Rome

since the last time I've updated my blog, I've been in two countries, sailed between two ports on a ferry, heard multiple languages, contemplated the rise and fall of the Roman Empire as well as the way Christianity got mixed up in that, followed Paul from Israel to Athens to Rome...

so much. too much to say. (also too much when internet costs 0.5 Euros per 15 minues).

but I am in Rome, and I have explored the Forum, the Coliseum, the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain, and there is more still to see. I could spend a month here and not run out of new things.

Anyway, this might be my last blog update before I get home. I will see you all soon!

last update from Israel

It is currently 9:50 pm here in Nazareth and I am about ready to get into bed. In three and a half hours I will be waking up to carry all my stuff to a bus that will take us to Tel Aviv and the airport. In about 11 hours I will be in Greece! Tomorrow I will get to walk through Athens!

Today I worked again at Nazareth village, helping to prepare a "first century meal" for some visiting tourists. Afterwords I walked with Joel to the Church of the Annunciation - which, by the way, Justin Beiber visited today (a few people from our group were at the church at the same time he was).

Now I am all packed and ready to travel - but not quite ready to say good-bye to Israel or the middle eastern culture that I have grown to love over the past three months. In any case, while everyone back at home is sleeping tonight I will be going through security at the airport. (My cross-cultural isn't ALL fun and games) :)

 It is with gratefulness for the experience I've had so far and with a prayer for peace for the people I am leaving behind that I end this stay in the Middle East. Shalom!

hiking the jesus trail

tomorrow morning i am embarking on a four day, forty mile journey from nazareth to capernaum, following the route that jesus followed during his ministry. i will be stopping by pretty much every place that jesus is recorded as visiting. here is a list of things i am expecting:

mud
pita and peanut butter
blisters
wildflowers
funny stories
meetings with interesting people
culture shock (we are passing through arab, druze, and jewish towns - all within just a few miles of each other)
exhaustion
encounter with jesus


i think that my time in the galilee has to be among the most interesting of all the time i have spent in israel. spending time in nazareth is giving me a new, deeper understanding of who jesus is. for example, today nazareth is struggling to come out of an economic depression - after the last intifada, there was basically no tourism to this area. Nazareth is the largest arab city in israel and there is a definite sense among some people in israel that this part of the galilee is out in the middle of nowhere: why would anyone want to travel there? it reminds me of the story from john -

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. "Come and see,” said Philip.

i am hoping that the next four days will give me a whole list of insights like this. :) so - it is with great hope (and a bit of trepidation for the blisters) that i think of heading off on the trail tomorrow.

Nazareth

it comes to this: my last week in Israel. my last week in the Middle East. My (sort of) third to last move of all my stuff.

But I am not going to think about leaving. I am living in the present, and in light of that resolution, let me tell you about Nazareth.

Basically, we are staying smack in the middle of the "Old City" part of Nazareth. The streets are incredibly narrow and winding, and so, so, SO confusing. I learned today that they were built on donkey trails...people knew donkeys would pick the easiest path up a hill, so they built their roads on donkey paths.

Lets just say that donkeys don't place much value on straight lines.

Anyway, we are staying in a guest house affiliated with the Jesus Trail, and it is wonderful. The architecture of the place is beautiful - arches, an open courtyard, tall ceilings, marble floors and heavy wood doors. We are spending the first part of the week volunteering at Nazareth Village, which is a replication of a first-century village. It is pretty awesome; as an example of the extreme awesomeness, tonight we ate a first century meal and got to bake pita bread over an open fire. Mmmmm.

The end of the week will be spent hiking the Jesus trail - 40 miles over 4 days. I am really hoping it doesn't rain (last night it absolutely POURED and one of my roommates sprang out of bed at 6 am because water was leaking all over her pillow...)

I am still so excited to be here - there is so much left to see and do. (But yes, I do miss people at home) :)

Shalom! and goodnight.