Newsletter: Vol. 11. Iss. 1
April 2012
Memoir of a Holy Land Pilgrimage
Ms. Barbara Robertson
Faith based travel - pilgrimages, short term or long term mission/volunteer trips, and religious retreats have become means for Christians to express and validate their religious faith and answer the call to serve. In January, I spent twelve event filled days inclusive of travel and serious hiking on a pilgrimage connecting with the history of the Bible in the Holy Land. As a believer, my confessed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ does not require tangible proof. However, the historical record and some archaeological evidence exist to confirm Old and New Testament scriptures and the Gospel. To experience this firsthand edifies the spirit and, yes, blows the mind. I was traveling with a group on a cross cultural pilgrimage to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan coordinated by the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio and the Society for Biblical Studies. The course objectives were ambitious, but the opportunity to view the land and holy sites - sacred places that impact Christianity and other religions was a long held dream. I also wanted to gain some clarity on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, liberation theology, and experience the Middle Eastern culture. We had a unique opportunity to accomplish these objectives and get the perspective of the people who live in this region - share their hospitality, cuisine, and reside in the heart of their communities.
The land of Israel and the West Bank are stunning and mesmerizing. Like many first time visitors, I found the region breathtaking. I was enthralled by the majesty of the mountains, the sloping valleys, the undulant deserts, the sparkling Sea of Galilee and the mineral laden Dead Sea. The juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern is majestic and awe inspiring. Upon seeing the land in panorama from the top of Mt. Nebo, this scripture came to mind:
"…A land flowing with milk and honey… [it] is a land of mountains and valleys
that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the
eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the
year to its end"(Deuteronomy 11:9-12).
The fact that two major people groups have substantial ties to this area and three religions claim Abraham as patriarch attests to its venerable history. But its modern day vibrancy is evident in the numbers of visitors who travel to the region despite the longstanding conflict and possible safety and security issues. As it so happened, the timing of this journey coincided with the Eastern Orthodox Christmas celebration on January 7. Christmas decorations abounded and there was a sense of anticipation, joy and excitement in many of the areas we visited. All of the cities, especially Bethlehem and Jerusalem, were teaming with people there to observe holy sites and holidays. In fact, some in the group was turned away from our hotel in Bethlehem as capacity was overbooked. We were genuinely able to claim that there was no room at the inn!
There were exhilarating highs. Certainly all of the sacred places and other sites we visited (more than 40) are spiritually and historically significant and were accompanied by thorough background lectures. This was inspiring and life changing as scripture came alive before my eyes. In addition, having the opportunity to hear the voices of the people: the advocate for women living in refugee camps, the privileged atheist in a kibbutz, the hopeful director of an international peace center, the Christian Bedouin, the Jewish rabbi, the former IDF soldier who "broke the silence", the business entrepreneur, the priest whose church we attended for worship service, and the liberation theologian gave depth and meaning to this pilgrimage.
