Today the Bishop lead us to the waters that God has been troubling since time began. We imagine that Jesus was on a sort of pilgrimage to be baptized now. The place where Jesus was Baptized is more than an hour from Jerusalem by bus (60miles). To get there we must leave the mountain range and find the lowest place on Earth. Isn't it amazing that Jesus would begin his ministry at the lowest place on Earth instead of from a mountain top? Before we hit water, we were more than 1200 feet below sea level.
The trouble at this water is obvious, today the Jordan River is a border between Egypt and Israel; armed soldiers on both sides. We had to cross an active mine field to get there. It was surreal to journey to the site of Jesus baptism and see signs that say warning! stay out! Mines!
This water had a pull that reaches around the world. As we arrive priests from all over were leading congregations. The languages were too many to count. We found a place on the platform that reached into the river and Bishop Brown allowed each person who desired to feel a sprinkle from the Jordan (#MethodistAllDayLong) as he said the words remember your baptism and give thanks to God. After Jesus was baptized and felt the blessing of God; (this is my child with whom I am well pleased) the wilderness beckoned, and off he went. We too were on our way again.
The Dead Sea is an Israeli National Park too. Many of us had heard of experience of wading in the Dead Sea. Atta, our guide wanted us to fully understand; "this water is 30 times saltier than the sea. don't open you eyes!" This was anything but a "normal" day at the beach. We enter passing a visible military presence, we pass a few pools that remind me of a Wild Waters amusement park, we walk on side walks and plastic grass for a few hundred yards, and then we see the entrance. Dare I say it? The potential for hair on the human body was fully demonstrated on this day (wow)! Other things stood out too; the bull horn blasted commands in Arabic to the outskirts of the wading area, the belief of healing powers in the sea had attracted people with a huge variety of maladies, but strangest of all was the site best described by Emily, "people were covering themselves in mud and splashing in the water like baby elephants."
You might think it's trouble enough n the water just to see these sites, but we were headed in. The sea floor was uncertain - some steps would sink into mud an extra 20 inches. The water was warmer than a bath and we were so buoyant that it was hard to keep our feet under us when we wanted to be upright. finally Emily had thought about it and wanted a "Dead Sea Facial." So she convinced me to join her. I held the grey slimy mud in my fingers (almost certain that this was 100% goose poop) and we went for it. Sometime after the new face crust was applied I realized that there were no birds anywhere near us and no fish in the sea. Whatever this was, it was not goose poop (sheeeew). With no friction remaining on our skin and a burning sensation beginning to encompass our bodies we decided it was a good time for a shower and an ice cream. I'm happy to report that the Bishop got even muddier than we did and Emi and Gerome from our group "went ham". ( teenager for "no holds barred") finally we sat eating our frozen treat and watch a troop of boys young enough to be spanked over a knee carry their machine guns in formation across the fact grass play area.
As we travel back to Bethlehem, we pass many of the realities in this land. Several small communities of Palestinian people that use temporary shelters to live their lives and graze their animals. These humble fields are overlooked by gigantic settlement communities of 50-70 thousand migrated residents who are supported by exceptional infrastructure. The 25 foot wall wrapping the Israeli claim to land like a giant ribbon. Surrounded by an infinite number of unfinished or partially demolished homes (Palestinians can't build or repair buildings without permits that are extremely difficult to get). The irony and inequalities are not subtle.
These waters are troubled and wading in the water will certainly make your skin tingle.
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