I must listen

One day, when I was working in Israel as a caregiver, my boss asked me to make some errands. She told me to pass by the bank where her son was working, to get some money and to buy things for the house. She changed her mind later and she asked me instead to go to a smaller market-store to buy for our need and to pass at the health center to buy her medicines. Instead of going to buy at the store, I changed my mind, after buying her medicines. I decided to go to the city to do  the shopping there.vI wanted to go to the city with my intention to pass by at the bank to get some money from her son. I did this for fear that she might not give my weekly allowance for my day-off.

While waiting for the bus heading to the city, there was a battle in my mind. Whether I proceed to go to the city or just go to the nearby department store. I, then decided to board the bus going to the city.

It was already 12 o'clock at midday  and the bank was already closed so I wasn't able to meet her son. I didn't want to wait another hour because I was already hungry and tired. It was the Jewish Feast of Succoth or Feast of Booth or Feast of Tabernacles, so the the city was crowded and oh, every where I can see the trash the people threw.

On my way going to get the bus, I was walking at the edge of the road, I just didn't notice a long,transparent plastic and I stepped on it. With my back pack full of fruits and vegetables, and  a plastic bag each in my hands. I was out balanced and I fell forward and my body and back pack weight over my leg and foot.And after that, my foot became numbed so I already knew that it was broken.

The lesson I learned from this incident is that, I must be sensitive enough to the warning of the Holy Spirit. He used my boss to warn me, but instead I ignored Him and I suffered the consequence of being insensitive to the warning signs.

My trip to the Dead Sea,the lowest part of the earth

I got up early morning as I was so excited to have this guided tour paid my boss as a gift for the good service I rendered for his mother. The meeting place was at the hotel down near Kiryat Moshe,Jerusalem where I used to work. Since the hotel is located a few blocks down  I descended till I reached the hotel. I went down early because I didn't want to miss the tour. I was so excited!

The trip included Mount of Olives, Masada and the Dead Sea. We first went to the Mount of Olives. It is a fantastic view. Mount of Olive is well known in the Bible as the place where Jesus was last seen and ascended to heaven. This is the best place to stop and stand  if you want to see the New Jerusalem and the Old city of Jerusalem and to see the valleys near the old city. In between the Mount of Olive and the Old city of Jerusalem, there is an old cemetery where in, according to the Jewish or Israelis, the Matriach and the Patriach were laid to rest. After  a few shots of the cam,  the driver and our tour guide at the same time called us on board for another trip and this time to Masada.

To go to Masada we must  pass the same road going to the Dead Sea. Along the way we stopped at the nearest mall. At the backyard there was one big cute camel for ride. Of course it was not for free. Hence I have the rare opportunity to see a camel personally and at the same time the chance to ride so this time I made sure to do it.. OMG! It was fun!! After few minutes we were called to proceed to our journey.

The driver preferred to bring us first to Masada, this is a place on top of a mountain and located south of the Dead Sea and around 20-minute drive by bus. The only way to go there is by cable car. Just wondering how the ancient people were able to live and brought their things up there. As we did in the Mount of Olive, after more than two hours on top of the mountain and several cam clicks, the guide called us to board into our bus.

Then time to head to the Dead Sea. I didn't know that part of the trip was to go to the SPA at the Dead Sea Beach. I didn't bring anything except what I was wearing.In this trip, I met Magda Cracknell from South Africa and we became friends.She's an awesome woman, kind and beautiful. And we went together all along and talked together. We became friends and for this reason we shared the locker for our belongings.

It was fun swimming with Magda and with the other tourists boarded in our bus. It was an early summer and so many tourists both locals and foreigners. The Dead Sea is 10x saltier than the other seas. The excessive saltiness of the water cause a person to float but just be careful to accidentally put water in the eyes. And we just enjoyed the sea. Because I don't know  how to swim, I always shared the floating tire and I thank God I just floated automatically too.

Our time was limited and the guide told us to leave at around 3 pm so we can arrive in Jerusalem at 5 pm. Every one rushed into our respective lockers. Magda was fine and easily changed her clothes after rinsing but I got a big problem!!  I was not able to find my legging. Problem because I didn't have the extra clothes to wear. The time was almost close to go on board so I asked Magda to buy me a legging from the shop up there. Thank God! She was able to find one for me because she said there were only two to choose from. This friend of mine saved me from shame as I can't walk along the road of Jerusalem with just a towel on.  Kiryat Moshe where I was staying  is  a mixed neighborhood of  the secular, modern orthodox and the haredim. But this trip is a fantastic one with lots of memories and a friendship that made.

My visit to the old city of Jerusalem

This trip is one of the 4 guided tours of my boss' paid gift tours. Although I already went to the Old city maybe less than a hundred times,  this trip was terrific. With the guide and the pretty explanation, I learned about the history of the places we went and the entrees and exits. If you aren't familiar of  the way, the streets and outlets surely you get lost.
Well, it was an honor to set foot and visiting the places where Jesus walked while He was on on earth. We went to the Bethesda pool, where in Jesus' time a sick person must be thrown to the pool for his healing. Then we  pass by the via Dolorosa,  here Jesus carried His cross to the Calvary. After that,  we went to the Wailing Wall. This is the place where the Jewish people pray if they have especial request to our Yahweh.

The old city is just like 4,000 years ago.The wall are still in almost original structure except to some necessary repairs. There are some places of the old city where it is called Jewish quarter,  the other is Christian quarter and the other is the Arab quarter. We also visited where the Temple used to be and it is called Temple Mount. Now the dome of the Rock had been built over that area. On this site is sacred for both Jewish and Arab people.This is also the root of quarrels between two sons of  Abraham, the root of two religion quarrels.

I love Jerusalem.This is the center of Israel and Israel is the center of the world.