By Grace Baldridge

This is the view from our hotel in Bethlehem. I am so taken with our temporary home. Bethlehem truly is a little town and has small town charm.  Our hosts are gracious and fed us a delicious meal. We had chicken, rice, five kinds of cold salads, soup, potatoes, fish, and of course Pita bread.

Our journey here was full of delay. Nothing was out of the ordinary, just broken computers at customs and Sukkot traffic on our drive from Tel Aviv to Bethlehem. Jerusalem was packed.

One can’t get by without thinking of Mary and Joseph on their own trip to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. They had to have been delayed by any number of issues, but perhaps not by a faulty computer.

The disparity of Jerusalem and Bethlehem is stark. I suspect it was as well in the old days because of the grandeur of Jerusalem versus a little town like Bethlehem.

(I only have about 5 hours of experience here so I’m not making any huge comparisons.)

What I do know is the way I feel when I look out over the same places Mary saw from atop her galant steed (“she called me a steed!” Sorry- Shrek reference). I can’t help but have a storybook view. But I know better. That’s not the whole tale.

The division here may look different today, but it’s still there just like it was when Herod was governor.

All anyone wants is to be safe and sound with the people we love. That will never change. It seems impossible for me or anyone else to remember that. We want to grab for more… even at the expense of others.

This is the world God loves: It’s broken pieces still shattered even after 2000 plus years of knowing God in Christ. And it made love known here… in this little town.

Peace Dove at the Tent of Nations

By Grace Baldridge

Oct 18, 2016, late afternoon. I’m in JFK airport in the International terminal. I spent about an hour and a half  in a waiting area of a flight heading to Tel Aviv. I chose it initially because there was a great view of the many international planes pulling up to their gates. Slowly the waiting area filled up until I was surrounded by Hebrew speakers.

A well-dressed older woman asked me, “Do you speak Hebrew?”

I shared with her that I didn’t. I could have wowed her with all ten words that I do know, but she had other things in mind.

“Could you watch my bags while I go to the bathroom?”

I told her I could. I had about 8 hours to burn. When she returned I told her where she could buy bottled water and off she went. I have never felt so helpful doing nothing but sitting.

Her name was Hanna and she pulled out pictures of her amazingly gorgeous family. She had been in Manhatten visiting her three sons and their families. Her three weeks were over with them and she was headed home to Tel Aviv. We talked about how beautiful it was. She was glad to hear that I would be traveling there also with a group.

When she asked why I was going and if I had family there, I found myself saying, “I’m on a spiritual pilgrimage.”

I haven’t said that before (though that is how our group has been speaking about our trip). I told Hanna that I was looking for ways to bring peace through the example of peace makers in Palestine and Israel.

When I said we would be visiting sites all over Israel and Palestine, sites with ties to all faiths, her eyes became rimmed with red.

“It’s a beautiful place, Israel. There is some good and some with trouble.” This was said with an apologetic tone.

I told her that we have strife here, too. “I’m looking for ways of peace.”

“We have to take it day by day. Whatever will be will be.” She said.

“Que sera, sera,” I replied. And we both started singing.

By then the gate area was  absolutely packed and I thought I should give up my seat to those giving me the stink eye. Only our song could break through the din of tired travelers.

I was already gathering my things to find another place to hang out.

“Spread peace all over the world,” Hanna said, raising her arms in the air.

I went away smiling and much renewed.

Living Stones Pilgrimage group (May 2016) with Dalia Landau, co-founder of Open House in Ramle

Today, October 18, fourteen “pilgrims” from across the United States will travel to Tel Aviv to begin a new Living Stones Tour — a spiritual and physical journey to connect with the places and people, past and present, of the Holy Land. We go with open minds and hearts to meet today’s peacemakers and to discover the “Fifth Gospel” that is Israel and Palestine.

We invite our friends and families to follow our blog. Bookmark this website and visit often! We’ll post stories and photos along the way, and try to give a snapshot of some of our experiences and insights. Shalom, Salaam, Peace!