![\"Photo](\"http:\/\/www.livingstonespilgrimage.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/blog-3-Heidi-Borter-and-Abuna.jpg\")
<\/a>Heidi Borter and Abuna<\/p><\/div>\n
My blog for today actually started last night when I had the great blessing to meet Archbishop Abuna Elias Chacour.\u00a0 Meeting Abuna and presenting him with a personal letter which coincided with a memorial gift honoring my parents, Rev. John and Carol Borter, to the Pilgrims of Ibillin was the primary purpose of my journey to Galilee.\u00a0 Dad visited Ibillin in 1995 and 1998 and was profoundly moved by his stay and now I have the opportunity to see and experience everything first-hand.\u00a0 I wear one of Dad’s crosses each day so we can make this trip together.<\/p>\n
Our morning started at the high school and before we even got inside the building we were greeted by students yelling out the windows “Welcome!!\u00a0 Welcome!!”\u00a0 We indeed felt welcome by both the students and the teachers even though we did take over their staff lounge.\u00a0 Our group was broken out and some visited English classes and, in my case, a 9th grade math class.\u00a0 We stood in front of the room and introduced ourselves and told where we were from and then the students could ask questions.\u00a0 They all spoke surprisingly good English and were very inquisitive. I think they genuinely enjoyed our\u00a0 company.\u00a0 \u00a0Or perhaps they just liked getting out of their scheduled math class but, in either case, spending time with them warmed my heart.<\/p>\n
<\/a>6th Grade English Class<\/p><\/div>\n
Our next stop was the elementary school.\u00a0 I sat in on a 6th grade English class.\u00a0 Students in the back of the room gave us their seats and books so we could follow along.\u00a0 Today’s lesson was on Gulliverer’s Travels by Jonathon Swift .\u00a0 The students were very vocal and enthusiastic but the teacher had great control and patience.\u00a0 They discussed the story, reviewed word definitions, and answered questions relating to the story.\u00a0 Meanwhile, during all of the pauses I conversations, all of the girls near us turned around to ask questions and then would giggle at our responses.\u00a0 Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, and Demi Lovato where hot topics.\u00a0 Before we left they all wanted autographs and one boy gave me a red\/blue elastic bracelet.\u00a0 He will definitely grow up to be a huge charmer.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Two students who will be visiting the US this summer.<\/p><\/div>\n
Lunch was an Arabian-style potluck lunch provided by the mothers of students who will be visiting the U.S. later this year.\u00a0 Wow!!\u00a0 What a feast.\u00a0 Lunch also gave us an opportunity to meet the students and get to know them better.\u00a0 Enclosed is a picture of two amazing 11th graders who will be visiting Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Door of the Church of the Beatitudes, Ibillin<\/p><\/div>\n
Next, we visited the Ibillin Church of the Beatitudes which was built in 2002.\u00a0 It was incredibly beautiful and full of iconography and meaning.\u00a0 So much so that my words simply can’t do it justice.\u00a0 Before we left, Joan taught us a song called “Pray for Peace for Jerusalem”.\u00a0 I’ll never forget that sound or those words.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Church of the Sermon on the Mount (The Beatitudes), Ibillin<\/p><\/div>\n
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by Heidi Borter My blog for today actually started last night when I had the great blessing to meet Archbishop Abuna Elias Chacour.\u00a0 Meeting Abuna and presenting him with a personal letter which coincided with a memorial gift honoring my … Continue reading