The Pilgrims are Home!

The pilgrims made their way home, although a day late. Due to a 2 hour late departure from Tel Aviv Friday morning, we missed our connection in Frankfurt. Lufthansa rebooked us on Saturday's flight to Seattle, and provided hotel rooms and meals for the entire bunch.

While everyone was happy to finally be home, the day of rest in Frankfurt was at least beneficial to the chaperones! We enjoyed the opportunity for a comfortable rest!

When we finally arrived in Seattle, we were thrilled to be met by parents, friends, and Kathy Hamilton!!!! It was a wonderful way to be welcomed back.

-JR

Final Day by Nate R.

Well today was our last day in Israel…it was a sad but fun day.

We started off by waking up at 9AM (which was a well earned late wake up). We then had breakfast and around 10ish we decided to walk (one more time) to Jaffa. It was about a 1 mile walk and it took us about an hour. We saw the port that Jonah was supposed to have left from. Afterwards we stopped off at a Schwarma restaurant and got food. We then were “free” until 5:45. The guys and I walked around Tel-Aviv and shopped a little bit, then I went to the beach with the girls in our group while the other guys looked for post cards. After we went to the beach we came back to the hotel and hung out until it was time for dinner, we went to a restaurant near the Sea.

Then we got gelato and walked around the beach for the rest of the time.

The time is 8 o’clock at night and our plane for Frankfurt leaves at 5:00 in the morning so we have to be at the airport at 2 in the morning. This will be very interesting (trying to maintain a positive attitude with the security people at 1:30 in the morning). Look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Departing Jerusalem - by Riley G.

Today was a bittersweet day; we had to say our goodbyes to all of the new friends we made at St. Georges College. While we were waiting, a small blind kitten ran into the driveway. Cats run around like squirrels. We played with the Kitten and tried to give it food although it didn’t want anything. It made many of us, especially Nate, sad to leave the kitten behind. Our bus finally arrived, after all of the other groups had left, to take us to Tel Aviv. The city is one of the only major cities in the country so it is like the Las Vegas, New York, Miami and LA of Israel all mixed into one. More on this later.

Our rooms were not all ready, so we left our luggage in one of the available rooms and toured around the city. Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel owned a house, which has been transformed into a Museum. The history in this house showed the serious attempt that the country had at unifying its people and creating a peaceful country.

After walking around for about 2 hours, our rooms were ready. We all changed into our swimming gear and took a dive into the Mediterranean. In comparison, the Dead Sea contains 14% salt; the Mediterranean has only 7% salt content. It still left a bad taste in my mouth, but was enjoyable to swim in such warm, yet refreshing water. The waves came in as perfect waves, which many people in the water were either surfing of body surfing. I tried to body surf although the salt water would get into my nose and burned for a long while.

We returned to the Hotel to dry off before leaving for dinner. A group of kids, about our age walked in from a tour bus that was parked outside. There were so many of them, and they all spoke French. I was told they were “ Birth Right Jews.” I didn’t know what that meant. From what I am told, Jewish Youth have the option of traveling to the Israel (which is commonly known as the Jewish Homeland) and is paid for by many American Jewish Communities. Because the Israeli Government sponsors it, I don’t believe that those visitors have an accurate representation of what is happening in the country. We’ve seen so much more than the local government wants us to see! We’ve talked to Arabs and Palestinians and seen the discrimination from locals. Water is the biggest issue.

Mt Tabor - by Riley G.

Unfortunately, today was uneventful although we saw some very historical sites. In the morning, we left Pilgarhaus for Mount Tabor which is almost a perfect dome surrounded by flat valley areas. The parks department told us that we were not allowed to climb up the mountain (or what they call one) because the leaves that fall on the hiking path this

time of year are very slippery and hikers should not climb up or down, so...we took taxi's.

The mountain is VERY steep and the road is extremely curvy and the taxi's drive very fast around those turns. When we got to the top, we held a Eucharist. Later we discover the church at the top of the mountain which is where is was claimed the transfiguration took place.

Most of the rest of the was a day of moving around and heading back to Jerusalem. Our bus was having major problems however and the path of our road, was very desert like and the air conditioning was broken and the bus was slowly shutting itself down. We made it safely back to Jerusalem although not without a stop at Bet Shian. These are just another of an infinate set of Roman/Egyptian ruins.

Our scavenger hunt didn't sound too appealing in the 100+ degree heat.

So I stayed and viewed the ruins from a distance while others took a more hands on approach (climbing to the top of the Tel, a mixture of several civilizations). I wich I took the more hands on approach although one of the girls from the Canadian group became dehydrated and came down with heat sickness.

After a long day of traveling and a short day of sightseeing, we return to Saint George's College. Some of our final shopping bits were taken care of at the small Bazzar across the street as souvineers and gifts for family and friends back home. As tomorrow will be the last day of the course, featuring the Stations of the Cross and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Church of the Resurection), our groups discussed the proceedure at the Tel Aviv Airport. These are much more strict at this airport in particular although I will blog about that when I experience it. Until tomorrow!

Birthday - by Riley G.

My day started much earlier than expected at Midnight. I was sleeping in my room at a Hostile along the Sea of Galilee when I heard the door to my room open and I woke up to see what it was. A large group of people from the youth course were standing in the doorway. I said, “What are you doing in my room?” and then they serenaded me in bed hitting me with pillows singing Happy Birthday. What a way to start my 18th birthday…with a group of friends in Israel!

When we woke up and ate a great breakfast (they have Coco Puffs here!!!) we traveled a short way to Capernaum. This is where Jesus moved to after his youth in Nazareth which was becoming much too dangerous for the sun of got to be living. Capernaum was a much larger city than Nazareth although has become ruins later in time while Nazareth has flourished into a major city. The morning was spent in the ruins where I received my first birthday present from my parents (a kiss from JR and Irene, my parents away from home).

Our next stop was to the Temple of Pan, another common god during the time of Jesus. This fortress was built by the sons for Herod following his death. The architecture of this fallen village was amazing. A Highlight at this site was the sand scriptures. A large rod attached to a cone sitting in a sand pit has reversed lettering on it so when it was rotated in the sand, the result would be a scripture. I’ll put a picture up which will make much more sense. After seeing this area and Banyas Waterfall (which had a French Fry Vending machine) we returned to the Hostile on the Sea of Galilee.

On the ride back, we saw signs along the road which read, “Caution, Mines" I wondered why and was told we were in Israeli occupied Syria. Through this trip I have visited multiple countries, the US of course, Germany, Israel, Occupied Palestine and Syria. The territories throughout the country are very different than when we look at them on a political map. Everything isn’t as clear as a line which divides state from state. It is argued land and since the United States supports Israel, we see the country as the Israeli Government wants us to see it and what seems right in the eyes of the powerful Jewish rulers.

Returning to Pilgarhaus, we changed into swimming gear to go to the water for a baptism service. It was a traditional baptism device where Emily was dunked into the water on the Sea of Galilee. Following this service students from the coarse swam for a while in the refreshing water. It was not cold, although it seemed like a public pool that was slightly warmed. For us Seattleites, it was VERY warm water.

It’s my birthday and many people wished me a Very Happy Birthday. I feel like I have so many more privileges and responsibilities although I don’t feel any wiser with the responsibilities. At dinner, people bought me my soda and following the group reflection time, they threw me a birthday party with cherry chocolate cake. When the amazing cake came out, it didn’t have candles, but rather fireworks spewing sparks out from the top. What a way to end the day sitting next to a lake in Israel with a group of friends eating my birthday cake with fireworks on top!

Nayas blog 7/18/10

Hey guys! sorry im not blogging a lot! i am having a lot of fun and im sure you have been keeping up with what we have doing throughout this time so i am not going to repeat saying it lol however i will say that we had a great reflection today and it really made me think that i really enjoy my faith and that i dont need to see to believe that god is always with me!. i am really sad about this really confusing and complicated conflicts that is going on here, im sad for all my friends i have made here, and us christians should really try to help!

I had a roommate named Sally who is going home tomorrow because she is really sick and i will miss her lots, i think that it is awesome that we have made future plans to get togther and keep in contact! love you sally, bahebek!

today was exciting with all the events that went on like Rileys 18th bday and Emilys BAPTISM congrats to them both!

for everyone at home i miss and love you all!

love from naya

Katie W's post from Galilee

Today has been wonderful. It's Riley's birthday, so at 12:04 about 15 of us woke him up to sing to him. It was so funny. When Steven let us into the room Riley woke up and was like "what are you doing in my room??" which was hilarious cause then we started singing and turned on the lights and he freaked out. But then we all left and let him go back to sleep. He pretended to be angry with me at breakfast cause it was my idea:P. We started at Capernum this morning, which was lovely. There were cats everywhere, really small ones. They were surprisingly friendly. I climbed a tree, which was cool cause I could look down on the whole ancient city, including a beautiful view of the coast. We also went to a great waterfall, it was such a great little hidden wonder. Then we lunched at Cesaera Phillipi. Standing in the Jordan river was such a powerful experience. A couple of the other girls and I were standing in it and it was so peaceful. I splashed my knees with the water, and it felt so calming. They haven't hurt since then. Last we did Emily's baptism, which was amazing. It's so great that she was able to be baptized in the sea of Galilee. After that it turned into a huge swimming party, which was so much fun. Buying a waterproof camera was so smart. I have some awesome shots of the chicken fight. Love from Israel! Katie

Saturday by Steven B.

Yesterday was a very full day, we covered a lot of ground and experianced a wide variety of things. We departed St. George's in the morning, and headed for Ceaserea Maritima, an ancient city on the coast of the Mediterranian. we explored the remains of a Roman racetrack and a Crusader gatehouse. It as interesting to see the various layers of history there. after Ceaserea, we paid a visit to Megiddo, the sight of a city that dates back to 4th millennium B.C.E.

It's strategic importance made it a target for every conquerer who came through the region, and it was destroyed and rebuilt over twenty times over the centuries.

After we finally made it to the Galilee, we revisited the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, and spent an hour with the youth group at Holy Family Church in Raineh. We finally settled in at the Pilgerhaus (right on the shore of the Sea of Galilee), and the nice group from New York State treated us to a dance party on a bout out on the lake. it was quite a day, and one of my favorites so far.

Baptism- Emily T.

Today was a weird day for me. When I first woke up, I wasn't excited. I was thinking, "Oh, well today JR is going to dunk me and it's all good." Then when we were on the bus on our way to Capernaum it hit me. When Father Andrew stated that we were having the baptism service afterwards I realized that the event I had been waiting for for six months had finally arrived.

I was asked by Bishop Rickel to read the gospel according to Matthew. It was I think the first reading of the Bible that I didn't mess up and that I felt empowered to read. People surrounded me, watching me read. Then my new Godmother Irene presented me. That was the point where I started crying (which was embarrassing). Then Bishop Rickel lead me down to the beach of Galilee and I was followed by people singing "Wade in the Water." We got out to the sea and I was standing between JR and the priest from Newfoundland who kindly offered his hand for balance from the rocky bottom. JR then grabbed my face and dunked me in the water while people made a circle holding hands. When I came up the first time I could hear people laughing which was probably because I was gasping for air. When I came up from the third time, I was greeted as a new child of God by cheers and applause. I was then anointed with the oil by the bishop. I will smell like a baby for probably a week. When the spreading of the peace was happening, I was tackled by most of my group and that when I started crying again. The joy and support that I received from my group really made me feel like I was part of a community. This was the first time throughout the trip I felt empowered by God's love. One of the best parts was when I got to spray (or splash) people to renew their baptismal vows. This overall was the most empowering day that I've had on this pilgrimage. I feel that the reason why I came on this pilgrimage is to understand Christ who I was drawn to and to become an official participant of the faith and now I have fulfilled that purpose.

Jasper's Reflection at Nazareth

I was asked to write a reflection on the story of Gabriel coming to to Mary while we were at the church of the Annuncation. Here it is:

At the time when Gabriel came to her Mary would have been about 14 or younger. Try and imagine being a girl that age. Your periods recently started so you've got lots of hormones and emotions running around. You are betrothed to a man whose probably much older then you are. On the other hand your about to get your own house. Your becoming a full participant in your faith. And then out of the blue Gods angle shows up, tells you God loves you more then any other woman and would you please get pregnant and have this baby out of wedlock. At that time, a woman who had a child out of wedlock could be publicly stoned to death. It would reflect not only on your family, but your entire village. It would be easy to say 'no'... to protest that you are not the right one. Moses did. But instead, Mary says 'yes'. In extreme act of faith and trust, Mary says 'yes'. How many of us would have done the same? It is so easy in our world to say 'no'. We see it all the time in politics, in rules, in choices. How often do we choose not to listen to those around us... not to learn new things... not to see other points of view?

So I challenge you to say 'yes' to those around you. To think before you are negative about someone or something. To look at things more positively and see other points of view.

Thursday by Sophie M.

Today we stopped at several places including the temple mount, western wall, and dome of the rock. The temple mount was where Abraham was about ready to sacrifice his son. We walked around the site and saw the dome of the rock and other mosques which were beautiful. The dome of the rock that was golden on top and had lovely geometric shapes and designs in green, blue, and white with arabic writing. I took LOTS of pictures. We also had a discussion about what makes a place holy and got lot

of different opinions on the subject. Afterwards, we made our way over to the western wall.

The western wall is about 34 meters high and each block is roughly 3 tons. The women had to go on one side while the men got to witness a bar mitzah on the otherside. I also had the oppurtunity to put my prayer in the wall and take pictures of the women watching their son's bar mitzah from the ladies side.We also walked along the temple ruins of the first and second temple.

One of the most fun experiences today was walking through the city of david underground. It was long, dark rock tunnel filled with water top about our knees. It was dark and we had to purchase flash lights in order to see. the journey through the dark tunnel took us about 45 minutes and I was glad to see the light when I emerged. The tunnel was used to transport water to king david's city. After that I treated myself to two ice creams, and some peanuts. Tonight we are playing cards and were able to have a formal discussion with the Arab teenagers who live in Israel. We asked several questions about identity, priviledges, discrimination, and the conflict in general.

I'm having a oober awesome in Israel with my buddies!

-Sophie M.

Day 8- Emily T

Today we went to the Dome of the Rock, The Western Wall, The South Wall Escavations,and Hezekih's Tunnel. When we went to the Dome of the Rock, alot of the ladies that were in our group were chastized by their clothing. I already was wearing a shall but I was forced to cover my chest up which was the first time I've had to do that this whole trip. This experience was rushed yet amazing. The chance to see where one of the most populous religion's holy site was humbling. We then went to the Western Wall and I got to put a prayer in the wall. It was super crowded because the woman's side is so small. Women were rocking back and forth and praying which was a different experience as well. Theres a row of chairs next to the barrier between the men and womens side and I got to watch a bar mitzah. The transition from a boy to a man according to the Jewish religion was very interesting to watch. Overall the most interesting experience of the day was when the bishop of the Jeruselum Diocese came to the college. When he was talking about the Christians leaving the country because they don't feel safe really struck my emotions. It was the same feeling of inspiration that I experienced while attending church in Nazerath. The dedication that these people have to their religion is totally different than how people think of Christianity at home. When people in the U.S. go to church, they are tired and just want to go back home to do whatever. Here there is a complete dedication that these people have to the religion. They aren't pushy about their religion at all, they just want the same rights as everyone else. This type of worship I believe is the best way worship as a Christian. From this I hope to help people back in the U.S to understand that its ok to show your beliefs but to not push it to the people who do not want to accept it.

Masada and the Dead Sea by Riley G.

After waking up from the Middle of the Negev Desert at 5;00am, we quickly departed for Masada, a large mountain. The hike up started on the western side, just as the sun was rising, and we begin our ascent up the side of the hill. Herod, a King during the first century, built one of his many palaces there. The reason for the numerous palaces was to keep invasions away from him. He would constantly move from one location to another. At the top of his fortress, he had many houses and lookout points. One of his main offices where visitors would stay and meet overlooked the great dead sea. Because of the motion of the tectonic plates, the water flow had stopped. With the immense amount of heat and dessert conditions, the sea started to dry up. The tops of these plateaus looked like the bottom of a river.

After eating breakfast, we desended down the mountian, not an easy task. We went down the east side which was accuratly nammed the snake trail. Many time the railing would be gone and the drop to the bottom of Masada was in front of me. By the time we were at the bottom of Masada, the temperature must have been 100 degrees only at 9:30am. It is a dry desert land where there is no way to stop the heat.

Masada was only the first of many stops along the way. We drove up a ways, after looking at it from a distance, to the Dead Sea. The resession line is very clear as to where the water used to be and where the water is today. A large gap shows the loss of water of many years. One of the countries few industries is collecting the water from the dead sea and manufacturing cleaning and body rejuvination products. This only adds to the water loss the sea is experiencing. The bus drove us to a public watering hole where we swam in the dead sea. Swimming in a sea of sodium and other minerals is a challenging task, your feet fall out from under you. You cannot swim in the dead sea, rather you float! the water burned all of my skin which was open (like a cut), burnt or scratched recently. It also rejuvinates skin and speeds the healing time of sores and pimples.

At the bottom of the area, there is black mud. This mud has many more minerals which when rubbed and smeared over skin will help make it smooth and soft. Just placing my body in the water, my skin felt smooth and silk like. It was amazing.

After the swimming adventure, we left to Qumran the home of the Dead Sea Scrolls for many years. We learned about the people who lived there and toured their ruines from over 2000 years ago. We then left for home. Along the way, a brush fire brok out just outside the city of Jerusalem on our long trek home. It was interesting to see, although scary that there was a fire so close to where we are staying. We are still safe.

Off to Bethlehem, by Riley G.

Jerusalem is much higher in elevation than most other parts of the country, so it gets much hotter during the day. It doesn't help when the morning starts at 75 degrees. In the morning I quickly packed an overnight bag because the group was heading out to Bethlehem and other sites much farther south.

Our first stop was to the Herodian, a massive man made hill with a crater in the middle. We climbed to the top and explored Herod a Roman king in the first century. His palace is amazingly large and has many pieces of architecture. Although currently in ruins this area is still is very good shape. At the top we had an amazing view of the area around including some farmland and open areas.

The most important thing we saw were the settlements that people were starting and the way Israel was trying to stop these illegal settlements. Part of the old Herodian palace was his intricate stairwell in the middle. It's amazing the amount of insider areas were able to be uncovered. We were about half way down this man made mountain (inside) when some of us wondered if we had enough time to return to the group of people and head back down. Some headed up a massive amount of stairs and another small group pressed forward. We found an exit just near our bus and relaxed while others headed up and then back down.

Pressing forward, we left for Bethlehem. This has obviously been turned into a tourist destination. Many of the houses had Christmas lights on their houses. We entered the Church of the Nativity. This is where Jesus was born. They destroyed the image of a baby in a manger in an open field. Rather, Mary had the baby in a cave. We were able to touch a sixteen point star that represented Jesus' birthplace. The monks in this church were very strict. Many times they came through the line checking to make sure our shoulders and knees were covered. One girl in our group accidentally dropped a glass bottle which shattered on the floor. The monks and security were very loud and angry with our group. They embarrassed the girl in front of the whole church. Then because the people were too loud in line (somewhat laughing) because the line was very long, they shut the door on their faces to prove a point that this should be a serious event. They were very strict.

After leaving Bethlehem, we visited a Refugee Camp. Our goal in this was to pass out our Rag Dolls to Love so the children could have something to hold onto in their world of transition. They would not let us pass out the dolls directly, instead, we left them at a desk. We found that there are many more children in the camp than adults. One person kept theirs and will be able to hand them out. While walking through the refugee camp, we came across a tribe of young children who greated us with great hospitality.

We left the camp on our way to our overnight destination in the desert. In route, we were stopped at a checkpoint. The officers asked the driver to pull the bus over, most likely because someone was taking their pictures. They asked to have our passports out and ready to show them. Although they never asked for them, they came on board and checked out the bus. They searched through the loading area below for items they did not like (I don't know what those are still).

We arived at an Oasis in the Negev Desert hosted by Bedouin people (fake camping although they tried to make it as real as possible.) First they welcomed us with a bit of cultural entertainment. They served us fresh watermelon, lemonade. They then made us tea which was very good and coffee that was not. As a way of welcoming us to the camp they offered us Cammal rides. What an experience to ride an amazing creature. Later that night, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese in Washington (Bishop Greg Rickel) joined us in the desert for the remaider of the trip.

I can now say that I have slept in the middle of the open desert. At 10:30pm it was an astonishing 89 degrees outside. We neded to get our rest though because the next day we head to Masada (large mountian).

Finally blogging - by Denaya B.

So sorry my peeps who have been waiting for me to blog. This is naya here and I love it here never want to come home haha im just kidding but I do like it here a lot. it has really been eye opening and a wonderful experience haha im sure you have read others blogs but i will recap my experience:

DAY I LEFT: LONGGGGG flight then finally arrive in Germany and guess what... NO sleep for us because JR wants to walk around germany YAYAY for being SUPER tired, so we walk around and see some really cool things and eat. I ate a delicious german bratwurst and ice cream which was really cheap and delicious as well! then we continue walking and sight seeing and as the day gets longer and I get more tired WE STILL WALK. so I fell asleep at a subway shop and we were only supposed to stop for a few seconds AHA. then we get back to the hotel for free time and i looked at the amazing pool then tired to sleep in a small bed with two other girls...yeahhhh right. so then we leave for the airport... no sleep there or on trip to Tel Aviv

DAY2 We arrived in Tel Aviv at 4am and took 2 hours to go to Nazareth then get there around 730 ish i think.. anyways and then stayed at St. Margaret's Guest House for two days.. it was very pretty and nice we chilled the whole day and then went SHOPPING... we got to sleep that night!!!

DAY3 We met one of our palestinian friend Lara and we walked around Nazareth went to a few places and a bath house where Jesus (may have) bathed!! then went shopping again for some of us. then sleep!

DAY4 We went to church which was nice and met another two palestinian girls named Sina and Sally and then we went to Rosh Haniqra and Acre visited some ruins and caves and a BEAUTIFUL beach! then got to hang out a bit and then more sleep!

DAY 5 TODAY. We took a bus ride to Jerusalem and stopped at Sephorris to look at more ruins . THAT WAS AN ADVENTURE. Nate (one of the guys here) tried to pick a cactus fruit then passed it to Steven and then smart me tryed to open it for them... um BAD idea and lots of sticky burning hands with stickers in then YAY ...NOT! Luckily I didnt have too many and got them out ooook until iI licked one... by the way NEVER lick stickers out of your hand because they definatley get in your tongue :( Bus ride was sleepish and then we got to St. George's College and took a gander through the Old City of Jerusalem, and shopping at Mamila Mall. I got a really cute hello kitty shirt. next was church and reeption and dinner nd meeting now this.

SO... i promise i will blog again and wont take to long to do it.

another couple of things i want to say: I miss everyone at home! and love the friends i have made here i hope that they last forever. i am experiencing time a way from home to help me figure out myself, my faith, and everything in between! These experiences will stay with me forever and although i didnt say many opinions about the things i have seen i do have many and like to refelect on them.

untill next time, NAYA

Raineh, Haifa and Acre by Katie W

This morning we attended the service at the Holy Family Episcopal Church of Israel. It was a very unique and special experience to hear the different languages praising at the same time, saying the words I'm so familiar with. From there we went with Lara and our new friends Sally and Sima to Haifa where we visited the Gottos- which we had to take a cable car to get to. Scary new experience! There was the most beautiful view of the Mediterranean, and from inside the caves it looked even more spectacularly blue. They also played a video about the sea life in and around the Grottos- I have never wanted to scuba dive more. Haha. Then we got back on the bus and travelled to Acre, where we walked through ruins of the ancient crusader villages. There was this one hallway where all the lights had gone out- I am so glad Caitlin is a scout and always carries her flashlight! We got a little lost after we exited the tour, but in the end we found ourselves in this great marina and were able to find the next tunnel system we were touring. It turned out to just be a tiny straight tunnel. But when we got out of it, there was a fantastic view of the sea, so it was worth it. I can't wait until tomorrow when we move to St. George's in Israel. It's going to be so amazing. Okay well the World Cup game Spain-Holland is on.

Toodles!

Love, Katie.

Sunday by Nate R.

So today was probably the most exciting, interesting, fun filled day yet. We started off by meeting our new members whose names are Lara, Sima, and Sally. We left for a church near Nazareth and the service started at 10:30. It was an awkward service to say the least. I at least could not follow where in the service we were, but it was a great experience none the less. We then left for rosh haniqra, which is located right next to the Mediterranean Sea. When we got there we took a cable car down to go see some grottos which was absolutley breath taking they were so beautiful, it took my breath away. After that I took

some pictures with the army people in training (I guess you could call them that since I dont know what they are actually called haha). We then watched a short movie on something dealing with baby sea turtles but I dont know if that was what the entire movie was on since we came in late. We then went to Acre and visited the Crusader Citadel Ruins.

The ruins are absolutely spectactular I felt like I learned a plethora of information from just being in their presence. After we went through the ruins we had to go through the "ghetto" if you will of Acre. There were so many homeless cats running around the streets i wanted to take them all with me and get them all fixed up. It was an eye opening experience tho because it made me feel grateful for the stuff I had no matter how little I might think I might have at times. We then headed on our way back where we ate dinner and now im looking forward to watching the World Cup Final between Spain and the Netherlands. Go Netherlands!!!!!!!

Katie W's post from Nazareth

Hi everybody!

These last few days have been crazy. Everybody' sleep schedules are really screwy so this morning I ended up waking up at 3 am. But I'm so so glad I did. I got to watch the sun rising over the city and it was so beautiful. Everything was a soft pink and the Muslim calls to prayer were happening which made it so peaceful and calming. I made it back to sleep, and then we got up at 7 for breakfast and a day of walking around with our new friend Lara. We went to the Basilica of the Annunciation first and it was so powerful. It was actually built around Mary's house. Inside, there were tons of beautiful stained glass windows that were lit up in the most gorgeous way, and all around the outside of the Basilica there were different images of the Madonna and Child from different countries. The Greek one was beautiful. Well I mean they all were, but the one from Greece was my favorite. We also went through a bazaar and walked around the old city. Now that it's dark, the city is lit up like Christmas- we have an amazing view from up here in the hostel. Okay well the Germany-Uruguay world cup match is starting so we're going to go watch it and have a party.

Bye! Katie

Nazareth by Caitlin D.

I'm here!!

Lol Soo, its super funny how i just got finished with drivers ed, the drives portion, and here Iam watching Isreali's drive. my mother would FREAK. haha and my teachers would fail them. Honking is common. its to say hello, its to let someone know your coming in their blind spot and it is used to tell people to move! Gosh, i dont even know how to describe how dangerous driving here is. We hail taxes to get from St. Margrets to town, (cuz we live on a hill, and this whole city IS a hill), typically about 30-45 sheckles. Which is like.....ten bucks? Maybe less. 200 sheckles is $50. Clothes here at an American like price is about 65-99 sheckles. so about 15-25 dollars. Anywho, it was a 2hour drive to get from the airport to St. Margrets. Everything is in Hebrew and Arabic, sometimes to always in English. NEVER AMERICAN. Im getting tanner everyday and its great actually. The souther you go the hotter it gets and even sun screen wont "protect

you". Its a Saturday today, at 16.24....five twentyfour pm.

The flight over to Tel Aviv was short. Amazingly, four hours. But ya.Oddly enough my throat gets drier than my lips, and i am a chapstick-holic lol. Today we went to church sights, so i wore a skirt. Calm mum, calm....You get sweaty no matter what but it gets slightly breezy here so i cool down. Even our new friend Lara got hot today (she is Palestinian).

OH! and every morning and every night there is the Muslim [mosque] that a guy goes and sings prayer for about n hour er soo.

Toodlz,

Caitlin

Arrival - by Sophie M.

The flight to Frankfurt I sat by Caitlin who was very funny. We went to the old city of Frankfurt and saw a beautiful opera house and museum. We are now as a group sitting waiting for rooms, learning some Arabic, and having some good bonding time. I super exited to be here!

-Sophie M.

Now that we are in Nazareth - by Nate R.

July 8th 10:30 a.m.

On our way over, the 10 plus hour flight seemed like it was at much longer due to the person leaning their seat back in front of me, and the person kicking the back of my seat. Germany was breathtaking at first site, the old houses and old furnishings took my breath away. I also like Germany because the taxis and all types of buses are either VW, Mercedes Benz, etc.

July 8th 5:45 p.m.

The rest of the day was a good day, besides a slow start after about two hours in Germany. I took a lot of pictures of old churches, and buildings/architectural sites. The churches and buildings are breathtaking, they are so enormous and breathtaking there are no words to describe them. At about 4p.m. I started to feel the jet lag and was completely out of it, thank god for red bulls that put me back on top of my game. Our plane left last night at 10:30p.m. and it was a 4 hr. plane ride and then we had a two hour bus ride to where we are today, in Nazareth. We arrived at St. Margaret's Guest House today at about 7:00 a.m. having a great time so far and can't wait to explore the city.

Nate R.

July 8th - by Riley G.

On Wednesday, met at the Lufthansa at SeaTac Airport. We said our goodbyes to our family and friends and then we left for the gate. In a last minute effort to keep my travel things with me, I quickly added my shaving kit with shampoo, body wash and sunscreen into my carry on luggage. My sunscreen was too big and was confiscated before I even left the country...I felt like an idiot.

We landed in Frankfurt and quickly went through customs and immigration to our day hotel just outside of the airport. I thought that cars were driven on the left side of the road and cars had the driver seat was on the right side. Turns out it is identical to the States. We tried to shower, but we couldn't figure out how to turn on the light. Apparently, the room key needs to be placed in the slot by the door to turn on all of the appliances. Looking out o

nto the city, the streets are very clean. We took a train (the S-Bhaun) to the downtown area where we split up to investigate German culture for the day.

It was very warm, about 90 degrees F. We all got sticky and hot while we looked around the old german town. It looked like Leveanwoth, WA only in real life. In addition, almost everyone spoke english with minimal to no accent. It made touring easy. I even found this Hummel shop where they sold many of the same figgurines we have at home. Found a church in the city with incredible architecture called DOM also known as St. Barthalimues. This church has survived WWII and has pictures to prove it. During our long day in Frankfurt during our layover, many of us struggled to stay awake and soon became misserable. I decided to cut the edge off my sleepieness by finding a Starbucks...it tastes the same, even in Frankfurt.

At the end of the very long day, still no sleep, we head off at 10:00pm to the Tel Aviv gate at the airport. This process was extremely intimidating. Everyone was patted down in front of t

he whole line of people with a metal detector and was searched separate from the other gates in the Airport. This is because Israel feels threatened by the world and takes extra security measures to prevent any possible problems. We spent the night on the plane.

At the Airport.. :P - by Caitlin D.

Alright its day half and I am still at the airport chillin with Irene, Jasper, and Emily. We all got to roam if you will the airport. Just to be back at 1300. So right now, emotionally I am enjoying myself. Trying to befriend as much as i can. I know how living with people can be hectic and all that jazz. On the airplane, my seat is 40H, i sit next to Emily and then Nae. The worst part so far of this trip would be the packing. I've never been over seas like this. I've been OVER SEAS on a boat, just got back and all. But not like, west of Colorado. So that would be the hardest part. What to expect and do if I feel ill from heat er something like that. But anywho, I'm having a blast at the airport and ou flight boards at 1325, good thing i know my military time!!

Toodlz,

Caitlin

Meet the Chaperones

The pilgrimage this year will be chaperoned by the Rev. J.R. Lander (Vicar of St. Columba's Church in Kent), The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick (Curate of St. Andrew's Church in Seattle), and Ms. Irene Smith (member of St. John's in Olympia. We will also be joined by the Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel, Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia, while at St. George's College.

Meet the Pilgrims - Katie W.

Hi! my name's Katie and I'm 17 years old. I love to dance- I spend upwards of 6 hours a week dancing, and wouldn't have it any other way. I also enjoy playing clarinet-type instruments in my school's band. I've been playing clarinet for 7 years, bass clarinet for 5, and just picked up contra bass clarinet this year. I'm on the Drama Board at my school as a senator, and am the treasurer of the SIFF club (sharing interests forming friendships) which is all about high school students making friends with disabled kids from the Redmond community. It's a very rewarding type of community service. I'm also very involved with my church, which is why I'm so incredibly excited to have this unique opportunity to grow closer to God. I think I'm most looking forward to expeiriencing another culture. Also, meeting new people. That's my favorite thing about any kind of travel- the people you meet on the way to the places.

Meet the Pilgrims - Steven B.

My name is Steven, I'm 19 years old, and I attend church at St. James in Kent. I enjoy being outside, whether it's hiking, camping, fishing, or climbing. I've also been interested in history from an early age, and I've read about the holy land and the immense amount of history that is there. but I believe that there is only so much you can learn from a book. if you truly want to understand events, both past and present,then you need to see and experience things from the viewpoint of the the people who actually live through events that most people only read about in a newspaper or history book. I believe this trip will be a great way to connect with my faith and to personally visit places I've always heard about growing up. I'm very exited about this trip and I can't wait to get going!

Meet the Pilgrims - Sophie M.

I love singing and playing sports like soccer and swimming. I’m a very outgoing person and enjoy laughing and I like experiencing new cultures. I go to Holy Names Academy and I my favorite subjects include English and world history. . I really like traveling, trying new foods, and meeting new people which is part of the reason I wanted to go on this trip. I sing in a choir and love singing. I cannot wait to go on the trip. I want to see the Western Wall, Bethlehem and the Sea of Galilee. I cannot wait to meet the Palestinian kids and learn about their lives and in turn they can learn about me.

Meet the Pilgrims - Jasper W.

There are so many labels about that we use to define ourselves. It is labels that cause so many misunderstandings and problems around the world, and while I could say that I am a sophomore at Nathan Hale High School who likes history, politics, art and fantasy, I feel that boxes me into your perception and thoughts about each of those terms. What I’m trying to say is I don’t know who I am and telling you a bunch of facts that relate to me in some way isn’t really going to tell you about me. So I ask that you notice both what I say and how I say it. That you don’t form expectations and that before you label me and put me in some defined category you listen and try to understand me. Which isn’t really fair, because I don’t understand myself some times, but then again neither is life.

This trip represented for me a chance to explore my relationship with God. During the daily rush of life it’s hard to stop and sit down and think about what you believe; I hope that this trip will give me that chance. I also look forward to expanding my world view by experiencing a culture so different from my own.

Meet the Pilgrims - Nate R.

Hello, my name is Nathan Rizzotti but my friends and family call me Nate. I will try and keep this short and sweet. I am 16 yrs old while I am writing this on May 15^th 2010, but I will be 17 on May 23^rd 2010. I am a very active person who enjoys all types of sports. My top two are baseball and a toss up between American football and soccer. I am a very energetic person who loves to be outside and trying new things, which in part is one of the reasons why I am going on this trip (to experience a new culture and to try new things). I am very adventurous and very enthusiastic. Another reason why I wanted to go on this trip is because I would like to sample the local cuisine and I would like to experience a new custom as well as probably a new way of life from what I am accustomed to. I am looking forward to exploring the ancient ruins of Israel as well as experiencing a new way of life (as I stated before). I would also like to introduce to them America’s pastime….that’s right baseball. I have researched their sports and baseball was not mentioned at all that made me very sad. I would like to introduce this sport to them because I believe it would be a better way to help solve a conflict; instead of shooting with guns they could shoot fastballs into the catchers glove. I am very excited to be on this trip and I just wanted to thank everyone for donating money to this wonderful experience that I will be able to experience for myself.

Meet the Pilgrims - Naya B.

Hello, my name is Denaya but I don’t like capital D’s sooo I like to go by Naya. Something’s about me that’d I like to share with people are that I love little kids and love hanging out with them and my friends, being silly and probably just because I am a little kid at heart myself. I also have been adopted two times and like where I am now. I like to help people out and to volunteer and I am graduating high school this year and going to college in the fall I am going to study neonatal nursing, which is exciting because I love babies. I like to listen to all different kinds of music and love PIANOS and lastly I love making new friends. I want to go to the holy land this summer because I think that it further my relationship with God and it is a great opportunity. I am exited to go because I will be meeting new people, learning a new culture, and I will be able to come back home and share what I have learned and share my experiences. I am looking forward to “partying” with the Palestinians, riding a camel, and meeting God in a whole new way!!

Meet the Pilgrims - Riley G.

I’m 17 years old, and will turn 18 during our trip. I am graduating from high school this year at Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way and will attend Western Washington University this summer. I am a singer and enjoy performing in choral groups particularly show tunes and Jazz. I am excited to explore both my faith and a different country with non-western traditions. The Middle East is foreign in my knowledge of history so my hope is to understand this concept much more by diving in head first to Israeli culture and politics. While on this trip I am excited to visit all of the different sites in the area and see the western wall. I’m a bit nervous about staying with a family and not knowing the proper customs although in the end I know that will be my favorite part of this trip.

Meet the Pilgrims - Caitlin D.

One thing I love to do is collect bottles, glass bottles of places I have traveled to and such. Another think about me is I am 16 years old and by the time I go to The Holy Land this summer I will have my drivers license!! I love sailing and am considering Merchant Marines as a future career. So hopefully this summer I get to sail in one of the seas Israel is by! I wanted to travel to Israel because I haven’t seen much of the world besides the San Juan’s and Gulf Islands. This is on the other side of the world! So the different culture and food I am super excited to see as well as getting closer to God and pilgrimage. Finally I hope to shop, sight see, sail, experience the diverse culture and just be in the moment. Wish me luck!

Meet the Pilgrims - Emily T.

I am 19 years old, going to school at south Puget Sound Community College and I go to St. Benedict’s Church in Lacey. I like to discotech (fancy European word for dancing/hanging out) with my friends. I also love working with the youth at my church ( I am the 4^th and 5^th grade youth leader.) In my schooling, I am working towards becoming an elementary school teacher. I can knit and speak a lot of Spanish. I love Camp Michael J which is August 8^th –12^th this year. Also I love to laugh

What I am looking forward to in this trip is seeing all the historical sights and walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Being a new Christian and going on this trip will help get me closer to God and give me more of an understanding of the religion. I am very grateful for my parish for being so supportive of me and my future Baptism in the River of Jordan.

Meet the Pilgrims - Ethan A.

I am a very active person, both physically and within my church. I play lots of sports such as football(American) Soccer, baseball and basketball. I play sports all year round with only about 1-2 weeks off during the summer.

I am looking forward to visiting holy sites and seeing the holy land for myself. I think it will be a great experience to see the holy land for myself instead of just hearing about it.

A few things I am really looking forward to is seeing Jerusalem for myself and going to Tel Aviv. I've heard great things about both places and really want to see them. I also am really looking forward to seeing and meeting my host family.

First Pilgrimage Retreat

The 2010 Pilgrims and Chaperones gathered on Saturday, February 20th, for the first of two pre-trip gatherings. The group spent 6 hours getting to know one another, addressing some basic logistics of our journey, and looking forward to the trip

Among the many topics we discussed was the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians - a major topic to be addressed at the Youth Course.

The 2010 Pilgrims

The pilgrims for the 2010 Youth Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Jasper W. - St. Andrew's Church in Seattle

Caitlin D. - St. Matthew's Church in Tacoma

Nate R. - St. Hilda-St. Patrick Church in Edmonds

Kate W. - Holy Cross Church in Redmond

Sophie M. - Epiphany Church in Seattle

Ethan A. - Holy Spirit Church on Vashon Island

Riley G. - St. James' Church in Kent

Steven B. - St. James' Church in Kent

Denaya B. - St. Columba's Church in Kent

Emily T. - St. Benedict's Church in Lacey

Chaperones:

The Rev. J.R. Lander - St. Columba's Church in Kent

The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick - St. Andrew's Church in Seattle

Ms. Irene Smith - St. John's Church in Olympia

Also joining us for the Youth Course at St. George's College - The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel, Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia.