P.S. Happy birthday Matt!!! Hope you had a great day today!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Archeology
Alright, so today we went to an archeological sight and instead of digging, we sifted from about 1015AM-4PM... we got there at 9AM and were briefed on the history of why they started digging in the first place, some things they have already found, and what we were going to be doing. The sight started because of the Temple Mount. The mount itself is owned by the Muslims, but underneath it is owned by the Jews. Supposedly a while ago, the Muslims started secretly digging underneath the Temple Mount at nights without anyone knowing and the Jewish government ended up finding out and they had to stop. It took a couple years for these archeologists to get the permit to go through all the dirt and land, but they finally did. The unfortunate thing was that they couldn't dig at the actual sight, they had to move everything somewhere else. So that's where we were. Since all the dirt and land had to be bulldozed and carried in huge trucks in order to be moved, there were lots of small pieces. So, for those 6-7 hours, we dry and wet sifted through all the dirt they brought to the sight from the Temple Mount. Overall, our group found 12 coins, a bronze ring, a couple bullets, and lots of mosaic pieces and pottery. It was a fun job to do for a little bit, but it did get a little repetitive after a while, just being perfectly honest. But, it's what I should have expected. I sifted for a good 5.5 hours and about the last hour we were there I sat in a tree and talked with a group of girls on this trip. It was a fun time. The only other thing I did today was go out to a restaurant with a large group for a girl's birthday that is on the trip. We already ate dinner at our house, so we mainly just had appetizers (for those who wanted them), desert and drinks. Even though the day wasn't as eventful as some of the other days, it was a really great day. =]
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATT! lol
ReplyDeleteSo speaking of sifting, I was in Colorado a few years back and we went sifting for gold in a river which would ordinarily be pretty fun.. but we didn't realize that the river was infested with these black bugs and was probably 30 degrees. So hopefully you're sifting adventure was a little more fun than that! AND you actually found stuff! That's really exciting! Love you girl!
Julie, I'm not sure if you remember this from our last trip, but your sifting through the remains of the dirt is highly significant. When we were allowed to go on the Temple Mount as the first group after it was in Muslim control, that was during the time they were ransacking and destroying the Jewish remains which sat under the Dome of the Rock. If you remember, they created a highly unstable environment there and the wall at that point was bulging out about 12 feet I'm one spot and the authorities feared that side of the wall might even collapse. What you participated in yesterday, though tedious, was restoration. Your hands were used to help restore back to the Jewish nation part of the heritage and history of the temple that the Muslims were doing their best to destroy inorder to nullify any tie to Jewish ownership. I can't help but sit here and weep as I realize a circle that was completed yesterday when God allowed your hands to be part of the solution to which your prayers were an answer to which your feet prayer walked 6 years ago. I will say once again, there is more spiritual significance in your being in Israel and in everything the Lord is having you take part in than you can fathom at this time. So, in those moments when you may not fully understand or may think something mundane, ask the Lord to reveal something to you. He will because everything He has you doing has great purpose. I'm anxious for the day you will be planting a tree as dad and I did this our first trip there in 1997. The Lord did something truly and deeply spiritual in me during that simple process that today I still have inadequate means to express. Just keep in mind that everything in Gods holy land had significance.
ReplyDeleteI love you so much and am immensely proud of you. Love and hugs, Mom