Pilrimage Day 3, February 4 2009

2-4-9 1600 Pilgrim Reception Center [PRC] Day # 3

Woke 0600, dressed and assembled lunch, breakfast 0630 to 0650 [rather scanty due to shortness of time] and found about 7 of us waiting for the #23 bus, which came late at 0715 or 0720. Tumbled out of bus, crossed street, into green Egged tour bus and off to Akka.

We visited the blue and white House of Udi Kammar & House of Abbud; beautiful. Prayers.

Walked to the barracks in Akka. Blue sky, bright sun, blue Mediterranean. We assembled outside, heard the story of the early pilgrims from Iran watching for Baha'u'llah to wave His handkerchief to them from one of the windows of the prison. We went up a narrow outside staircase, then into the building and suddenly, unprepared, into the room with the skylight and roped off area where Mirza Mihdi was sacrificed. We heard the story of that, and the story of Badi. Shoes off, into the cell of Baha'u'llah.

We walked to the "Land Gate" in Akka, then back to the bus. Most went to Bahji; we returned to the PRC in Haifa and ate bread, tahini, carrot, cauliflower, figs, grapefruit from Bahji, and tea.

2245 Nof Hotel

After lunch my plan was to nap, then see the terraces and the Shrines. I went to the female resting room and awoke about 1700. Some time in the last 24 hours I'd set my watch ahead by mistake, and had to reset it. Enayat showed up, I brought out snacks and brought him tea. He was engrossed with fellow Persians and I went off on foot to the program at the International Teaching Center auditorium, following another group of Iranians. I was trying to teach the older ladies how to pace a hill climb with breathing: breathe in, two steps, breathe out, two steps, which I learned as a youth with mountain climbing.

There was a very short, succinct talk by one of the Counselors, Juan _____, then they met the pilgrims, then we had tea and cookies and talked for an hour, shared a sherut with Haghighi's, the family with whom we waited for the bus in the morning.

I showered, Enayat had some good observations about the lack of reverence and obliviousness of the local populace to both the Christian and the Baha'i holy places. Also what Christ and Baha'u'llah said when questioned by the authorities.

I shared my opinion that the "Chosen People"--who knows what they were chosen to do? I think they are chosen to form the State of Israel in this day as a shelter and haven for the Baha'i World Center, as the only non-Muslim [therefore, non-hostile] nation in the Middle East.

Enayat fell asleep hearing me read the Tablet of Visitation.