How do you describe the indescribable? That's the task I'm rolling about in my head. This is my first "Sister Chat" post about our month of volunteering at the Garden Tomb in East Jerusalem this past Oct. 13 - Nov. 13, 2017. There is SO much to come as I process journals, pictures, memories and trinkets we brought home.
Part I
We had few expectations before embarking on this journey. We didn't know enough to even HAVE expectations. Although an experienced Garden Tomb guide met with us in Dallas a couple of times last summer, he too, found it difficult to explain that which cannot be explained.
Our first thought was of course of the PLACE. Who in their right mind would NOT want to spend some time exploring Jerusalem? As one young man we met there observed, "I've been here 22 years and there is still a surprise at every corner. The adventures here are bottomless."
Having toured Israel and Jerusalem twice before we had an "inking" of what to expect but reality was far more exciting.
We thought that we would immerse ourselves in the culture, visit historic sites and oh, yes....learn to be tour guides at the Garden Tomb, one of the two sacred spots where Jesus MAY have been crucified, buried and resurrected. (More on that later!)
Little did we know that it was not the local Jews, Muslims, or Armenians that we would get to know but the WORLD.
Yes, the WORLD came to us!
We were trained in guiding, preparing communion, gift shop duties, and preparing the Garden in the early morning hours. (More about that later, too!)
We had NO IDEA that thousands of people from all over the world would come through through the gates EVERY DAY!
Groups of 4, 25, 82, 150, 350 lined up at the reception window stating their requests, no one was turned away. They wanted a tour only (in their language), a tour with a meeting place and communion, no tour at all just "alone" time, or a tour with an interpreter.
When serving as tour guides we met Indonesians, Chinese, Americans (some we ever knew!) Brazilians, French, Belgiums, Russians, South Africans, Masai tribal folks, Indians, Spanish, Netherlanders, Finnish....on and on. You get the picture.
(Imagine me greeting a group of folks that speak only Mandarin Chinese with a big Texas, HOWDY!)
We had no idea from one hour to the next who we would be welcoming, who would be coming through the gate, who would respond to our explanations or not, who would cry, shout, or sing. At any given moment several groups from different foreign lands would be SINGING at the top of their lungs as they were positioned in various grottoes throughout the Garden. Even though we could not understand their words we would often recognize the tunes. Amazing Grace, Wonderful Merciful Savior, He is Lord, Great is Thy Faithfulness, Stand Up for Jesus, etc.
Their different dress was colorful, the bright red or green or yellow matching ball caps (so they wouldn't lose anyone in their group), the traditional sari of India, the red robe of the Masi warrior, the worn tennis shoes of the Americans, the red and black scarf of Hamas, the long black skirts of the local Muslim girls. MOST had infectious smiles and were relieved that they could sit a spell and hear the history of the beautiful Garden and of course the gospel. It is shared in only ONE other place in Israel, Nazareth.
THAT is why they come. They want their faith strengthened, they want their unbelieving friends that came along to understand their love for Jesus. And that is what the guides tried to provide...every time. One Chinese man happily told me that there are more Christians in China than communists!
An ordinary DAY at the Garden Tomb might include 1500-1800 visitors from all over the world.
The month we were there that number shot up to 2000-2900 a day. There is NO explanation for the increase other than the overall increase in visitors to ISRAEL as a whole. People are flocking to the Holy Land in mass.
Security doesn't seem to be a concern. One Arab taxi driver told us, "People are coming here, it is too dangerous to go to America." The streets of Jerusalem are clogged with buses and tourists.
The World came to us, and we learned much from the World. Indescribable!
