This week I’ve just enjoyed looking at the city when I’ve had the opportunity to do so.
The view from my great terrace:
Another view of Jerusalem which I can’t complain about is from the Mount of Olives:
And some evenings ago I was eating on a very nice restaurant where the view was like this:
Shalom
The second day in Jerusalem was a day where I once again got to see several of the holy places which they have everywhere in this city! I have never visited the Garden Tomb before – but it’s a really nice and beautiful place. There’s a quite special atmosphere and tranquility here, and I’m pretty sure that I will come back to this place bringing with me good books to read.
The Garden Tomb, some believe, is the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. Golgoatha, where Jesus died, means the place of the skull, and here at the Garden Tomb there is a rock which looks like a skull. Therefore some believe that the crosses may have been located here.
One of the reasons for believing that it was here Jesus was buried, is the finding of a great rain-water cistern which dates back to Crusader times, and here there may have been an older version used in the first century. This suggests that there may have been a garden in use here as spoken of in John 19,41. In addition, there has been found a winepress and a tomb which fit the details of the Bible very well.
Whether it’s here it really happened is not that important to me. The most important thing is that Jesus died for me/for all of us and that he rose from the dead! And the Garden Tomb is helping making this more real to me.
The day I arrived, last Sunday, I was picked up at the airport by David. I went with two other Danes involved in the Israelmission who went here to work for a couple of days. After they were shown where to stay we went to a service at King of Kings – an American-inspired messianic congregation where the worship and the preaching is in english every Sunday afternoon. It was great to start up with praise and prayer.
Last week, before I went to Israel, I was at a meeting with my youth group.The focus of the evening was the first part of 1. Timothy, and among others we read the following from chapter 2: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; thay we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. These words were also read in King of Kings just before we spend time praying. To pray for all in authority suddenly makes sense in a whole different way here where people are fighting each other and where a heavy cloud is hanging above the area. It was great to experience how they were praying for the Israeli government, the Israeli people and the Palestinian people, and Hamas.They were praying that they may all turn to Jesus and attain forgiveness and salvation.
Shalom (hebrew and means peace, used as hello and goodbye)
Israel is an amazing place! – That needs to be clear. It’s all coming back to me now why I dreamt of going back after beeing here on vacation 5½ years ago. The sun, the heat, the delicious falafels, hummus, very friendly people, fascinating historical monuments, interesting and difficult tensions especially when it comes to religion and politics – this describes very well some of the impressions I’ve had so far.
The first couple of days have been very instructive and busy. I have, together with one of the newly recruited in the Youth department of the Danish Israelmission, been introduced by David, the danish pastor, to many of the partners we have here in Israel. As a board member of the Youth department I know these by name, but it means a lot to see their faces, listen to their stories, their work, their challenges and their views about the whole conflict. I have among others met employees in both the Israeli and the Palestinian Bible Society, in Musalaha (reconciliation-work between Israelis and Palestinians) and in the Caspari Center for Biblical and Jewish Studies. Additionally, I have visited two of the places to which the Israelmission send out volunteers. Akim – rehabilitation for intellectually disabled people, and Maon Gilo – a home for handicapped people. It’s a very good and important work they do there.
How am I changed by Israel so far? …Well, my skin has a different color, and I sweat more… 🙂 but all the people I’ve met, and the conversations I’ve had has certainly made a great impression on me as well, and I have the feeling that the stay here will change me in so many ways.
This should have been posted a long time ago since I’m already in Israel – but I just decided to make this blog in english, so here it goes:
We’re now in August and within 3 weeks I’ll go to Israel. I have moved out of my apartment in Aarhus, soon I’m going to leave the city, friends, family and everything I know and feel comfortable about to go to a new and almost unknown city.. Jerusalem. Even though it has been the plan for a while it’s not until now that I realize what I have agreed to do. It’s very exciting and at the same time frightening. It’s frightening to say goodbye to everything here in Denmark without knowing what’s on the other side. But it’s exciting that something new is going to happen, and I’m looking forward to finding out what God has planned for me the next 5 months.
There has been a service in my church in Aarhus where the pastor and the leader for the Danish Israelmission prayed for me and the work I’m going to do. The theme of the service was: “Do not fear”. I really want to stick to these words from Jesus, and I need it right now. As we were singing: “Noone is as safe in danger as the children of God”. As a child of God I really do not need to be afraid; I do not need to fear because God will always be by my side.
As said, I will go within 3 weeks, and in the meantime I will spend the summer with friends and family. I will also meet some of the other danish volunteers which I look forward to, and then we’re going to know more about what’s waiting ahead of us in Israel.
Israel experienced by Heidi 