By Tim and Lisa Otterbacher

At the request of Sandy we’ll be writing our blog as an official incident report.

The day was predicted as a day with rain, but instead we were blessed with yet another day of beautiful sunshine and blue sky.

7:45am: The morning started with Dave Gamble’s translation of an important notice noted on his guesthouse bathroom wall: “Gentleman do not place your butts or dentures in the toilet.” Though not confirmed, we went with his interpretation of the language. (Note from the editor: it’s a sign in Italian asking for placement of waste paper in the garbage can.)

9:45am: Departed to the destroyed village of Bir’am. This is a small town to the North of Ibillin and the original home to Father Abuna Chacour.  We met with our tour guide, Nahida Zahrah, who is native to the area and is the place where her father had a home. Bir’am is in a high part of the country  about 2 miles south of the boarder with Lebanon. This village was flooded with soldiers in 1948 who told the story to the approximately 1000 villagers that they were there to protect the village from attack.  The all Christian village was happy that the soldiers were there to protect them and even threw them a party. Eventually the soldiers told the villagers they were in danger of being attacked and that the villagers should leave the town.  They were told they should flee to nearby Jish but the villagers were reluctant and hid in caves and the wilderness just outside town.  Two weeks later they returned to their Village of Bir’am and found the houses broken into and the all the residents forbidden to return home.  Over several years the villagers petitioned to have their village back which had been taken from them.  This was denied.   Finally in 1953 the military bombed and destroyed the village.   In 1967 the villagers were able to establish a cemetery which they have been using to bury their relatives.  We toured the cemetery and saw the location of Father Chacour’s family’s tomb.

We also toured the destroyed village which is now an Israeli National Park. The only building that the military did not destroy was the two  churches in the town.  One of the  churches in the village is claimed by Israel to be a reconstructed synagogue, but in viewing it that appears doubtful. We viewed the other Church and the home of Father Chacour and also the home of our tour guides father. 

12:30pm: Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.  We arrived in Nof Ginosar at the Sea of Gallilee.  We walked down to the sea and boarded two wooden hulled boats that seemed to look very similar to the ones that would be used around Jesus’ time.  We were told by our two captains that the boats we were boarding were just a little wider and had a squared off Stearn instead of a pointed stern as the ones from the 1st century had. We headed out on 2 -12 passenger boats which were tied together. 

We read from Matthew chapter 8 while on the water, as well as other gospels to refresh our understanding of the calming of the seas and when Jesus encouraged  Peter to walk on water during the storm.  Our tour guide also casted a net from each side of the boat into the sea, sadly neither cast netted any fish. We were all allowed to put our feet into the sea off the side of the boat.  We were also reminded that in the area of Galilee, Jesus performed 36 of his over 40 miracles. This cruise was a definite highlight for us.

2:45pm: The time was short, yet powerful as we visited the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus shared his Sermon on the Mount, The Beatitudes, at the start of one of his first sermons.  The Church honoring this sermon is in the shape of an octagon that shares the Eight Beatitudes in the windows above the alter.  The Mosaic tiles nestled into the floor represents the seven sacraments.The church was built in 1936. 

3:15pm: Tabgha; the Church of Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. This location is where Jesus fed a crowd of over 5,000 believers with a young boy’s 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. When the meal was completed 12 baskets of remaining food was collected to be eaten another time. The historical picture depicting the story only has 4 loaves of bread in the basket, not 5 as shared in the parable.  It is said that is because the 5th loaf of bread remains on the alter as the bread of life, continuing to be multiplied and shared through Christians following Jesus.

3:30pm: We traveled to the Primacy of Peter. Jesus asked Peter “Do you love me” 3 times asking with each question that Peter feed his sheep, feed his lambs and feed his sheep.  Tradition shares that the 3 heart shaped stones at this site represents that Jesus here forgave Peter for the 3 times Peter denied Jesus before his crucification. Steps remain today where the fisherman would take their catch up to be taxed before sale.

4:15pm: Capernaum; tradition believes this to be the home of Peter. Many miracles were gifted at this holy place. This site signifies the beginning of Jesus ministry, one of his first sermons that he gave. The center of this area has 3 churches buildt over the remaining relics of Peter’s Mother In-Laws home.

5:15pm: Magdala; believed to be the birthplace and home of Mary Magdalene. Its excavations reveal a vibrant first century city and its art honors women of the Bible and faithful women even now.

Many Blessings, 

Tim and Lisa Otterbacher

Thursday, Oct 24 ~ Anna Schoettle

Thursday was like a sandwich with many layers. The beginning, end, and midday were fairly benign, with Palestinian friends and interesting places–Abuna Firas, a Roman house and stable similar to where Mary and Joseph might have stayed in Nazareth. Then Sister Margaret and an amazing archeological ruin, with layers from first, fourth, and twelth centuries, and ending with our first evening at the Mar Elias School.

But, in between these things were 2 other things that showed again the depth of the oppression of the Palestinian people, and forced a major change of plans for us. The first was the checkpoint we had to pass through going from Zababdeh to Nazareth. Usama described it as the mother of all checkpoints, with several screenings for Palestinians that left him angered and humiliated. For us it was tense, as we had to wait and watch guards with guns, then everyone had to get off the bus with passports and 4 people had to go thru metal detectors.

The second revealing thing was time with a British journalist married to a Palestinian woman. He took us to a destroyed Palestinian village and told us the ways that the Israeli government tries to cover up the destruction, and how the people displaced from that village fight to keep their connections to that land. He also took us to a nearby sacred site, that should be on a list for every Christian pilgrim that goes to Israel, but because it is in a now-all-Jewish moshav, The church is officially ignored. The journalist concluded his talk with analysis of what makes an apartheid state. Isreal definitely qualifies.

I am more aware than ever of the privilege I have in the US of going where I want, when I want and with who I want, of having a choice of the work I do, and the friends I have.

Wednesday, Oct 23 ~ Lisa Dixon

Today we visited two majestic and historic houses of worship, and two human rights monitoring institutions. It’s unfortunate that the former does not prevent the necessity of the latter, but that is the irony of Palestine/Israel. One of the most holy spots in the world (to three great religions) is also the one full of so much strife. On an upbeat note, one inspiring place we visited was Jacob’s Well Church in Nablus.

This is where Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well. (Being embarrassingly ignorant of the Bible, I actually know this story from hearing the Peter Paul and Mary song about it when I was younger.) This is the most authentic holy site in Palestine because the well is still here, and operational.

Anyway, churches have been built over this site (and subsequently destroyed) over and over through the centuries. The current one was completed (by Yasser Arafat) in 1998 after a century of construction. The inspiring part is that the current priest came in 1975 and oversaw the construction. He made the mosaics that are all over the church. (Being a quilter I love handcrafts and tiles.)

The Church has since been attacked 15 times by settlers, but has been repaired and is still intact. This priest has made it his life’s work to make sure that at least this one church survives these senseless human acts of cruelty that are so common in this country. And he’s also quite an artist.