The Road to Jericho

My feet are tired from walking all day, my skin feels burnt from the sun, and my mouth longs for water. Monday we traveled down to Jericho. Jericho is the lowest City on Earth. The air was thick with oxygen and the temperature was significantly warmer than Jerusalem. 

Jericho was called the City of Palm Trees anciently and I could imagine its beauty. There were large beautiful palm trees and rows of agriculture. The landscape is desert, but the soil is fertile and there is a natural spring. I drank from the natural spring called Elisha’s spring. In the Bible we read of Elisha healing the waters of Jericho and I drank of those waters. I also walked on top of the rubble of Herod’s winter palace. Jericho was beautiful and I can imagine it was full of splendor in ancient times. It was amazing to see the walls of Jericho. The fallen walls fell down slanted so the Israelite soldiers could walk up them and invade the city. 

My understanding of the Bible settings and the journey Christ took through Jericho up to Jerusalem has improved. We drove on a very skinny road that weaved its way high up into the Judean wilderness. We could see the mount of temptation and the road spoken of in the parable of the Good Samaritan. It really would have been a long and precarious road to Jerusalem. While we stood upon the tall desert mountain tops, the view was spectacular. The sky was bright blue and the ground was white from the limestone rock. We could see to the Dead Sea in one direction and up to the Mount of Olives churches in Jerusalem in the other. 

I can see why Christ went to this wilderness to commune with God. I felt closer to him physically although I was very low in elevation. The sky kissed the sand and the silence of the wilderness paved the way to few distractions. One could easily commune with God and easily be tempted with the notion of turning stones into bread to avoid hunger. The landscape was barren. 

As we arrived at the start of our hike on these mountains, a group of Arab men on Donkeys greeted us with necklaces in hand asking for money. We didn’t buy anything but we enjoyed taking pictures of their donkeys and their antics. I love being here. I love the Arab people of Palestine and the opportunity to understand the Bible and my Savior’s life more.

Dates Grow on Trees at the BYU Jersualem Center.

View from Orson Hyde Garden

Crows were cawing, doves were cooing, and the Muslims were praying when I awoke this morning. I got out of my bed and gazed out onto the city. The city lights were glowing and I could see the Dome of the Rock in the distance. I had to pinch myself to make sure this dream was my reality. I opened the sliding door and walked out onto the cold limestone balcony to embrace the view and the new day.

The rocky hills and valleys of Jerusalem are beautiful. The air is warm, wet, and full of the scent of spices, bread, and meat. The people are friendly and eager to get business from the Mormon students. Merchants stood on the street corners and ran out of their shops, pushing business cards into our hands. As we passed each stand, many filled with scarves, pottery, and religious souviners, a few BYU t-shirts could be seen being sold as well.

We walked around the city, touring the streets and neighborhood I now call home. I feel so comfortable being here, yet I feel overwhelmed at the sites to see and places to explore. There is so much to learn.

Within the Old City behind the giant limestone walls, exists a maze of people, shops, and buildings. Cats roam the streets and climb the endless rooftops. Young soldiers dressed in green uniforms and machine guns in hand, guard the people and the places called sacred. The city feels ancient yet modern. As you walk, you overhear conversations in languages from all over the world and see people from various faiths making their pilgrimage to the Eternal City.

Life at the center is different from life in the city. The center has been described as a biosphere or bubble. We eat, sleep, study and live with our professors at the center. We are all Americans and all Mormon. The staff and the windows are our only glimpse of life on the outside. The administrators, cooks, and security are all local people from various faiths. It is a unique experience. The facility's beauty often leaves you in wonder. Jerusalem limestone and marble make up the floor, walls, and foundation. Large windows fill the rooms with sunshine and the grounds are covered with olive trees, roses, and other green foliage. The building itself is cold since it is entirely made of rock, but the students fill it with warmth. There are about eighty students this semester with a girl to guy ratio of 3 to 1, and as the title states, dates grow on trees here, except we are not permitted to date, so the only dates here are actual dates on actual palm trees.