Our Pilgrimage to Palestine & Israel Begins

We are headed to Palestine and Jerusalem today! it has been a busy week of prep. I have discovered how to use my phone overseas without high fees (essentially, we just use our phones as computers. All text, data, and calls are blocked.) we are reachable by email and by Facebook messenger. We will be 10 hours ahead of California, so expect long delays in communication most of the time. Our computers should work everywhere with the exception of one day 9/29. I am hoping to keep this blog going throughout the trip as a sort of journal.

Emily and I have done some reading in advance of the trip. I am shocked to begin to see the conflict in the Holy land as a current event of oppressive apartheid instead of as an ageless struggle between tribes pitted against each other by God. Maybe others would like to read too.

Here is a short list of publications authored by Palestinian Christian leaders. These should be available through Amazon.  If you would like to borrow a copy for the trip, just let me know.  Each would be good reading for the flight!

Note that we will be visiting Mar Elias Educational Institutions in Ibillin (September 30) which was founded by Archbishop Elias Chacour; the Sabeel Institute in Jerusalem (October 2) which was founded by Rev. Naim Ateek; Bethlehem Bible College (September 28) which is run by Rev. Alex Awad's brother Bishara.

Blood Brothers by Archbibhop Elias Chacour (1984 Baker Book House Company)
We Belong to the Land by Archbishop Elias Chacour (1990 Harper Collins)
Palestinian Memories: The Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People  by Rev. Alex Awad (2008 Bethlehem Bible College)
Justice and Only Justice by Rev. Naim Ateek (1989 Orbis Books)
A Palestinian Cry for Reconciliation by Rev. Naim Ateek (2008 Orbis Books)
Bethlehem Besieged by Rev. Mitri Raheb (2004 Augsberg Fortress)
Faith in the Face of Empire: The Bible Through Palestinian Eyes by Rev. Mitri Raheb (2014 Orbis Books)

Other good reading for general background:

Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid:  by Jimmy Carter (2006 Simon & Schuster)
The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine:  by Ilan Pappe (2006 One World Publications)
Sharing the Land of Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle: by Mazin Qumsiyeh (2004 Pluto Press)

Today Emily and I will pack marshmallows, nuts, fruit, and candy away like squirrels in a travel bag. I'm sure we will find something in between yoga pants and pajamas to be appropriate travel wear for 15 hours on a plane. We have already made a list of homework, done loaded games and movies, purchased books and taken our nasal decongestant. Do you think that will be enough to keep us from going stir crazy? Sonja (amazing girlfriend) is taking us to the airport. We should leave Merced around 1:00pm

Jenni Durbin has offered to pray us through our itinerary each day. If you would like to do this too, I am attaching a picture of it. You can also follow us on Facebook.

9/25 arrive in Tel Aviv, go to hotel in Bethlehem 11:30pm

9/26 church of the Nativity, shepherd's field, Herodion, Wadi Foquin

9/27 worship with local Palestinian Christians, Jericho, Qumran, Dead Sea, Baptismal site, dinner with Palestinian families.

9/28 Bethlehem bible college, hope secondary school, Ayda refugee camp,

9/29 Sea of Galilee boat ride, Capernaum, mt. Of beatitudes, walk the Wadi Hamman

9/30 Nazareth, my Carmel monastery, overnight in Jerusalem

10/1 garden of gethsemane, upper room Palm Sunday path, house of caiaphas

10/2 Via Dolorosa , garden tomb, Antonia fortress, church of the holy sepulchre