the site where Jesus had met the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). We stopped at the church which marks the very spot and even drank water from the well pulled up by a bucket. The tradition says this water enhances fertility. That would be a miracle for us now wouldn’t it!
A priest spoke in Arabic about the efforts to reach the scattered Christians of the area. The Lutherans from Bethlehem were participating in the social ministry efforts of this endeavor. This priest traveled with us for the rest of the day and spoke again several times. Another church that we stopped at in Nablus was called Good Shepherd where several lay leaders from Lutheran Christmas Church come periodically to conduct services.
Our lunch experience was noteworthy. We had reservations for the sixty people in our group at a place overlooking the city. The salads were like what we had the night before and again we had baked chicken. But then these dear older residents of Bethlehem began to dance to the piped in music. I am thinking that this could transform our older adult ministry back home. The improvised dancing went on for an hour and we saw how people could live in joy even though there is political repression and limited economic opportunity.
In the afternoon we came to a place where a small enclave of people still worship as the Samaritans did in Jesus’ day. We saw where they celebrated the Passover by slaughtering lambs. Nearby was Mt. Gerizim where they had always worshipped since the Jews did not allow them in the Jerusalem temple. While the rest of our group were visiting a small museum, Roberta and I took a break on a bench in the town while sipping on cokes and watching the children play.
Our trip back to Jerusalem was slow because of some road construction but the woman, Mary, we had met first thing in the morning led in singing and clapping and joke telling. Other Arabic women took turns telling jokes. Some of the jokes don’t translate into English very well. We noticed how the minarets at night all had green lights near the top. Some of the towns we passed would have only a thousand residents but still had four to five minarets piercing the night sky. We learned that this was symbolic of their hope in heaven, contrasted by the barren earth by comparison. By the time we got back we were tired of bouncing in the back of the bus and glad to share an evening meal and devotions back at the International Center.
July 2
After our morning devotion time and a breakfast of boiled eggs, meat, cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus and pita bread we were taken around to observe the various aspects of the ministry of the International Center of Bethlehem. The visionary leader, Dr. Raheb, unfortunately is in Minnesota for the week at a conference, so one of the staff persons was our walking tour guide. She showed us the large auditorium which has been used for live theatre and projecting movies. It is the only such facility in the town and as a result it brings many Arabs into the building. This young woman gave us an impassioned orientation to the whole situation of the Arab and Israeli recent conflicts in Bethlehem. She is Lutheran yet has been black listed from being able to travel freely. Her Arab heritage is all that seems to matter. Their national identification cards show their religious and ethnic background at every security checkpoint. She is hopeful of being able to go to school in the fall at Concordia St. Paul. She told us that the church is one of six Lutheran congregations that form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. This tiny synod is not yet in fellowship with the LCMS but has numerous roots culturally and in worship style from Germany because it was founded by German missionaries.
Several taxis took us to the new facility on the edge of town called Dar Al-Kalima Lutheran School. It also houses a health and wellness center on the lowest floor. “Dar Al-Kalima means ‘the house of the Word.’ Our guide for this part of the tour is a young administrator who shared some of Dr. Raheb’s passion for the place. He explained that “House of the Word” did not mean ‘the words,’ since their people are fed up with rhetoric and speeches. The Word means the Logos, or the power which is shaping the world. It is the Word that became flesh and tanglible,” Pastor Raheb frequently refers to the passage in the Gospel of John, chapter one.
Through diligent research on the part of Dr. Raheb, he was able to show that this location on Mount Murier was originally deeded to the Lutheran Church. Palestinian Authorities agreed and gave it to Dr. Raheb for a Lutheran School. With much work and support a 40,000 square foot, three-level building, along with playgrounds and gardens, was built a record time of nine months. Its purpose is to provide not only basic education for twenty-first century children but to do so in creative, dynamic, imaginative ways which stimulate ideas, discussion, research, independent thinking linked with team work and learning. Another way in which Dar Al-Kalima is a model school is in its extra-curricular activities program. When the regular school day is over by about 1:00 pm, another structured program begins which offers classes and experiences to train a new generation in personal, family, community, societal and government development. The structure of the extra-curricular program is designed to interest and delight the students. They may choose from programs including music, art, languages, vocational education and training, physical education, health, ecology, cultural and technological education. Each student is required to take four classes in the extra-curricular program. Dar al-Kalima School is considered a pioneer in implementing this method, which suits the Palestinian vision and ambition. Many students are discovering new interests and learning what their career path may be in the future, as well as preparing themselves to be leaders in the coming Palestinian state.
There is a hill up behind the school with a splendid view over Bethlehem and the Dar Al-Kalim school. From there we were able to see the full range of the facility and especially the Health and Wellness Center, located in the lower level of the building and utilizing the outdoors area. They have begun to plant gardens and a natural reserve open for the community as a place for picnic, rest and exercise.
Dedicated in September 2003, that center now serves children in the school and families and adults in the community with the exercise equipment, aerobic exercise classes, swimming lessons and swimming exercise in the beautiful pool, classes in nutrition, health awareness and preventative medicine as well as auditory testing to locate hearing problems in children. Other medical clinics are also being developed. Afternoons and evenings are busy times at the Health and Wellness Center, now serving thousands of people each month.
We returned to the Art Workshops area of the International Center and took on a project of dismantling shelving that will be put together again at the School. We had the energy and teamwork but would have gladly paid a high price for just one extra Philips screwdriver. In the room where we worked, there was a large hole in the ceiling that had been made by a missile fired from the Israeli side of the Bethlehem wall during what was called the Second Intifada in 2002. There has been a time of relative peace for the last five years but that peace is fragile.
July 3
At our Saturday morning breakfast we sang Happy Birthday to Roberta. It was special for her to have a birthday in the town of Jesus’ birth!
After breakfast, we met our tour guide, Johnny, who is a true professional. He is a Roman Catholic Arab who spent the first part of his adult life working in the hotel business but for the last ten years has followed in his father’s footsteps as a group tour guide. He is fluent in Hebrew, Arabic and English. One measure of a person’s fluency is their ability to express humor in that language. By that measure, Johnny is very fluent. We were regaled with his teasing, puns and on the spot quips.
He took us to the east for about a one mile walk to the Church of the Nativity where tradition has held that Jesus was born. This cathedral size church was built by Helena, the Mother of Constantine, the Roman Emperor who made Christianity the official religion of his empire some 300 years after Christ. The edifice suffered attacks by foreign powers over the centuries but some of the original floor to the church remains intact.
Our walk there was through a narrow cobblestone route past numerous small shops where peddlers called out for us to look at their merchandise. This area was different than what we had seen near our home base because these peddlers clearly were going after the tourist market. As we walked we observed some distinct contrasts in how residents of Bethlehem were dressed. The vast majority of men and children are dressed in western style much like any of us. Some of the older men maintained their traditional Arab clothing of long robes and sometimes a hat or scarf. Most of the women were in very traditional Muslim garb where only their face shows through their black robes and scarf. We noticed that even with that modesty, some of the younger women still put substantial makeup on and wore plenty of jewelry.
Johnny pointed out how the door to the church was made very small so that marauding enemies could not ride their horses into the church. Our group had a bit of an incident when we were inside. As we waited in line, there was a person in the group behind us who was coughing. A priest who was monitoring the line assumed that someone from our group was laughing so he closed a door in front of us. It took fervent intervention of our guide to settle the matter.
The church is filled with icons and has several different denominations holding a presence in the church. We then proceeded in line to the Grotto of the Nativity, a rectangular cavern beneath the church, is the Church of the Nativity's focal point. Entered by a flight of steps by the church altar, this is the cave that has been honored as the site of Christ's birth since at least the 2nd century. We were encouraged to kneel and touch the very spot.
Attached to the church was the Church of St. Katherine, where the annual Christmas Midnight Mass is held which is often featured on TV. Just to the right upon entering the church, steps descend to some caves beneath the Church of the Nativity. We saw rock cuttings and ancient tombs with various modern additions commemorate various people and traditions that included the Chapel of the Innocents, the Chapel of St. Joseph and the tomb of St. Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin.
We stopped for lunch at a restaurant just off from Manger Square. It was a continuation of celebrating Roberta’s birthday. As we were taking pictures, a Muslim woman seated at the next table muttered out loud, “Infidels!” She was absolutely right! We do not believe in Muhammed or in Allah.
After lunch we visited the Milk Grotto that is considered sacred because tradition has it that the Holy Family took refuge here during the Slaughter of the Innocents, before their flight into Egypt. Tradition has it that while Mary was nursing Jesus here, a drop of milk fell to the ground, turning it white. Our group did some shopping at the open air markets on the way back to the International Center.
Upon our return we were able to see some of the rest of the facilities, which included some caves under the buildings. We also went into the church building and were able to take some photos. Each Sunday the worshippers gather in the 110 year old sanctuary. The church that has many interesting features showing a German heritage.
The windows in the church came from the Emperor Stained Glass Factory in Germany. They are in a unique style, similar to German windows, and made to reflect the Bethlehem and Holy Land environment. In the church chancel, at the front, are three windows depicting the Christmas story, complete with angels, shepherds and the Holy Family. At the left, in a shallow, rounded chapel, are three windows showing the life of Christ until his baptism, including the flight to Egypt, portraying Jesus and his family as refugees. This picture is particularly pertinent and poignant for the congregation of today because two-thirds of the people are refugees themselves. At the right, in another shallow, rounded chapel, are three windows portraying Jesus’ passion and resurrection, with the crucifixion in the center window. The remaining windows in the main church are related to Bethlehem’s biblical history and landscape. Each window has a corresponding Bible verse in German. There was also a Bible verse in German on the organ console.
The church was bombed in the 1967 war and the roof and ceiling were damaged. The church was also in the middle of fierce Israeli shooting and bombing in 2002. People were under curfew in their homes and could hear glass breaking everywhere. Pastor Raheb, who lives with his family in the parsonage on the church compound, also could hear glass breaking and feared it was the stained glass windows. No one could get out to check until a few days later. When Pastor Raheb finally went into the church he was astounded and grateful to see that all the windows were unbroken and intact. There is one small hole in the red robe of a person in the left chapel windows, which is hardly noticeable but serves as a reminder of the frightening chaos and the damaging attacks in 2002.
The organ in the church was manufactured in Berlin, Germany, around 1890. By the 1990s the organ had developed many problems and was basically unusable. A partner congregation in the U.S., the Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, took on the project of rebuilding the organ. An organ specialist came to Bethlehem and took the organ completely apart. It was shipped to the U.S. where it was completely rebuilt and repaired, and shipped back to Bethlehem to be put back together and usable in time for the 2000 Millennium celebrations. Today the 19th century organ once again leads joyful and meaningful worship in the Lutheran Christmas Church. The bells in the church tower were donated to the church by Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany.
During our supper we had a birthday cake for Roberta with a small fireworks tube on it that reminded us that we would be watching fireworks back home. Roberta was surprised the next day with the gift of a scarf from the young woman who had led us around the facilities earlier in the week.
July 4
After breakfast, we attended the Divine Service in the Lutheran Christmas Church. It was nearly all in Arabic except for the Epistle which was read by Phil. Many of the member families have been part of the congregation for several generations. The members seemed to be all dressed much like people back home. Several of the tunes were familiar but of course in Arabic. We were surprised that there were not more children but after the service during the coffee hour, we found out that they were in Sunday School. They have about 200 active members.
We had to search a little for a lunch place. On Friday, businesses that are owned by Muslims were closed. On Saturday the Jewish places were closed and on Sunday the Christian places were shuttered. Everyone’s faith is obvious. We had schwarma and schnitzel sandwiches and then met with our guide, Johnny, and van driver, Michael for an afternoon of excursions.
We headed first to the ancient site of Herod the Great’s palace and fortress called the Herodian. It had a breathtaking view, overlooking the Judean Desert and the mountains of Moab to the east, and the Judean Hills to the west. The ruins still visible gave some idea of what Herod’s life was like and how he had constructed it to assure safety from enemies. We descended from the top of the truncated hill through a maze of tunnels leading to the cavernous but empty water cistern. Even with such a fortress and Herod’s murderous attack on the innocent baby boys of Bethlehem to keep a new king from challenging him, it couldn’t stop him from succumbing to a bout of syphilis.
The roads descending to the east of Bethlehem on the way back lead through the mostly Christian village of Beit Sahour, which includes the Shepherds’ Fields. The place has been identified since ancient times with the shepherds who saw the Star of Nativity. It is about two miles from the Church of the Nativity. We had been able to see actual modern day shepherds and their flocks in the fields during our various bus trips. And of course, we were delighted to see donkeys and camels as well!
Our van also stopped for a few minutes so that we could see the ruins of Solomon’s pools. The area around it was filled with litter, making it a less than desirable stop. It was good to get back to our accommodations in Bethlehem and be fed a meal and be fed the Word of God in our nightly devotions.
July 5
On Monday morning we packed up to move to Jerusalem for a few days. Before we left Bethlehem we were able to stop and view the separation wall close up. The Bethlehem side of the wall is covered with pictures and messages mostly in English. Obviously those who painted on the walls were seeking to make an impression on Americans and Brits of their opposition to the wall.
Some of the messages were poignant and some humorous: “Tear down this wall”; “Jesus wept”; “I want my ball back”. The serpentine wall seems to arbitrarily divide neighborhoods in a way that adds to the exasperation of the residents of Bethlehem. We made an additional brief stop at Bethlehem's Aida refugee camp, where some 5,000 Palestinians live, two-thirds of them under the age of 18. A large sculpture of a key has a sign tagged to it in Arabic and in English. It says “Not for sale”. This represents the feelings of the refugees that they never agreed to give up their ancestral land and homes.
Our stay in Jerusalem was in the Old City within the ancient walls. The van dropped us off outside the walls and a small tractor with a trailer met us to transport the luggage. We walked through the Jaffa Gate and headed down David Street which is a market area. A sharp turn on Mark Street and in a few minutes we were at the Lutheran Guesthouse, which is considered one of the most beautiful, and atmospheric places to stay in the Old City. This well run guesthouse occupies a series of restored stone buildings and terraced gardens overlooking the main bazaar.
Our room was down the hall from the lobby, a refreshing change from the many steps we had to negotiate in Bethlehem. The whole place has a distinct European flavor and other guests were from Northern Europe. We unpacked and headed for lunch at a small café that Johnny recommended on Muristan Road just down the block from the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer.
We were given the opportunity to shop and we discovered a shop that featured the work of the famous painter Bracha Lavee. We bought two of her prints. My favorite is one that depicts the days of creation and the “Shabbat”, God’s day of rest. We had a little anxiety in converting shekels to dollars in our mind and then got slightly lost. A shopkeeper gave us directions back to the Guesthouse but insisted that we first look at his items for sale. One of his associates ushered us to a back alley room where we felt uncomfortable and also had no desire to consider purchase of any of his rugs.
Our evening meal at the Guesthouse was a distinct change from the Arabic meals we had experienced thus far. It was roast chicken quarters with whole potatoes. They also had a small salad bar. The room available to us for our evening devotions had a high vaulted ceiling with a great view of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It also served as the library and had comfortable seating along with the surprise of a grey cat that appeared from out of nowhere. In the evening a crowd gathered in the garden to watch a World Cup Soccer match on a large screen.
July 6
I enjoyed a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, while others stayed with more of the ethnic cuisine of hummus and pitas. Some of our group did an early morning excursion to the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer because John had discovered that the steeple would be open and he had heard that the view from the top was the best in all of Jerusalem. I elected to go along and climbed the 178 steps to the observation level above the bells. From there I was able to take pictures in all four directions.
We went back to the hostel to connect with the rest of our group and then headed to meet Johnny outside the Jaffa Gate for a full day of touring the religious sites of Jerusalem. We left by Michael’s van across the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane which sits at the base of the Mount of Olives. Johnny carefully explained that we can be certain of the veracity of this place and he used Scripture to back up his position. It was moving to look at the small garden of ancient olive trees where Jesus prayed in agony. Eight of the trees have been scientifically verified as being more than two thousand years old. It was so awesome to consider that these living trees that still were bearing olives were also bearing witness to the Living God who had prayed beneath their branches! One of the smaller trees had a sign on it identifying it as one that had been planted by Pope Paul VI in 1964. Next to the Garden was the Church of All Nations that featured a large rock, believed to be one on which Jesus had prayed. The rock was encircled by a wrought iron sculpture designed to look like the crown of thorns.
All around Jerusalem we saw many Israeli soldiers carrying automatic weapons. It was a little unsettling.
There are two times in Scripture when Jesus teaches His disciples to pray. We traveled a short distance up the Mount of Olives to one of the locations where He did this. The location is now marked by the Church of the Pater Noster (Our Father). It is surrounded by a beautiful garden and features plaques of the Lord’s Prayer written in more than sixty different languages.
We drove around the walled Old City and Johnny gave us the brief history of each of the named gates. There are two distinct places where it is claimed that Jesus was crucified and then put into the tomb owned by Joseph or Arimathea. The first one we visited was the Garden Tomb. Unlike many of the other sites we have been to, this one does not have a church built over it. The facility had a special guide to explain each of the features of the place. We saw a rugged cliff that had the appearance of a skeleton face, thereby fitting the name Golgotha (place of the skull). The garden itself had several winding paths and one of them led down to the opening of a tomb. We were able to enter it and take pictures and pray. I wept. Our local guide suggested that since Jesus is no longer in the tomb we should take Him with us and share Him with the world. The guide also arranged a quiet spot for our group to have a private communion service led by Pastor Bill and Pastor Joel.
We made a very moving visit to the western Wailing Wall. The lower half of the wall is all that remains of the Jerusalem Temple where Jesus visited each time He came to Jerusalem. There was a long fence dividing the access to the wall forcing women to the right and men to the left. Each of us prayed facing the wall where many tiny prayer requests written on paper slips were jammed into the cracks of the wall. Facing that wall caused us to close out all distractions of the world. On the other side of the wall was the gold covered Dome of the Rock which is the holiest place in Jerusalem for the Muslim people. They believe that Mohammed ascended to heaven from there.
We also visited the ruins of the pool of Bethesda and nearby was the Church of St. Anne, the mother of Mary. This church was designed for the singing of Gregorian chant and Johnny suggested that our group sing in the Church. We were the only group in the church so we went to the front and sang the Common Doxology in harmony. The acoustics were so perfect that the sound continued a full five seconds after we sang the amen. It seemed as if we were a choir of a hundred!
In the afternoon we traveled the Via Dolorosa. This route has changed some over the years and it can not be trusted as the exact route Jesus took from his trial before Pilate to Calvary. It was mostly an uphill climb that was a challenge for us to keep up with the rest of the group. But I thought of Jesus carry the cross and walking this way of suffering to His execution and carrying the burden of my sins.
There were stops along the way marking the 14 events of the Roman Catholic Stations of the Cross. A few points about it are worth mentioning. We stopped at each of the Stations and one of them was the Chapel of the Flagellation where Jesus was scourged. Johnny talked about how the Roman soldiers would often play games such as naming one of their prisoners as King, giving him some privileges only to eventually kill him anyhow. Some of their various games were scratched into the floor tiles including a large tile that was at my own feet. At another place there was a handprint worn into the wall where it was believed that Jesus had leaned to rest. My own hand fit the worn print.
Stations 10-14 are all inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. One of the paintings in the church contrasted Christ with Adam and it depicted Adam as a buried skull under the cross. We climbed to a rocky point within the church and were allowed to touch the rock through a metal opening in the floor. The church also had a large stone, purported to be the stone on which Jesus’ body was anointed for burial. The whole church was very dark and foreboding.
We returned to our hostel for supper and evening devotions. One of our other practices each evening was to openly discuss the events of the day and what had an impact upon our lives.
July 7
Leaving Jerusalem this morning we made a few more stops. We went to what is believed to be the location of the Upper Room. While there, a little girl from a Christian School in Jerusalem that was on a field trip gave us each a slip of paper witnessing her faith. We were charmed by that gesture. We were taken down some steps from there to the Tomb of David and again the men and women were separated. Men were required to wear a hat at the Jewish sites. On the way to David’s Tomb, I had noticed the symbol of the Order of Masons on a stair railing. It seems that everyone has a presence in Jerusalem!
Our van took us up to the top of the Mount of Olives overlooking the Garden of Gethsemane where we had visited the day before. The view was spectacular of the old walled city of Jerusalem but our stopping point was a veritable tourist trap where one could sit on a camel for a photo op at the mere cost of forty shekels (10 bucks). I bought a widow’s mite coin from a peddler. Who knows whether it is authentic or not, but it will be a future object lesson.
Leaving the heights of Jerusalem some 2700 feet above sea level, we began our descent to the Dead Sea. In the span of only twenty miles we went down 4000 feet through very rugged desert terrain where we saw Bedouin shepherds living in abject poverty next to a fully modern roadway. It gave us a better sense of Biblical references of going “up” to Jerusalem and “down” to Jericho.
The vast expanse of the Dead Sea lay before us and it shimmered in the 105 degree heat. Our first stop was at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. We were able to see the actual cave sites from a distance and ate lunch there. Our group had requested that we skip the 3 hour round trip excursion to Masada since it was so much like the Herodian fortress south of Bethlehem that we visited last week. We opted for swimming in the Dead Sea. Mom watched and took pictures. It was a novel experience but involved some heat exhaustion by the time we were back on the van.
We traveled north along the west side of the Jordan River Valley with the high ridge that contains Mt. Nebo to the far east side. We began to see some plantations of dates and cultivated vineyards. Most of the trip north was in Palestinian territory that had a suffering economy. Razor wire fences served as a border to keep people from fleeing to Jordan.
Eventually we passed through a security checkpoint upon reentering Israeli land. Even though we have seen the force of their military often, it still does not feel comfortable to have to show our passports again to the soldiers. What a dramatic difference there was being back in Israel! One couple from our group is from California and they said that it looked much like their home state. The farming was very well run and prosperous.
I took pictures of various historic locations along the way but the van did not stop until we reached the town of Bet Shu-an. We walked through a very extensive archeological site that captured the essence of an ancient town. Nearby was Mt. Gilboa where Saul and his son Jonathan died three thousand years ago.
We then headed away from the Jordan Valley passing by Mt. Tabor (transfiguration) and into Nazareth. This is our final home base on our trip. We are staying at a modern hotel (with lousy wifi). Our hotel was in the center of Nazareth and most of the other guests were Italians. We had a buffet supper before searching for a suitable room for our group devotions for the evening. We have plenty of excursions set up for the next two days.
July 8
Our hotel in Nazareth is much like many we have been to in the states and the food here is less Israeli than what we experienced in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. After our breakfast buffet, we headed off for the Sea of Galilee. Nazareth is an elevated city much higher than the Jordan Valley and we enjoyed the vistas during our descent. We went through the village of Cana so quickly that I was unable to get any good pictures but our guide made up for it on the way back.
There is a natural watershed that Jesus would have traveled through but the newer roads take a different course. Our first view of the Lake was magnificent. Fertile farmland is on the west side where we are and the Golan heights are across the Lake to the east. Our intentions were to spend the entire day on the northwest side of the Lake where Jesus did so much of His ministry. We passed a few ruins that marked what was left of the village of Magdala where Mary Magdalene came from. This area is covered with volcanic rock from the days of a cataclysmic event that split the earth open to form the Jordan Valley. Up until this point most buildings that we saw were constructed with dolomite limestone much like what we have at home from the Valders quarry. Now we see the dark grey volcanic rock all over in buildings both ancient and new.
Our first stop was at the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount. One of our group members read the beatitudes aloud from her Bible as we imagined Jesus preaching there and using the things He saw as object lesson: birds of the air, lilies of the field, city on a hill, etc. Next went to the Chapel of the Loaves and Fishes near the location where Jesus fed the 5000. The grounds of each of these the places are beautifully landscaped and the flowers are so wonderful. We could easily see that there was no way for such a large crowd to find enough food from the tiny villages.
We went to the place where Jesus restored Peter after the Resurrection and told him, “Feed my sheep”. The location was right next to the water where Jesus had prepared a breakfast for Peter and the others and a a flat rock there is hallowed as the “table of the Lord”. We were allowed to wade into the Lake and I retrieved a few small shells and a tiny rock as my personal souvenirs.
This part of the trip has been a little easier to walk than in Bethlehem or Jerusalem because there are less steps and paths are more modern. We went on to the ruins of the city of Capernaum where Peter had his own home and of course a church was built over it. It was there that Jesus had healed Peter’s mother in law and also there that Jesus had made his ministry home. Because of the unbelief of Capernaum and two neighboring towns, Jesus cursed them and nothing but ruins are left. We sat for a while in a grove of ficus trees where about twenty young seminarians were studying scattered apart on the stone benches. A stray cat walked into our presence and made friends with Roberta.
We ate lunch at a restaurant that featured “St. Peter’s fish”. It was served whole and looked much like a crappie or large bluegill. The fish tasted ok but we had to fight through the bones. That place had a package deal for us to ride on a large wooden boat on the Lake. In the gift shop of the Lake excursion place I bought a Jewish prayer shawl called a Talith like Jesus would have worn and Roberta got a few more prints done by the artist whose work we had admired in Jerusalem. The boat had enough room for fifty people but our group of eleven had it to ourselves along with the crew. We sang, prayed, danced and just sat transfixed with the seashore that had been the home for Jesus. As we approached the dock on the return from the excursion, John bumped the top of his head on a sharp corner of the speaker for the sound system. Blood flowed freely and one of the pastors ran to get our medic kit from the van once we were at the dock.
On our return we stopped several times to take some high level pictures of the Lake from the city of Tiberias and before we got back to Nazareth we did stop in the village of Cana for twenty minutes. We did some shopping there and I got a great picture of a sign that said “Hello Cana”. After our supper we were both exhausted and went to bed early.
July 9
The destination for our last full day of travel in Israel was the site of the ancient ruins of Caesarea Maritima. It is located on the Mediterranean about an hour drive southwest of Nazareth. It was originally built during the two decades before Jesus’ birth and was considered one of the finest man made harbors in the world. It was named in honor of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus.
As we approached the area, Johnny explained that this was now a location for wealthy people to vacation. The prevailing westerly winds off the sea created sand dunes well inland where expensive resorts have been built and it is also the only place in Israel where one can golf.
When we finally came to the sea, there in front of us loomed the juxtaposition of natural seaside beauty and the ruins of a two thousand year old culture. A substantial section of an aqueduct remained along the beach. It reminded me of the final scene in Planet of the Apes when Charlton Heston comes upon the ruins of the Statue of Liberty emerging from a barren beach.
We kicked off sandals and shoes and tested the temperate water lapping the beach and took full advantage of the photo opportunities. Johnny led us on a walking tour of the ruins as we learned how the buildings that were once so magnificent had been destroyed through a cycle of serious earthquakes and foreign invasions.
Caesarea is mentioned several times in the Bible. It was there that Peter baptized the family of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion (Acts 10) and it was also the place where Paul was imprisoned for two years before boarding a ship for Rome (Acts 23-25). It was a location of many cultures over the centuries because of its desirable location on the Via Maris (Way of the Sea). This was a major trade route connecting Africa and Europe and Asia. It was a city that eventually fell into the hands of the invading Muslims and later recaptured by the Crusaders.
At one time, the city was known for its extensive ecclesiastical library and many of our church theological giants came there to study. The visible remains are substantial and include a theater, pillars with capitals from several eras, remnants of Herod’s breakwater, a sports coliseum, as well as the afore mentioned aqueduct.
We headed back to Nazareth for the afternoon and Johnny arranged for a carry out order of pizza for our group. We headed to a picnic location overlooking Nazareth, not far from where the Pope had visited Nazareth and spoke before a crowd of over forty thousand at a natural hillside amphitheatre. The pizzas were unlike what we have at home. The choices were onion pizza, goat cheese pizza and hyssop pizza. We ate them standing around a rock on the hillside where the young people of Nazareth must have come to party often due to the extensive amount of glass on the ground from broken beer bottles. In that same park area on Mt. Precipice, we were able to see a panorama view of the Jezreel Valley all the way to Mt. Tabor and beyond. This was the location described by Luke in Chapter 4 of his gospel where the angry leaders of the synagogue in Nazareth had taken Jesus to throw Him off the cliff. Jesus calmly walked through the mob because His time to die had not yet come.
We returned to Nazareth to visit to the Church of the Annunciation which was only a few blocks from our hotel. This is the traditional location of where Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel that she would bear the Christ Child. They have combined some of the key aspects of Jesus formative years in Nazareth by including a memorial cave to the carpenter shop of Joseph. Over the entrance to the church is the quote from John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” It was written in Latin.
The Church of the Annunciation has a lower level where the reputed annunciation occurred. A group of Italians were standing in a circle celebrating Mass as we entered. I was surprised how easy it was for me to follow what the priest was saying because Italian is so close to the Latin which I had studied for four years. Just after the Mass the priest spoke to them how special it was for them to receive the true body of Christ in the very place where He had come to take on human flesh in the womb of Mary. We went up the steps to the upper level where a more modern Basilica had been built filled with stained glass windows and Christian art. Beneath the whole structure were a series of cave like rooms dedicated to Joseph featured the Biblical stories on stained glass that were compiled by Matthew in his gospel.
We went back to our hotel and began the arduous task of packing and getting organized for our return trip.
Since four of our group did not need to leave early on Saturday, we had a time of tearful good byes and hugs at the evening devotions and at dinner. John had an appropriate closing devotion about Simeon who declared that he could now depart in peace because he had seen his salvation that had been promised. We are so grateful for the many personal and appropriate devotions shared by the members of our group. This marks the official end of our trip but also the conclusion of our four year adventure in the Pastoral Leadership Institute program. The friendships we have made will never end.
July 10
Our return home began with a wake up call at 2:45 AM. We needed to be at the airport in Tel Aviv by 5:00 AM for all the processing involved with an international flight. The promised bag lunch from the hotel was not produced so we just had some orange drink. I tried to lay on the back seat of the van but that was horribly uncomfortable. When we arrived at the security checkpoint outside the airport we were told to pull to the side and we waited for about twenty minutes before anyone came to check documents and passports. It was right at their shift change and they were definitely playing their own little game of ruling their domain. The first leg of our trip was back to London and five of our group members were on the flight.
Neither of us slept much and the whole flight was during daylight hours.
We had a four hour layover at Heathrow where we decided to have a distinctively British lunch. Roberta had fish and chips and I had a British beef pot pie that was very nicely done. We were a bit frustrated because the last leg of our flight had us not sitting together and Roberta wanted an aisle seat so that she could get up to relieve her back pain as often as needed. We found a compassionate agent at the gate who worked it out. But we were in the third from the last row in the plane. It was completely booked with over 300 passengers. I had a woman sitting next to me from India who was traveling to visit her daughter. We chatted a bit and she was friendly. She told me that her marriage had been arranged by her parents, but that she would only do that for her daughter if her daughter was unable to find a husband on her own. The woman was from Bangelore, where all the telemarketing companies have subcontracted their work.
Our flight to O’Hare was about eight hours and went off without any difficulty. Neither of us slept much. We arrived and went through customs and reentry quickly, caught our shuttle to where the car was parked and made our way home. We arrived a little after 10 P.M. after surviving a day with an extra eight hours in it because of the time change. Happily we picked up the dogs from the kennel on Sunday and they rejoiced at being with us as well. As I finish this blog four days later, I must confess that we have not fully readjusted to the time change and jet lag.
We are thankful for so many things about this trip. It was a place we had wanted to visit for a long time and our memories are indelibly marked by what we saw and the people we met. We rejoice that the Gospel is still being preached in the land where it was first preached. We are thankful that Roberta’s back had improved enough to make the trip. I look forward to using what I have learned and what I have seen within the context of future preaching and teaching in my ministry. Our thanks also go out to all who had us covered in prayer before and during this trip. To God be the glory!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Parable of the Candy Store
The small bell at the top of the door frame rang when little Julia entered the Candy Store. She took three steps in and brushed back her dark hair that was blown about from the breeze outside. She looked to her left and right and marveled at the wide selection of candies in the glass cases, and also those stored in the canister jars on the counter. She was only four years old and she lived for candy! But she rarely got to eat any except on special occasions.
The store proprietor, Mrs. Gundermann, kind of waddled out from the back room like one of the geese Julia had seen at the lakefront. The old lady was very soft spoken and she enjoyed how Julia’s eyes were taking in the sights of her store. “Would you like to taste a few samples so you can make up your mind?” Julia’s eyes grew even wider as she warmed to the prospect of tasting the candy.
Mrs. Gundermann opened one of the canisters and handed a small piece of paper with tiny candy dots on it to Julia. ”You know that each of these candies has a story and a purpose that goes with them. The candy you are eating now is all in lines on the paper. It reminds me how children are attached to our family and our parents to keep us in order. Do your father and mother love you a lot?” Julia nodded.
The next candy that Mrs. Gundermann offered required lots of chewing. “That is a piece of Turkish Taffy. The candy is pulled back and forth many times when they are making it. That reminds me how we are often pulled into doing things we shouldn’t do. The Apostle Paul said that even he had such troubles because the things he knew he shouldn’t do, he keeps on doing.” Mrs. Gundermann set out a cold glass of water for Julia so that she could wash the sweetness down before trying another candy.
“Here is one called ‘red hot’. Be sure to keep the glass of water close by because this one will remind you of how hot it might be in hell if you don’t obey God and follow Him every day.
After tasting the ‘red hot’ for only a few seconds, Julia spit the candy back out into a napkin that Mrs. Gundermann offered. “I don’t like that one,” said Julia.
“Here is one that you will like better. You can even choose what color you want to try. It is called a “life saver’. Julia picked the green one from Mrs. Gundermann’s hand. “That’s what Jesus is for each of us. When we were in a mess, He came and died for us on a cross and if we believe in Him, we can go to heaven one day.”
“That’s where my Grandpa lives now,” replied Julia as she sucked on the life saver.
Mrs. Gundermann opened a small box of candy from under the counter. “This is one of my favorites. I even enjoyed them when I was your age. They are called ‘Good and Plenty.’” She showed several of the pink and white candies to Julia. “There was a little song we used to sing about this candy: ‘Once upon a time there was an engineer, Choo Choo Charlie was his name, we hear. He had an engine and he sure had fun, He used Good and Plenty candy to make his train run.’” Mrs. Gundermann made each of the candies move along like a little train across the edge of her glass counter and deposited them into the waiting mouth of Julia. “You know, God gives us good and plenty of all that we need each day. He gives us food to eat, clothes to wear, houses to live in, and He never stops loving us!”
“What is the funny taste of this candy?” Julia said as she enjoyed this new treat.
Mrs. Gundermann explained, “That’s the taste of licorice. It is put in a lot of my candies. It comes from the sweet root of a plant that grows way on the other side of the world. Some people say that it is sweeter than honey. I know something else that is sweeter than honey. A beautiful song written in the Bible says that ‘How sweet are thy words unto my taste!’ God’s words are always so sweet! It feels so good to know that God loves each of us and has a special plan for us to be with Him forever.”
Mrs. Gundermann’s wrinkled hands trembled a bit as she began filling a bag with different kinds of candy for Julia. She included some root beer flavored hard candy, bubble gum, “tootsie rolls”, and tiny wax syrup bottles. With each piece, she told another little story about how the candy told us something about God. She handed the bag to Julia but then the little girl looked downcast.
Julia was quiet for a moment but then replied, “I am sorry. But I don’t have any money. I just came in to look. I am sorry that I took those samples of your candy.”
Mrs. Gundermann smiled, “Lots of people are only curious about God, and they just take a peek at Him. But then God takes them into his arms and loves them.” Mrs. Gundermann came around the counter and gave Julia a hug. “I knew you didn’t have any money when you came in. You know that the great prophet Isaiah said that we would be able to come and eat with no money. Isaiah was telling people that Jesus would give us eternal life and we don’t have to pay for it because Jesus has paid everything Himself. I want you to have this bag of candy today to remind you that Jesus is our free gift from the Father in heaven.”
Julia looked up and smiled back at the kindly store keeper. She reached out her hand to take the small bag of candy from Mrs. Gundermann. “My mother said that you were her favorite Sunday School teacher.” Julia waved with the candy bag in her hand as she opened the door to leave.
Mrs. Gundermann laughed a little. “I can see why. I remember your mother. You look just as precious as your mother did when she was your age.”
The store proprietor, Mrs. Gundermann, kind of waddled out from the back room like one of the geese Julia had seen at the lakefront. The old lady was very soft spoken and she enjoyed how Julia’s eyes were taking in the sights of her store. “Would you like to taste a few samples so you can make up your mind?” Julia’s eyes grew even wider as she warmed to the prospect of tasting the candy.
Mrs. Gundermann opened one of the canisters and handed a small piece of paper with tiny candy dots on it to Julia. ”You know that each of these candies has a story and a purpose that goes with them. The candy you are eating now is all in lines on the paper. It reminds me how children are attached to our family and our parents to keep us in order. Do your father and mother love you a lot?” Julia nodded.
The next candy that Mrs. Gundermann offered required lots of chewing. “That is a piece of Turkish Taffy. The candy is pulled back and forth many times when they are making it. That reminds me how we are often pulled into doing things we shouldn’t do. The Apostle Paul said that even he had such troubles because the things he knew he shouldn’t do, he keeps on doing.” Mrs. Gundermann set out a cold glass of water for Julia so that she could wash the sweetness down before trying another candy.
“Here is one called ‘red hot’. Be sure to keep the glass of water close by because this one will remind you of how hot it might be in hell if you don’t obey God and follow Him every day.
After tasting the ‘red hot’ for only a few seconds, Julia spit the candy back out into a napkin that Mrs. Gundermann offered. “I don’t like that one,” said Julia.
“Here is one that you will like better. You can even choose what color you want to try. It is called a “life saver’. Julia picked the green one from Mrs. Gundermann’s hand. “That’s what Jesus is for each of us. When we were in a mess, He came and died for us on a cross and if we believe in Him, we can go to heaven one day.”
“That’s where my Grandpa lives now,” replied Julia as she sucked on the life saver.
Mrs. Gundermann opened a small box of candy from under the counter. “This is one of my favorites. I even enjoyed them when I was your age. They are called ‘Good and Plenty.’” She showed several of the pink and white candies to Julia. “There was a little song we used to sing about this candy: ‘Once upon a time there was an engineer, Choo Choo Charlie was his name, we hear. He had an engine and he sure had fun, He used Good and Plenty candy to make his train run.’” Mrs. Gundermann made each of the candies move along like a little train across the edge of her glass counter and deposited them into the waiting mouth of Julia. “You know, God gives us good and plenty of all that we need each day. He gives us food to eat, clothes to wear, houses to live in, and He never stops loving us!”
“What is the funny taste of this candy?” Julia said as she enjoyed this new treat.
Mrs. Gundermann explained, “That’s the taste of licorice. It is put in a lot of my candies. It comes from the sweet root of a plant that grows way on the other side of the world. Some people say that it is sweeter than honey. I know something else that is sweeter than honey. A beautiful song written in the Bible says that ‘How sweet are thy words unto my taste!’ God’s words are always so sweet! It feels so good to know that God loves each of us and has a special plan for us to be with Him forever.”
Mrs. Gundermann’s wrinkled hands trembled a bit as she began filling a bag with different kinds of candy for Julia. She included some root beer flavored hard candy, bubble gum, “tootsie rolls”, and tiny wax syrup bottles. With each piece, she told another little story about how the candy told us something about God. She handed the bag to Julia but then the little girl looked downcast.
Julia was quiet for a moment but then replied, “I am sorry. But I don’t have any money. I just came in to look. I am sorry that I took those samples of your candy.”
Mrs. Gundermann smiled, “Lots of people are only curious about God, and they just take a peek at Him. But then God takes them into his arms and loves them.” Mrs. Gundermann came around the counter and gave Julia a hug. “I knew you didn’t have any money when you came in. You know that the great prophet Isaiah said that we would be able to come and eat with no money. Isaiah was telling people that Jesus would give us eternal life and we don’t have to pay for it because Jesus has paid everything Himself. I want you to have this bag of candy today to remind you that Jesus is our free gift from the Father in heaven.”
Julia looked up and smiled back at the kindly store keeper. She reached out her hand to take the small bag of candy from Mrs. Gundermann. “My mother said that you were her favorite Sunday School teacher.” Julia waved with the candy bag in her hand as she opened the door to leave.
Mrs. Gundermann laughed a little. “I can see why. I remember your mother. You look just as precious as your mother did when she was your age.”
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Gone Fishin'
Did you ever come to the door of a business only to find the door locked and a sign posted that said: “Gone Fishin’”? There was a business on the Sea of Galilee that put up such a sign and of all things, the sign was placed on a deserted fishing boat with nets left untended on the shore. The Zebedee brothers and their friends Andrew and Simon had just given up fishing for fishing!
Those young men had been called to go fishing for men under the direction of their Lord and Savior, Jesus. They and generations of men and women after them have “gone fishin’” with Jesus. The conditions today are just right: the sky is fair under the fair and just eye of the Creator; the barometer says that storms might be coming and that is when men need to hear about the Lord the most; and the season is open just like the open arms of the Lord who welcomes back sinners. Go ahead, put up your “Gone fishin’” sign and lets catch us a whole mess of friends and neighbors for the Lord!
Those young men had been called to go fishing for men under the direction of their Lord and Savior, Jesus. They and generations of men and women after them have “gone fishin’” with Jesus. The conditions today are just right: the sky is fair under the fair and just eye of the Creator; the barometer says that storms might be coming and that is when men need to hear about the Lord the most; and the season is open just like the open arms of the Lord who welcomes back sinners. Go ahead, put up your “Gone fishin’” sign and lets catch us a whole mess of friends and neighbors for the Lord!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Mayday
As we begin the month of May, I thought about the distress phrase “Mayday”. It is an emergency code word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications. The mayday call sign was originated in 1923 by a senior radio officer at Croydon Airport in London. The officer was asked to think of a word that would indicate distress and would easily be understood by all pilots and ground staff in an emergency. Since much of the traffic at the time was between Croydon and Le Bourget Airport in Paris, he proposed the word mayday from the French word m’aider. The phrase "Venez m'aider" means "(you) come help me."
Now it is used to signal a life-threatening emergency by many groups, such as police forces, pilots, firefighters, and transportation organizations. The call is always given three times in a row ("mayday-mayday-mayday") to prevent mistaking it for some similar-sounding phrase under noisy conditions and to distinguish an actual mayday call from a message about a mayday call.
A mayday situation is one in which a vessel, aircraft, vehicle, or person is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance. Examples of "grave and imminent danger" in which a mayday call would be appropriate include fire, explosion, or sinking.
When the Coast Guard receives a mayday call, they may launch lifeboats and helicopters to assist the ship that is in trouble. Other ships that are nearby may divert course to assist the vessel broadcasting the mayday.
In the Book of Acts, the Apostle Paul was on one of his missionary journeys when he heard a call for help. “A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (Act 16:9-10)
Paul knew full well what he could do to help the people of Macedonia. Paul’s own lips had prayed for help numerous times when he was in peril. His own past prayers were probably much like the words of the Psalmist who wrote: Psa 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!”
By taking the gospel to the people of Macedonia, Paul brought them exactly what they needed, at the right time, and in the right measure. Our task of bringing the gospel to other people is not over. Their eternal souls hunger for the help that only the Good News of Jesus Christ can provide. He is the only source of our salvation and when we share the gospel it brings glory to His Holy name!
Without the life saving Good News, many people are truly in grave and imminent danger. We have no way of knowing how much time they may have left on this world. Let us be mindful that we have a perfect and holy gift to be distributed and it is urgent that we come to aid of every person that we get to know. Their cry for help has been heard by the Father in heaven and He has chosen us to be on the rescue team!
Now it is used to signal a life-threatening emergency by many groups, such as police forces, pilots, firefighters, and transportation organizations. The call is always given three times in a row ("mayday-mayday-mayday") to prevent mistaking it for some similar-sounding phrase under noisy conditions and to distinguish an actual mayday call from a message about a mayday call.
A mayday situation is one in which a vessel, aircraft, vehicle, or person is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance. Examples of "grave and imminent danger" in which a mayday call would be appropriate include fire, explosion, or sinking.
When the Coast Guard receives a mayday call, they may launch lifeboats and helicopters to assist the ship that is in trouble. Other ships that are nearby may divert course to assist the vessel broadcasting the mayday.
In the Book of Acts, the Apostle Paul was on one of his missionary journeys when he heard a call for help. “A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” (Act 16:9-10)
Paul knew full well what he could do to help the people of Macedonia. Paul’s own lips had prayed for help numerous times when he was in peril. His own past prayers were probably much like the words of the Psalmist who wrote: Psa 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!”
By taking the gospel to the people of Macedonia, Paul brought them exactly what they needed, at the right time, and in the right measure. Our task of bringing the gospel to other people is not over. Their eternal souls hunger for the help that only the Good News of Jesus Christ can provide. He is the only source of our salvation and when we share the gospel it brings glory to His Holy name!
Without the life saving Good News, many people are truly in grave and imminent danger. We have no way of knowing how much time they may have left on this world. Let us be mindful that we have a perfect and holy gift to be distributed and it is urgent that we come to aid of every person that we get to know. Their cry for help has been heard by the Father in heaven and He has chosen us to be on the rescue team!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
In case you are not able to hear them on the radio in Sheboygan or Plymouth, here are my Morning Meditations for the week of April 26-30, 2010.
Monday, April 26
This week we will find our inspiration from the nest building practices of the many birds who are now busily at work preparing to lay their eggs and raise their young. The simplest nest construction is called the scrape, which is merely a shallow depression in soil or vegetation. Eggs and young in scrape nests are more exposed to predators and the elements than those in more sheltered nests. They have well-developed distraction displays, which are used to draw potential predators from the area around the nest. The killdeer is a local bird that nests in this way. If you come near its vulnerable nest it will fake a broken wing and run away just fast enough to keep a predator following it. Its actions are like Christ who drew all of the attention of Satan to Himself. The heavenly Father had such love that He sent His Son to be “stricken, smitten, and afflicted” as the prophet Isaiah had said. Christ bore the burden of our sins so that we could live. He makes us safe in our homes today and safe for all eternity in heaven.
Tuesday, April 27
Perhaps you have an old tree on your property that has become home to a cavity dwelling species of bird. Cavity-dwelling species have to contend with the danger of predators accessing their nest chamber, catching them and their young inside and unable to get out. These birds have a variety of methods for decreasing the likelihood of this happening. Some woodpeckers peel bark around the entrance, and drill wells above and below the hole. Since they nest in live trees, the resulting flow of resin forms a barrier that prevents snakes from reaching the nests. The resin flowing from the tree reminds us of the blood of Christ shed for us on the cross. We are offered His true presence in the sacrament of the altar to strengthen our weak faith and to prepare us for the daily spiritual attacks. The Bible reminds us to “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”
Wednesday, April 28
This week we are observing how bird nests are good object lessons for our Christian life. Our state bird, the robin, builds a cup nest which is smoothly hemispherical inside, with a deep depression to house the eggs. They use pliable materials, including grasses, and mud. Once the mother robin perches on her nest, it is so tight that nothing else could fit into this initial home for their young. Sometimes we have allowed things into our homes that conflict with God’s plan for us. We begin to trust money and government rather than the Father in heaven who gave us everything freely, including His own Son. In the Bible, Joshua warned people about this when he said, “Choose this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” Joshua was proclaiming that as leader of his family, he would never make room in his house for anything that would be against the Lord and His ways.
Thursday, April 29
Perhaps you have observed a beautiful orange and black pair of Baltimore orioles building a pendant nest on your property. The pendant nest is an elongated sac woven of pliable materials such as grasses and plant fibers and suspended from a branch. Far from the reach of predators, these curious nests sway in the spring breezes. It reminds us of how the human child is cuddled and swayed and kept safe in its mother’s arms. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet Isaiah to write about that kind of comfort and security as he spoke of the Father’s love for us. “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” God promises us comfort in the gathering of believers here on earth as we receive His blessings in our weekly Divine services. We look forward to the final gathering of all believers in heaven for eternity where there will be no more tears and only joy because we will be in the very presence of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Friday, April 30
In our parks and at our waterfront areas we are currently observing Canada Geese building their mound nests with grass and plant material and lined with feather down. Because their nests are at ground level they are especially vulnerable to predators such as foxes, mink, coyotes and dogs. Knowing how defenseless the eggs and later those tiny goslings are, the gander and his mate zealously guard the nest and will attack any intruders, putting their own lives on the line. The tiny offspring gather behind the protective wings. This is exactly how Jesus desires to protect us. One time He looked at his beloved city of Jerusalem and said “How often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.” We are covered in such a way according to God’s plan for the Christian church. Jesus spread his arms on the cross at Calvary and we who believe and trust in the victory won by Him over sin, death and the power of the devil can be assured of His protection and love.
Monday, April 26
This week we will find our inspiration from the nest building practices of the many birds who are now busily at work preparing to lay their eggs and raise their young. The simplest nest construction is called the scrape, which is merely a shallow depression in soil or vegetation. Eggs and young in scrape nests are more exposed to predators and the elements than those in more sheltered nests. They have well-developed distraction displays, which are used to draw potential predators from the area around the nest. The killdeer is a local bird that nests in this way. If you come near its vulnerable nest it will fake a broken wing and run away just fast enough to keep a predator following it. Its actions are like Christ who drew all of the attention of Satan to Himself. The heavenly Father had such love that He sent His Son to be “stricken, smitten, and afflicted” as the prophet Isaiah had said. Christ bore the burden of our sins so that we could live. He makes us safe in our homes today and safe for all eternity in heaven.
Tuesday, April 27
Perhaps you have an old tree on your property that has become home to a cavity dwelling species of bird. Cavity-dwelling species have to contend with the danger of predators accessing their nest chamber, catching them and their young inside and unable to get out. These birds have a variety of methods for decreasing the likelihood of this happening. Some woodpeckers peel bark around the entrance, and drill wells above and below the hole. Since they nest in live trees, the resulting flow of resin forms a barrier that prevents snakes from reaching the nests. The resin flowing from the tree reminds us of the blood of Christ shed for us on the cross. We are offered His true presence in the sacrament of the altar to strengthen our weak faith and to prepare us for the daily spiritual attacks. The Bible reminds us to “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”
Wednesday, April 28
This week we are observing how bird nests are good object lessons for our Christian life. Our state bird, the robin, builds a cup nest which is smoothly hemispherical inside, with a deep depression to house the eggs. They use pliable materials, including grasses, and mud. Once the mother robin perches on her nest, it is so tight that nothing else could fit into this initial home for their young. Sometimes we have allowed things into our homes that conflict with God’s plan for us. We begin to trust money and government rather than the Father in heaven who gave us everything freely, including His own Son. In the Bible, Joshua warned people about this when he said, “Choose this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” Joshua was proclaiming that as leader of his family, he would never make room in his house for anything that would be against the Lord and His ways.
Thursday, April 29
Perhaps you have observed a beautiful orange and black pair of Baltimore orioles building a pendant nest on your property. The pendant nest is an elongated sac woven of pliable materials such as grasses and plant fibers and suspended from a branch. Far from the reach of predators, these curious nests sway in the spring breezes. It reminds us of how the human child is cuddled and swayed and kept safe in its mother’s arms. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet Isaiah to write about that kind of comfort and security as he spoke of the Father’s love for us. “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” God promises us comfort in the gathering of believers here on earth as we receive His blessings in our weekly Divine services. We look forward to the final gathering of all believers in heaven for eternity where there will be no more tears and only joy because we will be in the very presence of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Friday, April 30
In our parks and at our waterfront areas we are currently observing Canada Geese building their mound nests with grass and plant material and lined with feather down. Because their nests are at ground level they are especially vulnerable to predators such as foxes, mink, coyotes and dogs. Knowing how defenseless the eggs and later those tiny goslings are, the gander and his mate zealously guard the nest and will attack any intruders, putting their own lives on the line. The tiny offspring gather behind the protective wings. This is exactly how Jesus desires to protect us. One time He looked at his beloved city of Jerusalem and said “How often I would have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.” We are covered in such a way according to God’s plan for the Christian church. Jesus spread his arms on the cross at Calvary and we who believe and trust in the victory won by Him over sin, death and the power of the devil can be assured of His protection and love.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Firstfruits of Spring
This week the crocus bulbs next to our house were stirred to life as the frost began to leave the earth. Other flowers wait even two more months before they dare to emerge. But the crocus is not afraid of the snow and it doesn’t wait until “everybody is doing it”. Its purple and yellow petals brought a smile to my face and though I know there will be a few more snow storms to withstand, this tiny flower has been fruitful in my life.
The crocus reminds me how Christ died for us when we who deserved to die fled from the scene. He hung alone in the face of scorn and ridicule. In chapter 15 of First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul called Him the firstfruits of the dead who has been raised. Perhaps this tiny crocus flower is a better symbol for Easter than the traditional lilies!
The appearance of the crocus also speaks to how we approach challenges that may seem overwhelming. The crocus does not wait until it can be certain of the passing of winter. It boldly pushes from the earth, eager to glorify the Creator who made it. Throughout history we have always honored those who were the first to do something. No one knows the name of the second group to experience sustained flight but we all remember the Wright brothers. Be bold in sharing God’s love with all!
The crocus reminds me how Christ died for us when we who deserved to die fled from the scene. He hung alone in the face of scorn and ridicule. In chapter 15 of First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul called Him the firstfruits of the dead who has been raised. Perhaps this tiny crocus flower is a better symbol for Easter than the traditional lilies!
The appearance of the crocus also speaks to how we approach challenges that may seem overwhelming. The crocus does not wait until it can be certain of the passing of winter. It boldly pushes from the earth, eager to glorify the Creator who made it. Throughout history we have always honored those who were the first to do something. No one knows the name of the second group to experience sustained flight but we all remember the Wright brothers. Be bold in sharing God’s love with all!
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