Where has the time gone?  We have only two more days left in the Middle East!  Next is Athens, which I am excited about.  However, I will be very sad to leave Israel.  Middle Eastern culture is what I’ve known for almost three months now.  I’ll miss the calls to prayer from the mosques, the....

March 3, 2012 Discovering the unexpectedness of God seems to be a theme these days. We talked in class this morning about God’s “sealing of the covenant” with Abraham. Back in the day, there were little kings and big kings. The little kings would make pacts with the big kings to be loyal to them.....

Beauty. If I had one word to describe my time here so far, I would have to choose that one. The energy of the Egyptians, the hospitality of the Bedouins in Jordan, the honor and passion I saw in every Palestinian, and the diverse landscapes of Israel all fall into this one-word description. All of....

February 15, 2012 It’s easy to say “tear down the walls!” It’s easy to say “we need peace!” It’s easy to say these things, but do people actually believe them? Do people want them for the correct reasons? It’s really hard to listen to this man who doesn’t believe in the Palestinians. He isn’t the....

I have often observed cultures from the perspective of a foreigner, either as one or from the mind of one. My life has been characterized by movement, both permanent and temporary. My roots grow not from living in one land but through relationships and experiences. Being removed from homes I love brings sadness and fear,....

Mount Sinai and St. Catharine’s Monastery After our experiences in Egypt, we took the bus eight hours into the desert, following the path of the Israelites out of Egypt. Once over the Suez Canal (or under, as we traveled through a tunnel underneath) we were in Asia! Egypt technically controls the Sinai after Israel withdrew....

I think I can speak for most of the group when I say this past week has been a whirl-wind of once in a lifetime experiences, delicious foods, and the start of some great friendships. Since arriving in Egypt, my time here has been what I had hoped it would be and more. I have....