In the morning, we drove to the top of the Mount of Olives to see an overview of the city of Jerusalem below. I was surprised that the Mount of Olives was not a secluded forest area filled with olive trees. Instead, it was a commercialized city with a few olive trees here and there. But it did provide a great view of the Jerusalem.
I thought it was neat to think how this place used to be Jesus' main hangout. He came here to be alone, and other times, to teach His disciples.Luke 21:37 - "Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives"
Luke 22:39 - "Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him."
Below (from L to R) are Ashley Valamides, Samantha Covalt, Jessica Berrens, me, Kristina White, Sarah McSwain, and Janet Fouch.
Here is our whole group listening to our Israeli tour guide, Yossi Weiss. He reminded my a lot of my Grandpa Dykstra.
He walked down the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane below. This is where Jesus took his disciples at night, after the Last Supper, right before Judas betrayed Him. Matthew 26:36 - Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
Here I am standing next to an olive tree in Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:39-42 - Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." Below is another picture of Gethsemane, full of olive trees. Our group sang hymns and took communion there. While I was there, something really hit me: 2,000 years ago, Jesus was in this same place, praying to God, in anguish, looking forward at His death. And now, here I was, praying to the same God, but in thanksgiving, looking back at Jesus' death. Wow. I'm so glad He went through with God's plan, even though it caused Him pain.
Making our way from Gethsemane, which was originally outside the city, we visited the Old City of Jerusalem. We sang in St. Anne's Basilica, which had amazing acoustics inside and had the longest reverb I had ever heard. Nearby, we peered down into ancient ruins of the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed an invalid who could not get to the healing pools quick enough:
Making our way from Gethsemane, which was originally outside the city, we visited the Old City of Jerusalem. We sang in St. Anne's Basilica, which had amazing acoustics inside and had the longest reverb I had ever heard. Nearby, we peered down into ancient ruins of the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed an invalid who could not get to the healing pools quick enough:John 5:2-9 - Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
We walked through the winding street of the Via Dolorosa ("the way of the cross"). It is the traditional path that Jesus took from Herod's palace of judgment all the way to the cross. See the sign "Via Dolorosa" above Jessica and me?
Although so much of the roads have been rebuilt and reconstructed, the stone road I am standing on here, dates back to the time of Christ!!
Next, we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a huge cathedral built on top of the supposed hill of Golgotha . I thought the church surrounding/protecting the holy site was too ornate; it was difficult for me to even see the ancient site itself. Below, I am touching the stone that Jesus' body was supposedly lain on for preparation for burial after He was crucified on the cross.
Here are remains of the Old City gates of Jerusalem.
During a snack break, we were all amazed to discover a Dr. Pepper! I haven't seen one since I left the States! Just mainly Fanta, Coke, and Pepsi sold here.
We visited the Western Wall (aka the Wailing Wall). It was the western retaining wall of the old temple and is the only part that remains from the temple of 70 A.D. The Western Wall is separated with a barrier: 1/3 of it is for women only and 2/3 of it is for men only. People there were reading Jewish texts, praying, and crying.
It is customary to write a prayer on a piece of paper, fold it up, and jam it in between the stones of the Western Wall. When the paper falls to the ground, it is collected and placed in jars which are then buried in the Mount of the Olives nearby. Can you see all the little pieces of paper in the crack of the stones behind me? I had a hard time finding a place to put my little prayer.
Here is the view of the Western Wall and the courtyard of people in front of it, and the golden dome of the Dome of the Rock in the left background.
Jessica, me and Stephanie in front of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. It is a religious shrine that supposedly marks the place 1) where Abraham brought Isaac to be sacrificed and 2) where the Holy of Holies of the Temple stood. Only Muslims are allowed inside it now. I thought it was neat that it is on the Temple Mount, where God's temple, mentioned in the Old Testament, actually stood a long time ago!
Next, we hiked through Hezekiah's tunnel. King Hezekiah of the Old Testament built this tunnel to connect the inside of the city to a spring outside the city walls, so that water could be brought in during times of seige. 
Needless to say, it was wet inside the tunnel - up to our knees. I wore a miner's headlight and a skirt, and trudged my way through the dark tunnel beneath the ground. It was so much fun! Below is a picture of Jessica and me emerging from Hezekiah's water tunnel.
Next to "Golgotha" was a garden where a tomb was found. It may have been the tomb Jesus was buried in. But the location of the crucifixion and burial doesn't really matter. All that matters is that He did rise again. This tomb had a trench in front of it where a massive stone could have rolled in front of the tomb entrance. The sign on the door (added later, of course), says, "He is not here for He has risen."
We also got to visit the supposed "Upper Room" where the Lord's Supper was first taken and were Jesus predicted his death.
Next, we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a huge cathedral built on top of the supposed hill of Golgotha . I thought the church surrounding/protecting the holy site was too ornate; it was difficult for me to even see the ancient site itself. Below, I am touching the stone that Jesus' body was supposedly lain on for preparation for burial after He was crucified on the cross.
Here are remains of the Old City gates of Jerusalem.
Day 8: Jerusalem
I saw this oval-shaped sesame bread everywhere in Israel - vendors were just selling them outside on their carts - so I tried one. Not too bad!
During a snack break, we were all amazed to discover a Dr. Pepper! I haven't seen one since I left the States! Just mainly Fanta, Coke, and Pepsi sold here.
We visited the Western Wall (aka the Wailing Wall). It was the western retaining wall of the old temple and is the only part that remains from the temple of 70 A.D. The Western Wall is separated with a barrier: 1/3 of it is for women only and 2/3 of it is for men only. People there were reading Jewish texts, praying, and crying.
It is customary to write a prayer on a piece of paper, fold it up, and jam it in between the stones of the Western Wall. When the paper falls to the ground, it is collected and placed in jars which are then buried in the Mount of the Olives nearby. Can you see all the little pieces of paper in the crack of the stones behind me? I had a hard time finding a place to put my little prayer.Here is the view of the Western Wall and the courtyard of people in front of it, and the golden dome of the Dome of the Rock in the left background.
Jessica, me and Stephanie in front of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. It is a religious shrine that supposedly marks the place 1) where Abraham brought Isaac to be sacrificed and 2) where the Holy of Holies of the Temple stood. Only Muslims are allowed inside it now. I thought it was neat that it is on the Temple Mount, where God's temple, mentioned in the Old Testament, actually stood a long time ago!
Next, we hiked through Hezekiah's tunnel. King Hezekiah of the Old Testament built this tunnel to connect the inside of the city to a spring outside the city walls, so that water could be brought in during times of seige. "And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?" 2 Kings 20:20
This sign showed how deep the water in the tunnel would get.
Needless to say, it was wet inside the tunnel - up to our knees. I wore a miner's headlight and a skirt, and trudged my way through the dark tunnel beneath the ground. It was so much fun! Below is a picture of Jessica and me emerging from Hezekiah's water tunnel.
Day 9: Jerusalem
First, we visited the Israel museum. I saw a scale model of the city of Jerusalem during the time of 66 A.D.
At the museum, we also saw the actual Dead Sea scrolls that were found in 1947 in Israel.
At the museum, we also saw the actual Dead Sea scrolls that were found in 1947 in Israel. Next we visited the Gordon's Calvary and the Garden Tomb. This is an alternative site of the mount of Golgotha. Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified, means "place of the skull," and this place had a skull-shape carved out of the side of the mountain, so they say it may be ancient Golgotha. Can you see the deep eye sockets?
Next to "Golgotha" was a garden where a tomb was found. It may have been the tomb Jesus was buried in. But the location of the crucifixion and burial doesn't really matter. All that matters is that He did rise again. This tomb had a trench in front of it where a massive stone could have rolled in front of the tomb entrance. The sign on the door (added later, of course), says, "He is not here for He has risen." We also got to visit the supposed "Upper Room" where the Lord's Supper was first taken and were Jesus predicted his death. Luke 22:9-12 - "Where do you want us to prepare for it?" the disciples asked. He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."
The room probably isn't the exact room, but it was probably in the general area.
We spent the last evening, shopping around Jerusalem for souvenirs. We also celebrated the 51st birthday of our sponsor, Mark Elrod, with ice cream cones for all!
Day 10: Jerusalem to Greece
This morning, we woke up at 2 a.m. to get to the airport for our 7 a.m. flight back home to Greece. We had to leave one girl, Tiffany, in Israel though! As we were all loading the bus early this morning, she realized she didn't have her passport. Because she couldn't find it, she had to stay behind with our tour guide, so she can go to the American Embassy for a new passport and fly to Greece in two more days! Luckily, though, I just found out that she found her passport back at the hotel - wow.
I determined not to take a nap today so that I could finish this blog for you all. I hope you enjoy seeing my Israel travels - I had a great time!
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