Considering Lillies: Like Seeing it for the First Time

I've been really privileged to be able to watch other people's reactions when they arrive in Jerusalem for the first time. First, when I was on the Palestine of Jesus course, I watched my family group as they saw the Old City walls, as they walked through Holy Sepulcher, and as they caught a glimps of the magnificent golden Dome. Yesterday, Robert Camara, one of the three Canadian students participating in the Theological Students International Intern Program that has brought me to Jerusalem, arrived here. He just completed his three-month internship in Brazil and has taken the opportunity to attend the Palestine of Jesus course himself. As such, I got the opportunity to watch him react in awe to all the same sites.

What's completely awesome is how we all have the exact same reaction: "I can't believe I'm really here" and "I didn't think things would be close" and "Wow...it's smaller than I expected."

The other completely awesome thing is that each time I walk with someone as they see part of the city for the first time, I relive what my first few days and weeks here were like. You're simply in awe. Every sound and smell is fascinating. The people are intriguing. You're falling in love.

I'm so grateful I've been able to do this over and over again so my love affair with the city doesn't end.

Robert and I walked through the Old City. I took him up the Austrian Hospice for a view of the City and the Dome, through the Jewish quarter and into the Christian quarter. I introduced him to Bilal, the fabric store owner my family group met on the Palestine of Jesus course and who has probably seen more business this summer on account of the Rev. Michelle Childs than he can keep up with! Then we headed to the Jerusalem Hotel for dinner and live music.

It was fantastic to see a warm familiar face and to spend time catching up on stories from our summers we haven't been able to blog about! I am very much looking forward to hearing Robert's impressions post-course!

A few pictures of our evening.