MOVING FORWARD - pastor mike landry

I decided to combine the 10th and 11th day of our trip because they are so similar. In a moment you'll see what I mean.

Day 10 was a free day in Jerusalem for everybody. It was wonderful and much needed. After 10 days of running and sensory overload we needed a time to slow down and reflect.

Many slept in on this 10th day (Thursday) and then wandered around the old city of Jerusalem exploring and shopping. Others explored other portions of the city like the Israeli Museum while others walked around rampage of the city walls.

Our hotel is about 6 blocks from the Damascus Gate. When my group entered the gate it was like being transported back into the past. The colors, the smells, and the sounds are vibrant and attention getting. It's a narrow corridor of about 8 feet wide with side by side shops all along the way on both sides. There are lots of alleyways that are adjoined to the main paths with even more shops, hostels, and eateries. And there are also 4 main sections (or quadrants) - Christian, Jewish, Armenian, and Muslim.

Shopping is an interesting event too. It's a negotiation game full of emotion and strategic bargaining. You never purchase an item for the original price. So it's a challenge for the weak at heart and those who are used to buying things for the sticker price. When you start the bargaining you hear things like, "my children will not eat if I let you buy it for that price" or "You are my personal friend, I will give you my best rate" or "you can buy this China cheap material or Jerusalem quality". You never know what to believe.

We discovered that my daughter Beth is the best shopper here. Many in our group enlisted her to do their negotiating. She bargained for everything from dresses, scarves, knives, hats, purses, and suitcases. The shop keepers kept saying with a smile, "she is nice but HARD". She helped me get a gift price down from $300 to $30. I felt like the shopkeeper would have to sell a child and his home afterward but when it was all through, the shopkeeper smiled and invited me to come back on our next trip. Whew...I'm glad that's over.

We had lunch again at Papa Andrea's (overlooks the city from the roof). Many in our group ended up there because they knew what to expect when they ordered from the previous day. We are such creatures of habit.

At dinner, everyone was laughing and looking like they had gotten some rest. Stories were told of the personal excursions and it added a lot of perspective to the trip. Let me tell you of a couple extra trips I made with a few others.

We explored some excavations and tunnels that have been dug along the walls of the Temple Mount. We entered the tunnel beside the Wailing Wall and had a great time. We were able to see ruins of the community that was present during the time of Jesus. We stopped momentarily at the closest spot to the old Temple's Holy of Holies (about 60 feet away). That was a heart stopper. Apparently, people are praying at this spot continuously. There was barely enough room to move past the few people who were praying there. I can hardly believe we were able to get that close...nobody expected this. And yes, it became one of those "holy" moments for us.

Most of the tunnel was only big enough for two people to go through at the same time. Some of the tunnel was pitch black (the kind where you can't see your hand in front of your face). A short portion of the tunnel we had to turn sideways to get through. I felt like I was exploring this place with Indiana Jones. It was a amazing journey. We ended up coming out of the tunnel in the Muslim Section of the Old City.

Later that night a few of us walked to the Ben Yuda street (outdoor mall area that is predominately Jewish). We walked through the most populated Orthodox Jewish area to get there and saw a whole new way of life. The dress, the music, the pace, etc., were all so different. Nobody would talk to us so we hurried on past to our destination. The Ben Yuda mall area is a place where they block the roads at night and place tables and chairs in the streets for people to socialize with. 1000's of people, mostly in their 20's, were laughing and talking. This is a very modern section of Jerusalem. We walked by restaurants, shops, musicians (we even saw a lady playing a harp, another lady singing kerioki style, and saw another section with some drummers - similar to the Siesta Key drums), and even a McDonalds where Pastor Bill Hild ate a Big Mac and everyone else had Oreo McFlurries - good stuff. We then walked back and collapsed in our beds for some sleep...I thought this was to be a day for resting...NOT!

This morning (Friday) we all got a wake up call at 6:30 am had to have all our luggage out in the hallway for pickup by 7:15 for the return to the States. After breakfast, most of the group got on the bus for their trip back to Amman, Jordan, where they will catch a flight back tonight to the States. It was a bitter sweet occasion. People hated to leave but were ready to go home. Also, some of us were staying behind to continue on to Egypt tomorrow morning. I'm one of those staying behind. My wife, daughter, and son-in-law were all returning too. So after some hugs and kisses and goodbyes, we all said goodbye to my family and many new friends that have been made.

I'm now in my room catching up on some study time and this blog. It started to rain here and I'm not sure if I'll get out much today before leaving for Egypt. We'll see.

Tomorrow morning we depart for Egypt on an 8 hour bus ride. Not sure if I'll have internet connection when we arrive at St Catherine's Monastery. But I should have it the next evening when we arrive in Cairo. So, until then, I thank you for praying for us. God is answering your prayers...it is a most incredible trip.