Hal our Pal -- He's my inspiration!

Day 3- Bethlehem (Palestine)
CINDY

So we walk about miles and miles each day easily, up and down roads, rocky unleveled steps, around buildings, through the market. Yesterday we were on the go from 8:30am to 6pm. Here are the places we visited:
-Bethlehem (seeing where Jesus was possibly born, eating falafels, and visiting a cool souvenir shop that sold olive wood that is unique to that region)
-climbing up the Herodium,and through it’s tunnels and cisterns (fun!)
-Second Temple model (it was crazy how cool that was and how much it revealed about Jerusalem though some of it was not historically accurate.. and also some of the new excavations that have occurred have revealed some of the artistic renditions as incorrect.. hey, I guess that isjust bound to happen when you just don’t have all information at hand)
-Fons’ house (the founders of the University of the Holy Land.. we went over for some DELICIOUS mousse cake and tea.. that mousse was the best I have ever had. It was chocolate and light and oh so yummy. That thing went as fast as a clearance item on the morning of Black Friday! Lol)

Hal, a Norwegian, is our guide. He is 73 years old as I have mentioned before. He has been giving tours for 43 years! He goes everywhere with us. Actually he is the one who is at the front of the group always. When others are huffing and puffing from climbing up Hal is at the top of the stairs explaining the landscape, the building, or where we are headed next. That man never skips a beat! I just look up and smile every time. He has the most knowledge of Israel that I have ever known anyone to have, past, present, and possibly the future (where the country might be headed).. his knowledge comes from experience (living in Israel for so long), archaeology, history, politics, sociology, and biblical studies.

In Bethlehem we went to the Church of St. Catherine (the adjoining church to the Church of the Nativity-where it is believed Jesus birth took place..not in the church but you know.. :P) It was named after a 19 year old girl from Egypt who was killed by her home family. They stretched her but she never recanted so they stretched her until her death. Ouch!

In this same church is where Jerome had a grotto where he would right and translate the Bible into Latin.. it became what we now consider the Vulgate. His study was right next to the place Jesus was born. I thought that was cool. As we sat in Jerome’s study there was a mosaic on the wall that showed Jerome, his scribe, Paula (who financed his translations), and her assistant. It is a beautiful mosaic (see picture).

Hal began to describe Jerome’s life and work.. how he would come down those stairs that led to this study area (a small cave like structure that would be cool in the summer and warm in the winter) What Hal highlighted from the mosaic was Paula. Jerome’s work would not have been possible without her. You know, I never thought of that before. I just thought about Jerome.. but it’s true.. how could he carry out the work without moral AND practical support.. it’s like a missionary. Missions are not possible without practical financing. Those who believe in the person invest in them and help them to move forward. Jerome had such a person.. she was Paula. Hal explained how he helps get ppl from around the world to a place they can call home here in Israel.. where they can learn to translate the Bible by being in the land of the Bible. He says none of this is possible without finances. He said it was so hard to get these people visas, especially the guys he invites from North Africa b/c the gov’t feels they will come and then just stay in the country after their visa expires b/c they can get paid more to work here. His passion was so relevant. He was so passionate about people being able to translate the Bible contextually in the land of the Bible and back in their own countries. He was passionate about teaching and then releasing. It seemed that he could just do this work for an eternity. I loved how much vibrancy, youthfulness, and passion he carried at his age. There is no doubt in me that he will continue on for a while continuing to teach and release God’s words in accurate and relevant ways back into countries around the world, with a historical knowledge of Israel (what the church needs so badly!) He stood there in Jerome’s grotto with his arm raised high as he spoke so fervently. And yet he stopped himself TWICE (ha!) because he said he could just go on forever.. and I thought to myself.. do it!!☺