NOTES FROM GUIDING AT THE GARDEN TOMB ( PART 3 )

• Spending a lot of time greeting visitors at the entrance to the tomb lately. Yesterday, a young man from an Eastern European country came out of the tomb with his fist held high and shouted, " He is not here, He is rising ".  The verse on the entrance to the tomb says " He is not here, He is risen ." His heart was in the right place.
• Sunday morning we joined our friends and fellow volunteers, Al and Judy, and travelled to the proposed site where John baptized Jesus on the shores of the Jordan River.  We stopped off at Engedi for a picnic lunch on our return. This site was one of the main places of refuge for  David as he fled from Saul.
• One particular group of visitors come in to the Garden and guide themselves ( we have no guide in their language ) and for some reason they prove to be difficult to handle for us and the others who are there to worship.  This week I had a couple of encounters with them.  When they interfere with other groups we need to step in and correct the situation as I did today. One man wouldn't take my direction at the tomb after being asked very nicely several times. When he came out of the tomb he pushed his camera within inches of my face and took several pictures.  I grabbed his camera and told the translator that if he acted up again, none of their group would enter the tomb.  It is sad that when everyone is here  to worship our Lord and Savior, that some are not a good witness to those around them.
• Guided a group yesterday.  Fooled me as they were all black - but from Sweden.  They were originally from Ethiopia and we translated in Eritrean.  It was interesting and they were a great group to spend time with.
• Four Catholic priests were here for a tour yesterday.  For many years tradition held that the place of crucifixion and the tomb were at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  Most Catholics swear it is there. It is only in the last 150 years that many Protestants have started to understand the Garden Tomb as a possible alternative.  At the end of the tour one of the priests stated to our guide, " I can't see how it could be at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre anymore - at the church the site of the crucifixion and tomb are too close together with no room for the garden in between."  Interesting input.
• At our weekly fellowship evening, one of the volunteers commented on the closeness between fellow volunteers and the love we display for each other having known each other such a short time - he felt it was due in large part to our common bond in being able to share the gospel with so many each day and  where we have the privilege of volunteering - at the Garden Tomb.  Although we start the day at 6am and don't finish before 6pm most days and while it is very tiring, we don't consider this work.
• With that in mind we are looking forward to welcoming a very special couple to the Garden.  Fellow Canadians Gordon and Donna Reeve are arriving in two weeks to volunteer alongside us. Glenda and I were excited about being the first Canadians ever to serve at this site - we are just as excited about the second couple from Canada arriving.

Thank you Lord for allowing us to continue to serve you here.