Bower

What comes to mind when you think about what 8,500 miles looks like? I knew it was far, but after a trip to Israel, I know first hand just how far away it is.

After almost two days, three airports, a five-hour layover in London and 15 hours of flying, we arrived in Tel Aviv, Israel. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I thought it would be hot, dry and look something like the terrain here in Eastern Oregon. I guessed right on these things but never imagined what a different yet similar world it is in the Middle East.

I have always believed what the Bible has to say about things like creation, the flood and Jesus; but to walk where he walked 2,000 years ago took my understanding and faith up to another level. Growing up, I heard the stories and sang songs about Jericho, Bethlehem and the Sea of Galilee, but I never thought I would get to visit those places. I’ve been asked many times why I would choose to go to Jerusalem and if I ever thought about the possibility of danger. I enjoy meeting people who don’t look or think like me. I enjoy seeing how people live and hearing them speak a language other than what I speak. I am also a visual, hands-on learner so I wanted to see the Holy Lands for myself.

This trip was like no other in my experience. We hear about Israel, the Promised Land and the perpetual fighting in the Middle East on the news and social media all the time. It is an ancient part of the world dating back more than 4,000 years, some say 8,000 years. Despite the various beliefs about exactly who Jesus was, how he got here and why he was here, in Israel, there is no question whether he existed. There are thousands of historical accounts, archaeological discoveries, and biblical references to things Jesus did and where he spent his 33 years on earth. Israel is known as the Holy Land, the place Jesus taught, saved and healed people.

A favorite memory is riding in a boat across the Sea of Galilee and thinking about Jesus walking on the water. The Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth, averaging 84 feet and the second-lowest lake in the world behind the Dead Sea at about 700 feet below sea level. The Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized, flows into it and it runs along the border between Israel and Syria.

In the Jordan River, the border is marked by a rope down the middle of the river. The Israel side was full of tourists getting in and out of the water, while the Syrian side was quiet, had no visitors and was guarded by armed military.

An unforgettable view I will never forget is the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem with their sheep. They were covered from head to toe in a robe and carried a rod, just like pictures I’ve seen. In Israel, the rod is a symbol of authority and is used by the shepherd to guide the flock.

For a moment, I felt like I fell back in time. Bethlehem was full of tall buildings, busy streets and fast drivers. Bethlehem is governed by Palestine and is just 6 miles south of Jerusalem. Most known for being the birthplace of Jesus, Bethlehem’s economy depends upon tourism. There’s shopping, restaurants and micro brews like many cities in the United States.

Uniquely, there’s a West Bank Wall that makes traffic movement around the city a challenge and limits population growth to 25,000. Built by Israel, the wall is contentious. Israel considers the wall a security barrier, and Palestine describes it as a symbol of racial segregation. Wanting to avoid politics, I focused my attention on the Church of the Nativity, the oldest church in the area with the original building dating back to the year 325.

The basilica (a common reference to historical churches and ancient Roman public buildings) was built where Jesus was born. The inside was stunningly beautiful with paintings of the time of Jesus and the outside was spectacular with bell towers and tall walls made of stone. I had less than an hour there, not enough time to take it all in.

We spent five nights in Bethlehem after our first night in Nazareth, where Jesus grew up. What felt like the middle of the night, we heard what we thought was singing over a public speaker system. After the first time we heard it, we realized it was played five times throughout the day and night. Curious, we asked the tour guide and Johnny explained that Muslims are required to pray five times per day and the public prayer is believed to help people maintain a connection with God.

Interesting to me, the religious affiliation of people who live in Israel is 74% Jewish, 18% Muslim, 2% Christian. The remaining 6% include faiths such as Samaritanism, Bahai as well as religiously unclassified and atheism. It was surprising to me that only 2% of the people were Christian. I like it when my assumptions are wrong and I learn something new.

These were just a few of the places we visited and interesting facts we learned. With 925 photos, I have much to share so will write about the trip again in future columns. For now, I wrap up by sharing the most profound personal reflection I had on the trip was that in the scheme of life, I have nothing to complain about and that I am fortunate to live in a place where I can talk about my faith in Jesus and not be in danger.

May we never lose this freedom so many, including my father, fought and died for. Freedom is not the common denominator around the world and the trip reminded me just how fortunate I am.