On Galilee and others.

So for a study tour, (almost) the whole school (18 in all, 15 students, 2 staff, 1 guest) went to the Galilee region. Basically we went to a few cities around the sea of Galilee. All the sites were pretty significant, biblically at least. Some of the big hitters were, Nazareth (can anything good come from Nazareth? yes.), Capurnaum, great ruins, very Catholic. The North Shore of the Sea of Galilee, pictured above. Tel Dan (home to a 4000 year old building), Ceasarea philipi, Tiberius, The Golan Hights, and the Jordan River. At all these places we had teachings from our guest speaker Drew. It was a neat time of learning and sight seeing. Drew was an old friend of Mikes. Mike is our director at the college. Basically they were a dynamic duo of sarcastic bickering old men. Really the drama between them added a bit of humor and confusion to the trip. We are all confident that there is a strong bond of brotherly love between them. 

Something that has jumped out at me just about the whole time that I have been here is the large presence of tourists. Tourists are the plague of this land. Though instead of eating the crops (though the fruit is delicious), these pests tend to pour out their pockets. The Israelis have cleverly turned the pestilence around to their favor. I use such strong terms because I think tourism promotes a false image that tourists want to see and nationals want to show. This by no means is limited to Israel. Money is money and tourists tend to spend. I don't know that I would do any different if I were in the place of an Israeli. I just don't like it. Especially after living in a city, then seeing from a local perspective what tourism looks like, awkward and curious mobs of slowly meandering, overly prepared aliens, with cameras and without courtesy. Again, thats a bit harsh, I personally know many tourists, I think I was/am a tourist of sorts. Really the thing I hate most is ignorance, but really ignorance coupled with pride. Everyone is ignorant, but when one doesn't care, and doesn't respect the culture or the people. Like all things that upset me, I find them in my own personality after I vent about them. 

So all this to say that I'm trying to get out into the culture of Jerusalem, to get the local perspective. It's not everyday that you live in a culture that has such an emphasis and history in religion. Even the secular Jews have religion in their life. Sorry if this offended anyone, its my blog. Disagree if you want. I feel like this is a hostile post, but really I'm not trying to be. I'm loving Jerusalem. I'm loving the bible college, I'm learning good things. God is good, I know this. He is good just because He is, thats the only reason I need to praise Him and serve Him. Its not about us, its about Him. God is God, no matter how bad you think things are. God is good.  

not as bitter as I may sound

matthew