Saturday, August 18, 2018
#7 - Israel 2018 (Holy Sepulchre, Calvary, Christ's Tomb)
We began our day with breakfast, followed by Morning Prayer in the Chapel of St. George’s. Our scripture reading today was from the Crucifixion of Jesus, as we prepare to visit the Holy Sepulcher (Church of the Resurrection); the place where Jesus was both crucified and laid in a tomb. Iyad gave us about an hour lecture about the Holy Sepulcher before we began our walk from St. George’s to the Old City.
Iyad provided maps and explanations about why the Holy Sepulcher is the more likely place of both, as opposed to the Garden Tomb located a few blocks away. The location of the 1st century walls would place the Holy Sepulcher outside the walls (just as scripture states), but is the excuse some use for the Garden Tomb location outside the modern day walls. He also identified how the locations were determined over the thousands of years of destruction and rebuilding, using the significant monuments of other religions who had conquered the areas and marked those places with their own significant buildings, statues, monuments, etc.
On our walk to Damascus Gate, we were treated to a cup of Carob tea from a vendor outside the gate. It was delicious and tasted like chocolate. I think we made the gentleman’s day with the purchase of 40 glasses. You have to see the the picture/video on Marcia’s Facebook page of the ornate dispenser he was using as he bowed in order to pour the drink. The market was bustling, and the smells were a diversity of trash, herbs and spices, food and incense. The winding paths, with both stone ramps next to stone steps, means extra vigilance as you dodge people, garbage
collectors and other types of transportation on these small pathways. You’ve gotta see it to believe it. :)
First, we stopped in an area with a dome in the center of a courtyard, around which are cells where the Armenian Monks reside, and is the location of Calvary in the Holy Sepulchre below. We have to remember that things from the 1st century require excavation and are below. Helena, the mother of Constantine, mandated and was responsible for the excavation and reestablishment of these locations back in the 4th century.
From the front entrance, the large blue dome and topped with a large gold cross is the only thing ornate. Several stone columns on either side of 2 massive doors is all there is to see before entering the Holy Sepulchre from the courtyard. In the door is a small square that opens and closes, used by the monks to lock and unlock the doors. The keys to the Holy Sepulcher are held by a Muslim family, who pass a ladder through the hole to allow the monks to reach the locks to make this process happen at the beginning and ending of the day.
Inside are some of the most ornate icons, hanging lights and thuribles, and mosaics; almost too much so. Hundreds of people are all trying to make their way up the steps to an altar over the place of Calvary, the site of the Crucifixion. Once we made our way up, we kneel beneath the altar, and stick our hand through the hole to reach down and touch the rock formation that part of Calvary.
We visited the Chapel of Adam, below Calvary, which shows the split in the rocks behind the altar which occurred at the time of the Crucifixion. This location is also believed to be the burial place of Adam. There is also the Stone of Unction, the place where Jesus’ body was laid and prepared for burial with oils and spices. People of all Christian beliefs come and kneel to rub scarfs, bless gifts/icons, place their hands and even kiss the stone for prayers of healing. The materials retain the fragrance of the stone so that upon smelling them in the future, it can bring back the memory.
Christ’s Tomb sits opposite Calvary, and has long lines wrapped around it so that people can get in to even get a glimpse inside. You guessed it, He's not there! There are 6 denominations who share this one space, and I’m sure you’d be shocked to know that at times there are “scuffles”, and it has to be shut down.
We ended our day with a lecture on Islam by Farask Hamad, an Arab Palestinian Muslim, who also spoke of the struggles he faces living in the occupied territory, and how his life is impacted by walls and checkpoints. He spoke about the similarities to Christianity, and the challenge of extremism’s negative influence in allowing for peace and tolerance with other faiths and governments.
Iyad provided maps and explanations about why the Holy Sepulcher is the more likely place of both, as opposed to the Garden Tomb located a few blocks away. The location of the 1st century walls would place the Holy Sepulcher outside the walls (just as scripture states), but is the excuse some use for the Garden Tomb location outside the modern day walls. He also identified how the locations were determined over the thousands of years of destruction and rebuilding, using the significant monuments of other religions who had conquered the areas and marked those places with their own significant buildings, statues, monuments, etc.
On our walk to Damascus Gate, we were treated to a cup of Carob tea from a vendor outside the gate. It was delicious and tasted like chocolate. I think we made the gentleman’s day with the purchase of 40 glasses. You have to see the the picture/video on Marcia’s Facebook page of the ornate dispenser he was using as he bowed in order to pour the drink. The market was bustling, and the smells were a diversity of trash, herbs and spices, food and incense. The winding paths, with both stone ramps next to stone steps, means extra vigilance as you dodge people, garbage
collectors and other types of transportation on these small pathways. You’ve gotta see it to believe it. :)
First, we stopped in an area with a dome in the center of a courtyard, around which are cells where the Armenian Monks reside, and is the location of Calvary in the Holy Sepulchre below. We have to remember that things from the 1st century require excavation and are below. Helena, the mother of Constantine, mandated and was responsible for the excavation and reestablishment of these locations back in the 4th century.
From the front entrance, the large blue dome and topped with a large gold cross is the only thing ornate. Several stone columns on either side of 2 massive doors is all there is to see before entering the Holy Sepulchre from the courtyard. In the door is a small square that opens and closes, used by the monks to lock and unlock the doors. The keys to the Holy Sepulcher are held by a Muslim family, who pass a ladder through the hole to allow the monks to reach the locks to make this process happen at the beginning and ending of the day.
Inside are some of the most ornate icons, hanging lights and thuribles, and mosaics; almost too much so. Hundreds of people are all trying to make their way up the steps to an altar over the place of Calvary, the site of the Crucifixion. Once we made our way up, we kneel beneath the altar, and stick our hand through the hole to reach down and touch the rock formation that part of Calvary.
We visited the Chapel of Adam, below Calvary, which shows the split in the rocks behind the altar which occurred at the time of the Crucifixion. This location is also believed to be the burial place of Adam. There is also the Stone of Unction, the place where Jesus’ body was laid and prepared for burial with oils and spices. People of all Christian beliefs come and kneel to rub scarfs, bless gifts/icons, place their hands and even kiss the stone for prayers of healing. The materials retain the fragrance of the stone so that upon smelling them in the future, it can bring back the memory.
Christ’s Tomb sits opposite Calvary, and has long lines wrapped around it so that people can get in to even get a glimpse inside. You guessed it, He's not there! There are 6 denominations who share this one space, and I’m sure you’d be shocked to know that at times there are “scuffles”, and it has to be shut down.
We ended our day with a lecture on Islam by Farask Hamad, an Arab Palestinian Muslim, who also spoke of the struggles he faces living in the occupied territory, and how his life is impacted by walls and checkpoints. He spoke about the similarities to Christianity, and the challenge of extremism’s negative influence in allowing for peace and tolerance with other faiths and governments.
#10 - Israel 2018 (FreeDay: King David's Tower/Citadel & Holy Sepulchre)
Today was our free day, but trust me people, there is nothing free here. :) You might be wondering why I use the term “people”, and maybe not, but this is how our guide addresses us every time he starts to say something. Usually the conversation ends with the term, Yalla, which in Arabic means “come on”, or in our case “hurry up”!
After breakfast, we ventured off to King David’s Tower and Citadel, outside of the Jaffa Gate. We walked along the ramparts and saw amazing views of Jerusalem. There was a museum and designated rooms covering each of the major eras from the Canaanite Period (3150 BC) through the establishment of the State of Israel (1948 AD).
We ate lunch outside at the Christ Church Cafe, and then made our way back to the Holy Sepulchre to bless some of the items we bought. While we were there Marcia sat next to a gentleman who turned out to be the
“Custodian and Door-Keeper of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher”, Wajeeh Y. Nuseibeh (You can see the photos on her Facebook page). She had a great conversation with him, so don’t forget to ask her about it. David Wallace and I were escorted by one of his family members, and we each took a wrapped stack of bees wax candles for the Holy Fire and lit them at the Tomb of Jesus, and then we were escorted to the Chapel of Joseph of Arimathea. He took the stack of candles, relit them from flame in that chapel, dipped the other end, not burning, in the oil the original flame was burning, and rubbed it on our hands and wrists. He then used the flame to sense the tombs in that area, and then snuffed the candles and places them on the altar. Hevthan had us say the Lord’s Prayer over them; in English and then following his lead in Arabic. What an experience.
David and I went back out and met the others, and then we made our way back to St. George’s College. Of course, on the way back, we had to stop by Abraham’s, which is the souvenir/gift shop next door. I was looking for special things to give out to those whom I counsel or who find themselves having a hard time. (At this point I’ve realized I now have to take these things back to the Holy Sepulchre to be blessed as well). I spent some time catching up on the blog and then we had dinner. It was a great dinner in the garden and we reflected and shared stories of the 10 days we have spent here. After dinner, David Wallace and I decided to make a trip back to the Holy Sepulchre to bless the newly bought gifts; those they had bought, and mine as well.
With just the two of us walking, w made it to the Holy Sepulcher in about 15-20 mins. Hardly anyone was there. We went in and placed our items on the Stone of Unction, and I blessed and prayed over them. I also said special prayers for my family, for guidance and strength to be a good and faithful priest, for my family of St. James, and gave praise and thanks to God for the many blessings he has given me. We also walked up to Calvary, and I prayed those same prayers there as well.
On the way out, we were allowed to enter the Tomb of Christ. I was so overwhelmed, because on my last trip here I never had the chance to go in. I reverenced the altar in the preparation area, and the bent over to enter the small entry way into the Tomb area, where a stone, much like the Stone of Unction, is located. I knelt and prayed, and it was such a moving experience. Speechless.
David and I made it back to the college and shared our experience. It was so special. Marcia and I are so blessed, and have had so many special and memorable moments. This trip is right up there. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings; it’s our last day before flying home tomorrow night. Shalom/Salam.
After breakfast, we ventured off to King David’s Tower and Citadel, outside of the Jaffa Gate. We walked along the ramparts and saw amazing views of Jerusalem. There was a museum and designated rooms covering each of the major eras from the Canaanite Period (3150 BC) through the establishment of the State of Israel (1948 AD).
We ate lunch outside at the Christ Church Cafe, and then made our way back to the Holy Sepulchre to bless some of the items we bought. While we were there Marcia sat next to a gentleman who turned out to be the
“Custodian and Door-Keeper of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher”, Wajeeh Y. Nuseibeh (You can see the photos on her Facebook page). She had a great conversation with him, so don’t forget to ask her about it. David Wallace and I were escorted by one of his family members, and we each took a wrapped stack of bees wax candles for the Holy Fire and lit them at the Tomb of Jesus, and then we were escorted to the Chapel of Joseph of Arimathea. He took the stack of candles, relit them from flame in that chapel, dipped the other end, not burning, in the oil the original flame was burning, and rubbed it on our hands and wrists. He then used the flame to sense the tombs in that area, and then snuffed the candles and places them on the altar. Hevthan had us say the Lord’s Prayer over them; in English and then following his lead in Arabic. What an experience.
David and I went back out and met the others, and then we made our way back to St. George’s College. Of course, on the way back, we had to stop by Abraham’s, which is the souvenir/gift shop next door. I was looking for special things to give out to those whom I counsel or who find themselves having a hard time. (At this point I’ve realized I now have to take these things back to the Holy Sepulchre to be blessed as well). I spent some time catching up on the blog and then we had dinner. It was a great dinner in the garden and we reflected and shared stories of the 10 days we have spent here. After dinner, David Wallace and I decided to make a trip back to the Holy Sepulchre to bless the newly bought gifts; those they had bought, and mine as well.
With just the two of us walking, w made it to the Holy Sepulcher in about 15-20 mins. Hardly anyone was there. We went in and placed our items on the Stone of Unction, and I blessed and prayed over them. I also said special prayers for my family, for guidance and strength to be a good and faithful priest, for my family of St. James, and gave praise and thanks to God for the many blessings he has given me. We also walked up to Calvary, and I prayed those same prayers there as well.
On the way out, we were allowed to enter the Tomb of Christ. I was so overwhelmed, because on my last trip here I never had the chance to go in. I reverenced the altar in the preparation area, and the bent over to enter the small entry way into the Tomb area, where a stone, much like the Stone of Unction, is located. I knelt and prayed, and it was such a moving experience. Speechless.
David and I made it back to the college and shared our experience. It was so special. Marcia and I are so blessed, and have had so many special and memorable moments. This trip is right up there. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings; it’s our last day before flying home tomorrow night. Shalom/Salam.
#9 - Israel 2018 (Via Delarosa, Emmaus & Dead Sea)
Today we woke up early and departed at 5:30am for the Via Delarosa (Way of Sorrows). The streets were empty, aside from a few cars, because Fridays are Holy Days; the Muslim Day of worship. Plus, it’s early people! LOL We walked in silence to the Old City, and walked the Stations of the Cross marked off at different locations throughout the Muslim and Christian Quarters. We took turns carrying the cross down the streets, and also took turns reading at each station from John Peterson’s book,
“A Walk in Jerusalem: Stations of the Cross”. It was an emotional experience for many, and also one I’m sure we will never forget. The final 5 stations are located within the Holy Sepulcher, which are only walked during Holy Week, so we finished them at the dome that sits overtop Calvary.
We returned to St. George’s College for breakfast, and then went by bus to Emmaus. This is a significant location, found in Luke 24:13, as it reveals the journey on which 2 people walking to Emmaus, after the Crucifixion, encountered the risen Jesus on the road! Were we at the exact location, no one knows, but the point is that Jesus meets us on our journey; not always at a particular physical location, but most certainly on our spiritual journey.
We had Eucharist, walked the grounds that were being excavated, and then went for a nice lunch at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem. After lunch we made our journey to the Dead Sea. Swim suits and towels in hand, we made our way to the lowest place in the world; about 420 meters below sea level (approx. 1400 feet below sea level). It was hot. Very hot. “Good Morning Vietnam” hot! 😓😎
Warning signs throughout the area warned of the danger of getting the water in your eyes, and possible life threatening conditions if one were to swallow too much of the water. You “float” in the Dead Sea. You do not splash or try to swim. So buoyant, it’s hard not to stay on your back, and if you’re in too deep, you can’t use your arms to turn yourself back over. Hence, some panic and end up in trouble, resulting in a trip to the showers (literally) and the lifeguard station. We were all good ... but there’s always one who gives you a scare. Those who went in the water now have silky smooth skin.
We left the Dead Sea for a dinner party and reception at our guide, Iyad Qumri’s, home in Jericho. We exchanged gifts with our prayer partners, ate a delicious meal, had great conversations and watched a YouTube clip called, “The West Bank Story.”
What a great time we have had on this pilgrimage, and everyone now has their
luggage from United ... just in time to go home. Can’t make this stuff up. Tomorrow is a free day, so we will see what happens. Hope you're following Marcia's Facebook photos, because we haven't been able to load them from here on this blog. Good night.
“A Walk in Jerusalem: Stations of the Cross”. It was an emotional experience for many, and also one I’m sure we will never forget. The final 5 stations are located within the Holy Sepulcher, which are only walked during Holy Week, so we finished them at the dome that sits overtop Calvary.
We returned to St. George’s College for breakfast, and then went by bus to Emmaus. This is a significant location, found in Luke 24:13, as it reveals the journey on which 2 people walking to Emmaus, after the Crucifixion, encountered the risen Jesus on the road! Were we at the exact location, no one knows, but the point is that Jesus meets us on our journey; not always at a particular physical location, but most certainly on our spiritual journey.
We had Eucharist, walked the grounds that were being excavated, and then went for a nice lunch at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem. After lunch we made our journey to the Dead Sea. Swim suits and towels in hand, we made our way to the lowest place in the world; about 420 meters below sea level (approx. 1400 feet below sea level). It was hot. Very hot. “Good Morning Vietnam” hot! 😓😎
Warning signs throughout the area warned of the danger of getting the water in your eyes, and possible life threatening conditions if one were to swallow too much of the water. You “float” in the Dead Sea. You do not splash or try to swim. So buoyant, it’s hard not to stay on your back, and if you’re in too deep, you can’t use your arms to turn yourself back over. Hence, some panic and end up in trouble, resulting in a trip to the showers (literally) and the lifeguard station. We were all good ... but there’s always one who gives you a scare. Those who went in the water now have silky smooth skin.
We left the Dead Sea for a dinner party and reception at our guide, Iyad Qumri’s, home in Jericho. We exchanged gifts with our prayer partners, ate a delicious meal, had great conversations and watched a YouTube clip called, “The West Bank Story.”
What a great time we have had on this pilgrimage, and everyone now has their
luggage from United ... just in time to go home. Can’t make this stuff up. Tomorrow is a free day, so we will see what happens. Hope you're following Marcia's Facebook photos, because we haven't been able to load them from here on this blog. Good night.
#8 - Israel 2018 (Western Wall, Dome of the Rock, Princess Basma, Gethsemane, etc.)
We began this morning at 6:15 with a walk to the Western Wall (no longer referred to the Wailing Wall since the Jews can now access it). When we arrived, there were already many Jewish people worshiping at the Wall; singing, chanting and praying silently while always in motion. I placed prayers in the Wall that were given to me, and my own personal prayers. After this, we exited the Jewish Quarter and immediately went through another check point to enter The Temple Mount where The Dome of the Rock (Elharam Esh Sharif) and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are located. This was formerly the location of the Jewish Temple.
The Dome of the Rock is the most obvious and identifiable structure, with its large golden roof seen in almost every photo of the Old City. This structure was built approx. 50 years after the death of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, and is the site from where Muhammad is said to have had his Night Journey (Mirraj) into heaven and back to Mecca. We had another group photo, and as we were having our walking lecture and group of heavily armed Israeli military personnel walked past us escorting a group of Jewish people to worship on the mount. There is a sign, written by the Chief Rabbi posted at the security check point to the Temple Mount that clearly states Jews are “forbidden” to enter, but we found out there is a Zionist group that is radicle and has demanded and received the right to worship there, and have protection and escort doing so. Talk about tension in the air!
From there we made our way to the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the paralytic in John 5:2-9, and is located at the Church of St. Anne. The church has amazing acoustics, and is also beloved to the the birthplace of Our Lady, the Virgin Mary.
The highlight of the day, for me anyway, was a visit to the Princess Basma Center for Disabled Children on the Mount of Olives. A truly amazing place serving all religions. We were given a walking tour, and part of the cost of our trip was a donation to this center. The most moving part was watching a mother work with her toddler in the sensory room. The child had hearing aids in both ears and a trach tube connected to oxygen. The mother. as is the culture here, stays up to 2-3 weeks with her child in the intensive therapy and often needs more than one cycle; this is the standard for all children so that they can go home and still be able to do the necessary therapies.
After lunch, we drove up to Bethphage, the place from which Jesus sent his disciples to go and retrieve a donkey for his Palm Sunday processions. We did this walk down to the Dominus Flevit (“the Lord has wept”) church that is shaped like a tear drop. In Luke 19, Jesus, overlooking the city of Jerusalem, wept as he visualized her future fate and ultimate destruction.
We walked down from the Mt. of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane (“olive press”). This is the place where the disciples slept when Jesus asked them to stay wake as he prayed on night the night he was arrested before his Crucifixion. This is also the location of the great agony, where Jesus did sweat blood, and prayed to God the Father that, “not my will, but thy will be done”.
It was a long way down, with the visual of the Old City ahead of us, and the Jewish Cemetery all the way down to our left and as far as you could see (over 70,000). The above ground graves began being placed on the Mt. of Olives some 3000 years ago in the 1st Temple period.
Our day ended with a lecture on the Israeli Perspective. A visiting Hebrew University professor gave his personal observations and basically it seemed to be the opposite of what we have heard from Christians and Muslims, aside from agreeing that building in the “occupied
area” is not right for Israel to do, and only serves to deepen the tensions and further prevent resolution.
The Dome of the Rock is the most obvious and identifiable structure, with its large golden roof seen in almost every photo of the Old City. This structure was built approx. 50 years after the death of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad, and is the site from where Muhammad is said to have had his Night Journey (Mirraj) into heaven and back to Mecca. We had another group photo, and as we were having our walking lecture and group of heavily armed Israeli military personnel walked past us escorting a group of Jewish people to worship on the mount. There is a sign, written by the Chief Rabbi posted at the security check point to the Temple Mount that clearly states Jews are “forbidden” to enter, but we found out there is a Zionist group that is radicle and has demanded and received the right to worship there, and have protection and escort doing so. Talk about tension in the air!
From there we made our way to the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the paralytic in John 5:2-9, and is located at the Church of St. Anne. The church has amazing acoustics, and is also beloved to the the birthplace of Our Lady, the Virgin Mary.
The highlight of the day, for me anyway, was a visit to the Princess Basma Center for Disabled Children on the Mount of Olives. A truly amazing place serving all religions. We were given a walking tour, and part of the cost of our trip was a donation to this center. The most moving part was watching a mother work with her toddler in the sensory room. The child had hearing aids in both ears and a trach tube connected to oxygen. The mother. as is the culture here, stays up to 2-3 weeks with her child in the intensive therapy and often needs more than one cycle; this is the standard for all children so that they can go home and still be able to do the necessary therapies.
After lunch, we drove up to Bethphage, the place from which Jesus sent his disciples to go and retrieve a donkey for his Palm Sunday processions. We did this walk down to the Dominus Flevit (“the Lord has wept”) church that is shaped like a tear drop. In Luke 19, Jesus, overlooking the city of Jerusalem, wept as he visualized her future fate and ultimate destruction.
We walked down from the Mt. of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane (“olive press”). This is the place where the disciples slept when Jesus asked them to stay wake as he prayed on night the night he was arrested before his Crucifixion. This is also the location of the great agony, where Jesus did sweat blood, and prayed to God the Father that, “not my will, but thy will be done”.
It was a long way down, with the visual of the Old City ahead of us, and the Jewish Cemetery all the way down to our left and as far as you could see (over 70,000). The above ground graves began being placed on the Mt. of Olives some 3000 years ago in the 1st Temple period.
Our day ended with a lecture on the Israeli Perspective. A visiting Hebrew University professor gave his personal observations and basically it seemed to be the opposite of what we have heard from Christians and Muslims, aside from agreeing that building in the “occupied
area” is not right for Israel to do, and only serves to deepen the tensions and further prevent resolution.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
#6 - Israel 2018 (Burqin, Nablus & Taybeh)
This morning our travels took us to Burqin, which is the place Jesus passed through on his way from Nazareth to Jerusalem. We read in scripture that as Jesus passed through the city, he was approached by 10 lepers who were crying out from a quarantined cave for him to heal them. Guess what, we visited the church located on the site; the 4th oldest church in the world, named St. George's. The church has a cistern and a drop in hole where food would have been lowered down to those in quarantine.
Our next stop was Nablus (Sychar) where we visited St. Photini Greek Orthodox Church. This is the place where Jesus meet the woman at the well in John 4:4. The church is located over the place of Jacob's Well, and Denise Wallace, one of our friends on the trip, was chosen to draw water from the well for us to drink. Scripture was read, and a reflection and personal testimony was given by Fr. Richard Earl. Like most Christian churches, there are many icons throughout the church, which means Marcia has been in heaven these last few days. One of the icons, St. John the Baptist, was very special, as it appeared to be streaming myrrh; you can ask Marcia about it. 😎
Along our journey we also stopped for a speacial treat called a Kenafeh, which is a cheese pastry soaked in sweet sugar-based syrup. It's most popular in that region, unless you have a dairy allergy, and the shop owners invited us in to watch the process of how they'remade. The Palestinian people have been most welcoming to us, not only in this region, but everywhere we have gone. I'm not sure how many "cousins" Iyad Qumri has, but they all own some type of shop and we're almost out of shekels. LOL
We had lunch in Taybeh, which is the only city in the Palestine Authority that is 100% Christian. It was an amazing meal, and we were invited to a local brewery, Taybeh Beer, which is owned. and operated by a husbancd and wife from Boston. The wife explained that even though they have an American passport, they must still get permits to travel within Israel, as they are considered Palestinian in the eyes of Israel. Some of the stories of hardship and discrimination towards Palestinian Muslims and Christians are hard to hear, and it is also easy to see the other side as well. The politic of religion and state is prominate, tense, and even sparks anger to those living here, and solutions and resolutions seem very long in coming; if ever.
We returned to the St. George's Guest House for dinner, and then found the rooftop balcony overlooking Jerusalem. Sadly, 3 people in our group have still not receive their lost luggage from United Airlines. Tomorrow we visit the Church of the Resurrection/Holy Sepulchre located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Shalom / Salaam!
Our next stop was Nablus (Sychar) where we visited St. Photini Greek Orthodox Church. This is the place where Jesus meet the woman at the well in John 4:4. The church is located over the place of Jacob's Well, and Denise Wallace, one of our friends on the trip, was chosen to draw water from the well for us to drink. Scripture was read, and a reflection and personal testimony was given by Fr. Richard Earl. Like most Christian churches, there are many icons throughout the church, which means Marcia has been in heaven these last few days. One of the icons, St. John the Baptist, was very special, as it appeared to be streaming myrrh; you can ask Marcia about it. 😎
Along our journey we also stopped for a speacial treat called a Kenafeh, which is a cheese pastry soaked in sweet sugar-based syrup. It's most popular in that region, unless you have a dairy allergy, and the shop owners invited us in to watch the process of how they'remade. The Palestinian people have been most welcoming to us, not only in this region, but everywhere we have gone. I'm not sure how many "cousins" Iyad Qumri has, but they all own some type of shop and we're almost out of shekels. LOL
We had lunch in Taybeh, which is the only city in the Palestine Authority that is 100% Christian. It was an amazing meal, and we were invited to a local brewery, Taybeh Beer, which is owned. and operated by a husbancd and wife from Boston. The wife explained that even though they have an American passport, they must still get permits to travel within Israel, as they are considered Palestinian in the eyes of Israel. Some of the stories of hardship and discrimination towards Palestinian Muslims and Christians are hard to hear, and it is also easy to see the other side as well. The politic of religion and state is prominate, tense, and even sparks anger to those living here, and solutions and resolutions seem very long in coming; if ever.
We returned to the St. George's Guest House for dinner, and then found the rooftop balcony overlooking Jerusalem. Sadly, 3 people in our group have still not receive their lost luggage from United Airlines. Tomorrow we visit the Church of the Resurrection/Holy Sepulchre located in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Shalom / Salaam!
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
#5 - Israel 2018 (Sea of Galailee, Jordan River, Capernaum & Mt. of Beatitudes)
Today was one of the most spiritual and holy days thus far. We left at 7am for the Jordan River. We walked down to the river, on a dusty and already hot path, where we read scripture, renewed our Baptismal Covenant, and were sprinkled by Bp. Barry Howe with water from the Jordan River using an olive branch. Many were amazed at how small the width of the river is, compared to its enormity thousands of years ago. The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are retreating and shrinking at alarming rates. We were all shocked at the amount of debris and garbage dumped at a place where we as Christians consider Holy, where some of the homeless may have left moments before, having left behind a fresh watermelon sitting open in plain view.
Ur, we
From here we left and visited Capurnaum, the home of Peter. This is the place where 4 men carried the paralytic man, and lowered him through the roof for Jesus to heal him. We saw the layout of the remnants of the synague and homes in the area, as well as the beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee. It is so lush and green here, as compared to the rocky and dry land of Jerusalem and the desert areas between. We also visited Tabgha, the location of the Feeding of the Five Thousand. From there we made our way to the Mt. of Beatitudes, where we celebrated Eucharist outside under the enormous trees and constant warm breeze. I offered the homily on the Beatitudes, which was planned well before our arrival. Such a beautiful site, and had a great lunch. Many had the St. Peter's fish for lunch, including Marcia, which is the entire fish; head, scales and all. I knew better, so I chose the chicken schnitzel. 😉 The sisters opened the Chapel for a private tour and time for reflection and meditation. This sacred space was filled with mosaic pictures, including the entire dome, and an ornante altar in the middle. The acoustics were amazing, as some hummed, "Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary".
We left for Tiberius, where we all got on a boat and took a ride on the Sea of Galilee. It was windy, so remembering the stories about the disciples and the challenges of being a fisherman in such a place brought the biblical stories of the sea into reality. The scripture of Jesus calming the storm was read by Marcia. After about an hour, we returned to the docks and walked to a museum where we saw an excavated boat from the 1st century at Kabbutz Ginosar. What a story of how such a unique find required so much work to keep the boat entact and preserved for the current display.
After returning to Nazareth, we were shown a very special place, recently discovered under the Sisters of Nazareth Guest House (where we are staying). We we escorted to a locked door, and then escorted down stairs to what was left of a 1st century home. Located next to the Church of the Annunciation, this home is said to possibly be the home of the Holy Family, and the burial place of Joseph. We have learned over the past several days that families lived together until the son married and then built his home next door with his new family, and on and on. What an information overload, spirit-filled and exhausting day.
But wait, not that exhausting. Dinner was, well, lets just say something I couldn't eat. So, Fr. Ryan White, Mr. Greg Donham and I decided to make a run for a Dominos Pizza place we saw driving back from Galilee. It seemed much closer driving than it did us walking the streets of Nazareth at 9:30 at night. We finally found it, with 40 minutes before curfew; yes the nuns have a curfew of 10:30, and she took our keys and reminded us that she meant it. The worker at Dominos was very polite, especially finding it humorous that half of the pizza must be without cheese. LOL. We told him we had to be back by 10:30, and it was a 20 minute walk, so he bumped our order to the front of the line and got us out in record time. I'll admit it was odd sitting and waiting for the pizza in the brightest store in Nazareth at that time of night, especially when people did a double take seeing us sitting at the table as they walked by. Guess we stuck out a little bit. We did a speed walk back, and even with Fr. Ryan recovering from a bout of gout, made it back with 3 minutes to spare. The nun just gave us a grin as she handed back the room keys. The pizza, you ask? Awful! The experience? Priceless!
Ur, we
From here we left and visited Capurnaum, the home of Peter. This is the place where 4 men carried the paralytic man, and lowered him through the roof for Jesus to heal him. We saw the layout of the remnants of the synague and homes in the area, as well as the beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee. It is so lush and green here, as compared to the rocky and dry land of Jerusalem and the desert areas between. We also visited Tabgha, the location of the Feeding of the Five Thousand. From there we made our way to the Mt. of Beatitudes, where we celebrated Eucharist outside under the enormous trees and constant warm breeze. I offered the homily on the Beatitudes, which was planned well before our arrival. Such a beautiful site, and had a great lunch. Many had the St. Peter's fish for lunch, including Marcia, which is the entire fish; head, scales and all. I knew better, so I chose the chicken schnitzel. 😉 The sisters opened the Chapel for a private tour and time for reflection and meditation. This sacred space was filled with mosaic pictures, including the entire dome, and an ornante altar in the middle. The acoustics were amazing, as some hummed, "Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary".
We left for Tiberius, where we all got on a boat and took a ride on the Sea of Galilee. It was windy, so remembering the stories about the disciples and the challenges of being a fisherman in such a place brought the biblical stories of the sea into reality. The scripture of Jesus calming the storm was read by Marcia. After about an hour, we returned to the docks and walked to a museum where we saw an excavated boat from the 1st century at Kabbutz Ginosar. What a story of how such a unique find required so much work to keep the boat entact and preserved for the current display.
After returning to Nazareth, we were shown a very special place, recently discovered under the Sisters of Nazareth Guest House (where we are staying). We we escorted to a locked door, and then escorted down stairs to what was left of a 1st century home. Located next to the Church of the Annunciation, this home is said to possibly be the home of the Holy Family, and the burial place of Joseph. We have learned over the past several days that families lived together until the son married and then built his home next door with his new family, and on and on. What an information overload, spirit-filled and exhausting day.
But wait, not that exhausting. Dinner was, well, lets just say something I couldn't eat. So, Fr. Ryan White, Mr. Greg Donham and I decided to make a run for a Dominos Pizza place we saw driving back from Galilee. It seemed much closer driving than it did us walking the streets of Nazareth at 9:30 at night. We finally found it, with 40 minutes before curfew; yes the nuns have a curfew of 10:30, and she took our keys and reminded us that she meant it. The worker at Dominos was very polite, especially finding it humorous that half of the pizza must be without cheese. LOL. We told him we had to be back by 10:30, and it was a 20 minute walk, so he bumped our order to the front of the line and got us out in record time. I'll admit it was odd sitting and waiting for the pizza in the brightest store in Nazareth at that time of night, especially when people did a double take seeing us sitting at the table as they walked by. Guess we stuck out a little bit. We did a speed walk back, and even with Fr. Ryan recovering from a bout of gout, made it back with 3 minutes to spare. The nun just gave us a grin as she handed back the room keys. The pizza, you ask? Awful! The experience? Priceless!
#4 Israel (Christ Church - Sepphoris/Zippori)
After breakfast, we meet with Fr. Nael Abu Rahmoun, who is the Rector of Christ Church-Nazareth, before the 10am mass. He dicusssed the ministry and status of Christ Church, as well as what life is like for him being a Palestinian, Arab, Christian, and Israeli citizen. After questions were asked and answered, Marcia presented him with an icon she wrote of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The emotion was moving and humbling as Fr. Nael received and thanked Marcia for such a generous and awesome gift for Christ Church. We went to mass, which was spoken in Arabic, and the icon was placed on the credence table and revealed to the parish at the Peace. It was a moving and spirit-filled time of worship, where at times we were all singing or praying together in English and in Arabic. Marcia said, "Mary has returned to Nazareth," with the purpose of prayer and peace for the people of Nazareth.
We had lunch, and then departed by bus to Zippori/Sepphoris. Not far from Nazareth, Sepphoris is the closest city (on a hill as described in the NT) where Joseph may have worked with Jesus as a boy growing up and learning the trade of a stone mason, since trees have always been in short supply in this area, but stone work was and is abundant. It was a bustling city, as compared to Nazareth with 200 people in the 1st century. Beautiful mosaics have been excavated from this site, as well as the original road from 2000 years ago. We see the mosaics, and we walk on the smooth stone roads with groves from cart wheels worn into them over time. We saw remnants of homes, market places, synagogues, and ritual bathing areas. Oh, did I mention it was hot ... the hottest day of the year at 110F.
Tomorrow we are off to Galilee.
We had lunch, and then departed by bus to Zippori/Sepphoris. Not far from Nazareth, Sepphoris is the closest city (on a hill as described in the NT) where Joseph may have worked with Jesus as a boy growing up and learning the trade of a stone mason, since trees have always been in short supply in this area, but stone work was and is abundant. It was a bustling city, as compared to Nazareth with 200 people in the 1st century. Beautiful mosaics have been excavated from this site, as well as the original road from 2000 years ago. We see the mosaics, and we walk on the smooth stone roads with groves from cart wheels worn into them over time. We saw remnants of homes, market places, synagogues, and ritual bathing areas. Oh, did I mention it was hot ... the hottest day of the year at 110F.
Tomorrow we are off to Galilee.
Sunday, August 12, 2018
#3 - Israel 2018 - Judean Desert/Jericho/Nazareth
Goooooood morning Israel! That's right, we began our day on the bus at 5:00am. Our first stop of the morning was the Wadi Qelt, where we remained in silent meditation as we watched the sun come up over the Judean desert. We gathered together for Eucharist, as a young boy and his dog lead a group of sheep right behind the altar area. I'd love to say that everyone was so engaged with the service that they didn't even notice, but obviously that wasn't the case. 😎 It was a beautiful sunrise, but of course some from the Bedouin community came with there goods to sell in the midst of Bp. Barry Howe's homily and our Communion service. While it may seem odd, rude and disrespectful (and it was), I had to remind myself that this is the only way they have to survive in the desert, and try to stay focused.
We left for breakfast to an outside cafe in Jericho, and then went to the Mt. of Temptation, which is the place where Jesus went after his Baptism and was tempted by Satan after 40 days in the desert. We went part of the way up the mountain by cable car, and then hiked the rest of the way. It was hot! Did I mention it was hot? 😓 The church is built directly into the side of the mountain, and it was beautiful. Icons of every kind, and a balcony that overlooked the desert all the way to the Dead Sea.
We left the desert and went on to eat lunch at a retaurant in Nazareth, followed by a visit to 2 churches: The Church of the Annunciation; Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic. We expected to learn a little about iconography at the Greek Orthodox location, but were rushed out because they were readying for a funeral. The Roman site was the site where the Archangel Gabriel anounced to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Christ. It was ornate, with many lanterns and icons around the sanctuary and altar areas.
Archeological excavations are ongoing at all of the holy sites. Original mosaic flooring tiles, with designs and images from the 3rd century, were being excavated at the Roman site. It is amazing to see some of the progress that has been made since my first pilgrimage here in May of 2013. Words can't describe the sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit at times, and the truly awesome gift of being in the Holy Land to see and learn about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
After eating dinner, we began our journey to the Sisters of Nazareth Guest House, where we will stay for a few days and visit Christ Church-Nazareth (where, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us), Zippori (Sepphoris), the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, Capernaum and the Mt. of Beatitudes. We are also having a great time catching up and sharing time with old friends, and making new ones, in our down time.
Until tomorrow, God's peace and blessings be with you.
We left for breakfast to an outside cafe in Jericho, and then went to the Mt. of Temptation, which is the place where Jesus went after his Baptism and was tempted by Satan after 40 days in the desert. We went part of the way up the mountain by cable car, and then hiked the rest of the way. It was hot! Did I mention it was hot? 😓 The church is built directly into the side of the mountain, and it was beautiful. Icons of every kind, and a balcony that overlooked the desert all the way to the Dead Sea.
We left the desert and went on to eat lunch at a retaurant in Nazareth, followed by a visit to 2 churches: The Church of the Annunciation; Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic. We expected to learn a little about iconography at the Greek Orthodox location, but were rushed out because they were readying for a funeral. The Roman site was the site where the Archangel Gabriel anounced to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Christ. It was ornate, with many lanterns and icons around the sanctuary and altar areas.
Archeological excavations are ongoing at all of the holy sites. Original mosaic flooring tiles, with designs and images from the 3rd century, were being excavated at the Roman site. It is amazing to see some of the progress that has been made since my first pilgrimage here in May of 2013. Words can't describe the sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit at times, and the truly awesome gift of being in the Holy Land to see and learn about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
After eating dinner, we began our journey to the Sisters of Nazareth Guest House, where we will stay for a few days and visit Christ Church-Nazareth (where, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us), Zippori (Sepphoris), the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, Capernaum and the Mt. of Beatitudes. We are also having a great time catching up and sharing time with old friends, and making new ones, in our down time.
Until tomorrow, God's peace and blessings be with you.
Saturday, August 11, 2018
#2 - Israel 2018 - Bethlehem
Our day started much the same as yesterday, and after breakfast we headed for Bethlehem. We stopped at Shepherd's Field, from which we could the area in which the shepherds were visited by the angel announcing that Jesus, "a Savior, who is Christ the Lord", had been born. We had an amazing reflection on Luke 2:1-20 by Fr. Wayne Farrell, followed by visiting a cave that would have likely been similar to the place where Jesus was born. It was a very informative and spirit-filled morning, concludiing with our group singing together, "Angels we have heard on high," in the Church of the Shepherd's Field.
We made our way to a portion of the huge "security" wall that surrounds Bethlehem, where the discussion again became very political about the reality of the Israeli occupancy and the impact it has on everyone living in Bethlehem; Muslim and Christian. One way in and one way out, we were told of how the security check point makes sure that only those with yellow license plates (Israeli citizens) on their cars travel freely to and from the area to Jerusalem and other areas within the West Bank, while all others, with white license plates, must apply for a permit from the government to go to Jerusalem and can even be restricted at times from going to work, etc. in other place within the West Bank. The conversation of why Israel can build such a wall in the area where building is not permitted also stirred much emotion with our guide, Iyad, who is a Palestinian Arab Christian.
We ate lunch at Beit Sahour, and then went to the Church of the Nativity. It was very hot, but luckily we were able to make our way inside quickly. We stood in awe at the site of 3 altars, and made our way down the side steps to place of Jesus' birth. We all took turns venerating the place under the altar marked by a star. We heard a lot about the area and how such religious sites are determined, marked and/or preserved over thousands of years. It was a holy experience, but it can be very distracting at times with so many rushing in and out of the holy sites.
We are constantly approached by street vendors, some more aggressive than others, bargaining with us to by their goods. Even after leaving Bethlehem for Mt. Scopus, to get a view of Jerusalem from its high point, within a few minutes a vendor showed up. It also seems that our guide has many "cousins" throughout the region who have stores we stop at regularly. We made it back to St. George's College just before dinner, and discovered that our suitcases had finally shown up!! Yea!
After dinner we were given free time. So, Marcia, David and Denise Wallace and me walked to the Western Wall for Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath. There were hundreds and hundreds of Jewish people, families, and military at the Wall praying, singing and dancing. It was a great experience, and at times very Spirit-filled to see such a large and bustling worship celebration. Men to the north end, and women to the right, they lined the Wall wall completely with no room for more to stand. After an hour or so, we headed back to the college, since we have to be on the bus at 5am tomorrow for our journey to Galilee. Good night!
Thursday, August 9, 2018
#1 - Israel 2018 - The 'Old City'
We just finished our first full day in Israel. The day began with breakfast at 6:30, a group photo and then Mornnig Prayer in St. George's College Chapel. We had discussions about the various issues facing the 3 religious groups in Jerusalem; Muslim, Jewish and Christians. This presentation by Iyad, a Palestinian Arab Christian, gave a much different perspective which opened the door to much discussion. After the presentation we were divided into 4 groups, given a map of the area, and sent out to find our way to the Old City where we were to make observations and ask those living there what it is live to live in their particular "quarter" within the walls; Muslim, Jewish, Armenian or Christian. Marcia and I were given a group to make our way to the Jewish Quarter. We had no quide, so that we could see for ourselves how safe it is to find our way to and through the Old City. The disitance to Damascus Gate is only about 0.5 miles, if you start of in the right direction. Our group did. :)
Once within the City walls, we made our way through the Muslim Quarter toward the Jewish Quarter. Aside from obvious difference in attire, there was also the busy streets (more like pathways) through the City lined with merchants selling everything from fresh breads, fruits and fruit drinks, to clothing, toys and spices. The vendors were very aggressive in trying to get you to come into their market stall for what they claimed were, "the best prices and deals you'll find anywhere!" The streets through Muslim Quarter were rather dirty with trash on the ground, though the smell of food and incense filled the air. We bumped our way into and through the many people making there way to and fro, with some making their way to the Western Wall and other sites, and others to work or shopping.
As we approached the Western Wall, we realize quickly we had transitioned from the Muslim Quarter to the Jewish Quarter, because the pathways cleared of merchants and debris, and we found ourselves at a security check point with a military presence and a metal detector. The transition was uneventful, especially when compared with some of my encounters with TSA or going to a Bucs game. Hundreds of Jewish and Christian people raced through the busy area around the Wailing Wall, with an even larger Israeli Military presence. It was hot, and many in our group were already feeling the effects of dehydration from the heat, and sore feet from the cobblestone walkways and streets. We had been given 50 shekels each to bargain our way through lunch, and we found a great little place that could fit all 11 of us. Down we went on a spiral staircase into a large stone room, with 3 birdcages attached to the walls (not quite what you want sitting over your dining table while you eat, but the cat running through the place made it even more interesting).
After lunch, spices from which I can still taste hours later, we realized that it was going to require many steps to get "up" to the rest of the Jewish Quarter. Half of our group decided they were unable to maneuver so many steps and began their journey back to the college, while 6 of us continued on. The Jewish Quarter was obviously cleaner, the shops were nicer (many with a/c), and the merchants were persistent but not as aggressive. The products were upscale, and the area seemed to stand in stark contrast to the other quarters. There were excavations revealing mosaics, along with museums, and open-air cafes.
We made our way into a jewelry shop where a young lady, Aliza, not only sold one in our group some cuff links, and another a necklaces, but also proceeded to answer all of our questions. She is married to a rabbi, has 5 children, and a mother-in-law living with them, having just moved here 3 months ago from South Africa. She explained women's head coverings and proper dress, the difficulty of moving her children here here when they don't speak Hebrew. She shared her joy and excitement of living in Jerusalem, and how happy she was for us on our pilgrimage here. Aliza also explained many of the symbols found throughout Jerusalem, including the Lion, which represents the tribe of Judah and is the symbol of Jerusalem. It was an amazing conversation and we offered to keep her and her family in our prayers for their transition.
It was a long day, it was hot, and after making our way down from the Jewish Quarter, and trying to hail a cab for 20 mins, decided to walk back to the college. We shared our stories with the entire group, ate dinner and listened to the challenges and accomplishments of the Diocese of Jerusalem, by the Archbishop of Jerusalem, The Most Rev. Bishop Saheil Dawani,
That was a general idea of today, and tomorrow we are off to Bethlehem. Good night!
(You can find pics on Marcia's Facebook ... having wifi issues getting them downloaded here tonight)
As we approached the Western Wall, we realize quickly we had transitioned from the Muslim Quarter to the Jewish Quarter, because the pathways cleared of merchants and debris, and we found ourselves at a security check point with a military presence and a metal detector. The transition was uneventful, especially when compared with some of my encounters with TSA or going to a Bucs game. Hundreds of Jewish and Christian people raced through the busy area around the Wailing Wall, with an even larger Israeli Military presence. It was hot, and many in our group were already feeling the effects of dehydration from the heat, and sore feet from the cobblestone walkways and streets. We had been given 50 shekels each to bargain our way through lunch, and we found a great little place that could fit all 11 of us. Down we went on a spiral staircase into a large stone room, with 3 birdcages attached to the walls (not quite what you want sitting over your dining table while you eat, but the cat running through the place made it even more interesting).
After lunch, spices from which I can still taste hours later, we realized that it was going to require many steps to get "up" to the rest of the Jewish Quarter. Half of our group decided they were unable to maneuver so many steps and began their journey back to the college, while 6 of us continued on. The Jewish Quarter was obviously cleaner, the shops were nicer (many with a/c), and the merchants were persistent but not as aggressive. The products were upscale, and the area seemed to stand in stark contrast to the other quarters. There were excavations revealing mosaics, along with museums, and open-air cafes.
We made our way into a jewelry shop where a young lady, Aliza, not only sold one in our group some cuff links, and another a necklaces, but also proceeded to answer all of our questions. She is married to a rabbi, has 5 children, and a mother-in-law living with them, having just moved here 3 months ago from South Africa. She explained women's head coverings and proper dress, the difficulty of moving her children here here when they don't speak Hebrew. She shared her joy and excitement of living in Jerusalem, and how happy she was for us on our pilgrimage here. Aliza also explained many of the symbols found throughout Jerusalem, including the Lion, which represents the tribe of Judah and is the symbol of Jerusalem. It was an amazing conversation and we offered to keep her and her family in our prayers for their transition.
It was a long day, it was hot, and after making our way down from the Jewish Quarter, and trying to hail a cab for 20 mins, decided to walk back to the college. We shared our stories with the entire group, ate dinner and listened to the challenges and accomplishments of the Diocese of Jerusalem, by the Archbishop of Jerusalem, The Most Rev. Bishop Saheil Dawani,
That was a general idea of today, and tomorrow we are off to Bethlehem. Good night!
(You can find pics on Marcia's Facebook ... having wifi issues getting them downloaded here tonight)
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Summer Mission
El Hogar was started about 33 years ago by an Episcopal priest whom is now retired in our diocese. It is supported nationally by the Episcopal Church but also relies on funding and volunteers from all faiths. The school in Tegucigalpa is the original site which was initially started to assist street boys in the city and provide them with a home, food and education. This site houses 103 students (27 girls and 76 boys). El Hogar has grown to now 4 cooperatives, 2 are strictly boy centers for vocational training, 1 co-ed elementary school (Teguc site) and the newest site is at Santa Maria for all girls. I was told that boys are more often cast off from families than girls, but many factors are changing the dynamics of the increase in need for girls. Girls are now being trained in vocations as well – El Hogar Esparanza for example has volunteers come in that train the girls in beauty skills (hair, nails, make up etc).
The Agricultural Center is about 1 hour outside of Tegucigalpa and houses 56 boys. They work the farm in the morning learning agriculture skills with cattle, chickens, farming (they produce corn, red beans, soy beans, zucchini, and plantains). They also have a Tilapia fish hatchery. As you may already know, Honduras is the leading country of import for the US for Tilapia. In the afternoons the boys attend classes for 3 years. They can obtain a high school diploma as well as learn the vocation of farming. After 3 years, they have the option of attending workshops at their Technical Institute. The Technical Institute houses 88 boys and provides technical training in carpentry, electricity, plumbing and mechanics. There is no volunteer housing available at this site only, but volunteers can commute here from other centers. The program can house a total of 15 per group at any given location (that is their van size). I’d love to talk more about this or you can find more information on their website at www.elhogar.org
Until next time. May God bless you and richly fulfill your life. Listen to His voice in your life and reach out to do the work he is calling you to do.
Love,
Marcia
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Spring Madness
Oh my! I have been so unfaithful to this blog, and I am truly sorry. I do want to share all of our challenges, successes, and what not. It just seems that life gets away from me and I do not take the appropriate time to write it all down. Well, so much has happened since January. LOL!! First bit of most exciting news is that we have been officially welcomed and announced as new members and Roy as the new Associate Priest of St. Mary's Episcopal Church of Bonita Springs. Roy will begin his first day on June 5th. We are actively searching online for rental property in the Naples area and are busily purging and sorting what we are taking and what bits we never unpacked and don't need. What a frantic Spring Madness we'll call it. On a calmer note, I do continue with my devotional time in prayer in Icon Writing. I recently completed by first commissioned icon for St. Mary's Chapel called Our Lady of Walsingham. See photo...
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Speaking of icons, I have also taken on my first student, or shall I say students. Earlier in the year, I taught a class of elementary aged children a simple form of icon writing in watercolor medium. Two of those students have progressed to a more complicated form of icon study and are currently working with me on Sunday afternoons in separate forms. Timmy Tucker is 9 years old and is working on the icon Christ the Teacher in the traditional egg tempra medium. Brenna Delaney is 12 and she is doing The Transfiguration in a water based medium called Gouache. I am thrilled to pass this historic tradition of devotion on to a new generation. I pray they will continue their spiritual journey and be able to increase their prayer life with in this technique.
See all my Florida followers soon! Love and {{HUGS}} - Marcia
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Speaking of icons, I have also taken on my first student, or shall I say students. Earlier in the year, I taught a class of elementary aged children a simple form of icon writing in watercolor medium. Two of those students have progressed to a more complicated form of icon study and are currently working with me on Sunday afternoons in separate forms. Timmy Tucker is 9 years old and is working on the icon Christ the Teacher in the traditional egg tempra medium. Brenna Delaney is 12 and she is doing The Transfiguration in a water based medium called Gouache. I am thrilled to pass this historic tradition of devotion on to a new generation. I pray they will continue their spiritual journey and be able to increase their prayer life with in this technique.
Graduation is just around the corner May 24th, and though most of our family will be unable to travel to Wisconsin to be here, we look forward to a joyous reunion back to Florida in the very near future. It has been a long time apart, but overall the journey has flown by. I am trying to get my last minute "bucket list" of Wisconsin things to do complete. Roy's ordination to the Priesthood has not been announced yet, but we are looking at June 16th as a possible date. There are so many people to say good-bye to an yet, many more to say hello to in the continuation of this journey.
My job is still going well. I plan to continue to work for CareCentrix via remote access for as long as they'll have me. I like my work, but my passion will forever be ministry with my husband. We are looking forward to another Mission Trip this summer to Honduras. This time Roy, Heather and I will go together as a family for the first time. I pray that one day Stephanie will be able to join us in mission and it will be a complete family experience. If you would like to know more about how to get involved in Mission Honduras please email me or post a comment with your questions.
Heather is working through the difficult time of yet another transition. Saying good-bye to people in Oconomowoc as well as people she has come to love on campus will be tough. This year with the flexibility of home school, she was able to work a part-time job in the refrectory prior to and during lunch. Many in the kitchen have grown very close to her fresh outlook and smile at work.
Finally, the last recent event to report was the WoNH Lenten Retreat. What a blessing it was for us this year to experience Inner Healing with Pastor Sharon Lewis and prayer warrior Debra Reed. They are friends from the Diocese of SWFL that came to Nashotah House and led a spiritual healing service on campus, led the WoNH Weekend Retreat, then completed the weekend with Pastor Sharon giving the sermon and assisting Fr. Michael with celebrating the Eucharist at Zion Episcopal Church in Oconomowoc on that following Sunday before her departure. It was a wonderful experience that has really enhanced the break through of healing that we have seen happen at The House in the time that we have been here. Prayer has been incorporated in to daily living at The House in many outwardly visible signs such as Healing Services, Small Group Healing Prayer meetings on Tuesday nights, 1:1 prayer with fellow students in need during trauma, before sermons, and other needs. Not to forget the powerful OSL and DOK orders on campus.
In close, I am looking at Spring in new eyes this year. Enjoying the final buds, and pop of foliage for the last time. I am living each day with a new awareness of readiness and anticipation of the next step of the journey. See all my Florida followers soon! Love and {{HUGS}} - Marcia
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Home Again Home Again Jiggity Jig
(Jherlly and I on my last day in Peru at la playa)
Home and settled in to the routine rather quickly from the trip to Peru. The culture shock coming back home was definitely trying. To begin with the nice 70 degree difference assault was not friendly when the small plane we flew in from Houston did not connect to the terminal walk-way. We left Peru in 80 something degrees and came home to 4 inches of snow on the ground and teen numbers, good thing I changed from my Capri's and t-shirt to something a bit warmer. Our families were waiting for us at the terminal entrance with open arms. They were excited to hear our tales and adventures. Going home, the traffic was highly more sensible than from where we had just come, I only flinched once (which is better than the norm when Roy is driving.... lol). We got home around 4:30pm after 20 hours of traveling and exhausting was creeping in. I think I barely made it through dinner before I collapsed in the comfort of my own bed. It wasn't until the next morning that the silence was deafening. There is simply no noise here! I hadn't realized how noisy 12 million people were in the city of Lima. I probably should have taken the following day off of work to relax and assimilate back in to our culture, but I need to be mindful of my off days this year with so much going on (mission, moving, graduations, weddings, etc) I have to watch carefully, so I went back to work on Wednesday. It was very difficult, and a couple of times the tears flowed without warning at the nonsense of things that now seem so trivial. We helped Cindy get her truck packed and on her way to her parish in Tyler, TX. Saying "manana" rather than good-bye, as we know the world is getting smaller and smaller, never know when we will again meet. We are continuing our prayers for the portion of the team that stayed in Peru and were traveling these last few days to higher altitudes. I heard from the grapevine, that they were experiencing bad road conditions and altitude sickness, but the Lord carried them in with our prayers. Latest report is they are back safe and sound now and preparing to return to the states tomorrow. Blessings to Paul, Tripp, Brian and Michael for safe travel tomorrow. Looking forward to hearing about the Inca's. I will forever be thankful for the opportunity of this trip. The education gained and the mission experience that we shared will be so beneficial in future mission planning. I still have a paper to write and a power point presentation to complete to finish the requirements of the class, but I will get them done this weekend. I wonder about the friends we made and how they are doing. It seems so surreal, like a world away. The one thing that I will always keep with me from this conference was the testimony of Bishop Chapman when asked what one thing Christians can use as a tool for effective ministry and his answer was a three minute testimony. "Who I am, Who I Was, and How Christ Changed Me" is often the seed that is needed to get the attention of a nonbeliever. To engage and identify with people. It was a powerful yet simple concept.
(Luis is a young man with special needs at Shalom).
Friday, January 13, 2012
Thursday Jan 12th - San Andres
For those that read the blog yesterday and may be confused that I am writing about San Andres again today, I made the correction to yesterday's entry to El Salvador was the church. San Andres is the church we went to on Thursday and I was referencing a schedule notes for names, etc and mixed it up. By this time keeping track of names, places, and dates is getting difficult as it is all running together. Thursday we started with our normal routine of morning prayer at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. We then got back in the bus for a long drive south (I think). What I am amazed by today is the extreme diffferences in life that just a few kilometers make. Where we are staying is in a very nice part of town, surrounded by many Embassy's and the home of dignitaries and families with higher status. Our hotel is nice, not air conditioned - and it seems my room has better air flow than others on the team, but all in all no complaints as it is clean and refreshing after a long day.
As we travel into the city, in some cases it isn't not much unlike other cities I've seen. It is not until you talk to the people that you realize the culture is different. Traffic is crazier than most, and the number of people is astounding, but I am still not "shocked" because from the outside looking in it is deceiving. There is poverty within the city of course, but many inner cities have poverty, homelessness, and gang related activity. The big difference is when you travel up. The more out of the city you go, things begin to change and you realize this is a different country, with extreme cultural differences. The electricity begins to run short and the water flow stops.
Where we went today there were a few of the homes with electricity, but none of them with running water. This place is dry as the desert and rocky and steep. Fr. Benjamen allowed us to use his toilet (the only one here) before the climb up the mountain. He also talked to us about the history of the community and showed us the school. The school was quite large and the children were well adept in singing to Fr. Benjamen's banjo playing. It was evident that they loved and respected him. I do not remember how far it was up that we climbed, but I can tell you it wasn't cut out with steps as we have had the luxury of up to now. It was a rock climb for sure. The peruvians scaled the mountain in flip flops with an ease that did not go unnoticed by any of us, some toting a baby on hip. San Andres is proud in their catachesis training and the importance of knowledge of the bible. The children were telling us what they have been learning so far in Romans, and I think they surpassed mine! San Andres has another set of land that is not as high a climb, but it is undeveloped. Fr. Benjamen explains that they must complete the work there, because that is the only way the government will give them the title to the land, if they use it.
The kids were engaging with us and if it was evident that we didn't understand in spanish they would revert to the words in english that they knew. They quickly grabbed our hand if needed when climbing the hills, they carried my backpack, and especially Brenda was attentive to me. Brenda showed me where she lived, her dad and uncle were building on to their house a second floor. Brenda is 14 years old with an older maturity about her. She was serious, but smiled often. She asked me many questions and was quick to answer any of mine.
When we got back to the hotel, as much as I do not like sitting in the room, I have to say I was ready for a nap. Thus no posting. :-) Anyway, I hope you are enjoying reading about our experiences. We are blessed to have this opportunity of being here and learning how to incorporate the culture to empower the mission; in otherwords to utilize and enhance what is in place rather than to take over and create something that may not be able to be utilized or carried on.
God Bless,
Marcia
As we travel into the city, in some cases it isn't not much unlike other cities I've seen. It is not until you talk to the people that you realize the culture is different. Traffic is crazier than most, and the number of people is astounding, but I am still not "shocked" because from the outside looking in it is deceiving. There is poverty within the city of course, but many inner cities have poverty, homelessness, and gang related activity. The big difference is when you travel up. The more out of the city you go, things begin to change and you realize this is a different country, with extreme cultural differences. The electricity begins to run short and the water flow stops.
Where we went today there were a few of the homes with electricity, but none of them with running water. This place is dry as the desert and rocky and steep. Fr. Benjamen allowed us to use his toilet (the only one here) before the climb up the mountain. He also talked to us about the history of the community and showed us the school. The school was quite large and the children were well adept in singing to Fr. Benjamen's banjo playing. It was evident that they loved and respected him. I do not remember how far it was up that we climbed, but I can tell you it wasn't cut out with steps as we have had the luxury of up to now. It was a rock climb for sure. The peruvians scaled the mountain in flip flops with an ease that did not go unnoticed by any of us, some toting a baby on hip. San Andres is proud in their catachesis training and the importance of knowledge of the bible. The children were telling us what they have been learning so far in Romans, and I think they surpassed mine! San Andres has another set of land that is not as high a climb, but it is undeveloped. Fr. Benjamen explains that they must complete the work there, because that is the only way the government will give them the title to the land, if they use it.
The kids were engaging with us and if it was evident that we didn't understand in spanish they would revert to the words in english that they knew. They quickly grabbed our hand if needed when climbing the hills, they carried my backpack, and especially Brenda was attentive to me. Brenda showed me where she lived, her dad and uncle were building on to their house a second floor. Brenda is 14 years old with an older maturity about her. She was serious, but smiled often. She asked me many questions and was quick to answer any of mine.
When we got back to the hotel, as much as I do not like sitting in the room, I have to say I was ready for a nap. Thus no posting. :-) Anyway, I hope you are enjoying reading about our experiences. We are blessed to have this opportunity of being here and learning how to incorporate the culture to empower the mission; in otherwords to utilize and enhance what is in place rather than to take over and create something that may not be able to be utilized or carried on.
God Bless,
Marcia
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Days 4 & 5 Lima, Peru
Day 4 Tuesday January 10, there is a new understanding today of why death both the fear and respect of it is so prelivant in this land. Many are faced with immininent or the possibility death everyday of their life. We went to what is called the “chancharia” translated means “pig stye”. It is called that because when the invaders took this land (yes, they invaded this land which is another story in itself) it was in the new town (high ground new area) and they built their homes in the middle of a pig pen or pig stye. There are 14 original families that came here 12 years ago, many did not know Jesus Christ. When the Holy Trinity church Padre came and established the Mission Pablo, he came to the people to help them spiritually and physically. This land is desolate, not just poor. I have seen poverty and many but in settings surrounding of natural beauty that gives hope of God’s love. This land if you were just to look at it from the outside without Christ is desolate. We met Esperanza (which means Hope by the way). She is one of the original families. She came when her husband was killed by terrorists with her 3 children and 2 orphaned children. She crowds us all in to her small shack to share her testimony of faith with us how Mission Pablo saved her life by coming to know Jesus’ Christ. She says she has not missed a service since they came. She tells us a story of last year she broke her arm, she prayed for pain relief so that she could continue her work in the soup kitchen. Even though she has nothing, she feeds 200 people in the soup kitchen every day. God heard her prayer and she was able to continue to work (even without medical care) pain free. Another original family we met was Marcella. Marcella was very proud of her home, it was a little bigger in comparison and had a couch and a cabinet for her dishes and a television. She was also very proud of the fact that her home was one of the few with electricity. I have pictures with Alethea and her two small children (or possibly grandchildren I couldn’t tell) because her daughters were teenage and it was not clear. All of the pastoral visits we went on the people were happy that we came to pray with them. They wanted prayers for “salud” which means “health”. None of the homes have running water. Someone will bring water up the mountain once a week and they can buy a gallon for $1. They have creative ways of making that gallon last for 8 days, and remaining clean in appearance in what they are wearing and hygiene. Many parents left their children at home while they went down the mountain to sell fruit juice or other things. There is very little vegetation in this part. Since there is no running water, what little water they have can not be wasted – all the thriving plants are either for consumption or are acclimated to the dryness.
Day 5, Wednesday January 11th, as everyday we start the day at Good Shepherd Cathedral in morning prayer with Fr. John Parks. He and his wife Susan have shown us much hospitality in ensuring that all of our needs are met this trip. Susan has coordinated someone to bring us a packed lunch everyday consisting of a sandwich, a juice, a fruit and a savory snack of some kind. Fr. John has added the Nashotah House prayer to the prayers of the people that has improved our comfort zone and reduces the culture shock of this foreign land. Yes, I am learning how to identify cultural differences and dealing with “culture shock” it’s not just a passive term. Today the group takes a visit to another northern region of Lima to a place that is hurting spiritually. The Anglican church has gone through some difficult times with changes in priests with different styles that have confused the people, causing anger, and divisions. The new priest has just started about a month or so ago and his name is Fr. Carlos. The church is El Salvador. The building when we approach is very large. They have much space for a school and worship center. Many of their conveniences are more modern. The compassion ministry is already in place here. I only know that Compassion is a program for children in the schools that relate to issues of healthcare and diet for children. Fr. Carlos splits us in to groups and asks us to take flyers door to door to the surrounding community to invite the people to church. We Paul, myself, and Jherlly venture off with Don Pablo. It is evident that Don Pablo is well respected in the town. He seems to know everyone and walks with not just a cane – but “a big stick” if you know what I mean. We go door to door, telling people about El Salvador and praying for them. We talk to people on the street. On group in particular I remember were two women and two children walking down the street. The older woman asked us to pray for the younger woman. I held both her hands and others layed hands on her and we prayed in the middle of the road. It was amazing, it was if we were the only people on the block. As we prayed small tears flowed from this woman’s eyes and I could feel that she was being filled with the Holy Spirit. Afterwards, her face shown with smiles as you may see in my FB pictures for Day 5 – she is in a black shirt. I will try to upload photo’s to blog upon return to states – the internet transmission is very slow here. Anyway, she was smiling and the mother told us she is pregnant and filled with depression. We are happy that Jesus has made this woman smile in her time of despair. We walk from door to door, some are fearful and will only take our invitation through the window or a small opening in the door. Some open the door and tell us their story. One man in particular opened the door and it was evident that he had health problems – probably a stroke paralyzing his right side. He told us that he had had an aneurysm and needed brain surgery. Most people do not live from this surgery. He was not a believer at this time even though his mother goes to church. I’m not sure if the dream he had was during surgery or after surgery but he told us he had a dream. The dream was that he was falling. Falling literally in to the depth of hell, Jesus caught him and saved him from falling in to hell. He said Jesus was holding on to him tight. When he woke up, he knew he was not going to die and was saved. He began telling people right then in the hospital about Jesus. When he got home he told his mother that Jesus saved him. She told him that if he believed in Jesus he didn’t need the wheelchair the doctor confined him to. So he got up. He walks by dragging his leg, but this man walks. He told us he did not think that Jesus wants to heal him completely, but did not say it in a disappointed way. Though it touched our heart. Paul touched the man and we all prayed for him. Afterward, I told him that the story of his dream was very inspiring and that many people would want to hear his story and please come to El Salvador to tell his story. We walked on. We came to what was once a market place. It was basically an enclosed area by concrete wall with stalls inside that had doors. People came and invaded the space and were now using it as their home. Don Pablo says this happens frequently until the government identifies the invaders and makes them leave the land that does not belong to them. It seems quiet in this place and not many will open their doors. There are several children playing in here – left by their parents possibly at work. We do not stay long. There are many others that we meet along the way in our 2 hours of street evangelization. One that disturbed me was a possible homeless woman we tried to talk to, she was pleasant but Don Pablo rushed us along say she was crazy and “walks with the devil”. I was confronted with an unpleasant cultural difference in that moment, however I realized that this is their belief that mental illness is associated with demonic possession. I was not sure how to address this difference and the moment passed. We went back to El Salvador because we are to meet with Dr. Townsend Cameron. He has been in Peru for 5 months, he came from Georgia with his wife and daughter as missionaries. He is addressing what the healthcare needs are in cooperation with the diocese. He stresses how important it is to identify what is in place for any kind of assistance and to compliment rather than replace what is already established. He has met with the medical director at the local Children’s hospital in Lima, he has talked with the program directors of Compassion, and is now collecting his own data with daily conversation and relationship building with people in many remote areas. His theory correlates to much of what we are learning in the class – and in the book “When Helping Hurts”. After this we drive back to the hotel and we have free time. Several of us go with Paula and Fr. Ian from Good Shepherd to the Indian Market. There Fr. Ian helped us to haggle for some gifts that we will treasure simply from the memories of the day. We get back to the hotel just in time to change and prepare for the evening at the Diocesan Center. They serve us a three course meal every night prepared by their own in house chef. Today is Richard’s birthday and someone gave the kitchen staff a heads up, so for desert they brought out a delicious mousse cake and we all sang Happy Birthday to Richard in 3 ways (2 Spanish and our traditional English). Class discussion was interesting. We talked about Cross Culturalism. The Peruvian’s were talking about how many old beliefs were being combined with newer Christianity beliefs and still is a confusion that needs to be dealt with. One example given was the belief in Mother Earth. Many traditional rituals from Shamans were done in addition to prayer for the sick. It was very interesting and a little difficult to follow not knowing Spanish very much, but the class is really helping to bring understanding and enlightenment to much of my mission experiences. I am thankful. 9:30pm we head back to the hotel for debriefing and compline.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Reflections on mission in Lima, Peru
Day 3 January 9, 2012
Our first couple of days in Lima, Peru was started in preparation of understanding the culture. Day one was about historical culture. We visited sacred churches that were examples of the Maryology religious aspect of the people, the monastery of the Franciscans of St. Frances of Assessi group – and the catacombs where the bones of all the saints and hierarchy of the church were still found. We also visited the Museum of the Inquisition and learned the history of the persecution of the Peruvians that did not follow the doctrine of the Catholic faith, which lasted 300 years. Detailed pictures can be found on my facebook page.
Day two theme is about the religious culture. The team split up and visited many churches and worshiped with the people. I went to Cristo Redentor with Fr. Michael, Dcn. Paul, and Richard. The four of us and our translator Jherlly squeezed into Fr. Anderson’s Honda CR-V when he came to pick us up for church. He gave us his testimony on the drive. He was born in Peru, but lived for many years growing up and adult life in Las Angelas, CA. He and his brother came back to Peru about 15 years ago for a wedding and he decided he was not going back to the USA. He left his home his job and his family (mother, father and brother) to accept his call to Jesus and ministering to his native people in Peru. We arrived in time for a tour of the school. The church served 240 children of the neighborhood, feeding them 2 meals a day and teaching them primary school. The service was started in contemporary music with drums, electric guitar and a vocalist. I found out later, the building itself does not have power, that one of the parishioners has electricity and they “share power” with the church. The 4 of us were asked to give our testimony to the parish during the time of the sermon. I shared how we were resisting God’s call in our lives for many years. We were consumed with our successful careers and building a life according to the “American Dream”. We thought that as long as we gave our money and some of our time to the church that was enough. I then talked about the eye opening experience we had when we went on a mission trip to a village where there was no running water, no electricity, and no cement floors. Our lives were changed. We realized we were not giving 100% of our lives to Christ as he insists upon. So we decided it was time to accept God’s call to seminary. We began to scale down by selling what we didn’t need, a car, house, pool table and basically leaving behind all that would not fit in 2 PODS that would meet us in Nashotah, WI to begin our journey. My testimony was not unlike other seminarian testimonies, it was a testimony of faith. I am not one to speak in a crowd, but this morning, God held my hand literally. I was not afraid, I did not get the jitters that normally accompany public speaking and I was breathing with God’s grace and peace. Our worship experience at Cristo Redentor was amazing. The differences I saw (other than the obvious Spanish language spoken) was that the ushers did not “pass the plate”. Offering baskets lay at the altar, and the people were to come up to the altar and drop their offering in the offering basket. Many came, one by one, than all together, young, old, some with coins and some with folded papers – all giving with joy when it was evident they did not have much to give. After the service Fr. Anderson told us we had 3 more passengers to squeeze in to the Honda CR-v (now 9 people in this small car – transit Latin style!!).
Which brings us to Day 3; the mission culture. Today we were introduced to how the church is branching out in mission in many areas. We visited Padre Aurelio Rodriguez at Santa Maria Virgen. His vision is promoting hope in many ways. The first evident is the beauty he has created in the vicinity of his church. Plants are everywhere. He says that plants are a natural expression of hope and God’s love. The other wonderful ministry he supports (with the help of 21 ladies in his church) is a micro finance project. The women sew together, knit, make jewelry and shoes and sell the items at the church to help support their families. The court house is on the same street as the church, and Santa Maria serves many people that are in both civil cases and criminal cases for either way a judgment goes. Then Padre took us to the Sagrada Familia mission. It is located higher up on the mountain, some call it “shanty town” others with a vision of hope call it “pueblo jevan” meaning young town. The young towns are built away from city in hopes that they will grow and be able to support themselves. Sagrada Mission today (will add pictures later) was started with a piece of mountain side land bought by the diocese. The women in the town cleared the rock by hand. It was hard manual labor, they do this as well as cook together in the village. The men are traveling salesmen they call it in English. They are gone for days at times or locally as street vendors so the women are left to do all this work. Padre is very proud of the mission – and has dreams of its completion soon. Mission teams have come to help with the foundation and the bricks for the walls. There is still no roof yet, but his plants of hope are all around. He points out where the baptismal will go and where the nativity scene will go. His vision is an inspiration! You wouldn’t know it by looking at him, but Fr. Aurelio is sick with TB. He said that because the village does not have running water, the sewage is absorbed in the ground – creating contamination in the ground, there is a cement plant to the east – creating contamination in the air, and his work at the cemetery has all been contributing factors. The cemetery (seen in pictures) is the largest cemetery in the world. You may not be able to notice, but some of the pictures you’ll see the graves all the way up the mountain. The reason the cemetery is contaminated is because the ground is desert, no vegetation, and the bodies are only buried 30 centimeters down in the ground. The smell of decay and death is evident in this place. The cemetery is guarded and usually a bus would not be allowed in the gate for “tours”, but with Padre with us, he is a well known and respected man here. He wants to show us how death is respected as well as feared here. It is evident in the shrines and handmade memorials. He told us it is too expensive to neither cremate nor embalm the bodies, so they are buried in a casket and sometimes after a respectful amount of time, the family will have someone dig the body back up and remove it from the casket so the wooden casket can be used again. This day was so powerful. So many things to process and take in. I am still not sure I have gotten it all down, but the one thing I want to take away with me today is the sadness in the eyes of the boy who was thirsty. May I never forget the thirst in the world. May I never take for granted the running water that we often waste in the USA with unnecessities. The people of Sagrada must drink contaminated water (which is sold to them at a high price) because they do not have running water.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Harvest Moon
Loading more fall pictures to enjoy. We went back to Holy Hill last weekend, it is the Basilica Shrine for Mary and the home of the Carmolites. Also adding some great photo's of the "Harvest Moon" and my newest icon I'm working on. Blessings to you all!
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