Friday, June 09, 2006

I can't leave it there...

For the past week, I've been trying to break into this program to add a post-script to last Wednesday's entry. I simply couldn't fathom leaving that entry as the last one detailing our trip to the Holy Land! And so, let me try to add some additional light to the story...

Picking up where we left off...

While I had planned a trip to Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust Memorial, on Wednesday afternoon, one of my pastoral colleagues suggested that would not be the most helpful choice. Instead, she encouraged me to take the afternoon to process and rest, which I did. It was very good advice. (Sometimes, it makes a world of difference to have such a caring friend.)

By Wednesday evening, I was in a much brighter place, ready to enjoy dinner with the group and friends at the Armenian Tavern just off of Jaffa Gate. (n.b.: BEST hummous around!) It was great to have the life and energy of children in our midst. Silliness reigned.

Later that night, Marty, Lori and I went for coffee and then to sit on the grass just outside the wall of the Old City. Shortly after we settled in, a Muslim family arrived for an evening picnic. Within a few minutes, the father was over offering us snacks - not once but twice - and we enjoyed watching him play with his little daughter, who was about 2 years old. As we got ready to leave, we went over to thank them for their hospitality and they invited us to stay a while. More food was offered (learning to say, "no, thank you" has proved to be indispensable) and stories were shared. They are the only Arab family living in the Jewish Quarter and have been for hundreds of years. I know that we Americans often long for the family homestead or the house in which we grew up but our attachment to bricks and mortar pales in comparison to that of a family that's lived in a house for so many generations.

On Thursday, ten of our group joined with two women who were visiting former global mission staff for a trip to Masada, the Dead Sea (Ein Gedi) and Jericho. The women were from the San Gabriel Valley of California, where I spent a decade of my life. As I talked with one of the women, I inquired where she'd lived before So Cal. Chicago (I'd recognized the accent). What did you do there? I was a teacher. Where did you teach? Austin High School. Whoa. My grandmother taught there for many years but she retired in the late 50s...you probably didn't know her... She was my supervisor when I was student teaching! Talk about a small world! I went all the way to the Dead Sea and there discovered a woman who knew my grandmother. Now, I must admit (tongue in cheek) that I was a bit circumspect because she kept referring to Marion as "sweet." But then she shared a telling story. 'Seems that when Kathleen finished her student teaching, Marion was to rate her preformance in ten categories. She gave Kathleen top marks in 9 of the 10 categories but left the 10th one blank. Kathleen said, "When I asked her about it, she said, 'Nobody's perfect.'" Now, THAT was my grandmother! Imagine...

Masada.
I overcame my fear of heights and took the cable car up to the top. I had carefully put on sunscreen and my trusty YDS baseball cap. But I had forgotten to take care of the tops of my ears. OUCH! I burned them but good! Masada is an interesting place. Hard to imagine how the construction took place or understand how the Romans managed to overrun such a high fortress. Especially long before the days of heavy construction equipment!

We had lunch at Ein Gedi and had a chance to put our fingers or toes in the Dead Sea. Current salt content? 32%. Hailed for its healing properties, I found it burned! (Tender skin, you know!) But the salt formations on the rocks were really fascinating. ..just encrusted with salt!

In Jericho, we visited the tree that Zaccheus climbed in order to see Jesus. That was pretty fun. Then, we stopped at a rest-stop (aka tourist trap) of some size. Anne lamented that we were the only tourists there. At this time of year, she explained, the place should be crawling with tourists. After a rest, a snack and a little bit of browsing, I walked outside to find Bob taking a camel ride around the parking lot. C'mon, Sue! Try it! It's fun! So I did! And it was! Sami the camel did yeoman's work that day. He carried Bob, then me, then Kathleen, then our bishop, who wrote a new synod theme song as a result: Bishop rode the camel in Jericho, Jericho, Jericho...Bishop rode the camel in Jericho and the beast came tumblin' down... It really was a lot of fun!

Thursday evening, we received instructions on our Friday schedule through to the point of going through security at the airport. It was quite a process but I was treated more kindly than others in our group...At least a couple of folks had to repack (though we all agreed, "Pity the poor folks who open our suitcases filled with dirty clothes after 10 days in the desert"!)

On Friday, we visited the Martin Luther Senior Center next to Redeemer Church in the Old City. Then, our guide, Karin, took us around the Old City, including St. Anne's Church, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall and the Jewish Quarter. We couldn't go up onto the Haram because it was Friday and that was a disappointment but the Western Wall was a remarkable surprise! It had energy! It vibrated! It's comprised of living stones! It was quite an experience. Since it was Friday and Shavuot to boot, no photos were allowed in the area of the Western Wall. That was a bit of a disappointment but I was reminded that some experiences cannot be captured - even by my trusty Nikon.

I did a little shopping on Friday afternoon. I should not have gone alone because I'm more likely to spend too much on items when I don't have a consultant. Not only that but in one shop across from Redeemer, I had a most interesting exchange with the shopkeeper...I had my eye on a little package of mezuzot and I knew what I would pay for them - and not a shekel more. The man in the shop was a tough barterer but I stood my ground. And then, he started flirting. Very funny. It came down to this: Are you single or married? Single. Why? I haven't found the right person yet. I am ready! So, the mezuzot cost me 100 shekels and my phone number.

We had a wonderful presentation on Islam 101 that evening but I felt sorry for our speaker as we were all glazing over. After the presentation and dinner at a restaurant near Jaffa Gate, we went to the Silers' flat to rest and freshen up. Before we knew it, it was 1AM and the van was there to take us to the airport.

We went through the checkpoint near the airport, through security (how many times? three?) and then waited to board our flight for a 5:30AM departure to Frankfurt. This time, we were frisked only once in Frankfurt as we made our way to our connecting flight.

It's good to be home but a few of us have noted that a part of ourselves was left back in the Holy Land...especially in Bethlehem and at the Lutheran schools...We have a new appreciation - and perhaps a bit of guilt - about how easy life is for us here.

I know that I'll be unpacking the images and emotions of the trip for some time to come.

Peace, Shalom, Salaam,
Sue

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