Jerusalem

At 8am this morning we entered the Old City of Jerusalem through the Dung Gate (doesn't sound so very auspicious, does it?), over a ramp that overlooked the Wailing Wall, and onto the ground that once were trod by Abraham as he led his son to be sacrificed, by David as he planned a temple of God, by Solomon who built that temple, and by Jesus Himself, who learned, taught, and drove the moneychangers out of the temple.

From Mt. Moriah, we entered the Muslim Quarter where we went to the Church of St. Anne, mother of Mary and saw the pool of Bethsaida. Leaving the Church, we began our walk on the Via Dolorosa, following the last footsteps of Jesus. Inside the Antonia Fortress area, we walked the same pavement as He, then followed His progress through the narrow, steep, winding streets of the quarter. Finally, after much twisting and turning, doing our best to avoid eye contact w/ vendors and clutching our earthly possessions to avoid pickpockets, we emerged from the gloom of the Muslim Quarter into the bright light of what is probably the most sacred place (or second only to the Church of the Nativity) in Christendom. Entering the church, we climbed up stairs to view Golgatha through glass, reaching into a hole under an altar to touch it. I left a teensy little paper expressing my prayers for those whom I love so dearly and for those whom I am so deeply concerned.

Below, in the basement of the church is the remains of a Byzantine church that was built around Golgatha, incorporating part of the rock itself into its walls--as a matter of fact, a beautiful altar is built into the rock itself. It was there in that centuries-old church and when I touched that rock, that I was moved to tears. (Not that I haven't cried every single day thus far...)

Upstairs, under a marble slab, is more of the rock upon which, tradition holds, Jesus was lain in order to drive nails through His hands.

Around the corner was a very large, very dark edifice that held, tradition says, Jesus' tomb. Unfortunately, there was a 2-hour wait to get into that edifice, so I couldn't swear to what was in there.

Leaving the sacred mount, and, subsequently the Christian Quarter, we were driven to an out-of-the way spot for--you guessed it--and over-priced buffet lunch and the opportunity to shop for overpriced souveniers (I'm so tired...I can't even spell.) You might notice that I'm becoming increasingly disenchanged with our lunch stops.

After lunch, we drove back to the Old City, this time to what they're almost certain is Caiaphas' house where Jesus was taken from the Garden of Gethesemane. We saw the street/steps He had to have walked and the pit into which He was lowered. Our service in that pit was soooo moving (but I didn't cry. I think I was too tired.)

From there, we entered the Old City one last time, this time into the really quite attractive Jewish Quarter heading for the Western/Wailing Wall. Today was Purim in Jerusalem (it was Friday everywhere else), so there was much celebrating, much drinking, much costume-wearing, and much good spirits all together. In the courtyard before the wall, Jews from all over the world wore their traditional garb--cool fur pie-plate hats, stove-pipe hats, cowboy-type hats. Men wore their ringlets (honestly, they're called something else), women their headscarves.

I entered the women's section and made my way, as unobtrusively as possible, to the Wall, touched it, and, as I did at Golgatha, left a teensy paper on which I wrote a prayer--specifically for my family this time.

AND, it was sunny almost the entire day!

One of the things that means so much to me about this trip is the "found" sense of nearness to my Savior. It has been such a blessing to be isolated from the cares that I do so love to take on (I just know God needs my help). I am sending up little mini prayers right this minute--I hope you are, too. I know Whom I believe and am not just persuaded but completely convinced that He is more than able to take care of me and mine, to lead us, to open and close doors, to sustain us in our goings out and comings in. I have been missing this feeling. I'm glad it's back!