And Now Back to the States

The worst part of traveling always is returning home. Not only do you have a bunch of dirty laundry to unpack, but you are constantly faced with the question, "how was your trip!?" How do you describe the relationships formed and the experiences had? How do you relay the sights, smells, and sounds of this other culture that gave you a completely new understanding? 

Last night at dinner, our whole group went around and shared with Forsan, the CEO of the JIY, the most impactful part of our trip. Now, we all had an extremely difficult time coming up with just one peice to share, but when it came down to it, our group agreed that we found inspiration and were really impacted by the unexpected experiences on this trip.

For me, coming to the Holy Land meant seeing all sorts of sights that are significant to my faith. I expected to have my mind blown by standing in the same places that Jesus and His followers stood, by swimming in the very waters that Jesus walked on, and by running my hands through the river that Jesus was baptized in. Now, don't get me wrong, that was indeed mind blowing, however,I never expected to learn so much, to have my outlook change so significantly, or to become as emotionally invested with the work of the Jerusalem International YMCA. To begin with, I had no idea of the magnitude of the political and religious tensions felt in this area and their effects on the people living there. And, as I have said before, these issues are extremely complicated and I still don't fully understand them (and probably never will.) However, after listening to the stories of all of the people (especially from Forsan, the night he took us to he olive trees in his village) I now see the great necessity for peace work, like that of the JIY. 

I take back to Charlotte with me a new knowledge, interest, and desire to help in whatever capacity I can from afar. I don't know whether I will have the opportunity to travel to this part of the world again or not, but I will carry the impact that this trip has left on me forever.

Written by Katey Calhoun 

The Final Day

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes this morning as I groggily rolled over to turn off my alarm. Ugh. Already 5am? Somehow, I convinced myself to get out of bed and I stumbled out onto the balcony. What awaited me was the most gorgeous sunrise I have ever seen, over the Sea if Galilee. The dozens of pictures I took of it will not suffice as I try to explain the beauty of this manifestation of God's love and provision for us. So I guess you could say that I thought it was definitely worth it to wake up a little early today. 

Our team met up in the office of the Peniel YMCA, bright and early, to experience fishing on the Sea of Galilee. There was a kind fisherman, who did not speak a work of English, waiting to take two of us at a time out on his boat. We would like to say that "we caught 8 fish!" But the truth is, all we did was silently sit and watch the fisherman work. 

After some sightseeing in Cana and Nazareth, we headed back to the JIY. We had some time before meeting up with Forsan and his wife, Reem, for dinner, so my dad and I ventured into the Old City one last time to find the Golden Gate, or the gate that Jesus used through on His entry to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The gate is not what you call a tourist attraction, considering its is closed until Jesus comes again and it is on the very far side of the city. After a pretty long trek there, we found it! The worst part was when my dad decided to use his instincts to find a "shortcut" all the way on the outside of the city walls, resulting in a LONG journey back to the hotel. 

Our dinner was a great one, filled with great time as a team and with our new friends. Our team all took turns to share one thing that has been impactful during the trip, and I had such a difficult time thinking of just one. This trip has been eyeopening. I came in thinking that the only meaningful experiences would come from seeing the Holy Sites, but I found that our time at the YMCA had such a greater effect on me than I ever expected. The people we have met and the stories that they have told us have taught me so much, and the words shared around the table from the team tonight reflected this same idea over and over.

Written by Katey Calhoun 

Meaningful experiences

This morning was our last day in Peniel and I'm sad that I won't be able to look outside the window and see the glorious Sea of Galilee. We woke up very early to go in a boat with a local fisherman and we ended up catching 8 fish! We then left to go to Cana, the place that Jesus turned water into wine. After that we left and went to Nazareth where it is said that the annunciation that Mary would give birth to Jesus happened. The structures were miraculous and the history behind all of the sights were unlike anything I've seen before. Soon after we went back to Jerusalem. 

We had our farewell dinner with Forsan and his wife Reem. We were asked by Andy, our CEO, to share the most meaningful part of the trip around the table. Many different answers were given but they all had a universal theme and that was that everyone was shocked by the difficulties that people in this country go through. All the struggles are hard for us to comprehend because none of us have ever had to think about the things they have to think about. Needless to say, things got emotional. What an impactful few days we have had. We have met some incredibly inspiring and selfless people- who put the well being of those around them before their own. We have met so many passionate people who all want peaceful coexistence in their nation. These people are willing to go through whatever takes to make the place more peaceful. I left that dinner feeling extremely inspired and touched by the things I have learned. This is an experience I will never forget. 

Written by: Katie Taylor 

From the beginning of time

Today we went to a number of places- Capernaum the place where St. Peter lived, the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus delivered the Serman on the Mount, Tabgha where Jesus fed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. But by far the most amazing thing we saw today was when we went to the Kibbutz to look at a 2000 year old boat that was found at the bottom of the Sea of Galilee. It is said that this boat may have been used during the times of Jesus. Two brothers found the boat during a drought and many people around the country came to see the incredible boat. 

It is interresting to me that the community came together to help preserve this boat. It didn't matter at that moment in time what religion or race everyone was. Their differences were put aside during the excavation of this boat that many had been hoping to find for quite some time. 

Written by: Katie Taylor 

Universal Goals

Today was the day that I could finally visualize it. As I sat on a wall by the fence on the Mount of the Beatitudes, reading Matthew 5-7 (The Sermon on the Mount), and gazing past the edge of the church property towards the untouched mountainside, I could just see Jesus teaching His followers. I could picture Jesus speaking in the synagogue in Capernaum and I could hear Him calling out for Peter to step out of the boat as I looked out upon the Sea of Galilee. It gave me chills to know that I was in the same exact locations that Jesus was 2000 years ago.

But aside from the typical tourist activities that our morning was filled with, we, of course, spent time at the Y. The very first thing that we did today was go on a tour of the YMCA retreat center that we are staying at. Despite the many obvious differences such as language, location, community needs, and short term goals, when it comes down to it, YMCA long-term goals are the same everywhere. In Charlotte, we may work to reduce the effects of the achievement gap in schools, and here, they work towards reconciliation and peace within the religious divisions among young people, but overall, we are all just trying to make a better world for future generations around us. In NC, the staff and volunteers work together to build the playgrounds that are at the branches, and in Israel, we pitch in to pick up trash that has scattered along the coast of the Sea of Galilee, however, in the end, we are all trying our best to improve the situation of our current surroundings. It brings joy to my heart when I see the "body, mind, and spirit" motto not only proclaimed on signs, but also in the actions of all involved in the YMCA, regardless of their location on the globe.

Written by Katey Calhoun 

The view of the Sea of Galilee from the Peniel YMCA balcony

Speechless

Today was probably the most insightful day so far. We learned about the Baha'i religion and toured the Baha'i gardens, which were so meticulously and beautifully cut by the 70 plus gardeners. We had the honor of going to Forsan's house, who is our incredible host and the CEO of the JIY, in Sha'Ab, to meet his family and have fresh fruit and small snacks with them. He then took us to these 2000 year old Olive trees where he played as a child. We all knew bits and pieces of Forsan's life before today but he actually sat us down and told us everything about his life. He has such a miraculous story that none of us knew what to say afterwards. We were literally speechless. We then drove to the Peniel to stay at the YMCA here for 2 nights. It sits right on the Sea of Galilee....as iif we hadn't already experienced enough today. We had the chance to eat dinner with Eddie, the manager of the Peniel YMCA and he explained the significance of the Y in his life.

The Y has always played a huge role in my life because I literally grew up there. Back home I have come across many people who have had life changing experiences at the Y. But it is an amazing experience to come to another country to meet people who have also had life changing experiences through the Y as well. Who knew that the Y would be this impactful to people all over the world. What an amazing organization we associate ourselves with. I have never been more proud to say I am an employee, volunteer, and lover of the YMCA. 

Written by: Katie Taylor 

Kind of Hard to Describe

So here I am. The cool breeze blowing on me from the Sea of Galilee as I reflect upon another fantastic day here in The Holy Land. Its somewhat difficult to write about all that I am experiencing when I, myself, have not fully digested it all.

We began with a walk to The Church of the Holy Sepulcher to observe the service that happens there on Sunday mornings. I was pleasantly surprised when I understood about 1% of the Latin mass thanks to my Music 101 class from this past semester at Wheaton College (thanks Dr. Trotter!) I really enjoyed watching the many different people that came to the church, both visitors and locals alike, for a common reason, illustrating the similarities that humans can have, despite many differences in our lives. 

We then hit the road and went to Akko for "the best falafel sandwich in the world" (or so claimed Forsan, the CEO of the JIY and our host.) Even if we may have had initial doubts (we had eaten some dang good falafel), we definitely all agreed with him by the end of our lunch! After that, we went to the Baha'i gardens, which were not only breathtakingly beautiful, but also very educational for all of us that knew nothing about the Baha'i faith.

Next, we traveled to Sha'ab, to eat and spend time with Forsan's parents in his home. We then sat under an olive tree and had the opportunity to hear Forsan's story and some of his background in peacemaking. This was an incredible experience for all of us and, as my dad said, it was "not something that I could learn in any classroom." 

We finished our day in Peniel, the YMCA retreat center on the Sea of Galilee. We shared fish that had been caught in the sea and had the chance to meet Eddie, the director of the Peniel YMCA. Before going to bed, I tried to take a picture of the unbelievable view off of our balcony of the huge moon above the Sea of Galilee, but I found that I could not quite capture the moment the way that I wanted to. I guess that is a good illustration of this once in a lifetime trip. We can blog about it, take pictures, and tell stories, but each moment is so unique and impossible to recreate, adding to how special this opportunity really is.

Written by Katey Calhoun 

Unbelievable

What a day! This whole trip, I have just had to pinch myself over and over. I have to constantly remind myself that I really did put my hand in the Jordan River, the very waters in which Jesus was baptized, I actually looked at the tree that Zaccheus climbed up as he watched Jesus enter the city, and I did indeed see the mountain that Jesus fasted for 40 days on, before being tempted by the devil.
But today, as I gazed upon these amazing sights, walked around Masada, an ancient palace built by Herod and turned into a Jewish rebel camp, and floated in the Dead Sea (which, by the way, was one of THE COOLEST things that I have ever gotten to do), that I could almost begin to picture these ancient stories playing out in front of me. Maybe its the history nerd in me, but I am so fascinated by the thought that these stories that I have only read about and studied, are now all around me.
A huge piece of this absolutely incredible trip for me, however, has been the people that we have met and spent time with. Tonight at dinner, I just sat back from the conversation and the laughter and smiled as I reminded myself that I was sitting in Jericho, eating grilled meats, surrounded by the most wonderful people that I am now lucky enough to call my friends. I know that the trip is only half way finished, but I get a little upset at the thought of parting from these people and this amazing land.

Written by Katey Calhoun

The surface of the Sun

Let me start off by saying today was HOT like really hot. We woke up and started on our journey to Masada, one of Emperor Harod of Rome's palaces (originally) but was used by Jewish rebels during the invasion of Jerusalem. It was under Roman siege for 2 years. The Jewish rebels who took refuge in the palace had to make the decision to either be Roman slaves or to die. They slit the throats of their own children and wives, and then took their own lives. We were able to go around the palace, which by the way was built in 1st century BC. 

Of course it wasn't a palace anymore but there were still some original mosaics and stone work from that period. This palace was built on the edge of a mountain top overlooking the Dead Sea. It must've been a mile long because whenever we thought we had seen the whole palace it just kept going. It was almost surreal to imagine what it actually looked like at the time it was built. There were grand bath tubs, pools, and columns with (what looked like) beautiful detailing. 

These past couple of days we have seen things that I had no idea even existed. I can't help but be extremely grateful for having this opportunity to come to Israel to learn more about the cultures and history that is not my own. 

Written by: Katie Taylor 

At The Dead Sea

The YMCA of Greater Charlotte representatives learning about the  skin benefits of the Dead Sea....but really just playing in the mud. :)

"O Little Town of Bethlehem"

Remember those storybook Bibles that we had as kids? You know, the ones with the cute little pictures that illustrated the stories inside? Well, Somehow that is the mental image that I had as we drove into Bethlehem today. Just as you may expect, however, Bethlehem is not still this "little town." There is a huge church, the Church of the Nativity, that is there now, and hundreds of people come to visit. We were among those visitors yesterday. We had the opportunity to see exactly where Jesus was born (now with altars and paintings to honor Him) down in this grotto sort of place. 

Another big piece of what we did today was learning about the politics in this area of the world. We traveled to the Ramallah YMCA to see the the building that is under construction there, we visited the East Jerusalem YMCA, and we enjoyed a performance by a youth choir made up of Muslim, Jewish, and Christian teens. Everywhere we went we had the chance to hear the stories and experiences of all the people we met. I thought that I had a basic understanding of the political tensions felt in this area, but, much like the city of Jerusalem itself, this issue has many many layers. Every Y director, employee, and youth choir member had their own point of view to share with us. To say that the political situation is multifaceted would be a massive understatement. Just like the church in Bethlehem, and how it was much more modern and complicated than I thought it would be, there is much more to the politics in this area than any outsider could understand. Every individual has their own set of beliefs, experiences, and opinions surrounding the tensions of this area, and the best response that I can come up with is just to listen and absorb all that they have to share. So far I have learned so much from the people that I have met here, and I am very excited for how much I will continue to learn during my time here. 

Written by: Katey Calhoun

Cultural differences

Today we experienced many things. We went to a town called Ramallah to look at a  beautiful YMCA that is still under construction, we visited the East Jerusalem YMCA and met some of their staff, and went to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity where Jesus was born. While all of the sight seeing was incredible the one thing that I really found fascinating was the Jerusalem youth choir at the JIY that we had the privilege  to watch. 

There were maybe 25 teens all lead by one young talented musician Mica. He is from America but is fluent in both Hebrew and Arabic. He went to Yale university and said his life long dream was to start a choir at the Y in Jerusalem to bring Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim, Christian, etc teens together without any tension. They sang 3 songs for us- one in English, and 2 in Arabic and Hebrew dialects. They were incredible singers and they all harmonized together. The music in Israel is much different than what is it in America. 

We were able to openly ask questions to the teens (almost all of them were fluent in English). I raised my hand and asked what a day in the life of a teen in Jerusalem is like. The answers I got in response were astounding. A girl answered mr by saying that she wakes up for school in the morning and thinks about which route she would take to school so that she could dress accordingly. She said if she passed a village/settlement with extreme religious people then she would have to wear pants or a long skirt to  keep from getting called a prostitute or getting spit on. Another girl said she is sometimes afraid of getting on the bus because she knew that there could be a chance that it could be bombed by terrorists attacks. 

My mouth literally hung wide open because these were people who are my age. I never had the thought of my bus blowing up or getting spit on because of wearing shorts. And these are fears that they have everyday. As an American I take simple things, like wearing whatever I want, for advantage. I don't think I will ever be able to wrap my head around the position that youths in Jerusalem are put in on a daily basis. 

Written by: Katie Taylor 

A Bit Overwhelmed

"Wow!"

This was probably the word that has most frequently crossed The lips of all eight members of our group since we stepped onto the plane leaving Newark for Tel Aviv and we first became immersed in this culture. This was especially true this morning as we walked through the old city of Jerusalem for hours taking in the sights, smells, and experiences that were completely new to all members of the group. As we walked from place to place seeing the Church of The Holy Sepulcher, the Dome of the Rock, and the Wailing Wall, our group found that the only way that we could respond was with a simple "wow." 

But this wonderful sensory overload did not stop there. After stopping at one of the most famous hummus restaurants in the city for lunch with our excellent host, Forsan, we proceeded to tour the almost-completed, state of the art sports center and the preschool that are part of the Jerusalem International YMCA. The cherry on top of our packed day was dinner with staff members of the JIY. We were served traditional and delicious dishes on the outdoor patio of the Y's restaurant as we reveled in the perfect weather and fascinating company of our new friends. 

It will probably be years before I have fully processed and fully understood the gravity of all that I have experienced and will experience during this trip. However, for the next few days, I am content to take it all in and simply respond with "wow."

Written by Katey Calhoun 

Day 1: Old City of Jerusalem

This morning we had the incredible opportunity to take a tour around the Old City in Jerusalem. Our tour guide, Avnar, a legendary archeologist, met us at around 7 am to tell us all about the Old City. He took us around the Christian, Muslim, and Jewish quarters where many shops of extravagant carpets, scarfs, jewelry, and small trinkets were set up. The most amazing thing that we saw was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In this we were able to see the stone that (is said to be where) the cross that Jesus was crucified on, we were able to touch the stone which was a very moving experience. We also got to see the stone that Jesus was laid on after his crucifixion, and the Tomb where Jesus was buried. Unfortunately, we weren't able to go inside because of the 100 plus people in line to go inside. The architecture was unbelievably beautiful to say the least. 

Written by: Katie Taylor

Moonlight view from the tower at the Jerusalem International YMCA

Jerusalem International YMCA

Established in 1878, operated by YMCA of the USA since 1920, the Jerusalem International YMCA (JIY) is a safe haven for religious, cultural and intellectual freedom for the people of Jerusalem. Jewish, Muslim and Christians of all ages come to JIY to enjoy the atmosphere of understanding and unity.

Like YMCAs in the United States, JIY serves the needs of its local community through programs focused on the holistic development of children and youth, health and well-being for all and family strengthening. In an effort to end the cycle of prejudice and violence, JIY offers a variety of programs designed to stimulate positive connections among people of all faiths and backgrounds. From the integrated Peace Preschool to coexistence programs for young adults, JIY is helping to impact a generation of future leaders who will have the tools to advocate for and secure peace in the region.