Tuesday, July 13

I’m not sure our feet will ever forgive us for all the walking we are doing. This afternoon we walked to The American Colony Hotel and looked at their lovely gardens and shops. Then we walked down a new street (to us) that ended up at Yummy Corner and then on around to the Damascus Gate that way which took us through a market area. I bought a scarf for 20 NIS (shekels) because I had on a sleeveless shirt and if we decided to go in some areas I had to have my arms covered. We walked through the Old City (it is easy to get turned around so we walked more than we should have through there). We went to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which is the historical place venerated as the place of the burial of Christ at least until the 1800s when Gordon’s Calvary and the Garden Tomb were discovered. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is built over that tomb so you cannot get the feel of how it would have looked as you can at the Garden Tomb. We then went to the Western (Wailing) Wall and each went to our areas to pray (men’s and women’s). I had to put the scarf around my shoulders and Scotty had to wear his little yamaka or kippa (they provide paper ones to be used). We walked then around the outside of the Wall of the Old City around past the Eastern Gate with lovely views of the Mt. of Olives as we went along. We walked all the way down to the foot of the Mt. of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. For the first time we were allowed to go into the actual Gethsemane which is surrounded by an iron fence. You can see through the fence the lovely and very very old olives trees and flowers. Some of the olives trees are said to date back to the time of Christ. We went into the Church which contains the Rock where they believe that Jesus actually prayed. Of course a church was built over it but you can see and touch the rock. We prayed at the Rock and were thankful that Jesus fought the battle in the garden and said “not my will but thine be done”. Thank you Jesus!

We walked back up through the New Gate back through the Old City and back out the Damascus Gate. We stopped at The Jerusalem Hotel for dinner then back to our “home” here at St. George Cathedral. I will add that we were very happy to be back and give our feet a rest.

This morning was spent at the Garden Tomb watering flowers, sweeping paths and cleaning and arranging furniture in a newly painted apartment. Yani was finishing the painting while we worked in other rooms. Hopefully he finished this afternoon and we can complete that task tomorrow. A volunteer is coming to stay in that apartment soon. The apartments there are very nice but no air conditioning. It was cool enough in this upstairs apartment while we worked.

We took time for Bible reading and prayer at the Tomb area before guests started coming in.

Of course working with all these Brits we simply must have tea or coffee at 10:30. It is a good time of fellowship. Several of the workers are from Sweden moved to Israel, one from New Zealand and one from Ukraine. Sergey from Ukraine is an accomplished Trombone player but work is scarce so he needs another job to supplement his income. There is also an Israeli working there and a Palestinian. Most of the volunteers are from the United Kingdom.

When we left the Garden to come back to St. Georges, we saw a family and the man was wearing an Alabama shirt so we stopped and talked with them. They are friends of Scott & Miriam and in the same line of work. They are in Jerusalem studying Arabic. This couple is from Birmingham, AL. Small world.

Shalom