Pita Bread and the Old City

How would you like to begin your day next to the tomb where Jesus rose from the dead!?? Well, thats where we spent yesterday morning. A Scottish man named Bob gave us a tour of the garden, complete with scripture references and an incredible closing word reminding us that our God is alive. This was an optional, unplanned activity, but the Lord met us there in such an incredible way. We all experienced His Presence and His peace in a real and tangible way. We were able to have an incredible time of worship, prayer and communion together in the garden. There were many other groups there from different nations, all gathering for communion, prayer and worship in their native tongue. Every tribe, every tongue every nation anyone?

After our morning at the garden tomb, we gathered back at the Living Bread house for lunch and headed out to tour the old city. Our first stop was the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed the paralytic. Afterwards, we were able to walk down the Via Delarosa, where it is believed that Jesus carried the cross. We stopped at many of the cathedrals along the way.

Later in the afternoon we walked through the markets in the Arab Quarter of the Old City. We were able to do a little bit of shopping and had a few interesting encounters with shop owners. It was late in the afternoon and everyone was a little weary. However, we were on our way to the Mount of Olives (yeah, the Mount of Olives) for a Shabbot meal with a local 24/7 prayer ministry. A Shabbot meal is the Friday night dinner that begins the Sabbath.

We took vans and taxi's from the New Gate of the Old City up to the house of prayer. The ministry is located on the side of the Mount of Olives, next to the Garden of Gathsemane. Their backyard overlooks the entire city of Jerusalem and we got to eat dinner, sitting on their lawn. (It is believed to be the only grass lawn in the greater Jerusalem area...jk...but possibly true.) During dinner, the sun was setting over the city. It may have been one of the most beautiful things we have seen so far. What an incredible place to intercede for the nation of Israel!!

After dinner we gathered for prayer and worship. Ministry staff from the house of prayer led the first half of the meeting. They allowed some from our team to close the meeting with worship. It's not every day that you get to worship the Lord on the Mount of Olives, next to the garden where Jesus often went to pray!

Please continue to pray for our team to experience the Lord in new and real ways. We love all of you and can't wait to tell you more!!

Shabbat Shalom!
Laura and Jason