The final blog while on my adventure!!!

Thursday, the 14^th of October has got to go down in my personal history as one of the best days of my life (well, going Sydney time, it would be the 15^th and therefore my birthday!)! At 2pm, a group of us went the to the Mount of Olives to pick olives for a few hours. Little did we know that we were actually going to be given rare access to the Garden of Gethsemane and pick olives from the very area that is restricted and that Jesus himself may have walked on. It was the most interesting thing. Some of us were on ladders while others were picking up the olives from the sheets laid under each tree and putting them in buckets. Many pilgrims from around the world took pictures of us and mistook us for workers. We sang Arabic songs with the workers and drank their coffee. They asked us to come back the next day to help them again.

We finished picking about 5pm where more of our friends joined us in the Mount of Olives for dinner. We had some pizza delivered and ate together. It felt like the Last Supper! Four of us had decided to spend the night in 2 hermitages and experience a liitle of what Jesus may have felt on the night of his Passion. We were shown to our hermitages-they were so small and cute!

After dinner, 2 of the Priests from our group led us in the Sacrament of Penance. At the end of our confessions, we had a candle lit and placed these around the altar outdoors, near a grotto, where we were to celebrate Mass. After Confession (a time in which many were moved by their conversations with the top Priests from Melbourne, Australia and Durban, South Africa), we celebrated one of the most moving Masses I have ever had the good fortune to be a part of. For Eucharist, Fr Stephen used the local Jerusalem bread and broke it as Jesus would have done. The view we were looking upon was the whole city of Jerusalem, a view that has not changed much since Jesus walked through the Mount of Olives. After these celebrations, most of the group left while the four of us stayed back to reflect, write and have some time out.

My friend, Diana, and I awoke at 4:30am and watched the sunrise over Jerusalem from outside our hermitage. The view was spectacular! We arrived back at Ecce Homo for the walk of the Way of the Cross that was completed with Mass at the altar of Calvary in the Holy Sepulchre. The group was overwhelmed with the feeling that we had spiritually walked in the footsteps of Jesus and I know that I have never felt as close to Christ as I did that morning (my 30^th birthday morning!). In the afternoon, we attended a Shabbat Service at a Synagogue in New Jerusalem. It was upbeat and easy to follow.

During the day, a group of us went to the Dominican Monastery outside the Old City walls to see the Garden Tomb where people’s bones since the 5^th-7^th Centuries can still be found. This place was also the place where the relics of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr, were kept before they were distributed to all different places.

For dinner, to celebrate my birthday, about 25 of us went to a restaurant that is an underground cave that was recently excavated, and I was told, has been dated to as far back as 2000 years! The night was fantastic.

This morning, we went to Abu Gosh where the Crusaders built a Church in honour of the story of Emmaus. The building dates back to the 12^th Century and the mosaics found inside are lovely. We were told that there are two possible locations for the historic location of Emmaus but we did not visit these. One has nothing there but ruins while the other has an Abbey built there. We celebrated Mass in the Church and the celebration was led and attended by nuns and monks from the Dominican Monastery attached to the Church, and other pilgrims. The chanting was incredible and the whole Mass was in French.

On our way back to Ecce Homo Convent, we stopped at the place where the Tomb of the Prophet Samuel is found. There is a Mosque on the top and a Synagogue on the bottom. It is one of the rare places where all three faiths can worship together.

Today, Mary MacKillop was canonised and I know that all the Aussies here would have liked to watch her canonisation. We are getting regular updates from loved ones.

Tomorrow we will celebrate the final Mass together, here in the Basilica and then share a lunch. I do not look forward to saying all the goodbyes I know I must make. It is amazing how people can come to mean so much to me after such a relatively short period of time! I know that I will forever remember them and am a better person for having known them!

The whole month long immersion experience has been worthwhile and irreplacable. I have learned so many things about Jesus, the Gospel of Luke, the Old Testament, our Jewish roots, about Islam, more about Eastern Churches, archaeology, my own faith, about the Palestinian people and in some ways, about the Israeli people. I know that I will be still processing many of my experiences and learning for a long time to come. I thank God that I was fortunate enough to be one of the 12 chosen by the Catholic Education Office, Sydney to be present here in Israel.

Galilee, Galilee, Galilee!

I completed my last blog by stating that I was going to visit the Museum at Yad VaShem and the Children’s Memorial. I have never been confronted with so much horror, sadness, disappointment, anger and understanding than I experienced at these places. We first entered the Children’s Memorial. The building is a masterpiece of light. You get the feeling that you are walking through a dark shroud after the death of a loved one and all you hear are the names and ages of the children who died during the Holocaust. One and a half hours were then spent in Yad VaShem Museum. How people can deny, denigrate or even minimise the complete magnitude of the Holocaust is beyond me! Our time there was not nearly enough to take in the various multi-media presentations available such as interviews with survivors, radio audios, archives of newspaper and propaganda, photographs, war video footage etc. I was moved to tears, had goosebumps the whole time, could understand the gravity of this unique episode in the history of humankind since time began. I am glad I went as I begin to understand the Zionist movement and the creation of an Israeli State. My personal opinions about the politics of the land of Israel and Palestine will be kept closely guarded. Our guide was a Jewish man whom we could ask any question of and he helped me gain a greater insight into the different Judaisms that are in existence today and the various agendas each pushes.

Last Thursday, we met our guide who would be travelling with us for 3 days through Galilee. He introduced us to the 3 different approaches taken to read the geography of an area. They are known as archaeological, topographical and traditional. That night a group of us went to experience Adoration on the Mount of Olives in the evening.

My faith has been revitalised because I have experienced both the beauty, serenity, tranquility and peace of Galilee and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is so loud, dirty and heartbreaking. It is not a place of rest or peace. I am becoming more acquinted with the human Jesus and seeing him more from this perspective makes me feel so close to him.

On Friday morning, we left Jerusalem for the district of Galilee. I can finally understand how Israel can be described as the land of ‘milk and honey’. Our first stop (after 3 hours travel) was Nazareth. We visited the Greek Orthodox Church of St Gabriel, where they believe, according to the Gospel of St James, that Mary was first visited by the angel Gabriel while she was fetching water from the well in the village and ran off from fright. The Church was full of iconography that were beautiful. After this, we walked through the old city of Nazareth that reminded me of the bazaars or souks in Jerusalem. There were 2 slaughtered cows hanging upside down outside the butcher’s shop dripping blood onto the street ground! We walked to the Basilica of the Annunciation. It is huge and is known to be one of the most beautiful Basilicas in the Middle East. Before entering the inside of the Basilica, we went to the Church of St Joseph which is traditionally believed to be the site of the home of Mary, Jesus and Joseph. We celebrated Mass in this Church then were taken under the Church to see the ruins of a home and workshop of a labourer such as a stonemason or carpenter. I learnt that Joseph would most likely have been a tradesman who used his hands in the local trades such as carving or cutting stones and building huge structures. Under the Basilica are the ruins of the home believed to be Mary’s when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. The grounds of the Basilica have massive images of Mary from different countries around the world. There is also a life –size statue of Mary in front of a fountain. The Basilica itself is 2 storeys. The first storey shows the ruins of the home of Mary that has been excavated. The ruins form part of the sacred space. There are ancient mosaics and railings blocking out crowds when necessary. The second storey looks like a modern Basilica with more images of Mary from around the world. Australia’s one is on the left side and is as long as the floor to wall. These 3 places are well worth visiting.

After entering the coach, the weather changed and it started to pour! I have never experienced rain in Israel. The streets were soon flooded and the locals drenched. I would hate to live on the bottom of the incline. Our next stop was Sepphoris, the largest city in Galilee when Jesus was a child and teenager. We visited the excavations of an ancient synagogue that Joseph and Jesus may well have assisted in building or other parts of the city when commissioned by Herod Antipas. It was getting close to sunset and the place needed to close due to the Sabbath so we did not get to see more than the synagogue.

We arrived at our place of rest, a place for pilgrims called Pilgerhaus Guest House Tabgha. It is a most relaxing and breathtaking place to stay. The place is right by the shore of the Sea of Galilee (more specifically known as Lake Kinneret). There is a balcony where guests can sit, eat and drink outdoors while enjoying the views of the sea and the date palm trees. Our rooms were more like hotel rooms on a tropical island.

The next morning, Saturday, my friend and I woke up early and swam in the Sea of Galilee. There is no sand and the pebbles/rocks are painful to walk on but the fresh-water was fantastic and refreshing to swim in. After breakfast, we arrived at the Museum of the Ancient Boat. I had no idea that this ancient boat even existed. In the 1980s an ancient boat, dating back to the 1^st Century CE, was found (by some local fishermen) at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee during a particularly dry season. It soon became known as the ‘Jesus Boat’ as Jesus would have been in a boat like it, if not this very same one! We watched a video about the discovery of the boat before going on a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. It was truly a mesmerising experience, especially when the boat stopped in the middle of the Sea and no one spoke. The reflection time we had, of feeling the presence of Jesus, was profound. The shores of the lake have been kept in tact and still look the way they would have in Jesus’ time. The lake abviously has not changed either!

We then departed for Capernaum or as it is more correctly spelt and pronounced, ‘Kefar Nehum’. It is the most visual archaeological place I have seen so far. I could actually see where the local inhabitants lived, where the synagogue was located and how they moved about. The remains of the synagogue are built on a previous synagogue that is believed to be the very same one that Jesus read about his mission from Isaiah to bring about the reign of God. I was deeply touched by this thought. Also in Kefar Nehum is St Peter’s house where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law from her fever. It has archaeological significance due to the old plaster that was found within the room of the house. No other place in the whole town had special significance or homage shown to it since the early Byzantine times. The Church of St Peter is built directly above the excavations of his home. When you enter the Church, there is a heptagonal railing and clear glass in the centre that allows people to look directly into St Peter’s home. The rest of the pews are found around the glass with the altar in front of a window showing the view of the Sea of Galilee. The artwork in the Church are carved from wood and depict the important times that Peter shared with Jesus.

We then left for the Mount of Beatitudes restaurant where we had lunch which consisted of St Peter’s fish and semi dried dates. We then went to Tabgha (which means Heptapegon referring to the seven springs in the area. We entered the Church of the Loaves and Fishes where it is traditionally believed Jesus fed the crowd of 5000 from 2 fish and 5 loaves. The most famous Byzantine mosaic showing 2 fish and a loaf of bread is found here. The altar is built from the rock that it is believed Jesus put the bread and fish on. It is a lovely Church.

After leaving this place we arrived again at the Mount of Beatitudes to celebrate Mass outdoors together overlooking the lake. It was an amazing experience as imagining Jesus speaking the Beatitudes to a crowd in such a beautiful place suddenly seemed feasible. The Basilica of the Beatitudes is small and picturesque. The whole Mount is peaceful.

We then travelled to the place known as the Primacy of Peter. Here is a Church with a great big rock in front of the altar where it is believed Jesus appeared to his disciples before his Ascension and asked St Peter if he loved him 3 times. It is the place also, where they shared a meal. The shore of the lake is physically behind the Church and in ancient times, used surround the Church completely on one side. Sources such as Eusebius mention this place. There was a poster of all the Popes in 2000 years with Peter as the first. 2000 years do not seem so long when places and people associated with them are still around for everyone to see and touch.

On Sunday morning, the group celebrated Mass by the lake shore. It will truly be an experience I will never forget. Reading Scripture in its correct context makes such a huge difference. The imagination can be fertile as it has the necessary tools. We then left Pilgerhaus (to everyone’s deep disappointment!) and attended Banias or as it was known to the Roman world, Caesarea Philippi. Wow! I learnt so much here. This is the place where pagan gods were worshipped because of the lushness and beauty of the landscape and availability of the water. The god Pan was venerated here and that is where the Aramaic name comes from. The place was named after Herod’s son Phillip and it was believed to be the place where one could enter Hell through a special gateway in the mountain. Jesus visited this place with his disciples and where, our guide taught us, he had a crisis of vocation when he asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” This is also the place where it is believed Jesus said to Peter, “On this rock I will build my Church.” Streams from the Jordan River flow freely here. Goats were venerated here too as well as Zeus and other deities. The place was mostly destroyed during earthquakes.

From there we drove to a national park where we walked to different sources of the Jordan River. At one such place, we renewed our baptismal vows. We dipped our feet in and it was so cold! We drove to another side of the park and walked to a wonderful waterfall. We had no idea it was there as it was well concealed but the water could be heard. Near this area are several hills and mountains. One such mountain was Mt Herman which is believed to be one of the places where the Transfiguration took place. The other mountain, which was close by is Mt Tabor. The borders of Lebanon and Syria are on the other side of the chain of mountains. There is a large population of Druze living in the area. When driving to the next place, Dan Nature Reserve, we passed large areas of land with barbed wire and signs stating, “Danger: Land Mines”. I have not seen that before. After walking through beautiful forest, we came upon the ancient city of Dan. We were able to walk through the fortified city and it was amazing. They had a temple to Baal as well as a place to worship God. The place predates Jesus and was active around 10^th -8^th Century BC after the death of King Solomon. We ate a packed lunch here and looked at the ancient excavations before us while having the new contemporary city behind us. Soon after this, we boarded our coach and made the long trip back to Jerusalem. I have to admit to feeling that I can relate to the human Jesus so much more now after seeing where he spent two-thirds of his life. As someone in the group stated, Jesus must have truly responded to his calling and mission to die for us because he basically left paradise (Galilee) to enter Jerusalem which was so different. No wonder Jesus kept wanting to go by himself to pray and find quiet and solitude.

On Monday, a group of us went to the Holy Sepulchre early to experience the presence of Christ before the rush of the crowds and to celebrate Mass. It just so happened that Cardinal Hicky from Perth celebrated the Mass near the altar of Jesus’ being nailed to the cross before going on his way to the canonisation of Mary MacKillop in Rome.

In the afternoon we went to a few different places that are ver significant to the 3 Abrahamic faiths. We went to Bethphage, the Mount of Olives, the Mosque of the Ascension, Pater Noster, Dominus Flevit, Church of All Nations and Gethsemene. Bethphage is the area above the Kedron Valley that is between Bethphage and the walla of Jerusalem. I learned that Bethany is not too far from Bethphage. Bethphage is the name of the area where it is believed by Jews and Muslims that the Messiah will descend from Heaven before his triumphal entry into Jerusalem through the Golden Gates found on the Western Wall built by King Herod. Here are thousands of Jewish graves from King David’s time as well as those of early Christians (these are found in the Church called Dominus Flevit). The Mosque of the Ascension has had different eras affect it. It was built by the Byzantinians then Muslims converted it, the Crusaders converted it again to Catholicism before the place was once again converted to Islam. Inside is a stone that legend says shows the footprint of Jesus in the moment of his ascension. The other footprint can be found on the Temple Mount. Pater Noster was similar to the Church of the Visitation in that the grounds contained the prayer ‘Our Father’ in all the known languages of the world. The area of the Mount of Olives is extensive. It contains the Garden of Gethsemene, certain graves, different trees but especially olive ones, a variety of Churches and mosques as well as hermitages. The Dominus Flevit Church is the traditional site where Jesus wept for the people of Jerusalem on his descent from the Mount of Olives, to the Kedron Valley and on into Jerusalem. The Church of all Nations is absolutely beautiful! Finally, we went to the place where Greek Orthodox Christians believe to be the place of transit for Mary into Heaven after she died. They have the empty tomb open for veneration.

That night we listened to an inspiring Palestinian woman talking to us about her life experiences, her thoughts on peace in this land of Israel and findings from her research and experiences.

This morning we had a new and different guide take us to Temple Mount where the 3 Abrahamic faiths find their roots. For all 3 faiths, it marks the spot where Abraham was tested when he was about to sacrifice his son Isaac. For the Jews, it was also part of the Holy-of-Holies when the Temple was around. For Christians, it was the place where Jesus walked and prayed. For Muslims, it is where Mohammed ascended to Heaven. Since the 1967 war, Muslims have control of the area and do not allow people from other faiths to enter. The Al Aqsa Mosque also has these restrictions. These 2 form the oldest Islamic sites in the world. Jewish soldiers are allowed to patrol the outside perimeters for security risks. After this, we entered the Southern Excavation area where the shopping part of the Temple was found. We learnt that there were 3 walls that people get confused with. There were once 4 walls of the Temple. These are not to be found anymore since the destruction. The second walls were those built by Herod the Great to support the walls of the Temple. The third walls were those built during the Ottoman Empire period. The Western Wall Tunnel Tour was fun and interesting. We went far below ground level to rediscover the original Herodian blocks, the rest of the Western Wall, the quarry and how the city was lifted so that the steep incline of the mountain no longer felt like an intrusion, time and energy consuming and a chore.

I have been moved to tears in the Garden of Gethsemene. We have gone 3 times at night when everything is under lock and key and have been given a rare privilege. On Thursday, we plan to olive pick from the Mount of Olives and I plan to see the dawn of my 30th birthday from a hermitage on the Mount of Olives overlooking the walls of the city of Jerusalem. We will then walk the Way of the Cross and end up in the Holy Sepulchre, the place where Jesus died and when he rose from the dead.

My Time in the Heat!

On Saturday, 2^nd October, I was fortunate enough to meet (through one of our group members) a newly ordained Priest from Melbourne who was staying in one of the Hermitages on the Mount of Olives. We walked him home after dinner and because he had key access, he invited us in for a quick walk around the Garden of Gethsemane, the Church of All Nations and the Mount of Olives. WOW!!!! I have never felt so close to the human Jesus! Everything was dark and in shadow, just as it is described in Scripture. The trees are so ancient. The plaque in the Garden moved me to tears. Inside the Church, a group of seminarians were celebrating a Liturgy and we were allowed to join in with Benediction. The rock that Jesus prayed against and sweat blood in agony is in front of the altar surrounded by steel thorns donated from Australia. I have not touched it yet but I hope to before I leave. We then walked through the Mount of Olives area and looked into the chapel and the hermitage Father was staying in. We stopped and looked at the view of the walls of Jerusalem, the same walls that have been there when Jesus stood in this same place. We were all deeply moved and felt so grateful to be in this sacred place. We prayed together near the Garden before we left.

The next morning, we got got up early to go to Ein Gedi by coach. We passed through Kedron (Qidron) Valley, as mentioned in Scripture. The land here is so dramatic. On one side there is barren and rocky wilderness while on the other is the sea and so lush date / palm trees. The group trecked through the forest and saw some beautiful waterfalls. We read from the books of Samuel and Ezekiel where Ein Gedi are mentioned and the battle between David ad Saul took place and Saul’s life was spared. It was amazing to be in the same place where these revered men once walked. We then swam in any of the springs that we chose. We had so much fun swimming under the waterfalls and cooling down after our hike.

Near this place is the excavation site of a 3^rd-5^th Century Synogogue. The mosiacs were wonderful. From this place we went to the Dead Sea. The temperature was 47 degrees celsius. There is no sand, only pebbles. Swimming in the Dead Sea is an incredible experience. I lost complete control for a few minutes and needed my friends to help right me. If your body goes forward, the rest of you follows. If you lean back, the rest of your body does to. The temperature of the water was about 35 degrees celsius. I got a drop of water in my eye but it did not sting for long. Our bodies felt like we had oil smeared on them. Our skins are now glowing!

After leaving the Dead Sea, we travelled to Qumran. The temperature in the bus was stifling as the air conditioner was not coping in the heat from outside. We watched a 10 minute documentary about the Dead Sea Scrolls, quickly walked through the museum then heard our guide speak to us while he gave us a tour of one of the excavated caves. Learning about this sect of Judaism was fascinating with all their ritual baths and purification rules. It was the most tiring day we have experienced so far!

Yesterday, between classes, a group of us set out to the Church of Dormition (the place where it is believed Mary fell asleep before her body was assumed into Heaven). We passed through the Jewish Quarter and saw the Western Wall. We shopped at a Jewish store where the teachers picked up authentic items to show their students. The cashier would not touch the money from my hand but expected me to place it on the counter and to receive my change in the same way. After this, we made it to the Church. It is lovely. The many shrines depict events in the life of Mary. In the crypt, the life-like figure of Mary sleeping can be found.

After the Church, we went to the room that is traditionally believed by some to be the room where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper. In the same complex, we came across the tomb of King David. We were able to visit it but had to split up into female and male sections. I heard a Jewish man praying in a loud voice and he sounded like he was in anguish. We then hurried back to Ecce Homo for our next class taught by a Jewish man about Judaism in the time of Jesus and Luke.

Last night, we were fortunate enough to go back to the Mount of Olives with the Aussie Priest but this time we met the caretaker of the Mount. She gave us a guided tour in the dark and showed us the Library, Chapel, Marian Grotto and various hermitages and spoke to us about various people who have stayed there over the past 16 years. We were invited to pick olives before we go and were assured that we would be given access to the actual Garden and be allowed to stay there for hours. We would also be able to buy jars of the oil and celebrate Mass on the top of the Mount if we could provide the celebrant. Adoration is on Thursday nights at 8pm, outdoors, overlooking Jerusalem. On our walk, we could see the cross on top of the Holy Sepulchre, the place where Jesus was crucified. I felt so close to Jesus. I wondered how he would have felt knowing his time of death was at hand and that it could not be avoided. Would he have known Golgotha was the place where he would breathe his last? We will definitely be picking olives before we leave….

Tomorrow we are off to the Museum at Yad VaShem and the Children’s Memorial.

Part of the 2nd Week

I did not mention last time that on Sunday, 26^th September, Tony Blair and I attended the same Sunday Mass at Notre Dame. His bodyguards ushered him away before we could take a photo with him.

We have been unpacking the Gospel of Luke, had the most fantastic 2 hour introduction to Islam and learnt about the various Jewish Feasts and their relationship with Christianity. All around Israel, we have seen a variety of Sukkahs (booth like structures built on verandahs and near the homes of Jewish people) erected for the 7 day festival of Sukkot or otherwise known as, The Feast of Tabernacles. The last day of Sukkot is commemmorated with a lot of lulav (special plant species held in the hand) and palm and olive branches. A group of us went to the Western Wall at 6am to observe the Jewish people celebrate the end of this 7 day feast and to hear them sing the Great Hosanna. There were thousands of people between us and the Wall. They were praying, wearing their prayer shalls, walking around the Torah and reciting the Great Hosanna. The noise and sight was unforgettable! I could not help but make a connection with this feast and Palm Sunday. I later learned that this is a theory that some modern scholars have looked into. I was so happy to be present to witness such an event and visualise Jesus being one of the men celebrating such an occasion in his life.

One of the biggest and best things I have gained a better insight into so far is the humanity of Jesus. One of the guys in our group summed up how the 30 of us were feeling, “My romantic view of Jerusalem has been shattered”. I no longer see the journeys mentioned in the Bible as simple clear cut things but full of heat, sweat, dirt, thirst and hunger. Hospitality has taken on an even greater meaning and relevance. Jesus’ emotions, teaching, parables to the local people has taken a very different perspective in my mind. I am only halfway through my immersion experience. I wonder what else I will learn and experience!

Our group was fortunate enough to visit the Tower of David. Here we had a very knowledgable guide who showed us 360 degree views of Old and New Jerusalem, pointed out and explained the most significant sites for the 3 Abrahamic faiths, took us for a tour inside the museum where she explained the layout of the land and where the major cities and towns from Old and New Testament times were situated.

That night we had a tour of the Lithostrotos which is below the very building we are staying at. The Emperor Hadrian had stones removed from the nearby destroyed Antonia Fortress (which is now a school for the local children) and placed where they currently are. The famous arch of Ecce Homo still stands from this time. The stones that we stepped on may well have been the very same stones that Jesus stepped on when he was a prisoner in the Fortress where Pontius Pilot was commanding. It is incredible that 2000 years later, we are staying near the very places Jesus was scourged, crowned with thorns, condemned to death, took up his cross and began his walk to Golgotha.

On Thursday, a group of us went back to Bethlehem via Taxi service to visit the birthplace of Jesus. On the way back, we had to pass through the checkpoint at the Separation Wall by physically walking out of the Taxi and going through the two checkpoints. I have a greater sympathy for the Palestinians who go through these checkpoints twice a day everyday to go to work.

Yesterday we went to Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Next week they will celebrate 10000 years of settlement. On the journey there, we stopped at Wadi Qilt (Kelt?) where it is believed the old road from Jerusalem to Jericho was situated, where Jesus spent his 40 days and was tempted, where the story of the Good Samaritan occurred. Various saints and prophets such as Elijah also have spent time here too. When we got off the bus, we were mobbed by male members of the Bedoin tribe. Boys were on donkeys and the men had a camel. We were given 2 passages from the Old and New Testament to look up and reflect on. The words of the Bible definitely have a different meaning when they are read in the very places they refer too! It was very hot but thankfully there was a cooling breeze.

From the wilderness (a desert without sand), we went to Jericho. We got onto the sky cable cars and had panoramic views of Jericho. We reached the Mount of Temptation where a Greek Orthodox Monastery is situated and where it is believed 2 of the temptaions of Jesus occurred. The original Monastery built on the very top of the mountain from as far back as 4^th Century is no longer in Christian use but used by the Israeli soldiers as they have the best vantage point to monitor the Jordanian border. A local told us that the caves in the mountain where religious hermits used to live was cleared of rock up to 1Km in by their very hands. We nearly collapsed going up the steps of the mountain in the scorching heat of the day. We got to touch the very stone where it is believed Jesus sat on when he was tempted and say the stone (in the shape of bread) that Satan tempted him to change and saw the top of the mountain where Satan showed him the kingdoms of the world.

Back on the bottom of the mountain, we went to the place where Elisha made the water for Jericho clean. After lunch we stopped by a sycamore tree named as Zacchaeus’ but which is only 300-400 years old. Just before leaving the city of Jericho we stopped by a new Romanian Church that displayed the most beautiful handpainted icons on the walls. After leaving this Church we stopped beside the site where the palace of Herod the Great was. 4 bedoin children approached us and quietly stood staring at us. We gave them money. 2 of the older boys sat on donkeys while the girls walked barefoot in the scorching heat toward us. They never smiled and did not make a sound. It broke our hearts to see their poverty.

Tomorrow we go to Ein Gedi, Dead Sea and Qumran. More details later.

Visiting Bethlehem and the places associated with the nativity of Jesus

On Friday, the group set out for a tour of parts of the West Bank that are related to Jesus' birth. We had a local professional Christian Palestinian guide and he taught me many new things. We first had to pass through the checkpoint leading into the West Bank and quickly passed the Separation Wall. We picked up our guide, Elias, and went to Beit Sahour - the traditional known place of the shepherds that the angels appeared to. There is a beautiful church built there with the most amazing acoustics. We sang Hark The Herald Angels Sing and I swear, my friend and I could hear an organ playing in the background! We walked further on and entered a traditional shepherds cave where we celebrated Mass that 4 of us organised (including me). Our hymns were Christmas Carols. Walking outside, we spotted a real shepherd in the fields but he was very far away that the picture was not clear. There were excavations of a 4th Century Monastery.Elias taught us about the life of the shepherds and put a spin on all our beliefs of the 'inn' and the manger where Jesus was born. I can't wait to share it with others (too long to put here now!)

We then went to Bethlehem. We stopped at the shop that sells hard carved wooden figurines where we went crazy spending CEO money for our schools. The local people were so happy as we helped their local economy that day.

We then went on to the Franciscan Family Center and met Sister Maria Grech. She had a personality that reminded me of Mother Teresa. Sister looks after the male orphans, counsels families and educates them about standards of living. She was amazing! All of us have proposed doing fundraising activities to support her work at the center.

We then walked in the direction of Manger Square where we had lunch. Before that, we entered a Church known as the Milk Grotto where it is believed Mary stopped on her flight to Egypt and breastfed Jesus. It is said that drops of her milk fell on the stones and that they changed colour to white. Many people drink milk with sand from the stones of this Church in the hope of being healed, conceiving and being fertile. Many miracles have occurred according to the Church janitor.

Lunch was beautiful. We were served by a young man who could have passed for a model if he was in our Western world. He showed me photos of him in the Dead Sea and spoke about his life among the Israelis. His story is sad and unfortunately, only one in a long line of sad ones that we have heard.

After lunch, we went to the Church of the nativity that was built in the 4th Century by Constantine's mother, St Helena. The Church was magnificent. We went down to the tombs of early saints such as St Jerome. We were not able to enter the actual place of the nativity as the queue was so long.

We then went to Bethlehem University where we had a tour, watched a DVD about it (the Vice Chancellor is from New Zealand!) and had an opportunity to ask questions of 3 young women from Muslim and Christian backgrounds about their life at the university and in their communities. Their stories are incredible.

After this we went to the Separation Wall where we sang, "Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace". The place is so depressing. The Palestinian side of the wall is full of grafiti that expresses exactly what the people are feeling. I could have wept. There were many goose-bump moments. I have many photos to share.

On our way back to Jerusalem, we had to pass through the checkpoint and have our Passports ready. 2 Israeli soldiers boarded with their guns (1 female, 1 male) and just walked through quietly. The act of intimidation was felt by all as we felt it was totally unnecessary.

All in all, the day was amazing. I will write about the Jewish festival of Sukkot next.

The first 4 days!

My trip over was uneventful and fun with the 11 others I am travelling with. However, when I arrived at Tel Aviv Airport I was interrogated for 30 minutes about my Lebanese background because my passport was stamped in 2004 in Beirut. The man was pleasant but my passport kept being passed on to different people. They took down my mobile number, father's and grandfather's name, occupation amongst other things. Thank God I was not alone and had the 11 others waiting for me on the other side of the customs.

We arrived on Sunday, 19th September. After resting, 2 of us went for a walk through the Old City, had lunch and watched people walk by. It was so interesting to see the mix of religions in the one small area. I observed Muslim women in their Hijabs walk past Jewish soldiers in their full gear and also pass Italian pilgrims singing and chanting while moving between the 3rd and 4th Stations of the Cross on Via Dolorosa. Afterwards we went to Mass at Notre Dame Chapel outside the Damascas Gate in the new city. Mass was celebrated by an Aussie Priest from Melbourne!

We were all woken up at 3:45am to the call to prayer from the Al Aqsa Mosque which is almost a touch away from the Terrace at Ecce Homo. It was beautiful to hear the praise to Allah. This call goes on almost constantly for 45 minutes. Ear plugs have become essential!

The souks here are amazing! There are eager and hopeful shopkeepers trying to sell their wares while trying to convince the buyer that they have the best price! They are incredibly touched when I speak to them in Arabic and almost fall over themselves to help in any way they can. On Monday, 3 of us went to walk the ramparts of the gates of Old Jerusalem and to shop for souvenirs. We went into one shop where the shopkeeper is of 2 faiths when it suits him. His father is Muslim while his mother is Armenian Catholic. I was impressed by his ability to bargain and to want to help us save money and not pressure us into buying anything. We stayed in the shop for almost 2 hours then had some tea with him. I walked out with so many things that I did not have the money for but his response to that was, "I trust you to pay me as soon as you can". We walked through the different quarters except the Jewish one. We had Lunch while steadily making our way to the Jaffa Gate to begin our ramparts walk.

There are so many things to see, touch, hear, smell and taste. Pomegranate juice seems to be the new favourite amongst my group. There is the smell of incense mixed with the smell of coffee and other smells of spices. Religious artifacts abound everywhere. One of the first places we went into was a small place run by the Greek Orthodox Priests and Nuns where they believe Jesus was kept in prison. We needed a torch to see and it was intriguing. We visited the Holy Sepulchre and I have to admit to feeling disappointed. The most holiest place for Christians sounded like a market. There was no silence and it was a great big tourist attraction. There was a queue to go into the tomb where Jesus lay and another to touch the stone on which the cross hung. I was happy to be in this sacred place but I did not feel the sacredness as much as I believe I should have. The experience reminded me of an indoor marketplace! I hope to go back another day, early in the morning, and celebrate Mass with the group.

The walk from Jaffa Gate to Lion's Gate took about 1.5 hours. We took many photos and were disappointed in many areas to see so much rubbish and waste around archaeological sites. We could see the slits where the Crusaders and other armies would let arrows fly from onto their enemies, Palestinian children playing with a football that kept being kicked over the gate into the new city part and one boy had to keep running around through the gate to get the ball. It was very interesting to see historical sites mixed with newly built areas or neglected old areas filled with rubbish.

On our way back to Ecce Homo, we passed the Chapel of the Flagellation where Jesus was whipped and scourged and then into another Chapel where Jesus took up his cross. I felt more spiritually alive in these 2 places than in the Holy Sepulchre!

On Tuesday, our official Biblical Studies program began with 30 people from 7 countries (most of whom are Aussies). It was a great way to begin our course.

On Wednesday, we had 2 lectures about the beginning of the Gospel of Luke which were informative and inspiring. After Lunch we got on a bus to go to Ein Karam. Some of us were late getting onto the bus because of a woman in the group having twisted her ankle the day before. We had just left the Lion Gate when we came across angry Palestinian youths throwing large rocks, some boulders, at any passing vehicle. We had no warning. The bus in front of us and another behind us had its windows shattered. Cars on the road had poles put through them, a Police car was set fire to. I will never forget the look of pure hatred on the youth's faces as they picked up the rocks and threw them. I was in the very back row of the bus with 3 men and the rest of the bus got onto the floor and covered their heads. I do not know how it happened but not one single window was shattered of our bus. Rocks were thrown, some on the roof and windows. I saw one of the men gesture to our bus driver to keep driving. Maybe we were spared the majority of the damage because of the Palestinian driver or maybe we had some divine help! The carnage was horrendous. We saw Jewish men bleeding then riot police driving to the area we were leaving. I was told at dinner, by my Palestinian waiter, that a local man from the local area was shot by a Jewish person and the youths had retaliated because of this. When asked why the man was shot, he replied that this was a common occurrence and that it happened almost every week. Later we found this article on the BBC website explaining what happened.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11387964

After leaving this behind, we went to Ein Karam where Mary visited Elizabeth and Zechariah and the famous Magnificat was expressed. The Churches of the Visitation were beautiful. We then walked to the Sisters of Sion Convent where we celebrated Mass. The drive back was uneventful but we were stopped at the Damascus Gate this time instead of the Lion's Gate. Tonight is the Feast of Tabernacles (Suffoth) and all the Jews are celebrating. As we walked through the Muslim Quarter tonight, we saw groups of Orthodox (?) Jews walking through which was not something I had seen before. We can now hear gun fire and a father yelling at his son to stay at home.

More soon…

Journey has not yet begun. . .

Hi friends,


I have not left Australia yet but am soooo looking forward to the trip of a lifetime!