I am back from the West Bank (but not home yet) and my brain is full of so many experiences that it is hard to know where to begin. Tonight, before I go to bed I will offer up some highlights of my trip into Jerusalem.

One night at the Muslim call to prayer (around 5.30pm) I was just entering the Israeli Embassy in Jordan and was faced with a robust Israeli security force that made sure we weren't a security risk!!. It took us nearly 2 hours to get through this Israeli security to get to our breifing with the Israeli Ambassador to Jordan. The night after I was in the Jordan Valley at the same time (5.30pm) drinking tea with a Bedouin women who was gracious enough to entertain us when we were walking by. The call to prayer was ringing out over the Jordan Valley.
Jerusalem chips away at the soul... I had access places that are usually not open to the public. Our guide was able to get access to the roof of the Holy Sepulchre ...can you imagine that? For Christians this is the holiest site and I was on the roof (I got a rock for my collection!!)
I also visited the Western Wall (sacred to Judaism). I went there more than once. The Dome of the Rock (sacred to Muslims) was closed to us...there was some tension so I did not get to see it.
Over arching all this history was the conversation I was engaged in regarding conflict and cooperation in this region. This is not a simple topic as all people here can and do stake claims to the land, but it is a conversation that needs to keep happening for all our sakes.