The Final Stretch

We're sitting here relaxing in Bethlehem. It is good to take a break. We have been moving around a lot and hearing many stories about the situation here in Israel/Palestine. It has been a lot to digest and we are looking forward to a debriefing session tomorrow night. But tonight it is back to our homestays and a long night of packing and preparing for our trip home.

After Petra we had an amazing time in the Wadi Rum. The Bedouins treated us with great hospitality: we ate well, listened to music, played cards . . . all under the beautiful desert sky. The hiking during the daytime was fun as well: jumping off sand dunes, standing perched on rock bridges, zipping around in jeeps, sitting at the top of mountains, looking at the vast expanse of sand beneath us.

Jerusalem, the next part of our adventure, was magical as it always is. The students enjoyed wandering through the markets and narrow streets, bartering or just talking with friendly shop owners. Our hostel was good . . . except for the fact that some of us had to sleep on the roof, getting woken up by church bells and the morning call to prayer.

Well, as you can see by the tone of this writing, we are all a little tired but I still see the excitement in the students' faces as we plan to go back to Jerusalem tomorrow morning. Many of them have already written a prayer and placed it in the Western Wall, and tomorrow we will go above that wall to visit the Dome of the Rock. The Mount of Olives was also a highlight, albeit a tiring climb - praying the Lord's Prayer at the place where Jesus is said to have recited it was a meaningful experience.

As I look around at the students, I see them excited about coming home and doing some laundry, but I also have heard from many: "We don't want to leave yet." Still, I know many are looking forward to cold milk and cereal, me included.