Safety Concerns

When we left for Israel, many people assured us that they would pray for our safety. I took it that they were concerned about conflict between Palestinians and Israelis and that we might get caught in the cross fire. I am very grateful for those prayers. There is some danger in this place. Most of the danger comes from the places we are visiting! We are hanging over cliffs, climbing into dark cisterns, hiking up paths with danger of falling rocks, walking along staricases suspended hundreds of feet in the air, winding down narrow mountain roads in our bus, and encountering drivers who are more aggressive than any we see in Chicago.

Walking up the Kidron Valley, below the area of Silwan, we walked below power poles with severe warnings about climbing the tower. In Hebrew, Arabic, and English, the sign said: "Warning! Danger of Death!" Another sign warned against walking too quickly down a flight of marble steps; a stick figure is seen with one leg out at a 90 degree angle, his upper body in the opposite angle, and arms flailing helplessly over his head. Below is one of our favorite warnings: don't stand too close to the edge of the cliff or ... this could be you!