Remodeled Biblical Garden

 

 

Beginning last fall, the gardeners here have been in charge of remodeling the Center's Biblical Garden. They have made part of it handicap accessible. They've removed and replanted many of the shrubs, flowers & trees and they have repaved it - it is really looking beautiful!

 

For those of you who have been there - this is standing on a new pathway looking back at the olive crusher. Off to the left are the stairs that go down to one of the olive presses:

This is walking on down that new path - they've installed a lovely water canal that runs along the path. Off to the left is a nice bench.

The arch ahead looks into one of the side lawns that run next to the auditorium.

Following the same path takes you down some stairs that cross over the canal. The area in the top left of the picture is on the seventh level of the Center.

We got heart attacked. :)

The past 2 events

Our most recent field trip was to the Shephelah. One of the places we visit is the valley where David fought Goliath. The students get a chance to use a sling shot. Wisely, the bus drivers park waaay up the road from here! :) I didn't actually go this past week, this is from a past semester. Is that cheating??

 

 

A couple of nights ago we had our Arab Culture Night. It began with the opportunity to have your picture taken in "authentic" Arab dress.

After pictures we all assemble in the forum. Our Arabic teacher introduces and interprets for the 2 Sheiks at the Al-Aksa mosque. The job of reciting from the Koran and doing the call-to-prayer is a family thing. For us, they recite a section of the Koran about Mary. Then they do the call to prayer and then they show us how they pray. It is very interesting and educational.

This is a father/son team

Following the Forum meeting we have an authentic Ramadan feast. Delish!!!!

 

 There are breads, humus, tahina, multiple kinds of stuffed vegetables, salads, chicken, lamb, schwarma, desserts. The food just goes on and on. I always want to try a little of everything - not possible!

More Jordan pictures

We took the students to Jordan last week. I'm happy to say that although the forecast was for rain everyday, it only rained when we were inside! ;)
I've already shared lots of pics from previous trips, but here are a few more that I took at the Royal Automobile Museum. :)

This looks fun to ride in, don't you think?

This would be a great space-saver!

Homemade bike:

 

Yesterday's field trip

Yesterday, January 24, we had our field trip to Jericho with the students.

 

Here are the 2 of us at the entrance to Jericho:

 

 

These are our friends Ray & Bobbe Graham. They are the Service Couple up in Tiberias:

 

The traditional site for the Mount of Temptations is behind us:

This is the Wadi Quelt - the actual "road to Jericho".

 

 

 The old Roman aqueduct. This is the greenest this area will be all year:

 

 Walking along the ridge or the Wadi Quelt:



Weekend & Weather

This is how we spent our Sabbath evening. It was one of the nicest Sabbaths I've ever had! :) We had a delicious meal.

Me, cutting brownies, with Margaret, Elizabeth [the mom], Kevin, Maya, & Walter Vogelmann.

 

Time to just be part of the family:

 

 Dorene & Norm Squires playing "Whack-a-Mole- with Truman & Grant V.

Then we were entertained by the family:

Grant & Margaret playing the bells, Maya dancing

 

Sahar Qumsiyeh [a most amazing woman!], and the Benches

Maya, Truman, Grant, & Margaret

Now, let me show you what the weather is like - just in time for the new semester to start! :)

It has been raining and blowing for about 3 days straight now. Yesterday, it blew so hard it knocked over this tree down by the lower gate.

It is blocking the entrance/exit.

 

 These lovely vines used to be climbing the walls at the upper entrance to the Center!

We've had to rearrange our orientation schedule to try and keep the students dry and warm. Pray for nice weather on Sunday.

Christmas Day 2012

 

Christmas morning we had twists for breakfast and then opened our presents. Then we were able to go with 3 of the service couples to the Garden Tomb.

 

Carol & Clyde Bench [housing couple/doctor]. She is also the RS President:

Norm and Dorene Squires [organist/choir director/hosting]:

 

 

Bob & Elisabeth Schafer [humanitarian]. He is our Branch President:

We were a minority in this group - there were probably 400 Nigerians at the service. It was great! They really know how to sing and be happy.

 Ha, ha - Kent said he saw one man taking pictures of our row of white faces!

 

 

 

This is the director of the Garden, preparing for the service to begin. The staff at the Garden are very sweet, kind people. Right behind and below him, is the tomb. Nice setting, huh?

 They had a live band to accompany the Christmas hymns that we sang. Before the service began, the Nigerians were spontaneously singing songs of praise and the band joined in. It was a really sweet experience.

We couldn't help but clap along! 



Here is how the program went. There were prayers or scripture readings interspersed with carols. Each time we sang, everyone stood up.
This was such a wonderful way to spend Christmas morning. Wow!!! I can't really tell you how amazing it was or how glad I was to be there. Wish all of you could have been there as well.

We had about an hour break at the JC and then it was off to lunch. This time with all 3 service couples.

We went to the Notre Dame Hotel - very posh! :)

 

This is one-half of the buffet line. The other half was salads and appetizers but too many people in the way for me to take a picture.

Across from the buffet were 2 dessert tables. I'm sure there were better people than I who only ate the fruit! :)

This table included the traditional yule log - biggest one I've ever seen!

Here we are enjoying our delicious lunch! When we first sat down, Santa came around and gave each one of us a bag of Christmas chocolates! You can see one of them lying in the left forefront of this picture. I thought this was extremely generous - I thought maybe one per couple. . . .

In the background, in the private room, you can see several priests, enjoying their lunch. We had some fun interaction with them as the meal progressed. One of the priests came out and introduced himself and learned a bit about who we were and why we are in Jerusalem. He was a delightful man and seemed happy to know us as well.

After the priests had finished their meal they began singing Christmas carols - some in French, some in Spanish, and some in English. Father Kelly [the one we had met at first] brought us printed copies of the words so that we could join in. Then it progressed to the table next to us. It was so much fun!  Here we are singing along:

You would have to know Dorene Squires to fully appreciate these next  2 photos. But, she wasn't happy with the speed at which the priests were singing "Away in a Manger" so she went in and "encouraged" them a bit!!!

 

As so often happens in the JC's "random" contacts with other faiths - this association turned out to be very fortuitous. The priests were there with the new Papal Nuncio to the Holy Land. Our very next-door neighbor is the Vatican's ambassador to Palestine. So the man in this picture with Kent is that new ambassador - meeting his neighbors. Also, our humanitarian couple work quite closely with the delegate and had the opportunity to introduce themselves as well!

One of the priests offered to show us part of the hotel.

This is their chapel:

He let us go up on the roof and these are views from up there:

The best view of all - our Center. :)

I cannot imagine a more perfect day - well except for being home with family. I am so grateful for this experience that Kent and I have been allowed to have and for the wonderful people who have come into our lives because of it!!

Merry Christmas to all of you - whom we love and miss.