Down, down, down...

Bet you didn't know that White Memorial was a seminary academy, did you?  Neither did we until we got to Israel.  Our group really liked this sign unti I declared that there would be a test at the end of the week.  

All kidding asdide, we were greeted by this sign in the window of our bus in Israel where Tony and Majdid picked us up.

Tonight we sleep at the Ein-Gedi Kibbutz Hotel.  We are at the lowest point on the earth's surface, along the banks of the Dead Sea, in the heart of the Rift Valley.  We are 1200 feet below sea level.  Surrounded by desert the Kibbutz is a shear act of will and land management.  It looks like a Spring blooming in the desert because it is.

Animals roam freely.  Plants from all over the world grow in every imaginable manner.  It is incredible.  Especially considering everything around it is a moonscape.  Desert.  In every direction.

(Hotels and resorts dot the shore of the Dead Sea.  These are half way between our overnight accomodations and the city of Eliat, where we entered Israel).

There is so little alive around here (including the sea), that the life-spring of the Kibbutz is enchanting; I find myself drawn into it.  My heart seemed to beat a little lighter as our driver turned into it, taking us from the desert and into something green, cool, life-supporting.  More on this later.

Most of the day was spent simply moving around from place to place.  We can say now that we walked into Israel.  Literally.  The bus dropped us off in Jordan.  We walked 100 or so yards through a severely fenced area, and, after more than 90 minutes in security and passport control for the 19 people in our group (there were only 4 others in line with us when we first arrived) we were able to enter Israel.  I have no pictures of this as cameras and security officers did not seem to be all that compatible.  It was a simple, but painstaking experience.  A good reminder of the complexity of this part of the world.  I can only say that from the travelers perspective the people in Jordan could not have been more pleasant or kind.  And, the Israeli's we have met so far are just as welcoming.  Kindness on both sides of the border.  Go figure.  And the painstaking security, most bags handchecked, every passport scrutinized, questions asked of each of us is a good reminder of the complexity of situation on both sides of the border.  And let's face it -- within a matter of miles of the Israeli city of Eliat, the nations of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel all converge upon the Red Sea.  And that makes it complicated.  The kind of complication one cannot just wish away.

(Members of the group say goodbye to Jordan, and the east side of the Jordan River -- often overlooked parts of the Holy Land).

On the lighter side, we did get to "swim" in the Dead Sea.  It was the strangest sensation I think I have ever had.  The bottom is pure salt:  as if salt had turned to smoothish rock.  And the water simply will not allow a person to sink.  

Tomorrow we head out to Massada, before heading on Northa to Jericho and then Galilee (that is a slight schedule adjustment -security took 1 hour longer than expected).  

It is truly a full blessing in every sense to be here.  One experience builds into the next.  One thought leads to many, many more.  One insight to more insights... Were Sodom and Gomorrah near Mt. Lot, on the southern end of the Dead Sea?  How much did Jesus know of the tensions surrounding Massada - would he know what would happen there and how it would come to be a psychological and national symbol for the Hebrew people?  What will we feel as we journey to Galilee to the Mount of Beatitudes?  How close were we today to the spot where the Israelites walked over and through the Red Sea?

All around us the Biblical story unfolds and the metaphors of the Bible  - water, life, well, strength, sheep, shepherd -- they come to life.  One cannot help but wonder how green plants and life will return tomorrow when we start north and get beyond the Dead Sea and nearer the Jordan River.  It is little wonder that John and Jesus shared Baptism there, really.  From where they were there was desert all around, the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) to the South -- reminders of the fragile nature of life.  And in the place of convergence -- where outflows from two mountain ranges converge in the Jordan River -- where all the water and life gathers to sings songs of praise to God, that is where Jesus began his ministry.

Here at Eid-Gedi, we are closer that we have yet been.  I'll confess -- for my own part, I am excited about that.

"God - grant to us now the wonder of new eyes.  For faith.  For perspective.  For deep seeded feeling. Help us to see that, though far removed, the stories of your gospel migh preserve us yet.  Here in the land of your covenants and your promise, help us to know our own past more clearly, that we might, through your light see clearly into a future through which we might serve you with greater clarity:  loving you and our neighbors as ourselves.  In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit we pray these things.  Amen."

Petra

I remember back at Seminary when a group of my friends went to the Middle East and to the Holy Land.  To be sure they talked about following in Jesus' footsteps.  But they also all talked about Petra.   

I have now spent an entire day in Petra.  I think I walked its grounds, surveyed its crags, up and down slopes in and out of caves for nearly 9 hours.  In all I think I walked 10 or more miles.

And like near everyone before me, I am speechless.

There is more to write than I can write.  More to say than I can say.  There is a reason that the world is trying to preserve it -- there are Unesco and USAid stickers in lots of places. It is, by my reckoning, singular.

Constructed in the hills of southern Jordan, bordering Israel, the Nabateans (who spoke Aramaic) and who were near the height of their power at the time of Jesus dominated the lands west of the Jordan River for hundreds of years.  They were master builders -- particularly of aqueducts and cisterns.  They were master traders.  Dominating the trades roots across Arabia -- connecting Africa, Europe, and the Far East.  So powerful were they, that they resisted the Romans until 106 A.D..  Which for a near-Meditteranean people, is a long time.  

The city would be polytheistic, then Roman worshipping, Christian, and Muslim before it was abandoned and turned over to Bedouins.  Lost to the West for hundreds of years, it was rediscovered as a lost city in 1812 by a Swiss explorer.

I think it is an important part of our trip for many reasons.  Primarily because it is amazing and it is singular in the world.  But also, and even more, it gives an idea of the complexity of the world in which Jesus was born, in which he taught, and then died and rose.  Look at the picture above.  It is the most famous Nabatean monument and it is a tomb for a 1st Century (BC) King.  Constructed just before the time of Jesus, it is a piece of multicultural and multi-national genius.    The figures?  Nabatean.  The urn at the top?  Greek.  The columns and the triangles?  Roman.  They had traded all over the world, and multiple cultures were infulencing their thinking and styling.  These people who spoke Aramaic, the language Jesus would have spoken at home, were world travelers and wanted to be seen as cosmopolitan, current, and engaging.

Are we any different?

I don't think so.

It boggles the mind.

The world in which our Bible takes place was complex, diverse, and in flux.  We'll see even more evidence in Israel.  But for now in Petra (Greek name), Sela in the Bible (Isaiah 16 and 2 Kings 14), the land of the Edomites in the days of Moses and later, Jesus, we saw evidence a plenty.  It is a day I shall never forget and I thank God for allowing these eyes to behold the majesty of the mountains and a specific genius of people, like us, created in God's image.  Both forms of genius are in abundance at Petra.

(Our group with Naim.  Naim led us off on a side trail, which included some light caving.)

(You might see someone you know here as we enter the cave.  I am proud to report everyone got out just fine.  I suspect we were very different than the folk who lived here 2,000 years ago.  The insides were plain but amazing.  Imaging this -- all that you see in this blog was cut by hand.  I'll say it again, it was cut by hand.  And the walls inside? Smooth-ish and realtively straight.)

(This is called the monastery because it was a tomb so large that it was made by the Christians into a Byzatine church for 300 or so years.  Yes, it is that big.  And it is up about 1000 feet or more above the rest of Petra.  Climbing up here was like climbing the trails near Montreat.  Only in desert conditions.  Again, remember, all carved by hand.)

(A Panoramic of the "Grand Canyon" of Jordan.  Way out to the west and in the distance are Israel and the Red Sea.)

(One of my personal favorites.  This is the cistern and baptistry of the Christian church excavation at Petra - you'll note the modern covering left by US archaeologists.  There was a church here from the 300's to 600 AD.  This was at the end of the day, and seeing this site, looking at the mosaics which still remain, and getting to pray here and recite a favorite Psalm or two was my worship on this Lord's day.  A blessing of a different sort.  An unexpected treat for me, really.)

Too much...

(a section of the year 2000 Jubilee monument at the Basilica of Mt. Nebo)

Already.  Day 4 and I have already reached the point where I have too much to share.  Today was a day here on our trip which appeared straight forward at a glance.  But when I stretch the experience out just a little it was a day deep with meanings - personal, historical, and intellectual.

The day began at Madaba, Jordan.  Antiquity holds this as the city of Ruth and it is mentioned in Numbers and Joshua.  What a lovely city with very nice people!  We went there to see the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, or the Church of the Map.  The floor of this church is a 6th century mosaic which is the oldest existing map of the Holy Land.  It is stunning in every way, a piece of art I will not soon forget.  I have more to share than I have space or energy to write and my reaction to the ancient work of art was more moving than I expected.  I found a great blog a little while ago which can tell you about it:    

http://mosaicartsource.wordpress.com/2006/12/31/marble-mosaic-jordan/

(Panoramic of the interior of the Church of the Map. My photos of the mosaic floor were poor.  See the blog above.  And remember, the map/mosaic is 1500 years old.)

Next we went to Mt. Nebo.  I read Deuteronomy 34 out loud to our group.  This is point two where I have too much to effectively share.  Our guide, Naim, shared of his admiration for Moses, for what he did, for what he accomplished, for what he means to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.  It was as incredible a moment as I have ever had on a church trip.  I'll have to think about it for a long time to find the words....  But I am truly humbled.

(Naim explains the renovations going on at the Basilica of Mt. Nebo.  It is a huge project.)

(This is my panoramic of the view looking west from Mt. Nebo into Israel.  We got a hazy day.  But to the trees on the left and beyond is the Dead Sea.  This is overlooking the Jordan River valley.  The green in the middle is the area around Jericho.  Down below on the east side of the river is Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was Baptized.  Admittedly, not a great picture, but an amazing experience.  Surely it has changed over time, but to be near the place and have a similar view to Moses?  That is a gift.)

(Our group and our guide in front of the Mt. Nebo marker.)

From there we went to Karak, or Al Karak in modern Jordan.  For hundreds upon hundreds of years Karak was a fortress, a citadel, a castle where invading and occupying armies exerted forcible control. For 190 years in the Middle Ages crusaders occupied it.  It is the largest fortress I have ever been in.  I can say that I have never seen anything on its scale or its size.  In order to understand the ancient allure of the Holy Land, the conflict of civilizations East and West, or the drive to conquer and occupy with which we humans have historically been afflicted, it is a "must."  Just look at these pictures, one inside and one outside and try to imagine 50,000+ troops inside while Salladin seiges it for three months.  I should share that from the top of the wall, to the bottom of the valley below seemed like it was 1,000 feet.

(The castle.  Some parts of it are 9 stories, above and below the ground.  Imaging one of your favorite mountains and the entire top had been turned into a fortress.  That is what Karak is like.)

(Recently excavated room in the castle / fortress.  Not the holes in the roofing - for light and ventilation. This room is presumed a soldier barracks.)

The hills in this part of the world are impregnable.  Whenever you read of the Exodus or in the history books of scripture -- if you are imagining it flat, like Kansas or Louisiana you need to know that it is more like the Blue Ridge Parkway (only steeper, drier, and rockier).  I am at a loss for how to describe it.  I have gone through my photos and I am not sure any do it justice.  Maybe this photo?

(This is obviously me, standing high above the Al Mujib Dan and reservoir.  This is the Mujib River, which in the Torah is referred to as the Arnon River.  That ledge behind my right foot is about a 1,000 drop.  The hills/mountains dominate everything.  I am starting to understand better all the language in Hebrew about elevations, heights, and depths.)

We ended the day driving to Petra.  For me, my longest extended drive in the desert.  Again, I cannot describe it to you.  Imagining our faith's ancestors surrounded by that desert?  Imaging Abram trudging across it?  More than my mind can bear.  As we headed south for hours, I was blessed with my first desert sunset to the west.

And the full moon to the east.

   

The nothingness -- it is all dry and brown and rocky -- made me want to stay until dark.  Just to get a glimpse of those stars?!?!?!

Then I noticed that there were, every so often, streams in the desert.  Like a prophet, or a psalm, or an anthem sung by a choir, there were streams here and there (it has rained and snowed since we've been here) and water flowing.  And everywhere there was water?  There was green.  Not much.  But enough.  Water.  Life.  Plants.  Food.  Sheep grazing.  Bedouins camping.  Little road side shops.  And then more desert - it always followed.  Until there was a little glimpse of green on the horizon.  Soon enough, pieces of life would start to appear.

That is what I'd call a spiritual metaphor.  One I am glad I got to see.  One that suggests providence, water, manna, hope on the horizons of even the desert itself.  One that will never let me sing these words again, and not think about that drive from Karak to Petra, or my days in this amazing part of the world:

"I've got a river of life flowin' out of me,

makes the lame to walk and the blind to see.

Opens prison doors and sets the captive free.

I've got a river of life flowin' out of me.

Spring up O well!

Deep in my soul.

Spring up O well!

And make me whole, whole, whole!

Spring up O well!

And give to me, my life, abundantly."

 

March 14... Powerful Past and Unfolding Story

There are many lessons which only become apparent when travelling.  A good friend of mine and I always talk about how travel eliminates prejudice in a way which nothing else can.  We (you, me, or anyone else) cannot know someone unless we have heard their story.  It is hard to understand their story unless we see where and how they live.

So today we went two primary places:  the Amman Acropolis and Jerash.  The acropolish was fantastic as it was a great introduction to the rich archaeological history of Jordan.  Jordan, like it neighbors, sits at civilizations' origins and crossroads.  Digging around here can be very exciting!  In nearly any populated hillside there are to be found prehistoric, Nabataean, Edomite, Moabite, Greek, Roman, Ottoman, Byzentine, and other relics, art, and religious sites.  The ground around here is a place where east and west have met for centuries.  We are on hillsides containing some of civilizations oldest secrets.

(Lindsay with Annan, one of our tour coordinators)

Between the Amman Acroplis and Jerash (about 40 - 50 minutes by bus, but I wasn't paying attention), we drove through the hills of Gilead (yes, that Gilead), over the Jabbok River (yes, that Jabbok River - read Genesis 32:22 and following), and through the hills where Moses eventually led the Hebrews to Mount Nebo.  It was, quite frankly, overwhelming for me.  Already on day 1 of our official touring, my understanding of the 40 years and what that meant and how it might have looked has been changed.

(That's me, down to the left below me is the River Jabbok - I honestly can say that I have never imagined for one moment that I would ever seek this river)

The bulk of our day was spent at Jerash.  I have read about Jerash for years.  Nothing prepared me for the size and scope of Jerash.  A fascinating site, it is significant for both past and present.

(The Cardo Maximus - "Main Street" of Jerash.  Imagine these paving stones surrounded by shops and industry.  Jerash has been inhabited for 6,500 years and the Roman engineering of it was nothing short of stunning.)

(Members of our group at Jerash.  The site is huge.  Excavations could go on there forever it seems.  Our main guide, Naim is in the center of the photo with a black jacket and red and white scarf.  He is a knowledgable and pleasant guide with an uncanny, stunning knowledge of the Old Testament).

There was this moment today that was an intersection for me that I had only imagined.  I suspect there are only a few places in the world where one could have this experience.  Take a look at this picture:

This is a mosaic floor from a Byzentine-era church, Christian church (the floor is full of Christian details).  Out in the distance is Mt. Nebo, Jabbok River, hills of Gilead -- all essential to Jewish history.  We were in the midst of a Roman ruin (which the Byzentine church was built upon) and off in the distance we could hear the calls to daily prayer from the many Muslim minarets.  Think about that... There are only a few places in the world where that historical and religious intersection can exist.  I suspect we'll experience more of that intersection in certain parts of Jerusalem and in Israel.  I look forward to such experiences both intellectually and spiritually.

(Here is picture of a picture of our group at the Forum in Jerash.  To see a family member, simply zoom in).

I suspect the spiritual richness of the entire time here will only increase as we get closer to the "footsteps" of Jesus.  But for now, as we prepare to go to Mt. Nebo and Petra tomorrow (two more places I never thought I would see), I am richly blessed.  I can't wait to see more.  With every site the story unfolds and the understanding of what I have been reading and studying for so long grows a little richer.  

"We thank you O God for the wonders of this earth:  for the hills, the streams, the rocks, and the valleys.  We thank you O God for our history and its richness and we thank for the richness and history of the Jordan river and its surroundings.  Even in its complexity we thank you.   We thank you for the story of people who heard your call and who followed you in trust.  May we have an sliver of their courage, and follow as you lead.  In the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen."

 

Wide Open Spaces

There will be much to write in coming days.  Preview - tomorrow we see Roman ruins in and around the country of Jordan.  That's right we are safely in Jordan.  Everyone in the group just shared a wonderful meal.  Off to bed to catch up on all the sleep we lost :) .

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof!  So exclaims the Psalmist.  And our picture perfect flight today certainly would suggest as much.  Not a bad way to spend a day - lost in the splendor and glory of the Alps, the Mediterranean, and the mountains of Turkey before darkness fell.

(those aren't clouds, those are the Alps)

At this point everyone is hoping for a good night's sleep.  Safely in Jordan, I'll blog more tomorrow after we have seen some of the sights and beauty of Jordan.

When we left the U.S. it was raining and everyone was complaining.  It is raining here and supposed to continue to do so.  Nobody complaining though.  They say it is a blessing.  Which it is.

(commemorative Jordan airport sign)

(last airport shot - here is much of the group as we await Visas and other travel documents - everyone here tired but mostly happy)

Paris and why doing something wonderful takes great effort...

I blog from Charles De Gaulle in Paris.  Currently I am watching a plane (an A380 for your airplane buffs) load for a non-stop flight to Los Angeles.  That is a long flight :).

Here is our group figuring out how to get from gate to gate in the Air France terminal.

(a couple of folks are missing, but we're all fine)

They remarked to a person -- "Don't take our picture first thing after an all night flight!"

I say, "Why not?"

Why not take a picture that shows us not at our best.  Not at our best because of a great effort to get to a place not easily (if you will) gotten to.  Where we are headed, Amman, Jordan is not exactly a cab ride away from Raleigh, NC.  But to see Jerash, to see Petra, to get to Massada ... well it will take some effort.

I suspect in our group of 19 there are many motivations for this trip (I'll write on those later this week).  But no matter the motivation, we've all put in the effort of planning, packing, taking care of home commitments, and now, travelling.  

We have another 5 hour flight yet to go. But its worth the effort.  To see amazing things, meet amazing people, hear beautiful stories, and go places we've only dreamed about before?  Yes, that is always worth the effort.

New Vista - Open Eyes

-- members of our group waiting to board to New York --

As many have noticed, I have not blogged in a while. I am trying to discover some new ways to integrate blogging into my work and outreach.  So I took an unannounced reprieve after last August.

I think I am soon to begin again.  And, in the spirit of symmetry, as my last entries were about a journey in Geneva, these first entries will be about a trip for which I sit in the airport.  With a group of about 20 I am going on a study and travel seminar to Israel.  So for the next two weeks I'll be blogging daily.  I hope you find it joyful and generous story telling.

I have been asked often, why this trip?  Why are trips to Israel, to the "Holy Land," why are they so powerful and important?  If I were to answer now it would be mere speculation.  But I bet I'll know when we return.  Or at least I've got a chance to have a good idea.  

I look forward to sharing with you.

"O God help us each day -- on great journeys to far off places and in our hour to hour living -- to be your children, emissaries of peace, bearers of grace, and purveyors of hope.  Grant your traveling mercies this day upon those who roam far from home.  Keep us ever in your care as we see new vistas and have our eyes opened to new sights and possibilities.  In the name of the Redeemer we pray.  Amen."