Israel Travel Diary
March 1997

Jerusalem 1997

It has been an intense desire of mine to do something important with my life. At the back of my mind, work has been the avenue that seemed to hold the greatest potential for importance and remembrance. Then, I came to Jerusalem. That city that God loves.

Barren, rocky, hilly Jerusalem that Jesus wept over. The place where the prophets were murdered.

We entered the City from the west and drove for an hour before we finally reached the "Old City of Jerusalem."

City of Jerusalem

Comfortably seated atop two hills and bordered by the Kidron and Hinnom Valleys, Jerusalem sparkles. The walls we see were built by Suleiman in the 16^th Century and therefore encompass 5,000 years of history.

CITY
A place of beauty and protection, comforting one’s soul.
Sheltered by the hand of God, centuries old.
Strong as steel should be, ever reaching out to thee.
Jerusalem.
Prophets came and told, the Holy Word of God.
Standing in the Temple’s shadow.
Never followed, never heard, death was their shepherd.
Jerusalem.
And then a pagan antichrist, ruling til today.
Giving out his holy word.
Followed, heard, shepherding death.
Jerusalem.
Would be nice to say it’s not a place of lasting peace.
Peace from God is in His hand, not an edict.
God declares this place His HOME.
Jerusalem.

Arriving at Beit Shmuel on Shamma Street we settled into our quarters. We stared across the Hinnom Valley and gawked at Jaffa Gate and the City Walls.

Jaffa Gate & City Walls

Majestic, strong and beautiful City Walls. Tired and traveled, we made our way across the Hinnom and entered the Old City of Jerusalem at Jaffa Gate.

Jaffa Gate Entrance

Supper was on our mind and we walked to the Armenian Tavern to deal with this concern.

Armenian Tavern

The meal was hearty, inexpensive and good. A meal filled with atmosphere, good fellowship, and memorable images of a Middle Eastern meal.

The food in Jerusalem is often good and sometimes very good. The prices are moderate to inexpensive on a world scale. We carefully evaluated the places we wanted to eat and enjoyed Middle Eastern food, Chinese food and on occasion Western food. We ate very well. An especially fun experience was lunch in Omar Bakri’s Olive Wood store. We had hummus brought in from a neighboring restaurant and had a great meal.

Mount Zion
Stan, Tom and Robert, praying...

The eight gates that enter the Old City are all interesting and important to the history of Jerusalem. The Zion Gate with its ninety degree turn is unusual and important because of its location and relationship with Mount Zion. The Lion Gate with its two Mamaluke Lions is at the beginning of the Via Dolorosa. The Damascus Gate facing East Jerusalem is the largest of the eight gates and was the location of Sultan Suleiman’s Palace. We walked through all of the gates and discussed their particular special relationship with Jerusalem and its walls.

REALLY?
Concerns that anger me, that teach and preach and badger me,
Find resolution in God’s place.
He is here. Inside my soul, He goes with me and gives me life.
I know that place is where I am but here is His place.
Reaching out to touch the stone. I connect with His place.
Burdened for a world of woe. Hurting hearts that show.
Here I am with Him. He knows and I know Him.
Job knew His presence, I too, He is.
And in this place of centuries born. With changing shapes and forms.
The Rock resides without a change.
As people come and nations die, He lives and resides.
His place where all can come.

Walking all the streets wearied the body and filled the soul. Sights and sounds so foreign to us were all around.

Armenian Patriarchite St.

The music of the marketplace; chatter, Eastern songs, Western songs, Muslim prayers, people talking, Christians praying, all blending together with the smells of Eastern foods, was overpowering. Hard to take in. A mind grabbing memory that sharpens with time.

Temple Mount with a view of the Dome of the Rock

Jerusalem grows in my heart. I spend time memorizing the map and saying the street names. As I walk, I recount the remembered ones who have been here before. The journey along the Via Dolorosa reminded me of how much Christ has done for me. The Western Wall overpowers the emotions. Jerusalem.

We drove through the Armenian Quarter one night. It was interesting, and we encountered very little traffic on the narrow streets. Skirting the edge of the Jewish Quarter, we exited the Old City at the Dung Gate. The next morning we were back in the Jewish Quarter visiting the Western Wall. We couldn’t get on the Temple Mount.

Our time in Jerusalem ended too soon. Our thoughts turned towards home and we packed our bags with mixed emotions. One day, we will arrive in the New Jerusalem.