Sunday, July 12, 2009
Stay Tuned!
Shalom! I just need to let everyone know that I still have more to update and more to add to many of the blog posts. We don't have tons of time here, but I'll do my best to keep it updated, especially as we study the New Testament the rest of the semester. We'll be in Galilee for the next 11 days and won't have internet access during that time. Now that finals are over and we only have two classes left, and my missions papers are filled out, I'll be working on this much more diligently. I have learned so very much since being here and want to share what I've learned with each of you so that it may strengthen your testimonies, as it has mine. I'm so excited to learn more about the life of Christ and study about Him, everyday for the next 11 days in Galilee and as Brother Skinner put it "we'll get to swim where Jesus walked." So stay tuned!!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Bethlehem
Because Bethlehem is in the West Bank, we only had the day to be there. We could feel the divide between the Israeli and Palestinian side as we crossed the border. On the Israeli side, the separation wall is lined with beautiful pictures of happy people, the Western Wall and a peaceful Israel. As we entered the West Bank, the Palestinian side of the separation wall was covered in graffiti and pictures and messages of anything but peace.
We met up with our Islaem teacher, Adnan Musallam, who lives in Bethlehem. We heard a presentation from the ARIJ Appiled Research Center about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and how it is specifically affecting Bethlehem. Israelis are building more and more settlements in the West Bank, making it smaller and harder for Palestinians to live in that area. Every time I hear a lecture or presentation about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, I understand more and more about it.
We saw direct affects of the conflict later when we visited Bethlehem University, where Adnan teaches. We watched a presentation about the univeristy. In it, it showed one of the students whose home was destroyed again because it was on controvercial land. This student came home one day to his house demolished and ended up loosing his math book because of it. He had a test the next day. The students at Bethlehem U not only have to worry about school but about the many checkpoints on the way to school each day and their teachers have to be understanding when things like loosing your text book because your house was demolished, happen.
We had a discussion session with three of their students. It was supposed to be four but one of the girls got held up too long and the check points and wasn't able to make it in time. All of the students are Palestinian and many of them don't live by the University, so it takes many of them an hour and a half just to get to school each day because they have to go through so many checkpoints. It was eye opening to hear about the things that they deal with, just to get to school.
In 2002, Israeli soldiers occupied the campus and school came to a hault. We saw damage done to the school by an Israeli Anit-tank missle that went through their library during this time. It was mind boggling to hear how people my age were dealing with these situations. I was talking with one of the students afterward and he said that it's really frustrating sometimes to go through the checkpoints because depeding on the mood of the guards (which are in their twenties) you might get through smoothly or you might not. They never know.
It was defenitely an informative morning and broadened my perspective about many things. In a dinner conversation later on, a group of us were discussing the conflict and the settlements being built in the West Bank and about the two state solution. The views we were exposed to at Bethlehem University were very biased to the Palestinian side, of course, so we can't base opinions on just a few more things that we've heard. The only thing that was concluded from our conversation was that the more someone learns about this conflict, the more they know that they can't choose a side. The roots just run so deep for both peoples and it really is an issue that will take so much so resolve, if it ever is resolved.
The highlight of the day came when we visited the Church of the Nativity. On our way to Bethlehem that morning, we sang Christmas hymns on the bus which got me even more excited to visit the actual place of Christ's birth and now we were actually there.
Like every significant spot in the Holy Land, a church has been built over it. It was a beatiful chapel and at the head of it, steps lead to the cave underneath, where Christ was born and where his manger laid.
Shrines had been built around both of these spots and pictures of the baby Jesus with Mary hung around the room. I hadn't realized that it really was a deep cave that he was born in. The grotto (cave) has the manger where he was born and is encased by white marble, the site of his birth is marked by a 14 point star.
After viewing these two sites, we moved into a room, which at first I thought had very little significance. We had a devotional in this room led by Brother Brown. After singing a few Christmas hymns, he discussed with us what this room was. It was the place where Jerome, a priest who arrived in Bethlehem from Rome in 386 AD secluded himsefl to study and translate the Bible from Hebrew to Latin. This became the official version of the Old Testament for the Catholic church for the next 1500 years and known as the Vulgate. Brother Brown expressed his gratitude for this man, who dedicated his life to the study of the bible and because of him, so many have the bible and can study the life of Christ. He studied in that room, just to be closer to Christ's birthplace, and be closer to Christ. Brother Brown also let us know that he had been there with general authorities who felt that this was in fact the place of Christ's birth or very near to it. (You can't always believe what is said to be the spot where something happened, traditions sometimes change over time)
The spirit was felt as we sang Christmas hymns of Christ's birth and reflected on the important events that had taken place there so many years before. I loved the spirit we felt in Bethlehem. It was mind boggling to think that we were actually there, in the place where an event foretold of for generations and where the life of the single most important person who ever walked on this earth, began.
Statue of Jerome, the man responsible for translating what is now known as the Vulgate bible from Hebrew in Latin.
The graffitti on the Palestinian side of the separation wall, a complete contrast to the Israeli side. "To Exist is to Resist" is written in the middle.
Anne, me and Karyn in front of the Church of the Nativity.
My favorite Mosaic that I've seen in the Holy Land of Jerome, and people who helped him while he transalted the bible.
Stained glass portraying Jerome being visited by an angel, letting him know of his calling in the gospel.
The place of Christ's birth.
The manger where he laid, covered in white marble.
Me, Sidney, and Ashley sitting by where the manger was.
Evidence of the Israeli missle attack in 2002, in the library of Bethlehem Univeristy.
A herd of sheep in the streets of Bethlehem.
We met up with our Islaem teacher, Adnan Musallam, who lives in Bethlehem. We heard a presentation from the ARIJ Appiled Research Center about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and how it is specifically affecting Bethlehem. Israelis are building more and more settlements in the West Bank, making it smaller and harder for Palestinians to live in that area. Every time I hear a lecture or presentation about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, I understand more and more about it.
We saw direct affects of the conflict later when we visited Bethlehem University, where Adnan teaches. We watched a presentation about the univeristy. In it, it showed one of the students whose home was destroyed again because it was on controvercial land. This student came home one day to his house demolished and ended up loosing his math book because of it. He had a test the next day. The students at Bethlehem U not only have to worry about school but about the many checkpoints on the way to school each day and their teachers have to be understanding when things like loosing your text book because your house was demolished, happen.
We had a discussion session with three of their students. It was supposed to be four but one of the girls got held up too long and the check points and wasn't able to make it in time. All of the students are Palestinian and many of them don't live by the University, so it takes many of them an hour and a half just to get to school each day because they have to go through so many checkpoints. It was eye opening to hear about the things that they deal with, just to get to school.
In 2002, Israeli soldiers occupied the campus and school came to a hault. We saw damage done to the school by an Israeli Anit-tank missle that went through their library during this time. It was mind boggling to hear how people my age were dealing with these situations. I was talking with one of the students afterward and he said that it's really frustrating sometimes to go through the checkpoints because depeding on the mood of the guards (which are in their twenties) you might get through smoothly or you might not. They never know.
It was defenitely an informative morning and broadened my perspective about many things. In a dinner conversation later on, a group of us were discussing the conflict and the settlements being built in the West Bank and about the two state solution. The views we were exposed to at Bethlehem University were very biased to the Palestinian side, of course, so we can't base opinions on just a few more things that we've heard. The only thing that was concluded from our conversation was that the more someone learns about this conflict, the more they know that they can't choose a side. The roots just run so deep for both peoples and it really is an issue that will take so much so resolve, if it ever is resolved.
The highlight of the day came when we visited the Church of the Nativity. On our way to Bethlehem that morning, we sang Christmas hymns on the bus which got me even more excited to visit the actual place of Christ's birth and now we were actually there.
Like every significant spot in the Holy Land, a church has been built over it. It was a beatiful chapel and at the head of it, steps lead to the cave underneath, where Christ was born and where his manger laid.
Shrines had been built around both of these spots and pictures of the baby Jesus with Mary hung around the room. I hadn't realized that it really was a deep cave that he was born in. The grotto (cave) has the manger where he was born and is encased by white marble, the site of his birth is marked by a 14 point star.
After viewing these two sites, we moved into a room, which at first I thought had very little significance. We had a devotional in this room led by Brother Brown. After singing a few Christmas hymns, he discussed with us what this room was. It was the place where Jerome, a priest who arrived in Bethlehem from Rome in 386 AD secluded himsefl to study and translate the Bible from Hebrew to Latin. This became the official version of the Old Testament for the Catholic church for the next 1500 years and known as the Vulgate. Brother Brown expressed his gratitude for this man, who dedicated his life to the study of the bible and because of him, so many have the bible and can study the life of Christ. He studied in that room, just to be closer to Christ's birthplace, and be closer to Christ. Brother Brown also let us know that he had been there with general authorities who felt that this was in fact the place of Christ's birth or very near to it. (You can't always believe what is said to be the spot where something happened, traditions sometimes change over time)
The spirit was felt as we sang Christmas hymns of Christ's birth and reflected on the important events that had taken place there so many years before. I loved the spirit we felt in Bethlehem. It was mind boggling to think that we were actually there, in the place where an event foretold of for generations and where the life of the single most important person who ever walked on this earth, began.
Statue of Jerome, the man responsible for translating what is now known as the Vulgate bible from Hebrew in Latin.
The graffitti on the Palestinian side of the separation wall, a complete contrast to the Israeli side. "To Exist is to Resist" is written in the middle.
Anne, me and Karyn in front of the Church of the Nativity.
My favorite Mosaic that I've seen in the Holy Land of Jerome, and people who helped him while he transalted the bible.
Stained glass portraying Jerome being visited by an angel, letting him know of his calling in the gospel.
The place of Christ's birth.
The manger where he laid, covered in white marble.
Me, Sidney, and Ashley sitting by where the manger was.
Evidence of the Israeli missle attack in 2002, in the library of Bethlehem Univeristy.
A herd of sheep in the streets of Bethlehem.Separation Wall Tour
Emily, me, Danny Seideman, Amy in front of the E1 settlement which is controversial land where possible Israeli settlements might be built.
The Separation Wall Tour was given by Danny Seideman, a self employed lawyer who knows a lot about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and who has made an impact in political decisions regarding the conflict, both here in Israel and in the U.S. He could walk into the White House at any time, un-announced and be listened to. Basically, this guy knows what he's talking about. He first gave us a presentation about the conflict. We discussed the conflict and why the separation wall was built. It was built as a tool to protect Israeli civilians from Palestinian terrorism which included suicide bombing attacks that took place durring the al-Asqa Intifada. The wall has reduced the nubmer of suicide bombings from 2002-2005. This wall isn't more than a few miles a way from where we live at the top of Mt. Scopus.
I hadn't really felt or seen the conflict be so existant until we visited the wall and saw what was written on it and learned about it. The wall was put up, following the Green Line, or Armistice line of 1949. This wall suddenly separated not just territory of people, but of neighborhoods and friends. People now couldn't get to the mosque they had always gone to, or the grocery store they visited each day. It caused many deaths because people couldn't get to the hospital in time, having to get to a checkpoint first. The separation wall is till the point of much controversy but is seen as necessary by the Israeli Government, so it's still up.
Our Islam teacher, Adnan Musallam, lives in Bethlehem and has to pass through check points each time he comes to teach us. He's not allowed to drive across the border and has to present his papers and go through detectors each time he needs to get into Jerusalem. He paused one day in class and told us "Be grateful that you live in the country that you do. Be grateful that you don't have to present papers every time you need to get to the next town, even if it's three miles away. Be thankful for the freedoms you have."
What little things I take for granit as I live life in America. How blessed we truly are to live with the freedoms that we have.
Mission Papers!
For anyone who doesn't know yet, I'm going on a mission! My papers are in and I'm expecting to get my call while I'm here. Hopefully it's here when we get back from our trip to Galilee (two weeks from this Friday). Making the decision to go on a mission and going through the process of getting my papers done while I've been here has been quite the experience on its' own but has played a major role in my experience here.
After being here a couple of weeks, I started having thoughts about going on a mission. These thoughts wouldn't leave me and stuck with me from the moment I woke up until I went to sleep each night, so I started fasting and praying about it. Since making the decision to go, I've had many confirmations that it's what I need to do and I'm so excited!
I want to share an excerpt from a letter I wrote and have in my journal.
"My perspective about so many things has grown too. I'm so excited to have the privilege to serve a mission. I know it will be hard but I'm excited for the chance to serve and grow. No matter where I get called to, I know I'll be needed there.
We can't share the gospel with the people here but I can't wait to share the good news this gospel brings, to the people of where ever I'm called to go. It's hard sometimes to be in a city where the people can't have the gospel and where the majority of people don't know and recognize that their brother, our Savior walked out of that tomb just down the road from where I'm sitting, that he suffered the atonement so that we could have hope for this life and the next. When ever I look over this city, I feel so privileged to even have that knowledge in my life, and I can't wait to share that."
Here are a few pics from when I finished my papers on line. yeah!
After being here a couple of weeks, I started having thoughts about going on a mission. These thoughts wouldn't leave me and stuck with me from the moment I woke up until I went to sleep each night, so I started fasting and praying about it. Since making the decision to go, I've had many confirmations that it's what I need to do and I'm so excited!
I want to share an excerpt from a letter I wrote and have in my journal.
"My perspective about so many things has grown too. I'm so excited to have the privilege to serve a mission. I know it will be hard but I'm excited for the chance to serve and grow. No matter where I get called to, I know I'll be needed there.
We can't share the gospel with the people here but I can't wait to share the good news this gospel brings, to the people of where ever I'm called to go. It's hard sometimes to be in a city where the people can't have the gospel and where the majority of people don't know and recognize that their brother, our Savior walked out of that tomb just down the road from where I'm sitting, that he suffered the atonement so that we could have hope for this life and the next. When ever I look over this city, I feel so privileged to even have that knowledge in my life, and I can't wait to share that."
Here are a few pics from when I finished my papers on line. yeah!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Jordan
Jordan was wonderful! I loved our whole trip. When we went to Egypt, I was blown away by the sites, in Jordan not only were the sites incredible but I feel in love with the people there. In Egypt, everything is fast paced, the shop owners are aggressive, it’s loud, the cities aren’t very clean. Every Jordanian Arab I came in contact with was very polite and nice. There is a different spirit in Jordan. They are very proud to be Jordanians and love their people and their king. As a whole, they keep the Bedouin tradition of hospitality and friendliness, and it was apparent in the people that I had the opportunity to meet.
Here's what we did in Jordan. I don't have much time to write about my feelings of the places we went or details but I'll include it later.
Day 1
Mount Nebo- where Moses was taken up into Heaven
Madaba- we viewed the most important map of the Holy Land during the 6th century and has proven crucial in the understanding of the Holy Land before it was conquered by the Persians
Crusader Castle
Day 2
Petra!
Day 3
Jabbok River
Jerash
Meeting with the Amman Branch District President
Day 4
Tour of Amman including the Abdullah Mosque, Citadel Museum and Old Amman
Jordan River- place of Jesus's baptism
Meeting with the Amman Branch District president
Me and Sister Allen before entering the Abdullah Mosque, wearing the clothing appropriate for women.
The theater at Jerash, a Greco-Roman city. It was SO cool!
My guide for the horse ride out of Petra- such a nice gentlemen. The Jordanian people are so personable and friendly, I just love them.
Monica, Raven and me in front of the treasury at Petra.
In front of the monastery at Petra.
Two cute Jordanian children, the little girl's name was Marianna! I loved talking with them, even with the little english they knew.
Me and Steven in front of the monastery.
Me and Rachel Lee in front of the ruins at Petar.
Refection of the treasury in Sister Huff's sun glasses.
Marie, Camille, Stephanie, Mary Kate and I in front of the treasury.
Me and Brittany in front of the elephant shaped stone on the way to Petra.
One of the hotel workers helping us figure out how to tie a kaffiyyeh.
Jenna, Kathryn and I with the leaders of Jordan.
Me and Brother and Sister Brown in front of the Indiana Jones shop.
The Crusader Castle that we got to storm!
Mosaic Map at Madaba.
Me, Katie, Jessica and Lydia at Mt. Nebo.
Bethany, Brittany and I on top of Mt. Nebo, over looking the Judean Wilderness, Jericho, Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were Found), and where Moses was taken up into heaven.
Here's what we did in Jordan. I don't have much time to write about my feelings of the places we went or details but I'll include it later.
Day 1
Mount Nebo- where Moses was taken up into Heaven
Madaba- we viewed the most important map of the Holy Land during the 6th century and has proven crucial in the understanding of the Holy Land before it was conquered by the Persians
Crusader Castle
Day 2
Petra!
Day 3
Jabbok River
Jerash
Meeting with the Amman Branch District President
Day 4
Tour of Amman including the Abdullah Mosque, Citadel Museum and Old Amman
Jordan River- place of Jesus's baptism
Meeting with the Amman Branch District president
Me and Sister Allen before entering the Abdullah Mosque, wearing the clothing appropriate for women.
The theater at Jerash, a Greco-Roman city. It was SO cool!
My guide for the horse ride out of Petra- such a nice gentlemen. The Jordanian people are so personable and friendly, I just love them. 
Monica, Raven and me in front of the treasury at Petra.
In front of the monastery at Petra.
Two cute Jordanian children, the little girl's name was Marianna! I loved talking with them, even with the little english they knew.
Me and Steven in front of the monastery.
Me and Rachel Lee in front of the ruins at Petar.
Refection of the treasury in Sister Huff's sun glasses.
Marie, Camille, Stephanie, Mary Kate and I in front of the treasury.
Me and Brittany in front of the elephant shaped stone on the way to Petra.
One of the hotel workers helping us figure out how to tie a kaffiyyeh.
Jenna, Kathryn and I with the leaders of Jordan.
Me and Brother and Sister Brown in front of the Indiana Jones shop.
The Crusader Castle that we got to storm!
Mosaic Map at Madaba.
Me, Katie, Jessica and Lydia at Mt. Nebo.
Bethany, Brittany and I on top of Mt. Nebo, over looking the Judean Wilderness, Jericho, Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were Found), and where Moses was taken up into heaven.Israeli Museum
The Israeli Museum is where the Dead Sea Scrolls are held. Our ancient near east teacher, Brother Skinner has actually worked on the scrolls and gave a lecture on them at the beginning of the semester. It was so neat to actually see them and get to learn more about the people of Qumran, where they were found.
A model of Jerusalem, just out side the museum.
Mason, me, Raven and Karyn, in front of the museum.
Camille, me and Karyn in front of the model of Jerusalem.
I took this from our van as we passed these Jewish boys watching a man work in the street. I love this picture.
A model of Jerusalem, just out side the museum.
Mason, me, Raven and Karyn, in front of the museum.
Camille, me and Karyn in front of the model of Jerusalem.
I took this from our van as we passed these Jewish boys watching a man work in the street. I love this picture.Feeding the Babies at the Red Crescent Hospital
One of the best parts of being here at the Jerusalem Center is the humanitarian service that we get to participate in. Our main project is putting together hygiene kits for the Gaza strip but another service we provide is feeding the pre mature babies at the Palestinian Red Crescent Hospital down the street from us.
There was a little baby with downs syndrome and another with seven toes. They were all so beautiful, many of them just days or hours old.
One baby I fed was the littlest thing I had ever held. She was born either today or yesterday and weighed 4 pounds. She was so strong already though, I couldn’t believe such a tiny thing was actually breathing.
I made friends with the nurses there. One of their names’ was Hadene (happiness in Arabic ). She’s 22 and just finished school. I talked with her about her schooling and how she loves her job. When I first walked into the room all three of the nurses stared at me and then sarted talking and asked how tall I was. They couldn’t get over my height and they all stood next to me to compare their heights to mine. It was really funny and they took a picture with me.
Brother and Sister Thomas were the humanitarian couple here for the last year before the Okiishis came and Sister Thomas fed the babies a lot. Hadene showed me a poem that Sister Thomas left for them. It was entitled “Day Old Child” by Carol Pearson. The poem basically said though that the mother wished the baby could talk so that she could tell it everything she knew about God. Then the mother looked at her child and the thought came to her that her baby was thinking “I wish I could talk so I could tell you all about God, I just left him yesterday.” It was neat to hold these beautiful little Palestinian babies and think that they had so recently left Heavenly Father's presence and that He is mindful and aware of them, just as He is each of us.
Me and Erin in front of the hospital.
Me and Hadene, one of the nurses in the pre-mature unit. It was so fun to talk with her and get to know her. She's 22 and just graduated and loves her job.
The tiniest and most delicate thing I've ever held. This little girl was born the day before. It was such a privilege to even hold her.
One of the other babies I got to feed, a Philippino boy who had been born that day.
There was a little baby with downs syndrome and another with seven toes. They were all so beautiful, many of them just days or hours old.
One baby I fed was the littlest thing I had ever held. She was born either today or yesterday and weighed 4 pounds. She was so strong already though, I couldn’t believe such a tiny thing was actually breathing.
I made friends with the nurses there. One of their names’ was Hadene (happiness in Arabic ). She’s 22 and just finished school. I talked with her about her schooling and how she loves her job. When I first walked into the room all three of the nurses stared at me and then sarted talking and asked how tall I was. They couldn’t get over my height and they all stood next to me to compare their heights to mine. It was really funny and they took a picture with me.
Brother and Sister Thomas were the humanitarian couple here for the last year before the Okiishis came and Sister Thomas fed the babies a lot. Hadene showed me a poem that Sister Thomas left for them. It was entitled “Day Old Child” by Carol Pearson. The poem basically said though that the mother wished the baby could talk so that she could tell it everything she knew about God. Then the mother looked at her child and the thought came to her that her baby was thinking “I wish I could talk so I could tell you all about God, I just left him yesterday.” It was neat to hold these beautiful little Palestinian babies and think that they had so recently left Heavenly Father's presence and that He is mindful and aware of them, just as He is each of us.
Me and Erin in front of the hospital.
Me and Hadene, one of the nurses in the pre-mature unit. It was so fun to talk with her and get to know her. She's 22 and just graduated and loves her job.
The tiniest and most delicate thing I've ever held. This little girl was born the day before. It was such a privilege to even hold her.
One of the other babies I got to feed, a Philippino boy who had been born that day. Church of the Holy Sepulchure
Easting pitta and humus with our Arabic teacher, Iman Gibara.
We found this on one of the walls near the Church of the Holy Sepulchure.
Me and Jenna in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchure.
Two of the seven different services we watched that morning, all occurring at the same time and in the same church, this church is big, don't worry. 
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