Barb and Lew arrived on March 16 and were able to stay here at the Center. A nice perk of living here is that siblings, parents, and adult children can stay in guest rooms on Level 5. The following morning, Jim took them to tour the streets of the Old City. A long walk in the wonderful place we now love. They visited all our new "friends," ate falafel, and then caught the bus home. Sabbath wasn't really their 'day of rest' as they went to walk the Ramparts Walk around the Old City after Sabbath worship. The Ramparts Walk provides such great views inside the city. Luckily the rain subsided and they were able to stay dry. 

We took B&L over to the carillon and met up with Peter and Dave Giles. Peter is from Palo Alto and is visiting the Holy Land with his brother Dave and granddaughter Kate.  As it was quite a stormy day, Barb and Lew went from the carillon to the warm and dry Israel Museum.  They were so clever to figure out the light rail train to get back to the Center. 

Barb made these carillon gloves for Jim 40 years ago!

Jim had been down with a bad cold, but Sunday evening was his solo concert at the Center.  As he has taught us, the show must go on. Fortunately no coughing spells during the performance and the concert was a "glorious triumph." He was unaware during the concert that the ongoing storm had knocked out power in East Jerusalem. The audience, facing the window overlooking East Jerusalem, could see a whole section of East Jerusalem go dark for several minutes. Thankfully, the Center did not lose power. That would have put a real "stop" to the program ;) 

Lew and Barb, Peter and Dave Giles

Tuesday, Jim took Barb and Lew to Galilee.  He followed our now favorite route around the Sea of Galilee: Bet She’an, lunch at Yardenit, found Barb’s old youth hostel from 1972 in Tiberias, Magdala, Wadi Hammam, Greek Orthodox church at Capernaum, and Hippos.  Couldn't hit all of the wonderful places but the weather behaved, it was spectacularly green, and the flowers were in bloom. Can't ask for much more.

Bet She'an

The tel at Bet She'an. The Judas tree.

Wadi Hamman

Greek Orthodox Church, Capernaum

Depictions of the righteous (L) and wicked (R)

The wicked!

B&L went off to Petra for 2 days before flying home. They had a great experience there. We leave for Petra and Amman on Monday with the students for 4 days!

Several fun visits with guests this week: Dina and Loyd Acreman and Greg and Laura Blotter from the Bay Area, YSA friend Ephraim Kunz’s parents, Walter Whipple who was organist here at the Center in 2009 and now lives in our stake in Provo, Lorenzo and Carolina Norambueno from Santiago, Chile—he’s an area authority Seventy. Several of our Spanish-speaking students helped with translations. Ed and Lorena Brown are from Ogden, Utah.  Ed asked if I had been a missionary in Brazil, and I said yes.  He said we were companions in Porto Alegre 50 years ago! Haven't seen each other since then.  Our last visitors were Bernard and Sylvie Thibaud from Paris.  He’s the director of the Maison d’Abraham, a famous Catholic guest house on the Mount of Olives.  

Acremans

Blotters

Kunzes

Browns

Norambuenos with Austin Maxfield and Jacob and Eleesia Griffin

Bernard and Sylvie Thibaud

Ramadan started this week. It is a month-long event for the Islam culture. Yet another way we are learning about this unique land, people, and religions. We return from Jordan on Thursday. Then we gear up for the beginning of Holy Week, Palm Sunday,  Easter, and the week of Passover!