when you look at the pictures....you might want to start at the end...since it really is the beginning of my trip.

Another site in Jericho. This is where Herod had another palace, and these kids followed us everywhere trying to get money. My favorite picture is the second one where the guy standing on something is talking to the kids. Firas is one of the security guards here, and was assigned to go there with us. He was trying everything to get those kids to leave us alone...and at this point he was letting them have it. It was kind of funny to watch.

A few pictures from the top of Jericho

These pictures are from Jericho. If you look at map 15 in the back of the Bible you can see about half way up the mountain a monastery (in between the leaves of a palm tree). We walked up there, and that's where these pictures are from. We were told that up higher there was a monastery from the crusader times (on top of the highest mountain, the top looks squared), we were told that we weren't going to go up because they don't take people up there. Then all of the sudden we were told that we were going to go up, the head monk...I don't know what you call him, but he said that he hadn't ever met a group like us and that he really liked us and wanted to take us up to the top. So we went. We found out later that it had been about 10 years since they had taken a group to the top.

A few pictures from the Center

As you all can tell, most of the pictures below were taken in Egypt. Our trip there was amazing. We saw so much, and met so many people, and had a lot of fun. The camels are crossing the street in these pictures. I think we were stopped for about 15 minutes waiting for them to cross. It was actually pretty funny, and I will never forget the other car drivers turning their cars off all getting out and talking to each other while a few went to help with the crossing.

The Western Wall

I took this at the Garden Tomb. Since I have gotten here I have come to realize just how important it is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem from the lower gate of the center.

I know I haven't been the best about emailing pictures, and with several people telling me I should just put them up on a blog....here it is. I'll try to put as many up as I can.