We started off early with a visit to the "old city" of Jerusalem. We went to the Temple Mount for a visit to the Wailing Wall, Al Aqsa Mosque, and the Dome of the Rock (a mosque that stands where the Second Temple once stood). I wrote my prayers on a slip of paper and inserted it into the Wailing Wall; it was such a moving experience and I wish I could convey the emotions I had, but I'm just not sure if it's possible. Megan and I were left behind at the Wailing Wall, but after 15 minutes of wandering before the group realized we were missing, we were finally reunited with the rest of Bus 2. If you have to be stranded somewhere...what better place than that, right? ;)
We also visited the Church of the Nativity which was absolutely amazing and almost impossible to fathom, and the Israeli Museum to take a look at the Dead Sea scrolls. I managed to snag a picture even though we were forbidden to do so (thanks iPhone) and I've include it at the top of this post.
We stopped at the Shepherds' Field at the end of our day and took advantage of the amazing acoustics in the church there. At a site where it's okay to celebrate Christmas all year long, we sang "Silent Night" and I was absolutely in awe of the entire experience. As we were singing, another tourist group entered the church and joined us...in German. It was amazing to hear us all singing about the birth of Christ in different languages - I still have goosebumps.
Even though it was extremely hot, my legs are killing me because of the hiking we did, and I've got a lovely sunburn from the v-neck tshirt I was wearing, today has been absolutely perfect and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
Shalom from Bethlehem, and shukran for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment