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June 25, 2007
On my way to the Holy Land...
I never really thought I'd ever have a chance to go to the Holy Land and walk in the lands of Christ. But today I'll be boarding a plane bound for there.
For the last year, I've been working for a denomination, specifically the relief and development wing of that denomination. Since about December, I've been working with the denomination's Office of Social Justice to put together a study group to go to Palestine/Israel. We leave today.
The purpose? To try to figure out how we can be a hand for justice in the region. We all realize that True Peace will not likely happen in our lifetime, but we want to be agents of peace and justice. And reconciliation.
We're not going to point fingers. We're not going to say we know how to fix it. We just want to encourage those folks who are doing the work of reconciliation and see how we, as a denomination, might help them in their work. We also want to learn: to sit at the feet of the body of Christ in the region and learn about their perseverence and their reliance on God, and learn how to better rely on Him ourselves.
I come to this with great humility, feeling underqualified and not worthy to be part of such a great journey. But I know that those things for which Christ has called me, he has also prepared me.
Of course it's all subject to change at any given moment depending upon security and travel restrictions, but our proposed itinerary goes like this:
June 26
Arrival in Tel Aviv. Transfer from Tel Aviv airport to a hotel in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Wednesday, June 27
Day 1: We Will start our day with a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Holy & historic sites. Meetings with religious leaders, parents' groups, and humanitarian aid workers. Overnight in Old City.
Thursday, June 28
Day 2: We will visit Ephrata Settlement and meet with an Israeli settler. Then we will drive to Hebron, to tour the old city and visit the Tomb of The Patriarchs. Meetings with various peacemaker teams. On the way back we will drive through Beit Fajjar. Dinner & Overnight with host families.
Friday, June 29
Day 3: Bethlehem, Beit Sahour. Visit to a refugee camp, a Greek Orthodox housing project. Meetings with pastors, churches, peace-making groups. Overnight with Host Families.
Saturday, June 30
Day 4: Bethlehem, Ramallah. Meetings with reconciliation groups, a university, and politicians. Dinner & Overnight with host families.
Sunday, July 1
Day 5: We will begin our day worshiping with local Christians, afternoon with local youth, and a visit to the Dead Sea. Dinner & Overnight with host families.
Monday, July 2
Day 6: Jerusalem. Meetings with various peace-making groups. Dinner & Overnight with host families.
Tuesday, July 3
Day 7: Sulfit and Nablus today where we will visit the old city of Nablus. Then visit a refugee camp and local University. Dinner & Overnight in Nazareth.
Wednesday, July 4
Day 8: Debriefing. Touring, Church of Annunciation, Sea of Galilee boat ride, Mt. of Beatitudes, Tabgha, Capernaum. Dinner & Overnight in Nazareth.
Thursday, July 5
Day 8: Departure
Akko, Haifa, Ein Hod, Caesarea Maritima, Jaffa - to Tel Aviv Airport.
Pray for Dan, if you will. He'll be holding down the fort here in GR while I'm gone - and he is slightly nervous and very jealous of me going.
Love to you all,
Carrie
your host for this episode : carrie; June 25, 2007 08:31 AM
Comments
I pray for your journey, enlightenment and safe return! My best - Stacy
from the peanut gallery of : Stacy ; June 25, 2007 02:37 PM