we have done so much

We left Jerusalem early early in the morning for the West Bank on the 11^th. I have not much to say about the beginning of the day in Jerusalem besides that it was full of crowded religious sites and man confusing overlooks of the city. I do love being on the Mount of Olives though. It is such a vivid place to me when I read the Gospels. I would have loved seeing the Garden of Gethsemane and all the area around it, but it was far too crowded with tour groups and venders that I felt no emotion besides frustration.

(olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane)

The real story is what came with the evening. We were split into groups of two and assigned to stay with Palestinian families in Beth-Sahour, the neighboring city of Bethlehem in the West Bank. Alex and I stayed with a Simon and his family. We ate dinner with him and had incredible conversation concerning the current state of Israel and Palestine. He told us of where his family was before 1948 and during the 6-Day War. He told us how he and his sons have blue Jerusalem IDs and his wife and daughter have green IDs meaning they basically cannot leave Palestine). We discussed the curfews put on the Palestinians during the shooting in the Church of the Nativity and many other times in the early 2000’s. His wife came home from her meeting and we talked about how they met and the culture differences among culture and dating in the Middle East (even among Christian families). As we were drinking tea and being continually fed sweets, a couple with a newborn baby and a two-year-old girl just walked in the door. The woman worked with Simon as environmentalists and this was the first time her new baby girl had been in their home. Her husband Max and Simon continued to discuss the conflict with Alex and I. And then another friend of theirs, a 20-something-year-old basketball player just walked into the living room and started joking with us all.

To our surprise, Alex and I heard vivid stories from Max and Simon about their severe beatings from the Israeli police force. I do not think I will forever forget their stories. They were 14 and 18, beaten beyond recognition for having a peace sign key chain and a picture book of newspaper clippings.

They next day (the 12^th) we went as a group to the city of Hebron where there is the most fanatic Jewish settlers in all of Palestine. The shops and homes of the local Arabs have been welded shut by the police and the economy is shutting down. Jewish settlers have built their own homes on top of abandoned Arab houses while many Palestinians have to climb in through their windows and roofs. We walked through a Palestinian refugee camp afterwards and walked along the wall that separates Bethlehem from Israel.

That night Alex and I had a much less politically charged night as we went ‘shopping’ with our host mother. Really we just stood around flipping through racks of the oddest clothes I’ve ever seen while she went shopping. Apparently she had had gastric bypass surgery and needed a whole new wardrobe. (I will just add here that that is, in my opinion, one of the most detestable surgeries available). While we were in the car we were able to have great conversation with her about her family. She treasured family above anything else in the world, and explained to us that when you cannot leave your country or town, that they are all you have. I have never met a woman that felt so strongly for her family in my entire life.

Our next day (the 13^th) was a bit of blur. We explored the Sphelah and saw the area where the battle between David and Goliath took place. Our day ended with our entire group swimming together in the Mediterranean Sea. Moments like these are the times I am most fond of- 42 people whom I know so well laughing and playing the ocean together as the sun set. And the water was so lovely and warm.

(pretty proud of that Chaco tan)

The 14^th was our exploration of the Negev portion of Jerusalem. But the REAL part of the day was in the incredible hike Cyndi took us on in the basins of the Negev. It was stunning and much-needed. The wilderness in this country is just so so different. I often don’t know what to do with it. Brown hills, white hills, tan hills. But it’s intriguing and so many of the people here find it absolutely beautiful.

(the canyon hike)

(wilderness view)

Now this night was an adventure. Our bus ride to Arad was supposed to take a little under an hour, but our trusty bus driver Omar got us lost. This means a bus full of 43 hungry and tired college kids for 2 and a half hours. People started listing all the foods they were going to eat when we get home, they talked about how much they missed their mothers, insults started flying as we became more tired, and Eric started reciting his cannibal love poem. We finally arrive in Arad as Omar pulls up to a warehouse far off the freeway. They tell 13 girls to grab their stuff and get off the bus. Apparently all of our housing accommodations had fallen through and myself and 12 other women slept on the floor of an art warehouse with mats and sleeping bags.. it was hilarious. We got back in the bus to go to dinner and Cyndi informed us that we are eating dinner with the Bedouin.

“You’re joking aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not.”

-silence-

“You see, it’s funny, because we still ALL think that you’re joking”

We waited for an escort car as Omar drives us and our GIANT tour bus on a dark dirt road into the wilderness. Turns out, Cyndi was not joking. We walked into this giant room with oddly colored pads and pillows- all exhausted and famished. The Bedouin community fed us a delicious dinner of flat bread, chicken, salsa, rice, soup, tea and Arabic coffee. Then it was back to the warehouse. We woke up the next morning and ate breakfast of flat bread, humus, zatar, yogurt, and olive oil with the Bedouin again- just as delicious as dinner. We learned about the Bedouin and their life under the Israeli government. They showed us their sheep, goats, and camels. I personally was kicked in the arm by a charging sheep. And I’m not talking about a cute little white lamb, I’m talking a BIG scared sheep.

(breakfast with the Bedouin)

After this we all swam in the Dead Sea. Covered ourselves with priceless black mud and minerals that people pay for at spas, and then jumped into the thrashing salty waves. It was all fun and screaming and floating and laughing, until the waves crash into your mouth and eyes and BURN BURN BURN. And if that isn’t enough to get you out just wait 5 minutes until your skin starts to burn. It feels like you are going to lose every inch of natural protection on you body. So we splashed our way to the shore that is covered with white salt crystals. All our friends were packing the mud into water bottles and pouring fresh water over their faces in relief. It was an adventure. But after the enflamed skin, sore eyes, and bloody knees- we know the Dead Sea means death.

We ate our usual lunch of pita, carrots, humus, and cookies and made our way to the springs of En Getti. We compared the deceptive beauty of the Dead Sea to the promises of the world’s materialism. Beautiful and temporarily enjoyable, but eventually bringing pain and death. Shrinking and stagnant. And then we jumped in the pools of En Getti. Incredible, fresh, sweet spring water. Every place water splashes from the waterfalls it sprouts new life from within the thirsty surrounding stones. The living water that comes from the Lord.

And now I am back in Jerusalem at the Gloria Hotel outside Jaffa Gate- and it feels so so good.