Dual-Blogging...

Here's an excerpt from the official blog that I am keeping for the Westmont in Istanbul program.

For the full thing, please check out:

westmontinistanbul.blogspot.com

Please ignore the bit about me being home in 10 days, that ain't true. 

I'm staying aboard this crazy train for a few more weeks...

                                                                                                

April 10-15    Bethlehem, Israel/Palestine

• These five days were a welcome change of pace as we entered our last country. We settled into our digs at the Tantour Ecumenical Center, and began looking at the incredible land around us.
• About twice a day, students would pass through Bethlehem checkpoint to enter the city itself. Some of the time was spent looking at the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the marks it has/is still leaving on Bethlehem; and part of the time was spent visiting some of the historical and traditional sites of Christianity. 

Looking at the Church of the Nativity...
(c) Kurt Walker

...And the Conflict. (c) Kurt Walker

•  We snuck into Jerusalem for a remarkable day on Friday, April 13. Eastern Orthodox Good Friday coincided with the last day of Passover this year, and the amazing city of Jerusalem bustled with excitement. We managed to successfully maneuver through the winding streets - and even into the Church of the Holy Sepluchre in the middle of a procession - and come out the other side full of unforgettable stories. 

April 16-17    Galilee, Israel

• We spent an amazing day and a half up in the Galilee. 
• Visiting Campernaum, we were able to walk in the ruins of a synagogue similar to the one that Jesus would have preached in.
• Floating on the Sea of Galilee, we felt winds like those that Jesus' words quelled.
• Upon the Mount of the Beatitudes, we reminisced on the incredible words of the Sermon on the Mount.
• The next day, we were honored to hear from Archbishop Elias Chacour, a Palestinian Christian who preaches a message of reconciliation based around the events of his own astounding life.

April 18-21    Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine

• The past three days have been a blur of site visits (the Western Wall, Garden Tomb, city rooftops, Southern Steps, etc.), street-side interactions, lectures (on topics like Jewish history and sects, Christian Zionism, and the Jewish roots of Christianity), and religious ceremonies (churches and synagogues). 

Heck of a way to end the semester, eh?

Parents, family, and friends - we'll be home in 10 days... Are you ready?