Thursday, May 03, 2007
Minutes with Marylou
I want to keep our trip to Israel in the correct order that we toured. Therefore, I won't talk about the Kibbutz and Sea of Galilee until next month.
To a point, I am a people pleaser or fun person that can be persuaded---sometimes to do the ridiculous. I'll give you an example.
Jericho is in P.L.O. territory---you know? Bad guys? Our Jewish guide couldn't even ride into Jericho with us. We had to pay one of their guides to take us in. So, first of all you say to yourself, "why am I here?" These people hate Americans. They only want our money. But, everyone else is going so my husband says we are going also. Well, naturally, I am an obedient wife---don't laugh, so here I was! The man at the check point at Jericho (plo) welcomes us to Palestine--not Israel---but Palestine. We eat lunch, since it's noon, at a nice restaurant. We have some soup and bread, mainly because we don't know what the other food is. The soup was very good. Well, now we leave the restaurant and are headed back to our tour bus. Well, outside is a man with a camel all decorated and he is selling rides on this camel for $2.00. Most of our group starts lining up and paying for a ride. Pastor and I just stand aside and watch, laughing. Then they all start on us! Well, Pastor had already ridden a camel on one of his past trips to Israel. Now, I don't ride camels, horses or such at home so WHY RIDE ONE HERE? And why in front of lots of people who are going to laugh at you? They say camels are mean! And he didn't look real friendly. I have had four back surgeries! Why? Why? Why do this ridiculous thing? Guess what? I rode that camel and even paid the $2.00. The camel and I had an understanding. If you don't bite me, I won't bite you. If you want to see my picture-----send MONEY marked gift offer #1, camel picture. Isn't the Lord wonderful? He watches over us even when we do dumb things!
Jericho is the World's oldest city. It is also dirty, dusty and dangerous. Men sit around with machine guns watching every move you make. Remember, this is PLO Territory. We went to the "tel" atop the ruins of ancient Jericho. Here you can view the lush green Jordan Valley, Elisha's spring and Quarantal, the Mount of Temptation. Jericho is not a large city. You want to see all the places you can that are in the Bible. We have read about them, listened to our Pastor preach about all these places and events. So, even though the PLO have destroyed so much here in Jericho and have twisted things, we want to visit here and see it for ourselves and even hear what they say about the place. Also, in these areas we had to use "pay toilets." Just thought I would throw that in extra. We were fortunate in that we had my husband, Pastor Dean, to tell us the truth from the Bible about Jericho which, sometimes, differed from the guides because they aren't born again Christians.
It may be under PLO control now But it was Holy ground to me because of the Lord and His Word. Someday it won't matter whether the PLO, Israel, Tony Blair, or President Bush are in leadership of Countries. Soon and very soon the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is going to reign forever and ever. If you know the Lord as your Saviour you won't need to fear terrorists, plagues, disease, or death. We will live with Him forever in the new Heaven and new Jerusalem. Someday I'll return to Jerusalem but this time the Lord will be there also. Oh what a wonderful time we have to look forward to with the Lord. I pray today, as you read this, that you can also rejoice with me. God Bless you, is my prayer.
Marylou Dean,
Pastor's wife
