CBC Happenings
CBC Happenings
Thursday, May 18 Jerusalem
I have a friend named Yacob who owns a tour company. He once told me that if the tour to Israel is over ten days there should be a free day at the end. Today is our last full day in Israel, and it is our free day.
A free day is usually very expensive because you do what all good Americans should do at the end of a trip -- shop. Tonight we all went through the Western Wall Tunnel. Some of our group went to the Israel Museum and the Tower of David, but all of us shopped. There were things that we wanted to buy and things that we were supposed to buy. Time was short and money needed to be spent.
Shopping in the souqs, the markets, is an adventure in itself. Few shops have set prices. Most every purchase involves bartering. And you are bartering with people who are professionals. You work hard to get them down to a price
that means they probably only have a hundred per cent profit.
The seven of us have just finished meeting in the empty ball room of the hotel. Jim, the pastor from Montgomery, his wife Pearleen, Joey and Terri from Houston, and Debra, Gloria, my wife, and myself from Collinsville. We talked about the trip -- the goods, the bads, the funny little things that will always bond us together. Jim sang a song about the Christian life. We
talked about the things we will go home to face and promised to pray for each other. Gloria sang "I Walk Today Where Jesus Walked" (we could sing it everyday). Then we held hands and prayed and sang "We Are Standing on Holy Ground". Holy Ground.
For Christians, the holiest ground in the world is Holy Sepulchre, the church which covers the site where Jesus was crucified and where he was buried (and all Christians believe was resurrected).
Last night my wife and I went to the church. It was near closing time. The crowds of earlier in the day were gone. We were able to kneel under the altar together and place our hands on the rock where Jesus was crucified. Then we
were able to go into the tomb and spend several minutes there with just the two of us. Touching the place where Jesus lay. Holding hands and praying with each other and for each other. Alone in the tomb except for each other and Jesus. We put our arms around each other and held tight.
Tonight we went back and Debra came with us. I thought the emotions had to be drained from us, but that was wrong. We all three placed our hands on the stone of the burial place. An aura, a feeling of power flowing into us. My wife and Debra held each other and prayed and cried. Then they came out of the tomb and cried some more and hugged some more. When we get back home, we will have much more than souveniers with us. Precious memories.
Thursday, May 18 Jerusalem
I have a friend named Yacob who owns a tour company. He once told me that if the tour to Israel is over ten days there should be a free day at the end. Today is our last full day in Israel, and it is our free day.
A free day is usually very expensive because you do what all good Americans should do at the end of a trip -- shop. Tonight we all went through the Western Wall Tunnel. Some of our group went to the Israel Museum and the Tower of David, but all of us shopped. There were things that we wanted to buy and things that we were supposed to buy. Time was short and money needed to be spent.
Shopping in the souqs, the markets, is an adventure in itself. Few shops have set prices. Most every purchase involves bartering. And you are bartering with people who are professionals. You work hard to get them down to a price
that means they probably only have a hundred per cent profit.
The seven of us have just finished meeting in the empty ball room of the hotel. Jim, the pastor from Montgomery, his wife Pearleen, Joey and Terri from Houston, and Debra, Gloria, my wife, and myself from Collinsville. We talked about the trip -- the goods, the bads, the funny little things that will always bond us together. Jim sang a song about the Christian life. We
talked about the things we will go home to face and promised to pray for each other. Gloria sang "I Walk Today Where Jesus Walked" (we could sing it everyday). Then we held hands and prayed and sang "We Are Standing on Holy Ground". Holy Ground.
For Christians, the holiest ground in the world is Holy Sepulchre, the church which covers the site where Jesus was crucified and where he was buried (and all Christians believe was resurrected).
Last night my wife and I went to the church. It was near closing time. The crowds of earlier in the day were gone. We were able to kneel under the altar together and place our hands on the rock where Jesus was crucified. Then we
were able to go into the tomb and spend several minutes there with just the two of us. Touching the place where Jesus lay. Holding hands and praying with each other and for each other. Alone in the tomb except for each other and Jesus. We put our arms around each other and held tight.
Tonight we went back and Debra came with us. I thought the emotions had to be drained from us, but that was wrong. We all three placed our hands on the stone of the burial place. An aura, a feeling of power flowing into us. My wife and Debra held each other and prayed and cried. Then they came out of the tomb and cried some more and hugged some more. When we get back home, we will have much more than souveniers with us. Precious memories.
posted by John Morgan | 5:26 PM
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