Travel Day

Today as we leave for Jerusalem is a strange combination of world and religious events. The Islamic congregation that meets at UMC Merced is celebrating a holy day called Eid. Eid is the day of sacrifice. The people of Islam use this day to mark the end of Haj (a season for pilgrimage to Mecca). This day is significant because it is the day to celebrate the sacrifice of Abraham. Abraham was trying to be obedient to God and was willing to sacrifice that which was most precious to him, his son Isaac.

Yesterday, the Jewish community spent all day at UMC Merced. A season of celebrating the new year (Rosh Hashanah)  ends on the day of atonement (yom kippur). Atonement is righteousness restored. Every year, a day is set aside to celebrate that God makes a way back when our sins carve a chasm of separation between us and the Holy One.

At the same time Pope Francis is everywhere in the news. A papal visit to the United States is rare. Today marks the first time that a pope ever spoke to a joint session of  congress. how would a shepherd of more than a billion speak well of God and stand up for justice in the heart of our broken and polarized National Representatives? Will it matter? With a gentle voice, "il Papa" boldly speaks the truth. Immigrants and refugees need to feel the dignity with which God created humanity. We were reminded that our nation is a tapestry of immigrants woven together over hundreds of years. If any country can relate to and reach out to a world of refugees and immigrants, we have everything needed to stand out with compassion and connection. Poverty is a plague that unsettles our world. Prosperous countries are not immune. And the bottom line was a challenge; isn't it possible to share the wealth, to comfort the poor?

This is also the day that 28 people from the California Nevada Annual Conference set our sites on the land of our biblical heritage, a place where ancient stones inspire us to remember the story of God, a story of people seeking refuge, people risking much for a better station in life, and people needing mercy from the wealthy all find God actively working to make a path of hope and wholeness in their lives. Let us not believe that congress faces challenge alone. We too are challenged on this day. the authors and activists in place have declared that far too often people of the world come to the Holy Land to see ancient stones and overlook the living stones that are God's beloved children living in refuge, living as outsiders, and living with the struggle of policies creating unbearable apartheid conditions. how will we be a witness for the gospel? How will we speak well of God and stand up for justice?

Will we be able to celebrate righteousness restored? Will we be called to re-member a call for sacrifice that declares obedience to God?

Maybe the voices of the Holy One are meant to be heard a little louder today. Maybe the voices of the Holy One are reaching a broader audience today.

Skuuuuurt (the sound of skidding tires) ---- I just noticed that more than one reality exists at the same time

All of us made the plane without a hitch (by all of us I mean, me and 400 of my closest friends) Turkish Airlines had a fine offering of service and accommodations. They managed to deal with at least a dozen languages at a time. This leg of the trip would be at least 13 hours. You would think that 13 hours is enough time to do most things unless you were a single mother traveling to Pakistan with twin boys under the age of two.

Before long we had a living example f the idea that "it takes a village" to raise a child. Several members of our delegation and some of the planes service staff were recruited to be the extra arms, legs, and bouncing laps of a very resourceful mom. It was a sight to see....yet the noise level was not all that conducive to sober people getting a nap.

Just a three hour layover in Istanbul. The mixing of cultures was impressive. We saw our first Islamic prayer rooms in an airport. We could see how other countries sell duty free cigarettes but clearly mark each box with bold letters that informs each buyer of an ugly and early death coming their soon. And great news......Starbucks still has free WiFi and delicious regional desserts.

2 hours later, we were on the ground in Tel Aviv....the line for passport inspection was nothing if not thorough. This two hours helped us get to know our delegation better.finally a bus ride for the next hour and a half would land us in the Angel Hotel, Bethlehem district. 23 hours of travel is quite a thing.

Stay tuned....the days ahead should blow our minds..