The Dung Gate

Before coming back into Israel we were reminded (as we had been by our Jordanian tour guides) by our Palestinian tour guide that we were welcome in the Arab/ Muslim world and that they along with the Israelis longed for peace among all people.

During our first trip to the Old City, we entered in through the Dung Gate - the lowest in elevation of all the gates - where the "city dump" had been located in previous generations.
From there we went to the East side of the former temple mount (the Dome of the Rock, a Muslim mosque now sits there) and sat on the original 15 steps leading up to the Temple.

Since today was a full day, we raced off behind our tour guides to a spot where we saw the Western Wall (mistakenly named the Wailing Wall, by the British). Before we could think about
approaching it along with other pray-ers, we were whisked off into an underground world of tunnels literally running along the buried portion of the Western Wall. As we ran our hands along its smooth surface and noted its exemplary craftsmanship, the largest stone was pointed out to us - 30 ft. long and 500 tons. Re-emerging to the modern world we re-traced our steps above ground through market streets. We were led back to the Western Wall where we each were allowed time to meditate and pray. We even got to leave our prayers on paper wedged between the cracks.

The City of David

Today what had only been images in our minds was now sight as we boarded our tour bus and headed to the Shepherd's Field near Bethlehem. Yesterday we had been instructed to dress modestly and be sure to bring our passports. This morning, to our surprise we "left" Israel to enter the Palestinian West Bank even though we were only about 10 minutes from our hotel.
Sadly, our Israeli tour guides and bus drivers had to stay behind (they are not allowed in and Palestinians have to meet certain criteria to come out.) as we passed through the border crossing and met up with a new bus, driver, and tour guide (a childhood friend of Mikey, our regular tour guide). Quickly the written language changed from Hebrew and English and Arabic to Arabic and English only.

We walked a little ways from the bus to a hill side over looking a field and valley. We were told how this was the general area the shepherds lived in; there are even caves nearby which indicate human dwellings and burial sites. Pastor Tanner reminded us of the scriptures and we sang and meditated in that place about the experience of the shepherds with the angels. "Glory to God in the highest"!

The Church of the Nativity was close by so we joined a throng of other Holy Land pilgrims descending on the traditional site of the stable Jesus was born in. Mary and Joseph were unable to find other accommodations, so an inn keeper let them use the cave which is now incorporated into the the oldest functioning church. Beautifully, richly, and ornately decorated the church was perfumed with incense and soft beams of light shown in through high windows. We all eagerly waited in line to catch a glimpse and place our hands on the places where Jesus was born and laid in a manger.






With two other stops
(a gift shop and restaurant), we met some of the
local Christians and were able to help them out by giving them our business.