People Watching in Jerusalem...

I cannot describe to you what it is like to be in Israel. I have said many times that I feel like I have walked into a movie. The variety of people and cultures along with the clothes that they wear are intriguing to me. I could sit all day and watch them - and I would too if Susan, the girl I come here with, would let me. I love learning about new cultures and Israel provides plenty of incredible opportunities to do that. The sites are interesting, that is for sure, but it has been the people that have captured my fascination.

Going to the Old City this past Friday was something I will never forget. It was chaos. There were people everywhere walking the narrow corridors of the Old Jerusalem. It was Good Friday according to the Eastern calendar and people from all around the world came to Jerusalem to walk the same route that Jesus did to his death. Many people were carrying crosses of all sizes and looked like they were in mourning. They would stop and weep at each of the stations of the cross. There were Israeli soldiers everywhere. They had to be there in order to see that the crowds did not get out of hand.

The interesting thing about this past Friday though was that it was not only a special day for Christians, it was also the last day of Passover for the Jews as well as the Muslim day of worship. The Old City was filled with people of various cultures and religions off to worship in their own unique ways. It was a special day for everyone that was there- Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike.

Yesterday I went to a Easter service at the Garden Tomb. Now this tomb is probably not where Jesus was buried (there are various ideas out there about where he is really buried) but it did look a lot like what I envisioned in my head his grave would look like. The coolest thing about this service though was not that is was at the tomb, but rather that it was put on by Arab Evangelical Christians who had invited anyone who wanted to come to attend. Many people from all over were there to celebrate the resurrection together. There were Arab Christians, Messianic Jews and Christians from many cultures, including other Chinese speakers. I teared up a bit as we partook in communion together. Here we were, people from many backgrounds, many of them with deep animosities and hurts, fellowshipping together. Because of Christ, we are one body. It was powerful.

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galations 3:28