End of Semester

On the last Saturday of the semester we held a fireside about the Last Supper. The committee for "special events" set up a scene of what the Last Supper might have looked like. This was the backdrop for the program.

First, one of our faculty introduced the program and gave a wonderful overview of this significant event. Outside, the wind was blowing harder than I've ever seen it, here. It was howling and wailing around the building. At first I was afraid that it would be a distraction from the program. But, I think it actually added something to the spirit of that evening.

The rest of the program was readings from the scriptural account of the Last Supper. What Christ did and taught of His mission.

In between we had some musical numbers.

After the last scripture was read, Kent gave an awesome talk on where Christ actually went to "prepare a place" for us. We then had some reverent organ music playing while we had a few minutes to ponder. It was a wonderful evening!

The following week, we went on 2 fieldtrips that followed the last 2 days of Jesus' life. [Monday, Dec. 13 the Tuesday, Dec. 14] We visited Lazarus' tomb and went to Bethpage where he began his triumphal entry. The first day was freezing cold, so windy you could hardly walk, and pouring rain. Most of the students felt that it actually made the trip more memorable!

Of course these walks included the Garden of Gethsemane, walking the Via Dola Rosa and the Garden Tomb. It was a wonderful way to end a wonderful semester.

The last 2 evenings, during dinner, [14 and 15] we had an open mike. Most of it was very fun. I read a poem that I had written about Kent that included a standard joke he had been using all semester! It got a laugh. We also had a memories night -- showing slides of all of our field trips and activities etc. [ 15th] Each of the faculty was asked to share their favorite memories. Kent and I sang a duet - "Devoted to You" and then he shared some memories.

We went to bed that night and got up at 2:30 am to see the first bus load off. It was very sad to say goodbye and watch them drive away! The second group left that evening at 6:00 pm. This was even more difficult because the faculty kids were there and they were all crying!! I am glad that we had such a great bunch of students so that we WERE sad they were leaving, but . . . . .

That next Saturday, [18th] which is the Sabbath here, remember, we had a branch activity after church. Nowhere but here, could you do this activity! We drove to Shepherd's Field and had a Christmas program and some cookies. Wow!! And to make it even better, just as we were gathering to begin, a flock of sheep rumbled through complete with a shepherd. :) It was a really wonderful end to a Sabbath.

Ok, I've blathered enough.

My Birthday

Right after breakfast, Kent and I drove to a Nature Reserve/National Park called En Gedi. It is about an hours drive south from Jerusalem. Of course, since we drive in and out of the west bank, it usually takes longer returning to Jerusalem than it does leaving. The first entertainment for the day was:
We came to a strip of highway with shops and camels for tourists, along both sides. There was also a traffic sign that said "Watch for incoming vehicles". Right after we passed the sign a camel loped across the road in front of us! Oh, we wished we'd had the camera out!!!!
The first half of our day in En Gedi was spent wandering up and down Wadi David. It is called Wadi David because En Gedi is where David hid in a cave from Saul. This was at the end of the walk -- beautiful, huh?
There were several bus loads of school girls there. They, of course, took every advantage to soak themselves and their classmates (actually, I think their teacher started it) in another waterfall like the one above. That was a lot of fun to watch. They would also break into song or chants as they walked along -- sounded like girls' camp! Teenage girls are the same all over the world.

After our walk we had lunch in the pavilion by the gate and loved watching the birds and feeding them part of our apple. You know us and birds!

This is called a Hyrax. We saw several of these all along the way on both walks. Pretty cute.

Our second walk was up and down Wadi Agurot. It is called Wadi Agurot, because the Agurots lived here. . . . Just kidding! I have no idea why it is called that! There were parts of this trail where you could either continue on the dry path or walk in the river. It was very lovely and we enjoyed watching others get wet as we stayed on the dry trail. Here are some views:

We were flown over several times by F16s. Usually 3 or 4 together.

Sorry, this isn't a very good picture but the animal in this is called an ibex. We saw many of these. Some of them standing on their hind legs and eating from acacia trees. One of the males that we saw had big curved horns that would have been as long as his body, if they were straightened out!

When we got home, I was tired and took a nap. Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door and I opened to find no one there. But, on the floor in front of the door was a plate of cookies and our net of Christmas lights was covered with birthday pictures from the children that live in the Center. It was such a sweet surprise! I called out "Thank you" in case they were still around and then closed the door.

A few minutes later I could hear whispering and then a chorus of "Happy Birthday" outside my door. I opened it again and there were all of the children. They all showed me which pictures they had colored and the littler ones even gave me a hug. It was so fun!!!!!

Plate of cookies:

After dinner we went up to the student lounge and watched "It's a Wonderful Life" with some of the families here. It was a perfect birthday!!!

Bethlehem

We took our students to Bethlehem. Here is a picture of the city itself. We took them on a walk through the Old City of Bethlehem:

We also went to Bethlehem University and had a question & answer session with some of their students.

We visited the church on campus. It was there before the university was built and the university inherited the church.

The funnest part for the students was when we let them loose to wander campus and talk to students. It was a lovely campus.

An interesting mix of Muslim women with and without head coverings.

After our univeristy visit we were treated to lunch at this Tent Restaurant. The food was delish!!!

This was on a bush outside of the restaurant. You know us a flowers!!!

This is Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity:

The morning that we went to Bethlehem, the Palestinian president came to visit the Church of the Nativity so there were no tourists allowed until after he left. That meant that all of us were there at the same time!!! We waited in line for 2.5 hours so we could see the spot where the manger was supposed to have been, which I don't even have a picture of and the sight of the stable:

As we were waiting in line, there was a section cut open in the floor so that you could look down and see this Mosaic floor:This is at the front of the church. The part with the candles on it is called the Chansil screen and it hides the altar from the view of the worshippers. It is covered in icons.

This is also at the front of the church. Close to the steps that go down into where the manger is.

They are refurbishing the buidling, so most of the inside is covered in scaffolding.

This was once a baptismal font. Now it appears to be a workers station.

More scaffolding and the line of people waiting.

By the time we came out it was dark. It is lovely at night, isn't it??

Kent and I home teach the families in Bethlehem. We also try to go to church there every Sunday. These are the families:

Mohammad, Toqah, Saida, Rachme, Kareem Alshiabat. He is a member, she is not but wants to be.

Yara, Sana, Ameer, Odeh, and Nadeem Marcous. He is a member, she is not. But, she would like to be.

Kent always loves the babies!!! This one is beautiful, isn't he???

This is the place where we cross back and forth, on foot. Coming into Bethlehem we show our passports at one window. Going back through we go through 3 windows and an x-ray machine. Such is daily life for Palestinians who work in Jerusalem and live in the West Bank.

There are shops and kids with post cards and lots of taxi drivers waiting as you come into Bethlehem to take you around Bethlehem and sell you souveneirs.

When we go home teaching, the Center rents a taxi for us so that we can drive through. We come back from a sweet visit and are greeted at the wall by soldiers with machine guns.

We pray for a change of heart in all those who keep things as they are now!

Jordan

We're at the Jordan border,
Which we hoped would be a cinch.
We've chatted, slept, and read a lot.
And now we moved . . . . . . an inch!

We're slowly rolling forward.
We're closer than before . . .
We're now the second in the line.
He's opening the door . . . .

The guards are all conversing.
They've counted those on board.
We're driving through the border!
We're absolutely floored!

We drove for 40 seconds,
And then we saw a sign --
"Welcome to the Allenby".
We've stopped a second time. :(

The cars are speeding past us.
We're sitting on the side.
And now the OTHER bus has gone.
We've just been cast aside!

At last, we've crossed the border.
We're getting off the bus.
We're going in a building
They're taking ALL of us.

They've given us a ticket.
They're leading us away.
They're looking at our passports,
Will they let us go, or stay?

The nice man waved us forward.
We've crossed the parking lot.
We're getting on our Jordan bus,
With everyone we brought.

"Goodbye, oh border crossing."
"Goodbye", the thing we dread.
We're on our way to Petra.
Wait, what is that ahead??

Oh, do our eyes deceive us?
Have we been so mislead?
Is that ANOTHER stop up there?
Oh, my poor aching head!

They say that Petra's awesome.
We'd really like to go.
But, we'll be crossing borders,
So I guess we'll never know!!!

Best Day So Far

Saturday, November 6, 2010 was a day to top all days!!!! That morning we received a call from Elder Madsen that there were friends in the building who wanted to see us. We ran up [actually I took the elevator!] and there they all were: Floyd and Pam Hassinger, Celeste and Gordan Galbraith, and Becky Buckwalter and her daughter Emily! We laughed and cried and hugged and hugged and hugged. They took lots of pictures, and they brought gifts!!! -- Real cinnamon bears from America! [and cocoa and parmesean cheese]. We though we'd died and gone to heaven -- heaven is where those you love are, right!? We showed them our apartment and then it was time for church.
We walked them to the bus, hugged and cried some more, and then they were gone.

The smell and taste of cinnamon bears brings back that day over and over. Thanks so much for the best day so far!