Some Pictures

Hello far away world.

I'm still in Jerusalem ... but staying at the house of some believers now...it is very special. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be here ... but for now, I get free housing, good food, and even a bed that doesn't have stuff crawling in it ... (even the best sleep sack can only protect you so much from the hostel beds lol).

But yes, I thought I would post some pictures on here ... that way you can all feel like I actually love you.

A View of Haifa from the Louis Promenade

The Bah'ai Shrine and Gardens

A View of the Mediteranean from the slope of Mt. Carmel

Some Locals at the Nazareth Village

Eli Chillin' with the Carpenter at the Village

Reading a Scroll of Luke 4 in a Reconstructed Synagogue

So. Traveling ... is something special.

I am looking forward (very much) to being with Miriam and my Dad in Germany soon. It has really kept me going through all of the traveling.

I love you all. See some of you soon.

love,

eli

Jerusalem, If I Forget You...

Well. Quite a lot has happened.

After Tiberias, I went to Haifa, on the Mediteranean Sea. Spent a day seeing Mt. Carmel, Elijah's Cave ... swimming in the "Great Sea." Took a day trip from Haifa and went to Nazareth ... which was very special. In Nazareth ... there is the "Nazareth Village" ... which is this villiage that they have recreated using only the tools and materials that would've been available in Jesus' day. And then people just live there, living like that....weaving by hand, building using the hammers and nails and everything that they would've had. It is really authentically done also ... not just some knock off. And seeing it ... and seeing how they would thresh, or how they would keep wine...or how they would care for a vineyard ... brings a lot of substance to the parables.

Nazareth was special.

But now...it's Jerusalem once again. It is just right to come back here. There's a little over a week left in my trip ... and I want to spend a Shabbat in Jerusalem ... which means I needed to come back now. ... and it is just right. I'm hoping to get to just relax and reflect on things that have happened.

So - that's where I'm at now ... and I am loving it. I really miss my family ... I'll be soooooo ... soooooo happy to see Miriam in Germany ... ... soooo happy. And maybe sometime later I can post some pictures.

But for now. ...

Peace.

Tiberias

Well. Tonight is the last night in Tiberias. It has been quite a town. We (Wiehann is still traveling with me) ... we climbed the Mt. of Beatitudes ... saw the ruins -quite extensive - at Capernaum...spent Shabbat hanging out at the beach with locals...bought some fishing line and some hooks ... and some pita bread ... and went fishing in the Sea of Galilee. lol.

Stopped and saw the "Ancient Galilee Boat" ... a fishing boat they discovered that dates back to the 1st Century C.E. ... ... which is old. ... haha... wow ... that was something.

We wandered around Qiryat Shmona for a couple hours waiting on some busses. Then we decided to just hitch-hike to Sanir ... which is this river that runs into the Jordan ... has a waterfall ... mostly a local place. That was fun. And refreshing after a hitch-hike in the Israeli heat. (smile).

Today we went to Kfar Blum (after going to Tel Hai to get a discount on the kiyaking - if anyone looks at a map ... it is ... pretty far north) ... but ya ... went to Kfar Blum and went kiyaking on the Jordan ... and the water was pretty quick lol ... ... and it was "lekka" (S. African word that has no English equivalant ... meaning amazingly, amazingly, amazingly great) lol ... yeah ... kiyaking ... on the Jordan ... definitely lekka. (smile).

So. Here's what you all really check this page for anyways ...

Wading at a waterfall at the Sanir with locals

Kiyaking on the Jordan River

The Ancient Galilee Boat

Ok. Well. Thank you guys for reading and caring and praying...and helping me to go. It's about halfway through my trip ... and it has been ... life changing ... and amazing ... and ... lekka. lol.

Thank you all.

Love you all.

eli

wow

Wow. First...it is fun to read your comments...so thanks for them. It's almost like getting to talk to y'all ... ... almost.

Wow. So...a lot has happened. Wiehan is still traveling with me...and now we are in Tiberias. We spent 3 nights in Eilat... I went snorkeling. It was amazing...snorkeling on the Red Sea. Then we crossed over into the Sinai (Egypt) ... and that ... that was an adventure. Wiehan was only given a 3 day visa ... since he's a South African ... so our time in the Sinai was a little limited.

So. If I could give any advice to Sam or Julia or anyone else traveling to Israel ... and maybe thinking about going to the Sinai...well. It is like crack...just don't do it. The buses are unreliable and inconsistent. So. We wound up spending much money on taxis ...but...long story short.... we wound up climbing Mt. Sinai ... at 2am ...so we were at the top in time to see the sunrise. ...

Check out the pictures.

Here's some other stuff that has happened.

Swimming in the Kidron Valley springs with Bill Ibex and his kids and friends...and some local Israelis.

Wading through Hezekiah's Tunnel.

ok... maybe more later.

low battery ... gotta go.

love you all.

ps - sam and julia ... don't put your head underwater at the Dead Sea.

love

eli

Jehova Jira

So. Another night in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a pretty rough town. It has really become a place where everyone just exploits everyone else. There is a Christian Quarter, Muslim Quarter, Jewish Quarter, and Armenian (sect of Christianity) Quarter...where people of different faiths live...because they would kill each other if they lived next to each other. (they still kill each other). If a Muslim sells anything to a Jew...the other Muslims will kill the one selling his goods. It is ... out of this world. The unrest...exploitation...and lack of compassion in this city. And oh! to be an American in Jerusalem...ha...the shop owners ... just think they can jack up the price three-fold! It's just ... exploitation of everyone. And so this is the place that Jesus the Christ overturned the tables ... because they had turned the Temple into a money-changing exploiting place. So it remains today...only...in all of Jerusalem.

But yes...for as rough as the city is...God Provides. In the hostel... God caused me to meet Wiehan (Viann) ... who is a Believer. I would say he is a Christian...but Christian here does not mean the same thing as it does back home. Christians here are the ones outside now ... exploiting even each other...and the same ones who persecute the Armenians and Muslims and Jews...for not being Christian. But yes... I am convinced there are very few Believers in the Way of Jesus in Israel. But God caused me to meet Wiehan ... who is from South Africa...and he is just ... a blessing. He is 25 ... never backpacked around really before...had got to scary, rough Jerusalem a day before we met... and has 3 months in Israel. So now... me and Wiehan will just travel around together ... living and seeking God's heart... in Israel...and loving on people the whole way along it seems.

So Prasie God, eh! (Wiehan says eh quite a bit). But yes really. Today we had tea and sat and had a Bible study and prayed over our families and Jerusalem. Oh Praise God.

So...we waded through Hezekiah's tunnel today (you should read the story about it in the Bible)...we went to the Mt. of Olives...the Tomb of the Prophets (Malachai and Haggai)...we went (drumroll)...to the Israel museum... and saw the Dead Sea Scrolls. Which is amazing. Just amazing. ... oh ... so crazy!!

We also stopped and got some food to cook tonight. In keeping with traveling, we had pita with humus and some Israeli olives ... and cheese and bread... such good cheese here.

Ha. Oh I don't even know why I doubt God. How he always provides...just when you are willing to say you need Him.


I miss you all but am keeping you in prayer.


Todah Yeshua (Thank you Jesus)
- eli



ps - i must get off now because tomorrow we are going to go to the Dead Sea ... (we found a place that has some waterfalls and a beach) ... but we must figure out how to get there first.

At the Moshav

This is my last night at the moshav at Yad HaShemona. Bill was a great help. I spent today (Shabbat) swimming in natural springs all over Judea. I went to Assembly (church has a negative connotation in Israel) with Bill's congregation. I drank tea made not from a pouch, but from leaves. It was the best tea I've ever had.

Jonah has fallen thruogh. He doesn't respond on facebook or on his cell phone...so if I can't get a hold of him tonight, then I will probably just take a bus to Yerushalim (Jerusalem) tomorrow...and see what happens then.

I had falafel today. It was amazing.


I am so thankful for this trip. I do miss home though. The first night here I was pretty lonely and homesick ... and who knows what the next week will be like.

Ok. I must go. I'll try to post sometime in Jerusalem though.

Love and miss you all.

Shalom (peace)
eli