More Jerusalem

Spent the entire day wondering around the Old City. Started with the City of David and walked through the wet tunnel of Hezekiah- seemed like it would never end, and it was very narrow. Other groups were there and were singing, so you could hear all these different beautiful voices echoing through the tunnel. Next, I walked all around the Mt. Of Olives- I think this may be my favorite place in Jerusalem. I know Christ was here and walked all over this mountain. The Garden of Gethsemane was beautiful as well as the Basilica of Agony that stands beside it. There is a chapel on the very top where Christ is believed to have ascended to heaven, wow. The Jewish cemetery was also very neat- lots and lots of graves are there. From, there, the Golden Gate is beautiful. I think it would be incredible to be standing right there when he comes back. I also visited the tomb of the Virgin Mary- a very heavily ornamented church. After walking around the grass with bare feet, I headed back into the Old City to walk the Via Dolorosa- 14 stations starting where Christ was condemned and ending where his body was laid to rest in the tomb. The tomb of Jesus is located inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and it is debated about whether this was really where his tomb was located. Beautiful regardless. I also visited a place called the Garden Tomb, located just outside the Old City and it is another proposed place for Christ's crucifiction and tomb. There are several other potential sites throughout the area, but it is incredible to just be here. At the end of the day, we know two things. That Jesus died for us and that he rose again three days later. After the Garden Tomb, I went to Yad Vashem to visit the holocaust museum. It was very chilling. Seeing the shoes and notes people left in train seats begging strangers to check on their kids make it seem so real and present. It is amazing what man is capable of and I hope the world learned, but I am not sure. Man has been oppressing man since the beginning of time, and it doesn't look like that will change. I don't believe it could happen like it did again, with western countries and on such a massive scale. I do believe, and believe even stronger since I have been here, that if man believes they are carrying out God's will, there is little to nothing you can do to change their mind. When someone believes God spoke to them, no one can tell them differently or that it didn't happen, even when it is over something brutal and horrible. I think a lot of the historical as well as the present tragedies stem from people, crazy or heartless, who believe they are in line with God's will for them and mankind.

The pictures go 1) Hezekiah's Tunnel, 2) Basilica of Agony, 3) Garden of Gethsemane, 4) View of the Old City from the top of Mt. of Olives, 5) Chapel of Ascension, 6) The Golden Gate, 7) Jewish Cemetery, 8) Tomb of Jesus inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, 9) Jesus' Tomb at the Garden Tomb