Like this:

I can’t believe it’s only the 4th full day in the Middle East. CRAZY. After Amman, we went to a camp called “Friend of the Earth, Middle East”. So cool. They deal with water issues and work with the community to reflourish some of the land- you would never guess you were in the desert in some of the places they’ve worked on- and they start with simply putting up fences to prevent overgrazing by local Bedouin sheep herds. So, as we walked around, we got to go into a Bedouin tent and have tea with the woman there…..Best thing ever! And she put in a lot of sugar, which according to my cousin David, is a great sign of being welcome there.

Then we packed up and left the camp and travelled to the Jordan river, to the most probably baptismal site of Jesus, since that’s where they know John the Baptist (talked about in the Gospels, in Matthew and Mark) worked most. It’s also near where, in 2 Kings 2, Elisha witnesses Elijah being taken up to heaven, and then Jesus in the Gospels compares John to Elijah- oh my goodness, I was so blown away by being there. I was near tears as we were reading the Bible, sitting next to the, well, once mighty Jordan river (there’s not much left of it and I definitely wouldn’t swim in the water that’s there).

But then we went to the border and crossed over into Israel last night and now I’m sitting here in a convent in the Muslim quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem (the old city meaning we’re within the Ottoman gates) and when I go up to the roof I can see all of the old city, with the Dome of the Rock literally right there practically next to us, and the Mount of Olives to the left…… Oh my goodness- we explored the city a bit this afternoon and all met up at the Western/Wailing Wall and went up onto the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock sits. 2 of the Egyptian girls in our group wrapped their heads with scarves like hijabs and pretended to be Muslim and got to go inside the mosque- I’m so jealous of them and their dark skin and Arabic. haha

Oh the hummus and the pita- I haven’t gone one meal without pita so far and I don’t even mind.

I’m sorry I don’t have pictures to upload, since I don’t have my computer, I’ve been borrowing. I’m also typing really fast and not covering as much as I’d like to about the conflict and everything.  If you have any questions at all, please feel free to comment and ask and I’ll respond to them if I have any idea.

 

We’re here at this convent for a whole week which is fantastic. It’s cold but amazing aside from that. If I ever come back to Jerusalem, which I feel is highly likely, this is where I’ll stay.  My goodness the history here is just phenomenal. I miss home and those of you I love, but I’m so truly happy to be learning here and traveling as a student and a pilgrim.

 

Okay, I should go.

Shalom!

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