Day 5 Jerusalem

(Charlene) This is Thursday so we decided to go to the Garden Tomb today instead of tomorrow. We changed our schedule because of the unrest here yesterday and the possibility of the same happening again on Friday when all the young Muslim men seem to congregate. You may not understand the logic there but---We have to walk through an Arab area and market to get to the Garden Tomb and tomorrow we might feel more tension in that area.

(Edith)Today we went to the Garden Tomb Such a beautiful place and so peaceful within the walls there, but right outside the chaos of the world continued. After seeing what might be the "place of the skull--Golgotha" the four of us read scripture and shared communion together, a time I'm sure we will never forget.

There were several other large groups there when we were and we joined a group from Nigeria who were on the English tour. Before we went into the tomb a volunteer worker did a wonderful job sharing the gospel and explaining the sacrifice that Jesus made for all of us. The volunteer staff there are definitely all believers.

Afterwards, Charles and Charlene decided to go back to the rooms to eat and rest but we entered the Old City again through the Damascus Gate. Some of the shops and schools were closed for the morning in the Arab Quarter. One shop owner who elected to stay open explained that it was in protest to the trouble on the top of the Temple Mount yesterday and that the shop owners who closed were just hurting themselves.

After awhile we rode the light rail train back into to the new city to do more exploring and shopping. To get back home we caught another train but inadvertently missed our get off point and rode the train to the end of the route. That train traveled directly through the Shimon Hatzadek station where the incident took place yesterday. News reporters and cameraman were videotaping at that location. We saw armed patrols at every station along the way.

We are going to a light show presentation inside the walls tonight at "David's Citadel" and it will be chilly so we will take our warmest clothes and a blanket.

(Charlene) The holes in the rock face resemble a skull. Charles is pointing out where two main roads crossed in ancient times which might be the place of crucifixion. The area today is the Arab bus station.