Gethsemane Part 2

We took a trip to Gethsemane on my birthday and I've been dying to go again since. After going last time I kept thinking, "Did I really take in where I was? Did I take the time to really absorb the importance of that place?" So we went again today and it's hard to describe the feeling you get there. It's such an amazing part of mankind's history, yet not too far off there's a bustling city full of people who seem to be completely oblivious to the sacred spot that is so close to where they walk every day.

How can I put into words what it's like to walk where the Savior has likely walked? How can I express what I feel when I look at these old olive trees? I sit here staring at my computer screen, trying to think of a way to talk about it, and I can't quite do it. The Savior of mankind gave and suffered everything for us here. What happened in this garden is what makes our very happiness possible.

I love this small carving in the stone.

Isn't this tree amazing?

This church is next to the garden. It's absolutely breathtaking inside. I wanted so badly to take pictures but they were actually starting a Sunday service while we were there. I love the cute little monks and nuns. They may believe differently than me, but they are giving their lives to Christ with the knowledge that they have of Him. I can only learn from their example of devotion.

This is taken from just outside the front doors of the church. The wall in the distance is the wall of the Old City. That small dome poking up over the edge on the left is the top of the Dome of the Rock. Just outside the wall are graves of people hoping to be near the Messiah when He calls up the dead to be resurrected.

I took this next picture to remember the kindness we sometimes find among the people here. Joni was starving as we got done so we thought we would take her up to this little cafe just up behind the garden. It turned out to be a very humble little place run by one Arab man who basically just had Coke in the fridge, some popsicles, and some "cheese sandwiches". We asked right away if he took a card because we had no cash. He apologized that they didn't but that we could just eat what we wanted and come back and pay him another day. He was so nice. While we waited for him to toast a couple huge hoagie buns with some meager pieces of cheese inside, he gave each of the kids a little treat. We waited on his couches and watched Arab tv. I'll be honest, the cheese sandwiches were less than impressive, but Joni loved them, and I loved the genuine kindness and humility of the man who owned the place. I think we'll be heading back to the "All Nations Cafe" again. :)