And We're Here!

Joseph and I touched down in Tel Aviv almost 20 minutes ahead of schedule, and met up with Timothy and Brittany after claiming my checked bag. We exchanged some currency and headed out to the curb to find transportation to Jerusalem, which turned out to be a Dodge Sprinter that seated 10 passengers. There was a friendly bilingual local resident on the shuttle who gave us some helpful tips about sightseeing and lodging.

On the ground in Tel Aviv

This place is really here, and so are we. Wow.

Checking email at Hotel Palatin, Jerusalem

We located a medium-priced hotel in Jerusalem, and confirmed our safe arrival via email over the hotel's free Wi-Fi network. For me, it was about 40 hours of travel time door to door. Safe international travel, or, for that matter, safe travel of any kind, should never be taken for granted. Thank you for your prayers!

Walking the streets of Jerusalem

Being here for just a few short hours has reminded me what an incredible privilege it is to be born an English-speaker. I feel thoroughly humbled and at times almost guilty that through no choice or virtue of my own I know the most universal language on the planet. Other people must go through a lot of linguistic effort to be able to communicate with the same freedom that we English-speakers enjoy. I don't think it's a gift to be taken lightly.

Enjoying falafels, our first meal in Jerusalem

After a brisk walk around the immediate neighborhood, we returned to the hotel and took showers. Now the lights are out, Joseph is drifting off to sleep beside me, and there is a drunk (or demoniac) carrying on in the streets below. It's not hard to imagine this city as a place that would leave even God with his hands full - prostitutes and tax collectors in one, pious hypocrites in the other. Fortunately for the World, however, YHWH's hands are never full. They have holes in them.