Shalom!
I want to start off by giving thanks to the Lord for the
trip made to the Holy Land last November (my first time!). It was such a
blessing, and I feel that I can’t describe exactly/accurately what it felt,
being there. I’d like to share one of my experiences in the following text…
{“AMI Group!” hollered our tour guide, Daniel.
“We are going to the Western Wall!”
I felt my heart stir within me. I was finally going to see a
place I had only heard of and seen in pictures. It felt so surreal. Like a
dream.
We arrived at one of the entrances and had to go through
security check; they opened our bags and had us go through a large metal
detector. When everyone was finally checked, we proceeded. The men went to the
left section, and the women went to the right.
We put on our coverings and walked over to where there were
already several women praying and reading their prayer books. I remember one particular
woman crying with the book on her face and constantly kissing her beloved Book
of Prayers. It was incredible being there, realizing that we both were praying
to the same Almighty God.
I found a spot to pray in the middle of the women’s section.
As soon as I touched the Wall, I felt as if an electric current had went
through my entire body. The Lord’s Divine Presence was so strong and tangible,
that I just couldn’t hold it in. Tears started streaming down my face as I put
my hands and face on the Wall. I looked up and saw thousand upon thousands of
rolled-up petitions in the wall and scattered about on the floor. Pictures of
loved ones sticking out of the cracks. I reached into my purse, and took out
the petitions I had received from some of my loved ones in the U.S. I found the
perfect crack to fit them in and cried out to the Lord, asking Him to answer
according to His will. To hear the cry of His people asking for these
petitions.
In the background, I could hear the rabbis praying and
crying with so much fervor and an intensity so great. A couple of men began to
sing in Hebrew. Tears streamed down my face. I felt something that I had never experienced
before in my life, something so beautiful, and peaceful.
I felt a tug on my jacket and looked down. It was one of the
little girls in my group. We had to go. I felt disappointed that we had to leave
so soon. Time seemed to fly when we were there.
We walk backwards, reverent and careful not to turn our back
on the Wall, where God’s Divine Presence dwells day & night…}
I thank my God for this experience,
and for the trip as a whole. It was something that really & truly impacted
my life. The trip also made me so much more grateful for the Lord’s marvelous
grace in allowing us to be “…grafted in among them (God’s Chosen People), and
with them partaking of the root and fatness of the olive tree:” (Romans 11:17)
I pray that all who read this will
be encouraged to take part of the upcoming 2015 Israel Trip, in
November/December.
I ask that you please remember me
in your prayers, as I need so much more of God in my life.
God bless each and every one of you.
PS (you might recognize this from my article in the Maranatha. It's the same exact thing, but written in English instead of Spanish.) I pray that this blesses you as you read it.
Jasmine <3