Possibly the most enjoyable part of this trip was my flight back to Cairo from Tel Aviv. This trip has shaped my view of a lot of things, but has presented me with many issues that are difficult to deal with. It is not that they are too difficult, but the sheer volume of things is tough to grapple with. What do I make of being at the sites of Jesus’ death and resurrection? Where does Christianity “fit in” to the world in a secular sense… or religious sense? How do I emphasize the claims of Christ to an atheist, and yogist and a Muslim in three consecutive days? All the while I am confronted with the realities of the Middle East. Israel had a suicide bomb attack two days after I left.
A lot to digest in a short time. I will no doubt be sorting things out for weeks.
I found myself wrestling with these things at the airport in Israel before flying out. The flight is about an hour, so I expected to continue thinking throughout the trip. But, much to my joy, my solitude was ended by my seat-mates on the plane. I found myself next to a couple from Texas. I decided to look past the fact that they were from Texas and move on to the “whys” that inevitably come up when meeting fellow Americans overseas. We quickly moved to issues of faith, and as it turned out- they were both believers in Christ. The next hour was filled with simple impressions of what we had seen in the Holy Land. Nothing earth-shattering, but it was just amazing to find the kinship that comes with the community of believers in Jesus. Whether American, Kuwaiti, Egyptian or Israeli- those who God has given the right to be called “children of God” are an international force with Christ as our foundation. How nice to talk with two strangers about the wonderful things of Jesus while over the seas of Egypt.
1 comment:
okay seriously, don't be jealous just because my state is cooler than yours. just for that, texas hates you too.
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