A Note from the Holy Land Band…

Wisam's Kids!!!

We were thrilled this morning when we met Wisam at the Bible College because he brought his two daughters with him! Leah and Sarah have been learning English in school and they each sang "Jesus Loves Me" to us and then Leah sang "Once Upon a Dream" (special for Katy -- said Wisam). And Leah also prayed the Lord's Prayer for us before we got off the bus. What brave and special little girls!

Bethlehem Bible College & Shepherd's Society

Beginning with $20 and a dream, the Bethlehem Bible College was started in 1979 by a Palestinian man who wanted a place to teach Palestinian-Arab Christians. When they began, most of their teaching staff were international volunteers and today they are staffed entirely by local Palestinians. (Which is a great testimony of the work they are doing!) It is an interdenominational college that started with only 9 students and has grown to 120 today; most protestant Christian pastors in this area have studied at this college - the only Christian college in the region.

Associated with the college is the Shepherd's Society which helps the poorest of the poor in the area, as well as helping to subsidize pay for pastors who couldn't otherwise support their families. Since Bethlehem has an unemployment rate over 30%, this is a much-needed support system.

Bethesda & St. Anne Church

Pool where Jesus healed the man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. This is one of the well-identified sites in the holy land. (Unlike many other "holy" sites we have visited, which have actually been built in only the last several hundred years.)

Across from the Pool of Bethesda is St. Anne's Church, named for Mary's mother. The church is a wonderfully acoustic place, so Katy led the group in singing "The Lord's Prayer" and "Amazing Grace". Our group must have all the good singers, because we easily had four-part harmony! (Including the deep bass voice of Bishop Keaton who joined us today!)

Jerusalem Archaeological Park - "Teaching Steps" & "Cardo"

The "teaching steps" are just outside the southern wall of the temple mount. As pilgrims would make their way to the temple, rabbis would teach on these steps. Perhaps Jesus taught his followers there!

We also saw and walked on Old Jerusalem's main street called "the Cardo". When the temple was destroyed, large chunks of the wall were thrown down onto this street, but the street was sturdy and not entirely destroyed. This is perhaps one of the only places in all of Jerusalem where we have walked where Jesus has physically walked.

Western Wall

We visited the western wall of the temple mount, better known to us as the "wailing wall". Many of us took written prayers up to the wall as we offered them to God. We were surrounded by a diverse group of people from orthodox Jews, Christians, non-religious -- there were many gathered. From watching others, we learned that its proper to rinse your hands in a nearby outdoor sink before approaching the wall and also that it's tradition to back

up as you leave the wall, so as not to turn your back on it.

Upper Room

We visited the traditional "upper room" which although its not the actual site of the Last Supper, it does give an idea of what the upper room would have looked like. We sang here as well -- "Seek Ye First" -- Wisam seems to have discovered we like to sing and he suggests it often now. :-)

Site of Caiaphus' House

Lastly we visited the church which was built atop Caiaphus' house. We saw the steps Jesus was most likely forced up after his arrest at Gethsemene. Perhaps most special was the time we spent in the lowest part of the home, in the dark pit where Jesus was thrown while awaiting his final judgment and eventual execution. We read Psalm 88, a difficult and dark psalm to hear, and then sang together:

"I the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry. All who dwell in dark and sin, my hand will save..."