It's Israel Jim - but not as NZers know it
Trip Start
Apr 27, 2008
1
8
Trip End
May 24, 2008
Jerusalem,
Israel
Friday, May 23, 2008
We had heard lots of comment about the border crossing being difficult, really heavy security etc. Our experience was different - The border crossing is very busy and confusing but we found the people friendly and the security seemed quite relaxed. Maybe it was our NZ passports?
Our overall impression of Israel was that these people are getting a bad deal in the international press. Well at least that is the impression I have from NZ. Israel as a nation is surviving. They are a country in continual defense mode. Their whole social strata is built around the consideration that they need to stay alert to possible attack. When you see soldiers walking up from the beach at the Dead Sea whearing their swiming trucks with their automatic weapon over their shoulder you gain a stark impression of what the security situation is like
Did he toch this stone?
.We felt very safe in Israel. The people are friendly and really interested to hear why you have come to their country.
This is a country of different religions and passionate people. We were visiting Israel because as Christians we wanted to see the places described in the bible. Wow - history comes alive in Jerusalem. The place is so old and it's history is so well documented. It is actually possible to walk on pavement stones that Jesus walked on - excavated from beneath subsequent layers of population in the old city. Jerusalem is a city of continual change - a look at photos from the 1930's show the wailing wall dramatically different from what can be seen today.
Walking the streets of the old city is hard to describe - the walls and the pavements speak to you about what they have seen and experienced. For example a visit to the upper room were the bible records that the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples. You can't stand in there and feel nothing - you can feel that the room is different simply by standing in the corner and being still - even with 30 or so other tourists in there.
God is listening to the prayers of his people for this nation. Living their would a priviledge.
