Next Steps

The last week has been very crazy. I began working on campus. I am a librarian! I do imputing of the new books that will be put into the library as well as the regular library tasks. It is a great opportunity to meet other students and have a little bit of quiet. I work one evening a week from 10pm-Midnight and there are not many people around so I get the wonderful privilege of being alone in peace and quiet. But I actually do get a good amount of time alone. My roommate is dating and her boyfriend is here, so she is out of the room a lot and I get the opportunity to be alone in my room. It is very good.

Our next field trip was Sunday September 7th. We left campus at 7am and did not return until 6pm. It was a great day. We spent the morning studying some of the ruins of the Old Testament. We went into the Jewish quarter and saw part of the original wall built during the time of Hezekiah. It is so special to know that those very rocks were touched by Hezekiah and his mighty men. After that we went into the preserved archeological city of David. The ruins of his palace where there. We explored a bunch of tunnels which was the water system at the time. This included Canaanite Tunnel and Hezekiah’s Tunnel. These tunnels empty into the pool of Siloam, which is also where Jesus sent the blind man to wash his eyes. In the afternoon we focused on the New Testament and we went to Jerusalem Archeology Park where the original temple ruins are of the temple which Jesus worshipped and taught. We actually sat on the steps that Jesus walked on. We also walked the Cheesemaker Street, which was the main street that ran through the temple. We ended our day in the most beautiful, simple chapel. St. Anne’s in honor of Mary and her family. The acoustics of this building is amazing. Even the most horrible singer would sound amazing. On the same property there was the pool of Bethesda, which is actually more than one pool and the main pool is over 100ft deep! Jesus went and walked around this pool and told the lame man to get up and walk. It was a wonderful day!

During the week I began leading a girls bible study on becoming a Godly woman. We had 12 girls show up the very first time! It is going to be a great opportunity to bond with the other girls here. I have also had a few opportunities to do some mentoring which has been such a blessing.

This last Saturday, September 13 there was another all day field trip. The morning was mostly review for me because we went up the Mount of Olives which I had already done a few times while being here, but I was looking forward to the afternoon because we weren’t going to have to walk everywhere. We were going to get to ride a tour bus and we were going to go to Bethlehem and see the Church of the Nativity, but we had an unfortunate occurrence.

(For the younger readers – please read this with your parents)
As we leaving Jerusalem and entering the town of Tekoa, it is on the way to Bethlehem, our bus was hit by a rock. The rock went through the window and hit three of my dear friends, two of which who had to be taken to the hospital for stitches and to have glass removed from their skin and eyes. It was very scary. As we were driving by I saw the two boys out the window getting ready to throw something, but I could not make out what it was and I did not think that they could throw that far. But SURPRISE! They did. Once I was over the shock and we were back to campus. I was able to take some time to reflect on the situation. I was sitting in the seat directly in front of the girls that got the worst injury. That rock could have hit me. I am so thankful for my life and for my eyesight. I have prayed for the boys and have forgiven them, but there is still a little bit of fear in me to get back on a bus. And it was a private bus at that. These boys did not even know who was inside. It was simply an act of rebellion.

Thank you for all of your prayers. I miss you all!