Floating ON the Dead Sea...

It's about 10 pm here and I'm fighting with a bogged-down connection, but here's a few words on the experiences of a couple days ago....

We left bright and early for a long all-day field trip to four sites: Masada, Ein Gedi, Qumran, and the Dead Sea. Just driving there was exciting because we got to go through Jerusalem in the daylight for the first time, and saw the Temple Mount from a distance! Then we drove through the desert hills down to Jericho and the Dead Sea. It's a pretty amazing sere landscape... steep gullies and sparse vegetation. Every 10 minutes or so we saw a camel standing next to a crossroads or gas station with an ornate saddle waiting for us to stop and take our pictures with him... for a fee!

We rode a cable car up to the old stronghold at Masada, then hiked down. (huff huff sweat sweat) Then we went to Ein Gedi, a nature preserve of sorts where there are several abundant springs in a valley. We hike some more and saw Ibex and Rock Hyrex. Then to Qumran for lunch and a look at the place where they found some of the dead sea scrolls.

Finally, at the end of the day, we went to the shore of the Dead Sea for the obligatory float. This was the most purely touristy and least spiritual event of the day... and yet, here, it all came together for me. We changed and went down to the water in a hoard of sorts. We splashed in somewhat carefully, heeding warnings not to get any of the brine in our eyes. At first it didn't really feel all that different. However, by the time I got up to my waist, I could tell my body wanted to float. Finally I lay back, and I was half out of the water! As you can see from the picture, I even did the obligatory paper reading while floating... although in this case it was the National Park map of Masada. After a while I settled on the legs crossed at the ankles and my hands behind my head. I realized that with a floating pillow I could probably fall asleep like this! I let me ears go under water and closed my eyes and wondered at the peacefulness.

Now there was nothing about this experience that helped me to understand Jesus better, and it wasn't a holy site. But it did bring me a sense of wonder and awe... and that definitely has to do with God. As I've thought about it the last day or so, it seems to me that even the simple wonder one feels as you look across a new and strange vista, or taste a new food, can be of great service to one trying to be a pilgrim and not just a tourist. As our journey here continues, I hope to be more sensitive to the movements of my heart and mind towards wonder, and to give thanks to God! And, as the Pilgrim People of God... this applies to every day, wherever we are.

God Bless, pilgrims!
Ben