Jerusalem

On Monday, we left at 7:30 with the students for this semester's last field trip. The weather was so much more agreeable than in the heat of the summer. Deanne and I and Paul and Patty were on the same bus (Frank Judd’s bus). Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered, is always interesting.

Expert David Seely lecturing

Cave 4

At Ein Gedi, the oasis, we saw ibexes standing up in trees and eating!

Look carefully right in front of the tree, and then up in the tree.

Orthodox Jewish girls enjoying the waterfall--clothes and all.

Masada is always inspiring. We got to see the huge cistern which is so impressive--big enough for several full-sized tour buses to fit inside! And Herod’s North Palace is always amazing.

The snake trail down from the top!

Then on to Ein Bokek at the Dead Sea. The students went wild in the water, floating and reading books. We and the Barkers sat in our chairs like old folks, watching the young ‘uns. A great day in such an interesting country.

Started the day by watching the students play soccer on the field by "Crash Corner" (a very busy intersection near us with no stop signs or traffic lights--use your imagination!). Lively, aggressive players, very fun. Some fast runners; lots of bonks on the head. Ouch.

We rehearsed for and performed the Upper Room (Last Supper) program with the triclinium. The students sang well, and it was a beautiful program.

When we got home, they were setting up the strobe lights and a big Christmas tree outside for Thursday’s big tree lighting. Tawfic Alawi, associate director at the Center, is a Palestinian Christian and this is his personal project to show all of Jerusalem that we are Christians.

Thursday evening, the Center was packed with mostly neighbors from East Jerusalem (so Arab friends), families of the staff who work here (mostly Arabic), but many others as well. Charley Davis played a very impressive Santa; and there was antiphonal carol singing by our students from both ends of the Gallery. The entire company went down to the terrace around 7:15, where Tawfic gave a speech welcoming and thanking everyone. Santa gave a countdown, at which time the tree went ablaze with lights, fireworks shot into the air, there was a full moon, an Arabic bagpipe and drum corps played Christmas carols, the students sang from the balcony, a laser light show lit up the terrace, and everyone was dancing and singing. And don’t forget the fog machine. They had told us it would be big, but this was beyond big—it was spectacular. Many also stopped for their pictures in front of the classic Mini Cooper which was parked on the lawn in front of the Center. Over the top? Yes, but what a way to share with our neighbors in East Jerusalem. The sight from the Old City and the rest of Jerusalem must have been impressive!

The Gallery was decorated to the hilt, thanks to Deanne and the other service couples!

The Christmas concert on Friday and Saturday nights went very well! Jim accompanied every number but two, and it was a lot of playing! Deanne led all the choir music. A good program—"a glorious triumph" if we do say so ourselves.