To join
a pilgrimage of sorts, despite some risks to take.
To a
land far away of ancient mien, they would fly
and ride and hike,
and ride and hike,
led by
a band of merry souls named Karen and Ron and Mike.
An
Aussie came, a Kiwi or two, some Canadians and a Brit
A bunch
of Americans, of course, and two sets of sisters, to wit.
They
were lawyers and doctors and writers and sages
And
realtors and bankers and jacks of all traders.
But in
one important aspect they did all agree
To
Jerusalem they must go, and the Sea of Galilee.
Turkey
Sadat took
the reins when they landed in Turkey
With blue
Aegean skies and the ocean not murky.
The lands
round about lay in ancient ruins galore,
So they
snapped and they clicked till they couldn’t anymore.
Then off
to the heart of old Constantinople they journeyed,
To view
the Blue Mosque and the palace next door, they hurried.
The Spice
Market and Grand Bazaar were next on the docket
Where
money of all kinds flew out of their pocket.
With
leather and rugs and spices in tow,
The fabled
isle of Patmos was the next place to go.
They hiked
up the hill to the alleged address,
Where
ancient John the Beloved put quill to papyrus.
And in his
poetical symbolic way
Prepared
those who would read it for a far better day.
Jordan
Then with
feet turned toward Jerusalem into Jordan they crossed,
And walked
ancient Petra which the Nabataeans lost.
The
carvers who labored there to worship and memorialize,
Would be
rolling in their graves if allowed to realize,
That their
beautiful and sacred cherished mausoleum
Was teaming
with hawkers and vendors ad nauseum.
The
Bedouin tents dot the hills with their camels so touching,
Till up
with their diet cokes and cell phones come rushing.
Galilee
From the
depths of the Dead to the Galilee Seas
We
followed the Jordan midst date palms and trees.
Near the
river so verdant we beheld with our eyes
Water so
sacred where The Son was baptized.
Tiberius
and Carmel, Tabgha, Tel Dan
Were
places next seen, where travelled The Man.
From
Beautitudes heights, to calm Galilees banks,
We boated
in darkness, in awe and with thanks.
Nazareth
Next on to
Nazareth, they trekked through the land
And
followed His footsteps, and learned of his commands.
Capernaum,
so favored, where the Savior did teach,
His
disciples to love God, and broaden their reach.
In
Bethlehem singing brought joy to the earth,
At
Nativities centre, the place of his birth.
Jerusalem
Finally,
at Jerusalem, the pilgrims arrived to
See old
city and Temple Mount (the place of some strife)
The
western walls prayers and Solomon’s Porch
To
Antonia’s cells, sit of Jesus’s cruel scourge.
St Annes’
church so lovely, which held a surprise
French
Mormons heard us singing, that Mike had baptized.
Next, our
intrepid travelers, their courage to test,
Donned
shorts and some sandals, Hezekiahs tunnel to best.
For the
feelings they felt, their hearts barely had room,
As they visited
Golgotha and the garden tomb.
Epilogue
With
money, time and energy blown,
Soon
hearts and feet turned toward home.
In many
directions, each one did return
To family
and loved ones, for whom they did yearn.
And with
them they carried deep in their heart
A greater
love for the Savior, that would not depart.
And oft in
their thoughts as they lived through a day,
Their
minds would wander Jerusalem way.
And oft
times for the cool breeze of Galilee yearn
And hoped
against hope that someday they’d return.
But maybe
some will, and maybe some not,
Yet each
of them harbored this singular thought:
That their
time in the Holy Land had changed them a lot.
Written by Denise Murray with Assistance from Jay Rush
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| Kerry & Tina Miller, Denise & Gordon Murray |
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| Making silk thread at the carpet factory in Turkey |
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| Baptisms in the River Jordan |
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| Christian Group from Kenya |
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| Dr. Michael Wilcox describing the valley |
Hi Diane,
