Colourful Dreamer

This was a big day. After breakfast at the Sisters of Nazareth Convent we set off to up into the Golan Heights below Mt Hermon to the Banias National Park and the site of Caesarea Philippi – the Roman city built by Herod the Great’s son Philip on the site of a Greek Temple for Pan and the Dancing Goats. It is built at the source of the Banias Stream, one of the main tributaries for the Jordan River. This is another wahi tapu - long been seen as a holy place – hence the Greek temple built at the time of Alexander the Great. It had been occupied for 2,000 years until the Syrian population fled after the 1967 Six-Day War. It is now part of Israel. The border with Lebanon and Syria were in the hills above us. When we were there, on the border, it was peaceful with uncertainty and danger lurking at the fringes. Last year it became part of the war zone with Hezbollah. We spent over two hours at the Banias National Park, walking through the ruins of the Temple of Pan and the first Greek se...

Day three started super early. We were on the bus with our bags packed and teeth cleaned before we were normally at breakfast. With Katie's carefully caring for us, Rodney's wonderful leadership and insights, and Andrew's reflections, we departed for three days in the heat of the Galilee. This was where we started to really appreciate his time keeping. Not too short, but long enough at each place. And it was hot. Getting near 40 ℃ . The day came with so many memories of when I was here in 2005, and it was special to be able to do with Bonnie this time. After an essential coffee stop, we arrived at Capernaum. The sign said "No short clothing" and they meant it. One of our party thought she was covered enough and had to find more clothing in the bus to be let in. Capernaum is special in the Jesus story. He spent a lot time here - it was his home. And the disciples came back here - Peter's mother in law's house is here - now an archeological site with a Franc...

Day two began with a lecture briefing with Rodney around the "Nativity Narratives", and then we departed for Ein Kerem and the Church of the Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56). Ein Karem is about 7.5 km outside Jerusalem. It is a tranquil place of trees and vineyards, a town of Jewish artisans and craftspeople, with the Jewish municipality of Jerusalem spreading to incorporate it. It is a holy place in Christian memory and Christian churches and convents abound.  But hidden in this tranquility is a dark history. Ein Kerem was a Arab/Palestinian village until 1948.  During the Arab-Israeli War that established the State of Israel over 750,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes. Ein Kerem was one of those villages. They thought they would return once the hostilities ceased. Many of those families still hold the keys for their homes. The new state of Israel blocked their return and their land and their lives were confiscated. Today they still wait on that hope of return. O...