Saturday, December 5, 2009

Israel and Jordan part 4

Don't forget to check out parts 1, 2, and 3....

Friday started with a trip to the pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the blind man. (Read the story here.)
We weren't able to go into the pool but entered a large cistern that used to hold water for the city.


Lions Gate, one of the gates into the Old City of Jerusalem


inside the gate


ruins of the old city


ruins of the pool of Bethesda




going down into the cistern under the old city


underground


Mom, in the cistern


Near the pool is a church built by the Crusaders called St. Anne's Church. (Read about it here.) The church is usually full of visitors but we were lucky enough to get our group in there by ourselves. The architecture is very simple, with wooden benches to sit on. We had a short message and then sang "How Great Thou Art." It was another very inspirational moment.


St Anne's Church



From the Cathedral we walked down the hill to the Garden of Gethsemane. I have to admit that, although it was neat to go to the garden, it was a bit disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it was great to have been there, but it is very small, and the trees are all fenced off, so you can't really touch them, or sit amongst them like we had been hoping to. That being said, just the fact that we were walking among 2000 year old olive trees that Jesus could have rested under during His last night before the crucifixition was amazing.

Garden of Gethsemane




It is entirely possible that Jesus rested under this very tree.




From the Garden, we headed to the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. The wall is the only remaining wall of the Second Temple that was destroyed in 70 AD. It is tradition to write prayers on slips of paper and stick them in the cracks of the wall. Unfortunately, we didn't know this, so we weren't prepared. So our prayers went into the cracks between the stones written on gum wrappers. Twice a year the prayer are cleaned out and buried on the Mount of Olives. The prayer plaza is divided into men's and women's sections. There were many Jews gathered here praying, and crying. They are praying to God for the messiah to come, but we know that their prayer has already been answered in Jesus, if only they would realize it.


inside the walls of the old city.. there is a path that you can walk around, it was used to defend the city in ancient days.


Stacy and Mom


Me, preparing to defend the city against invaders. :)


The Wailing Wall


hundreds of prayers


sticking my prayer into a crack in the wall


the men's side, on the left, had tables and chairs. the women's side, did not


Mom, Me, and Stacy at the Wailing Wall

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