Another Day Off

It is a good thing I am not waitng too long between blogs or I would never remember all the things we have been doing.  The days are very full and long.  Sunday morning we attended an Arab service in the Old City.

 One of the men on staff was leading the worship.  The church is associated with the Alliance.  Was nice to see Christmas decorations.  No carols sung and no songs we recognized.  The good thing was to see many young Palestinian believers.  The entire service is in Arabic but they had earpieces with translation.  They sang some of the songs so many times I think I almost learned the language.  When the preacher started he was using a mike.  He did not need one.  He shouted from beginning to end.  So there we were holding the earpiece tight with one hand and covering the other ear  trying to catch the English.  It did not work. 

I am having some trouble moving pictures where I want so they are out of order.  Below is Donna with Glenda in the shop..  Donna is getting better at it all the time.  Her stress is when a couple of groups come at once.  Everyone wants prices or help at the same time and the pressure is on as the Israeli guides are trying to get the groups out the door and onto the buses.

So

So while we are on to Glenda and Donna.  I went with them shopping in the Old City through the Damascus gate last Friday at 12:30.  That is when thousands of Muslem men are coming back from Friday prayers at the Mosque.  Three of us going in while 5000 men coming out.

Good time for them to sell shoes in the great shoe store.

And everyone was selling.  We bought strawberries here.  Everything is fresh

This is Home Depot in the Old City.  Bought cheaper here than at home.  Spray paint for $2.50 and individual service from the owner.

On our way back through the old city, we picked up a few things for lunch.  Right near the grocery store is the Christmas Shop in the Christian Quarter(Catholic)  The owner brought in 3 forty foot containers of decorations and was almost out of stock.

It really helps when the signs are in English like this one instead of Arabic or Hebrew.  Of course you can read it and know it is pointing to the refrigerators. 

Donna did not buy the fish here.

There are dozens of candy stores like this in the Old City.  Think a good occupation here would be dentist.

And lots of these stands as well for pickels and olives.

Donna is a very careful shopper.  She likes to save money and check out prices.  Here she has a big problem.  In our local markets, there are no prices on items.  The one little market where we buy most of our fruit and vegetables has an interesting way of weighing and pricing.  This week she bought a lemon,  avacado, bannans and tomatoes.  The man put them all in one bag and wieghed them together.  Not sure if he looked at the weight before he said 15 shekels.  So be it.


In the afternoon we headed out for a walk.  Back into another part of the Old City and eventually ending at the Western Wall.  Young Jewish soldiers were getting ready for some kind of special 5 mile run to honor Jerusalem.  I am not sure what it was all about.  We were ready to watch them race off.  Someone must have forgotten to tell them that in a race you run not walk.

At the heart of all we do is to tell the message of the Gospel.  I have had hundreds of Nigerians in groups and here is part of one of them.  They become so excited when we start to talk about the resurrection.  I am going to see them in Glory.  I sometimes say to them that if I do not see them on earth, maybe we will be neighbours in heaven.  I love to think of it as much as they do. 

I want to finish with something I think I mentioned before .. the very first day I had a group of Mormons.  One of the group is a lawyer and writer.  He is finishing a book on the life of Jesus.  I share my testimony and then a little thing on a Jewish song.  Gives me a great chance to share the Gospel.  He asked me if he could share it in the ending of his book.  This week he emailed and asked if I could write it out for him.  I did last night and he wrote back thanking me this morning.  So I am pasting what I wrote and say day after day as part of my tour .

" One night when I was six years old, I got out of bed and went downstairs.  My father wanted to know what I was doing out of bed, and I told him that I wanted to know how I could go to heaven.  He took me on his knee in his big chair.  Then he opened his Bible to John 3:16.  He said to me that when it says "world" it included me.  Also when it says "whosoever"  that also was for me.  Then he read the verse in a way I will never forget.  " for God so loved Gordy that he gave his only begotten son that if Gordy believed in Him, Gordy would never perish but Gordy would have everlasting life".  He helped me to pray and ask Jesus to forgive my sins and accept me as His child.  That night was the starting place in my life as a child of God."
 
I learned about a song called Dayenu from a Jewish friend that had my wife and myself into their home on a couple of occasions for Passover.  Dayenu means "it would have been enough" or sufficient.  ( you can insert the actual words for a couple of verses if you like)  The song talks about various things God did for the nation of Israel when they were leaving captivity in Egypt.  It starts with a good thing but finishes each verse with an unresolved issue.  The point of the song is that when God does something for us, we should be thankful, even if we cannot see the entire outcome working for our good. 
 
During my time here as a guide at the Garden Tomb, I like to help people think through the life of Christ.  reminding them that if Jesus was born in Bethlehem as the very son of God, and I believe He was, and if that is the end of the story, I cannot say Dayenu-  it would have been enough.  If He taught , loved healed and ministered for three years and then it was over- I cannot say Dayenu.  If he died on the cross for our sins at Golgotha as wonderful as that is- I cannot say it would have been enough.  If He was put in a tomb and the stone was rolled in place, and He is still in the tomb.  I cannot say Dayenu.  It would not have been enough.
 
But on the third day Jesus rose from the dead as He had promised.  And I can absolutely say  --Dayenu!!  It is my joy and confidence to believe in the Risen Saviour.  At the Garden Tomb, every day we have the privilege of reminding people about the crucifixtion, burial and resurrection.  We may or may not be in the "right" place where it all happended.  It is not the place that is important to be certain about.  It is to be certain about Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Gord Reeve