It has been over a month since we went to the Mount of Olives. I have been so busy with caring for my five kids, now that school is out for summer. I am sorry to be behind on my blogging, but I have to engage the children otherwise they wake me up at 4:00am saying "I can't fall back to sleep, Mom!" I guess better late than never, right?
The morning we spent on the Mount Of Olives was just gorgeous. I am so glad to have spent time there. We spent time at The Church of The Pater Noster(In English :The Church Of Our Father), enjoying the view of Jerusalem, saw the Garden of Gethsame, and visited the Church of Mary Magdalene.
On this morning in Jerusalem we had three children with us, Grace, Faith and Timmy. Luke was not feeling well and Hope had been up most of the night before, so we choose the three with the most energy : )
The church of the Pater Noster was so amazing to see. It is believed to be the site where Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer to his followers or the "Our Father" prayer. The unique aspect of this church is the large tiles that line the walls of the entrance, grounds and the chapel. Each grouping of tiles has The Lord's Prayer written on it. There are over one hundred different languages. Some of our favorites to stumble upon were Cherokee, Swahili, Lugandan and Arabic. We had to take a photo of the kids by English (Anglais in French, it is a French church) and we took a photo of Timothy by Lugandan which they speak in Uganda where he was born.
After visiting the Church of The Pater Noster we drove around the hillside to see the spectacular views of Jerusalem. We made a friend with a Palestinian man who welcomed us on his property and took our photo altogether with Jerusalem in the background. He shared with us about a park within walking distance of his property that was a place where many Christians visited to sit and pray. We strolled out there and looked over the city that Jesus loved. I was able to get a crash course from our new friend about growing an olive tree. The photo of the olive tree is on his property. This was a nice time that was unexpected stop.
The views from Jerusalem from the hillside were truly breathtaking. I can see why Jesus came up here to pray and look over the city that would be destroyed after he was back home in heaven. I couldn't help but think of his second coming and the joy I will have at that time. I could truly feel my heart break for Jerusalem with all it's history, hate, war and sadness. While on the Mountain I wanted to scream the truth, I wanted all to know what Jesus did for them, and I wanted peace for the whole world. I could feel Jesus sadness for this part of the world and the condition we find ourselves in as humans.
Our next stop of the morning was the Garden of Gethsemane. What a special place this was. It contains many old Olive trees there and it is the traditional site that Jesus is supposed to have prayed for God's will on the night of his arrest. It is also believed to be a place that Jesus and his disciples visited often. This is supposed to be the place where Judas betrayed Jesus leading to his arrest, torture, death and (most important) his resurrection. This garden was the beginning of something that God had foretold from the beginning of time. It was very humbling and awesome to be here. I am aware that this may not be the exact spot. But, again I used this time to focus on what Jesus went through during this time. I was able to picture the time in my mind's eye while contemplating the garden.
Grace stands next to the rock it is believed Jesus prayed on the night of his arrest.
The Church of St. Mary Magdalene was a beautiful sight. As we went inside we were treated to a choir singing a hymn in English. We all enjoyed the artwork contained in the sanctuary. My favorite was the stained glass windows and beautiful ceiling tiles.
After we spent some time listening in the church we went back out to Gethsemane. I was excited to see my favorite flower the Hollyhock. This was an amazing morning and I was blessed to see it all with my own eyes. Some may ask "Were you afraid to be visiting Jerusalem?" There were moments of fear, but honestly when you live in another Middle Eastern country, it puts a great deal in prospective. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for our family. We were greeted by the Israelis with kindness and hospitality. God is beginning to teach me that fear is futile. If it is my time to go home to heaven, I will not avoid it by worrying or living frozen by fear. I am not saying I invite danger. I just realize my place in the world and I trust God to provide in any and all circumstances. Those circumstances lately have been vacationing in two "war" zones, driving in Kuwait(talk about taking your life in your hands) and living abroad with five children. God protected us and we were able to see the city that he loved and grieved for. If you have a chance to see Jerusalem, do it! Soon, I will take you to the Sea Of Galilee, The Jordan River and the city of Nazareth.
