Israel Diaries # 3: Few Pics and Off to the Dead Sea

Well, we have finally cracked the code to our camera and have downloaded our pics from our recent adventures. We had the last day and a half off of school, which gave us much needed time to rest and catch up on other responsibilities (for some reason the responsibilities of home didn't leave us when we flew away!). Class continues to be very intense as we are studying everything from soil types, to topography to architecture to dates/locations of events. With all that said, it is fascinating and we feel as though we are getting a comprehensive understanding. The experience is already creating so much fresh insight into the Story of Scripture that we have study for so long.

We continue to approach our time in a spirit of sensitivity towards towards the Israel/Palenstine tension. Primarily, we are seeking to hear the stories of the individuals behind what we hear in our fear driven media of the West. We are gaining lots of great insight and are looking forward to sharing a meal with a Christian couple from Palestine this coming weekend.

Tomorrow morning we head out for a 3 day field study to the Dead Sea region where we will staying in a nearby town and visiting a half of a dozen other significant sites.

Let's see if I can add a few pics:



Coming out of a 30 minute underground journey through Hezekiah's Tunnel that was built 2700 years ago.



Our professor Dr. Mullins at the Pool Siloam where Jesus healed the blind man with mud. Dr. Mullins got his PHD from Hebrew University and lived in Jerusalem for 20 years. He's brilliant.



Western Wailing Wall



Janny riding like Mary on the route that Jesus road into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday



Jon with Ahmed and Esau who own a shoe store in the West Bank. They were some of the nicest fellas we have met on this trip as they shared their personal orange juice with Janny and I as we tried on shoes. Their story was incredible.

I would post more from the Temple Mount, Bethlehem, etc...but this internet connection is way to slow. Shalom from Jerusalem!