VISIT TO PALESTINE

(George A. Flefel 2004)

In August 2004, I received a special invitation from W.A.R. (Wyatt Archaeological

Research) in the person of Richard Rives, who encouraged me to be part of an unique
experience of archaeological excavations in the city of Jerusalem, together with a team
conformed by representatives from different countries, to get further on the excavations
of the already localized Ark of the Covenant, also to a singular exploration related to the
city of Gomorrah and in theory, a visit to Noah’s Ark. He requested me to call him as
soon as possible, what I did the same day.

Without a clear established date, the plan consisted on dedicating two weeks of arduous
excavations, especially in Solomon’s Quarry, more precisely in the vicinities of the
tunnel that leads to the cave where we know the Ark of the Covenant remains hidden. In
this opportunity, especial equipments would be taken, including an infrared camera. We
would intent to perform a little perforation in which we were going to introduce that
device to determine the tunnel precise direction that leads to the Ark’s cave. The Ark of
the Covenant was found 22 years ago by Ronald Wyatt, whom I nicknamed as the true
Indiana Jones.

It had been organized an expedition made up of people of trust that were going to be
hosting at the YMCA hotel, which is located at the very front of the famous King
David’s hotel in Jerusalem, transportation, food and security was going to be provided,
those two weeks should be of significant cost (US$ 2.000). Then, I needed to organize
and get the plane tickets in such a way that I should be ready to work on Sunday 29 of
August 2004. I accept the challenge, but I have an important number of relatives
currently living in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and neighbor areas, a personal reflection
emerge in me as part of this expedition but at the same time to I was willing to take
advantage of the opportunity of visiting my relatives, I really wanted to know them
better and if possible I could make an important saving, avoiding the expensive hotel
and food payment. I was coming from Chile and the trip was planned with no time, then
the plane tickets were allready of a high cost, especially when it was a summer season
in the northern hemisphere. By the other hand, I strongly felt in my heart, that it would
be the opportunity to start some particular explorations related to the original city of
Jesus and king David, and also in a secret project related to him and one of his sons.
Then I made the decision to make contact with my relatives in Bethlehem for them to
know about my visit. As expected, from a culture that honors our patriarch Abraham,
they happily offered me many places to stay so abundantly that I considered, that maybe
I was going to fight with the opposite effect, I mean giving continuous excuses for not
been able to correspond to so much hospitality.

I told about the plans to my team in Chile, the “Arkey Group”, which ready to
cooperate, provided me with many of the necessary devices. Mysteriously, while I was
telling about this to a good friend engineer, shocked he told me about an amazing
“coincidence”, for he was requiring urgently contacting the most prestigious technology
companies in Israel and then being able to participate in an interesting tender of the
Chilean government. The authorities were looking for a solution to the public
transportation system, incorporating “contactless” smart cards, technology that
supposedly should be in development in Israel.
I made the research and as suspected, I found two very prestigious companies interested
and with disposition of giving us a hand in this new odyssey. Then I felt in my heart that
it could be a confirmation that God was having especial and different plans for me in
this trip.

After a long trip by plane, where I needed to spend 6 hours in Sao Pablo and 11 hours in
Zurich, that I dedicated to correct some of my writings, finally I arrived to Tel-Aviv on
Saturday 28 of August at 2:30 AM. The least of my intentions was to arrive on Sabbath,
but it was the only available flight. I thought, God will take care in getting me to
destiny, for I couldn’t even find a place where to exchange money, anyway it cost me
just US$10 to shared a minibus from Ben-Gurion Airport (at Tel-Aviv) to Jerusalem,
where I made some friends. In all the trip I could share the message within the
discoveries with at least six people, the last three were in this vehicle, a young British
fellows and a beautiful Russian Jew girl called Eyelena that works at Jerusalem. She let
me know about the cares to have and the easy way to distinguish between a Jewish and
an Arab settlement, by my part I was already impressed seen so much development
accomplished in so short time. After exchanging cards we left her at one of the
universities, then the driver went back few blocks and left me at Jafa Gate of the Old
City, I was astonished seeing that precious stone wall, with so much history contained
inside, I did not wanted to see more, this moment should be something special, which
survey I would do in a planed manner, I could exchange US$10 in an open store and I
got some shekels (official money in Israel, 1 dollar is equivalent to 4,5 shekels). Spite of
having relatives living in Jerusalem, due to my secret project I was heading to
Bethlehem. There were some especial taxis but too expensive and due to that the
distance from Jerusalem to Bethlehem is around 4 kilometers, I was told by the mini-
bus driver not to pay more than 20 shekels, to get to Bethlehem, then I took mi luggage
and went down through a sharp road till I could see a modern cab, whose driver looking
at me started a short talk with his passenger, then he asked me about my destination,
then he offered me to take me there for 30 shekels, around US$ 6.5 dollars, amount that
I consider very suitable.

The taxi driver explained to me his intention to take his passenger on the way and then
take me to the military “Check-Point” to enter Bethlehem, I load the luggage, jumped in
and tried to start a conversation, I asked him if he was a religious person, then he
answer with some difficulty, explaining that he believed in God but that he was not
really observant, that’s why he was working on that Shabbat. But, after leaving his
passenger, I understood that he was not a Jew and that he could express his real feelings
for respect to his Jew passenger. He showed me the neighborhood and told me how the
Jews have been constructing settlements everywhere, when according with his feelings,
it was an occupied territory, and that evidently they were looking to strangle the native
Palestinians and never retrieve. When we arrived to the “frontier”, he was so distractive
with the conversation that he did not perceived that one of the Israeli soldiers was
ordering him to go back, then I become steady paralyzed seen the soldier running by the
side, behind a small wall, while he was pointing to us with a machinegun. Fortunately
the driver reacted on time making exaggerated gestures to demonstrate that he took
notice and moved back. Other soldiers were pointing the machineguns to a side field
while were smuggling with care and shouting. They were performing a military exercise
with a crew that was acting as the enemy. I paid the cab and the soldiers gave sings to
me to wait at distance with my luggage, then they asked for my passport and I could
walk into Bethlehem. On my way I stopped to take some pictures of the wiring and that
tall wall in construction by the Israelis, while I was reasoning, how the loved Israel
could have been changing so much and forgetting that they were slaves at Egypt and
now acting in part like them. So many years that took to dismantle the Berlin Wall and
now Israel is building his own. Perhaps, that’s why the secrets related to the Ark of my
God were given to others more humble than them?

Picture 1 - Entering to Bethlehem

On the way in, I found a lady shepherd that with a stick was helping the herd to jump on
the road, and after she started to walk faster to place herself at front to be nicely
followed by the sheep, a very different situation used by western shepherds, who push
the herd or even use dogs to scare the sheep for them to stay “together”. That situation
made me think about the tremendous style difference between the western religious
leaders or pastors and the way taught by our Lord Jesus. As a sheep, many times I was
scared to keep in the herd, many “dogs” were incited to bark on me, some time I
received some painful bites that pushed me to obey, How many are in this world that are
shepherding by this way? Thanks to God who provided us with this white spiritual
wool, to protect us from those fierce bites. Bethlehem is the city of David, to whom God
himself declared that he loved for his heart was according His own (Acts 13:22).

Picture 2. Shepherds in Bethlehem

A mini-bus arrived, and I made wave signals to make it to stop, it took me into the city,
I paid only two shekels. I felt that it was going to be easy; I just needed to direct myself
to the Nativity Church and ask for the Flefel family. A boy kindly offered me some
help, took mi luggage in a trolley and headed to that place. Asking for the Flefel family,
somebody gave me directions in the opposite way, while I heard him to talk in a poor
English mentioning the word “falafel”, I realized that he understood me wrong and that
he was directing me to a place where I could get that traditional Arab dish, maybe
motivated by my western influence I started to perceive a marked social difference
between Moslems and Christians, and that they do not relate to much. Further
somebody gave me the right directions.

Finally I arrived to destiny. Knocked and then I saw my aunt Anrriette at the balcony,
who smiling with tenderness called me by my name. There were very especial
moments, recognizing the house where I passed some years of my childhood,
remembering and getting to know again my cousins and relatives.

Then my cousin Jack arrived, in whom I could recognize the face of my father, his sad
blue eyes talked more than he could express. To my surprise, he told me that he worked
for the Palestinian government at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, which I visit
the very same day, where I was treated for everybody as an eminence. I told them freely
about my projects, then in one of the offices, with more care, I shared the discoveries
with some of his Moslem colleges, to my surprise everything was naturally accepted,
which made me verify once more the great potential of this material to build bridges
between different cultures and religions that in principle seams so distants. They gave
me some books, magazines and a CD about tourism in the zone. They told me about the
difficulties of getting permission to excavate and how should I proceed in relation to
that, but my case could be treated in a very special way.

Picture 3, Aunt Anrriette y Jack Nasri Flefel

I started to feel that my eagerness could become a reality, but, how to start? Which
would be the plan? I needed a much clear sign about what God wanted from this trip.
We went to visit the Nativity Church and the traditional place where Jesus supposedly
was born. We didn’t need to respect any protocols, even when I felt a little
uncomfortable, mi cousin’s influences were a safe-conduct, and I could transit by where
no one was authorize. One of the friend photographers, as a present took me a picture,
that in the same day he delivered to me.

I told my cousin about my intentions to search for the fields of kind David’s original
place, of his father Jesse and that originally should have been the field of Boaz from the
Book of Ruth of the Holy Scriptures. Then, he told me that during the same day, after
an especial mass where I was invited, we were going to visit that place and some of the
relatives of his wife that lives at Beit-Sahour, a couple of kilometers east of Bethlehem,
which name means “House of Magic” according with him, later one of his colleges told
me that she believe that the right name is the “House of Vigilance” referring to the New
Testament where the shepherds used to watch for the sheep.

At church I met two more cousins Nabil and Magdi. Nabil was for years working in
Abudabi, he invited me to visit the Solomon’s Pools and the Shepherd’s Fields, due to
my interest, I gladly accepted.

Picture 4, Nabil, Jack y Magdi

After, on my way to Beit-Sahour with tears that I could not stop, I raised a prayer, for
the Lord to open the doors and use me for His good as He pleased and that I needed a
sign. We went around the area, then, when we arrived to the house of Jack’s parents in
law, we enjoyed that evening seated in a large terrace with a pleasant breeze, while we
served some delicious fruits from this land, which taste makes me remember the words
of my cousin Samir from Australia, assuring me that not even in Chile there would be
so tasty fruit like the one you find in Palestine. Then, arrived Hitham, Jack’s friend, and
a Tour Guide from the University of Bethlehem, well prepared to give answers for
tourists from three different perspectives, Christian, Moslem and Jewish. He
demonstrated great biblical dominium and in especial about Beit-Sahour, where we
were and the fields of the ancient Boaz, husband of Ruth, father of Obed, father of Jesse
and father of David. As I was thinking, that should be the place where David lived and
care for the sheep. I hired Hitham for a day as a guide. But I was already invited by my
cousin Nabil to go around that place. It was a great experience, Nabil’s wife has huge
archaeological knowledge and together with my cousin are devoted Protestants; I could
record many places with a video camera and take innumerable photographs. Some
peculiar formations inside the Solomon’s pools kept my attention.

Picture 5 First of Solomon Pools

What better confirmation could I expect! I was with excellent guides, I had many places
to stay, they received my messages with love and attention, and it was part of my family
and in less than two days I had so much material to analyze and also my cousin offered
me a mobile phone that he did not use. ¿What sort of experiences should be waiting for
the rest of this adventure? There was yet to visit all Jerusalem and the ruins of the city
of Gomorrah.

The families at Bethlehem have something especial, despite that at the moment they can
do a little in economical terms; they enjoy a good standard of life, superior to many
families around the world. The reason I found is that the homes are solidly established,
they posses a true unity and a bullet prove loyalty, the women played a vital role, her
commission and values give positive fruits in all fields, they are very educated people
and with a nobility overwhelmed by sympathy.

By all the sides, in spite of a provoked misery, you could perceive happiness and true
friendship, for example I can recall that when I was entering to a grocery shop, when I
saw two young boys, about 18 years old, that arrived walking touching their arms
together, from my part, with my western mentality, the first thing that came to my mind
was that I was watching an homosexual couple, but immediately I remember, that
especially in Bethlehem, young fellows, till today express their love by a similar way
that David and Jonathan did on the past, referring to that the Bible adds that they cried
together, hugged and kissed, as an expression of the great love they felt one to each
other.

My mother had advised me a lot about the delicate economical situation in Bethlehem, I
was thinking in my cousin Jack, but great was my surprise when I stay at his beautiful
and well dressed apartment. It is true that he is earning half of what he was making on
previous times, but despite of that, he has a large fully paid apartment, even when he
has two boys of 12 y 14 years old. For the love expressed by the family goes further
reaching the local government administrators.
Many times I heard my father and other people to talk about the women from
Bethlehem. I could corroborate in person how Abraham blessed all nations; starting
from Virgin Mary to the ones I met in Chile, virtuous women as the one mentioned by
King Solomon as the final crowning verses of the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 31:10-31 “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax,
and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her
food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household
and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her
hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her
arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out
her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of
the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh
herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in
the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and
selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing;
and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her
tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth
not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also,
and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be
praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the
gates.”

Te following day, Hitham arrived, the professional guide, he helped me to go around the
same places and other new ones; he was giving me detailed information about every
historic area. We went to David’s Well, where the administrator, Joseph Sarah was very
kind to us.

Up to date, we find water in a large closed cistern, the largest in Bethlehem, with five
openings where the water is extracted. I looked at the interior and approximately 4
meters down I could see the glowing water, which depths according with Joseph, riches
20 meters. I asked if it was drinkable, as an answer he gently offered me to drink – I
happily accepted, for I wanted to know what was so special in this water, that David
was willing to drink so much. It was fresh and tasty. I told Joseph about my interest in
all archaeological sites, and then he kindly went for a flashlight and allowed me to enter
to a nearby cave complex, recently excavated and full of graves supposedly from the
Byzantine era. Many wanted to be buried close to that well!
 Picture 6, David’s Well

Picture 7, Graves close to David’s Well

While I was coming out from this place, the administrator was asking for my name,
when I told him, he become astonished, and keep asking me about my parents and
family, ended up that my father was for years his best friend in Kuwait. Instinctively he
started hugging me, I corresponded. I remembered that I was carrying one of my fathers
photograph, he took it in his hands and with great expression of joy look at it and kissed
it a couple of times, he told me that his wife René Flefel was one of my far away
relatives. I though, what a huge privilege of mine! To be related to him, then I would
have open doors to perform a mayor archaeological investigation. He invited me to his
home to have dinner, to share with them. When I and Anrriette went together to visit
them, we enjoyed their love and attention like no one, a table full of tasty Arab food,
which quality I was sure that only my mother could accomplish. After that great
evening, at the end, they packed me with a lot of souvenirs that I taked with me to my
family in Chile.
 Picture 8. Yusef Sara and René Flefel

I visit for the second time the Palestinian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry, that by
fortune was strategically placed at Bethlehem and few blocks from the house where I
was staying, then I had the chance to know the Minister, Mr. Mitri Abu-Etta, who
organized for me a meeting with the Director General for Antiquities and Heritage, Dr.
Hamdam Taha, who lives in the city of Ramallah (the ancient Rama of the prophet
Samuel from the Bible).

Picture 9, con el Ministry Mitri Abu-Etta

At the Ministry I received an invitation to an opening of an exhibition of a Palestinian
artist, with motives allusive to Bethlehem and the Revolution, where I got the privilege
to meet the Mayor of Bethlehem city, Mr. Hanna Nasser, I introduce myself to him,
then after he asked me about my family, he told me that he really appreciated my father,
we held a brief conversation, then he gave me his mobile telephone number for me to
call him before I leave to Chile, then I should be able to visit him at work.
 Picture 10, with the Mayor of Bethlehem Hanna Nasser

MY ORIGINS

As it has become popular to know your family tree and your origins and due to that I
was at the right place for it, I decided to clarify about the true origin of the Flefel family
in Bethlehem.

For those mysterious coincidences of life, my dear aunt Sylvia, from Orlando Florida,
called me by phone; she was originally from Bethlehem and first cousin of my uncle
Hanna Nasser. She was asking me to go to the register office at the Nativity church, to
be a witness about the identity of one of my aunts in Chile. Being already there, I was
moved to investigate about the records of my father, but great was my surprise when I
could verify that there was a record not only about my father’s family, but the names of
my mother, my sister, my brother and myself were also registered there.
 Picture 11, My Family Records in the Latin Parish Office

Picture 12, The officer

Very kindly the officer in charge prepared for me a special set of information, where I
could verify the origin of the Flefel family and of all the Christian families of
Bethlehem.

The Flefels, according the record arrived on the year 1787 AD, and they belonged to the
Tarajme group, which means guides. After, somebody told me that they were part of the
people sent from Italy to help the Christian tourism in the area, after the ottomans
became interested, for they were in control of this area.

VISIT TO THE W.A.R. TEAM AT JERUSALEM

As it was originally planed, I went to Jerusalem and started first to go around the places
of my personal interest. I headed to the Garden Tomb, but due to that it was in the
morning, it was closed for visitors, for it operates from 2:00 to 5:30 PM from Monday
to Saturday, then I decided to head to the Solomon’s Quarry, placed few meters from
Damascus Gate, which is at the north of the old city. While recording, I found that the
door to the mentioned place was open, for I proceed to enter, when one of the guards
dressed as common people, who was standing outside the place told me that the access
was not permitted, at the same time I could see Richard working at the interior of the
cave, instinctively I said that I was coming to see him, then I had a short meeting with
him, he told me about the things going on and that soon I was going to be able to talk to
Mary Nell, who was at the interior finishing an special work.

Meanwhile I was waiting for Mary Nell, I talked to some of the team members, and
they shared with me different points of view and some insides that were occurring there.
Obviously, according my expectation, the project itself neither could nor go much
further, for we know that the Ark of the Covenant is well protected by superior forces
than the ones coming from human origin, and that it won’t be restored to the Jews.
Later, Richard told me about the anomalies that are happening there, as a matter of fact,
the Israeli Army was visiting them, and they were trying to perform an electronic
underground survey in the area, I guessed to determine the access to the tunnel that
leads to the Ark of the Covenant, but mysteriously, after the equipment calibration, it
presented some anomalies. For example, everybody knows that a certain wall was at
only 2 meters distance, but the instruments registered 8 meters. With a smile on my
face, I remember that I told Richard not to be worry, for we know about what is going
on there and that only God knows when and how this issue will evolve. I certainly know
that necessarily, before the Ten Commandments were going to be extracted from that
cave, first must occur something which has been prophesied.

Picture 13, Mary Nell and servant at Solomon’s Quarry

Then Mary Nell went out, we enjoyed talking for a while about our lifes and the project,
she drawed for me a map of the Garden Tomb that is close to there and she gave me
instructions about how to proceed. Later that night Mary Nell, Richard and I held and
special meeting at the Y.M.C.A Hotel, where I told them about the Bethlehem project
and how they could help. They shared some of my feelings and I told them about the
great thing going on there and how the Providence was opening the doors for us to
work, I was thinking that, at that moment, it was an excellent opportunity to go there
with the equipments and practice a sub-surface scan. He asked me for a signed letter
from the authorities inviting them to come and offering some local protection. But later
he changed his mind, and he asked me to work that out for the future. This sounded
better for me, for I remember that even when the authorities were so open to help, due
to the tense situation, they were reluctant to do any special work, till it improves.

VISIT TO JERICO

At 7 in the morning of September 3, a very special date for me, I started from Beit-
Sahour towards the city of Gomorrah, with the idea of extracting evidences of its
destruction by sulfur and fire. On the way I would pass through the ancient city of
Jericho, where supposedly you could appreciate the destroyed walls. I forgot at home
the borrowed mobile phone; anyway, I decided that I would intent to call Richard Rives,
according with a previous agreement, he asked me to call him to organize the way that I
could join the group at Masada and then going together to explore the ruins of the city
of Gomorrah. Then, if I would have an extra time, I would visit Masada and the Dead
Sea.

The route was quite special, for all this area is packed with small and large hills, that
unavoidable takes you in your imagination to the patriarch’s times.

We should need to pass through the called Check Points, where the Israeli soldiers
control the vehicles circulation. In this opportunity they force 4 Palestinians to get down
from the bus, with the purpose of checking their papers, the bus did not wait for them.

Passing by Abu-Dis, a city placed at the east of Jerusalem, I could appreciate with much
clarity the tall wall, that’s made me to meditate about the unsolved problems of
Humanity.

While I was distractive writing this notes, and already at the other extreme of the city,
one of the soldiers made the bus to stop and taking me by surprise, start talking to me in
Hebrew, asking for something, As I could not understand him, I started answering in
English, but I could recognize that it didn’t prosper, the bus driver helped me, he just
told the word “passport”, I went through but with a feeling of weirdness for in
Bethlehem, everybody speaks English, just a small percentage mainly compound by
poor people do not speak English. There are many in Bethlehem and specially from the
“Tarajme” families, speaking easily 3 or 4 languages, my own aunt Anrriette teaches
French, however today, due to the strangling situation, it has been generated a strong
tourist recession, by now she has a single student, when on the past she used to have
between 20 to 30 local pupils. According with her, before the called “Intifada” were
arriving 30 daily buses full of tourists, today, due to some political misrepresentations
and lies, the city which symbolize the world peace, where there is a new building called
“The Bethlehem Peace Center”, due to the system and the opposition, innocent and
sound people are feeling treated as prisoners in their own land. While I was ending to
write this notes, again a soldiers asked me for my passport.
The singular student that my aunt has, is a North American lady, who performed a
voluntary work teaching English, as many other North Americans or Europeans, which
are treated in a derogatorily manner by the Jews authorities, needing to leave the
country every three months, to come back and been reincorporated to their social labor.
For example I met three young North American ladies and a man. They direct a school
about 400 students in a place 100% Moslem, where with great success, the kids have
learnt to use our religious terms and enjoy a better education in English.

Arriving to Jericho the first thing I did was to go directly to the ruins, supposed to be of
the old city, the one I found to be quite small, it should have a width not superior to 130
meters, something small to have been of the interest of a nation compound of at least 2
million people. Anyway I took photos and videos to remember.

Picture 14, Your servant at the Ancient Jericho

I took a taxi and then when I was passing through the new city of Jericho, with a lot of
difficulty I tried to call Richard Rives, Just at 10:15 AM I could leave a message, saying
that I was on my way to Masada. Leaving Jericho, I arrived to the check point, where
once more they asked me for my passport in two opportunities, but at the second one the
police took their time to check it into their computer system.

Once at the Israeli road, another taxi left me in a service station where I needed to take
the bus that passes through Masada in its way to Elat. I was distracted recording a camel
that kept my attention when I heard two soft horns coming from the mentioned bus,
despite of that I had enough time to make the bus to stop, due to its high speed and also
for some reason (typical of myself), I could not react on time. Then, when some bad
words were nearly coming out of my mouth to auto-rebuke myself, at the same time I
was trying to stop it holding my teeth together, remembering that I need to overcome
that moments and that maybe God would have a better plan. I had prayed early in the
morning for God to bless my way, and I had already forgotten the mobile phone at
home and now I lost the bus.
 Picture 15. The #@*#& Camel
Meanwhile I was trying to recover the enthusiasm, at the bus stop a Jew girl arrived,
who kindly informed me about the buses schedule, I realize that I needed to wait for a
couple of hours. Then, I decided to pass to the service station; where at one of the sides
was a souvenirs shop. The person in charge talked to me in Hebrew, then I reply in
English, we easily became friends and he told me that he was an Arab, in fact I told him
that I found him very similar to a friend of Arab origin that I had in Chile, I told him his
surname and it resulted very similar to his name (Annan). Then, he referred to me about
the different kinds of customers, he told me that the more arrogant were the American
Jews, and that there were many arrived Jews from liberal countries, that were corrupting
the nation. We talked about the different and protected that seems to be Bethlehem, he
new some other Flefels. Slowly the conversation went to the theme of archaeology, till
the point when he asked me if I new something that he mentioned in Arabic, I told him
that I could not understand, then he repeated the name in Hebrew, which appears more
familiar to me, till he told me that no one could touch it or he would die. Then I
shouted. The Ark of the Covenant!

While I was recovering the amazement, he told me that he has a good friend who lives
at just 150 meters from there and that is an expert in the topic, that he had built a replica
that inspired a lot of fear and respect. Meanwhile I was sharing with him about the
discoveries, he called his friend to his mobile phone and after a short conversation he
asked me to talk to him, who explained that he was far away at this moment, but that I
was most welcome to visit the place which was open. Then, I decided to go and make a
quick visit to see the supposed replica of the Ark, where to my amazement I fount a
whole sanctuary built nearly to the original dimensions, which I recorded with the video
camera and I took all the pictures that I could. Now I understood why I should loose the
bus and meet Annan. Later, I returned to his shop and quickly I told him about the
wonderful experience, he asked me for my email, and then I left to wait for the bus.
After a while, I sensed that I should come back and talk to him and give him a more
complete message, I did it, there were beautiful moments, I shared with him many of
the secrets, and he was full of emotion. When it was late and soon starting the Shabbat,
it was going to be difficult to find buses to come back from Masada, then I decided to
change my plans and go back in direction to Jerusalem, he kindly asked a person to take
me with him.
 Picture 16, The Sanctuary and the Ark close to its actual dimensions

VISIT TO THE GARDEN TOMB

The driver was a diplomatic from Cyprus for Palestine, who driving at a top speed,
conquered destiny at around 4:15 PM for I thought that it was appropriate to visit now
the Garden Tomb, for they shut at 5:30 PM.

Picture 17, The Garden Tomb

Already at that place, the first thing that kept my attention was the great kindness of the
people working there, the entrance was free, but you could give donations or purchase a
book or any souvenirs. Then, I direct myself to the pace of the tomb, I was full of
amazement, the environment was wonderful, the plants were well treated, the birds were
singing, places for prayer, places for sermons, and that marvelous tomb, with the
message at the door “HE IS NOT HERE, FOR HE IS RISEN”, there were very solemn
moments. Then I went around every space of that tomb, I could see the cut off nail that
was originally placed to seal the tomb, the groove for the rolling stone, the cliff, the
borders and finally its interior. The stone coffin where Jesus supposedly was placed,
was clearly enlarged, due to that apparently Joseph of Arimatea was a bit shorter than
Ieoshua. At the other extreme it has an inclined stone pillow, that could show that these
tombs were made according to the exact size of the owners, and for that reason needed
to be enlarged, but as He died on Friday, it was performed the necessary work for just
the feet to be placed comfortable, leaving the hole as evidence of the hurrying.
 Picture 18, The door at the Tomb and the sealed place that leads to the cross hole of Christ

Picture 19, Enlarged coffin and its intact neighbor coffin

When I asked why the end of that coffin at my left has that peculiar form, the person
temporarily in charge of that place told me that they do not have any certainty about it,
nevertheless, some people think that it confirms that the tomb was not prepared for the
person that finally was buried there, for they needed to enlarge the space to fit
somebody taller and due to the short time available, they needed to work very fast and
only chiseling the enough height for the feet. But, that he had rejected that theory for an
engineer had told him that according to the Gospel, in the case of Jesus, there was no
enough time to do that work, it was close to be Shabbat and that work required many
hours of work. Then I told him, that I was also an engineer and that for general we tend
to underestimate the capacity of the ancient workers. We just need to consider that all
than tomb was excavated in the rock, in the same way of an immense cistern of 1
million liters, that is close to that place, inside of the same garden, for that reason
according my calculations, the masons that performed that work should have been
capable of doing the task in just few minutes, it is less than 0.2 m3 and for the quality
accomplished by this work, it is a fact that the techniques acquired by this people should
have been very refined, as today is accomplished at the rustic quarries, they know where
to hit the stone to extract the blocks of a wanted size.
I also could appreciate more closely that cut off nail or shaft, that was stumped by the
resurrection angel when he pushed away the rolling stone, now, you can see an
extracted piece of material as a sample, similar to the one Richard extracted to prove
that it really was a piece of metal processed as it was on Jesus days.

Picture 20. A servant at the tomb and a closer view of the cut off nail
Going around the garden you find many unexpected things, one of them, for example is
the water entrance to the large cistern mentioned before, which indicate to us that the
owner should have been truly rich, for he had sufficient water to keep for the garden
during all year and maybe to provide to other areas. If you come closer to the Eastern
part of the garden, you’ll be able to appreciate the famous skull hill, still quite visible.
Mysteriously, from two different angles, you are able to appreciate two different forms
of skull:

Picture 21. The Golgotha from the Garden Tomb and from the Spafford Center
 Picture 22. A servant and the Skull Hill
I went around all the bends and I also came back the following day, they recognize me
and I enjoyed the voluntary guides working for that London organization. The
authorities know all details about what is going on there, but easily I could noticed that
the voluntary employees have no idea of what is happening. As a matter of fact, one of
the guides, many month working there did not realize about the cut off iron nail in the
front wall. Without giving more details I helped him to enrich his knowledge. One of
the ladies in charge kindly encouraged me to apply to work there, for they do not have a
Spanish speaker guide and that I could be very useful. It would be nice for me to take
advantage of this opportunity of been closer to the Ark.

Picture 23. The Tomb behind the Fence

Then, I asked many people in charge if they knew the exact dimension of the coffin, for
I was interested in the possibility of estimating the height of the person buried there.
They did not have the information, and then I insist looking in the books they have, in
relation to the tomb. Finally, the supervisor in charge at that moment, Frank Flynn,
kindly told me that there is no permission to enter into the stone coffin, just only in very
special occasions, such as special blind people and looking at me with a smile, he added
“or engineers coming from Chile”. I understood that meaningful message, he asked me
to wait for a moment, while he would go to look for a measuring tape, few minutes
later, while I was nervously waiting, He arrived with a large white cable, it was a
coaxial television extension. He told me that he could not find a measuring tape, but that
he was sure that I could manage with this white cable, and then we went to measure it
interior. There were still to ladies inside watching the coffin from behind the metallic
fence, and then we wait for a moment, till there was a weird woman, that I could
identify to be from Philippines, who seemed to be praying. Mysteriously, in all the
previous moments and now at this very spot, I could sense a sort of battle between
spiritual forces. At the precise moment that Frank decided to open that fence to enter,
that estrange woman started to cry out in a loud voice while she was making funny
noises with her mouth. We were trying to ignore the issue, for we knew that the moment
was so solemn for me.

I could not resist the emotion to enter in, and been able to touch the exact location
where the body of Jesus was placed, and verify his height, that at simple sight, for an
optical effect, it seems to me shorter than I was expecting.

Great was my surprise when I verified that Jesus should have been at least 2.10 meters
tall.

80 cm

31 cm
10 cm 6 cm
190 cm

46 cm

Picture 24. Dimensions of the coffin

46 cm

190 cm

Picture 25. Dimensions of the person in the coffin

If we take 5 cm each side, for a pillow at the neck and the needed cloth and typical
special garments, we conclude that Jesus should have measured around 1,80 m from his
fit to his shoulders, plus around 30 cm for his neck an head, then I found out that he
should have been 2,10 m tall.

While I was finishing the measuring process, I could see on the floor a little piece of
loose stone, for many people in Chile were asking me to bring little stones from the
Holy Land, then I thought, even if this little piece of stone was very small, it was a
perfect remainder of this significant place, I took it and kept it in one of my little
pockets, as a very special thing of this unique place of the Universe. This little piece of
stone was supposedly loosened from the top of the surface and it has a brown film on its
upper side. If you look with care at the pictures of the coffins, you will be able to see a
brown spot that surround the bottom part (only in the coffin which was enlarged).
Considering the fact that the coffin has a small inclination to the feet and remembering
the description of the blood found by Ron Wyatt in the Ark of the Covenant excavation,
when he assured that on the top of the Ark he found a brown spot of dry blood, it made
me to consider that maybe this little piece of stone, that I lifted from the ground, which
has a brown scar, could contain traces of the precious blood of our Lord. For many it
could sound bizarre, but the dry blood is one of the elements that can be very well
preserved during the centuries, even more when we consider that this blood belongs to
our Lord.

Picture 26. The Little Piece of Stone from the Tomb

Ezekiel 24:8 “That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set His
blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.”

I new about this text, but amazingly, only in the Spanish translation you are able to
apply this to Jesus (where the words “His” and “Her” are the same), for people normally
think that the author is talking about the blood of Jerusalem (female), but is not, this is
God talking about the blood of his Son.

RACHEL'S TOMB

The following days I had diverse activities, on September 6 I went to Ramahlla to hold
an appointment with the General Director of Antiques for the Palestinian Government,
Mr. Hamdan Taha. Who received me very kindly, I found him with a similar look to
Albert Einstein. After a long conversation, where I explained to him about my
intentions to work in a research project in Bethlehem, he asked me to present a work
proposal. Then, I made up a project and requested Richard Rives to revise it. I didn't
receive any answer even that I waited for several weeks, so I decided to call him; he
apologized and made me know that he has been so busy and that he had a full agenda
for one year, so he recommended me to work by my own.

Basically the petition was trying to explain that W.A.R. organization has 27 years of
experience, integrated by professionals of different areas, with solid principles,
discipline and a good spirit of service. We are not looking for money or fame, only the
truth hidden in the archaeological discoveries. I requested for help in basic information,
security for the expensive equipments and to keep intruders away. Also, I made known
that our organization has limited funds, and that it would be very welcome if they help
us with lodging, food and local transportation. And finally we should make our
calendars to concur. I signed as the "Bethlehem Project Manager"
Due to this impasse the plan suffered a huge change, at the beginning I wanted to take
advantage of the variety of expensive equipments in possession of that organization, but
now I needed to organize a complete project by my own, which should include the
acquisition and training of similar equipments, that way my organization “ArkeyGroup”
could perform the task in the Palestinian territory, an at the same time avoiding any
possible disturbance with the neighbor countries and religious leaders.

Always in archaeology you want to start the work with some specific reference to have
something in advance, but regrettably, these lands for centuries have been a priceless
trophy of enemy cultures, that traditionally are opposed in beliefs and traditions, so the
most probable thing is that many of the evidences were destroyed or buried under new
constructions. In the case of Bethlehem, if we want to locate where David used to live,
it would be incredibly difficult, since after centuries of those invasions, when the
crusaders arrived to these lands, for the urgency of giving credibility to their tourism or
religious projects, they began to suppose places, it is for that reason that until today,
there are Catholic, orthodox, Armenian, Protestants, that postulate different places for
the same historical event, the same situation for Muslims and Jews, like in the case of
the Shepherds’ Fields of Beit - Sahour, or the Nativity Church in Bethlehem and
Raquel's Tomb. Finally, for me, the source of more reliable information was going to be
the Bible.

The first mention that the Bible makes of the city of Bethlehem, is in the Book of
Genesis, when Jacob with his belongings traveled from Bethel to Hebrón, when he was
passing by Bethlehem his loved Raquel died, causing him a deep pain, for what she
meant for him, he had worked for her two times seven years, the reason that moved him
to erect a memorial over her tomb.

Motivated by the opportunity of the moment I did intent then to locate Raquel's true
tomb and at the same time the original entrance to Bethlehem, I made an investigation
of some Bible verses and I found the following quotations:

Génesis 35:13-21 “And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little
way to come to Ephrat: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. And it
came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear
not; thou shall have this son also. And it came to pass, as her soul was in
departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called
him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrat, which is
Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's
grave unto this day. And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower
of Eder.”

It is important to notice that the Hebrew phrase translated as “Little Way” is “Kibrah
Erets”: Kibrah is an uncertain or lost unit of measurement, and the word Erets comes
from an unused root probably meaning to be firm but translated in the King James Bible
as land 1543 times, earth 712, country 140, ground 98, world 4, way 3, common 1, field
1, nations 1, wilderness 1. But mysteriously in the Spanish Reina Valera version this
phrase was translated as “half a mile”. I had not noticed that, but I was focused in the
search for a Pillar that should have been placed by Jacob at around 800 meters from the
entrance of the oldest city of Bethlehem, which should have been close to David’s well
as I will show you later.
The Hebrew word translated as pillar is "matstsebah" and is exactly the same one
occupied in the following text, associated to a prophecy about Egypt:

Isaiah 19:19 "In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of
Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD."

The mentioned altar has been localized, however, at the moment we will only center our
attention in this pillar, because it was also found by Ron Wyatt at the end of the year
70’s, in the beach of Nuweva, Gulf of Aqaba, that is precisely at one of the Egypt’s
border. At the same spot, crossing toward the other side of this arm of the Red sea,
you’ll meet another great beach but now at the Arabian Saudi side. While Ron was
getting ready to dive in the waters where he assured to be the place where the Israelis
crossed the Red sea, in search for remains of Egyptian chariots, he encounter at few
meters inside of the shallow water an enormous pillar, he notify about it to the Jewish
authorities, who at that moment were in control of that area. They organized the work to
take this pillar out of the water and fixed it in a cement platform, as you can see it today.
The pillar gave the impression that somebody in the old times had made an attempt to
destroy it, and worked hard chiseling an entire side with the apparent purpose of erasing
an inscription that there was on it and later dragged it into the sea.

At a later time, Ron ventured across the Red Sea entering the Saudi territory, where he
found a similar pillar, but this one was in perfect state of conservation and with an intact
inscription written in archaic Hebrew, saying to have been built by the King Solomon in
honor to God for He allowed the Red sea crossing on dry land. Then he understood the
reason that would have motivated the destruction of the other pillar placed on the
Egyptian side. What is a sort of contradictory situation, for if you make a complete
reading of the mentioned prophecy, you will find that it says that these monuments
would have been there for the sake of Egypt. God promise to them that if they were
under oppression and they plead to God in one of these monuments, He would send
them a deliverer. For the other hand, now the Saudis, for the same reason that originally
motivated the Egyptians, took it away and in it place they left a marker. At the same
time the Israelis were placing the other pillar on the cement platform.

It is interesting to notice that the prophecy says that there would be a pillar in the border
not two pillars. For that reason, I think, that at the same time when the Israelis were
standing one the pillars up in the Egyptian side of the border, the Saudis were moving
away the other pillar that was in the same border but at the Saudi side. I mean, since the
fulfillment of this prophecy started there has been a pillar standing in the frontier and
not two.
 Picture 26. The pillar at the Egyptian side and the marker at the Saudi side

Other texts:

Rut 4:1 "Boaz (great-grandfather of David) went up to the gate and he sat down
there..."

Rut 4:11 "And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said…"

2 Samuel 23:15 "And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the
water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"

Micah 5:2 "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrat, though thou be little among the thousands of
Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. "

Then, summarizing, we have the following hints:

- On Raquel's Tomb, Jacob built a pillar, ideally similar to Solomon's pillar.

- The pillar should have been to some 800 meters of the oldest door of the city of
Bethlehem in route to the south, where it is the neighboring area of Ephrat that
corresponds with the Tower of Migdal Eder that was used to guard the flocks of
the shepherds, and I think that it should be close to the fertile area of Artas,
where the tradition says that king Solomon built reservoirs (pools of water).
- The door was in a high place, for Boaz (according to the Book of Ruth he lived
in Bethlehem and also Rut with its mother-in-law) he ascended to the door, not
to the city.
- For security reason, the city was in higher place and it was a fortress (2
Samuel23:14) that as usual counted with a single door.
- The area of the door should have been wide, because people used to sit down
there.
- The door was near where there was a well or cistern of water, which was very
special for David.
- The city of Bethlehem was one of the smallest in Judah.
- It could be possible to find an inscription in some part of the pillar.

Then, I began to talk about the topic to every expert that I found, archaeologists at the
ministry of tourism, and municipal authorities, tourist guides with university formation.
I also search in specialized books, looking for old photograph and paintings. Easily I
deducted that even among the experts there were many diverse opinions. Obviously I
would not find unanimity in relation to events of so old occurrence, but I felt that it was
something necessary to do, but I include a different ingredient to the traditional one and
that I consider being fundamental, using strictly the Scriptures and to discard any other
common tradition or writing that contradicted it. While the days passed I began to feel
that I was able to figure out a quite clear scenario.

According to the well-known professors of the University of Bethlehem, Sawsan and

Qustandi Shomali, Three thousand years before Christ birth, Bethlehem was already
known as an establishment. Canaanite tribes when arrived to Palestine, they built small
cities surrounded by walls. One of those cities was Beit-Lahama, well-known today as
Bethlehem. So that their name comes from Lahmo, a Chaldean deity for fertility, which
was adopted by the Canaanites as Lahama, then, Beit-Lahama means the House of
Fertility, what I think, in some way could be related to Jesus' miraculous birth for a
virgin was going to be so fertile that got pregnant without a contact to any man, only
God could have been involved on it, our God is the true God of fertility. At the moment
this city is called Beit-Laham that also means the House of Meat (Jesus flesh, the one
we should eat to have eternal life, John 6:54) or the House of Bread for some other
people (Jesus the bread of life John 6:48).

According to the same authors and later confirmed orally by Mr. Hanna Nasser, the
current mayor of the city of Bethlehem, at Jacob's time Bethlehem was a small walled
city, erected on a hill at the north part of the current city with a singular entrance door,
which was close to a great well of water, the one that was fed from winter rains, but at
the same time, as the only source of water on summer, it used to suppress the growing
of the city, until in later centuries the aqueducts were built to take water toward
Jerusalem, those aqueducts passed near the current Manger Square, then the city started
to grow in that direction and the old door and walls of the city became part of the
interior buildings being some of them hidden or destroyed.

The now called David’s well is at one of the highest point of the old city and as I new
that the door should have been close to that place, then I deducted that the pillar should
be approximately about 800 meters from there. That also demonstrate to me without any
digging that Raquel's traditional Tomb, now under Israeli control, shouldn’t be the real
one, for it is almost at double of that distance.

I started the search for the pillar, I had all my relatives and friends helping me, many
times playing jokes, I took my aunt Anrriette by her neck while asking her “Confess,
¡Where did you hid the pillar!” It became a funny game. Then suddenly, this very old
photograph arrived to my hands (supposedly 1843).
 Picture 27. The hidden pillar
On this picture you can appreciate a traffic place with a showy pillar in the center, very
similar to Solomon's pillar. It was a scene of merchants.

Picture 28, A close up of the previous picture

The problem was that nobody of my friends could identify the place; on the other hand,
I was not even sure if it was the correct pillar, because Bethlehem is a city full of pillars,
it seemed to be the favorite element to immortalize the important thing. At the same
time, the old picture didn't give many clues.

Picture 29. Some pillars of Bethlehem

It began a kind of obsessive search, for all sides I was seeing potential candidates for
Jacob’s pillar and also for the entrance door to Bethlehem. I will never imagine that the
pillar would be so close to the old Flefel house, where I was staying.

I continued gathering pictures and paintings, I kept visiting places and asking questions,
Have you seen any old pillar around here?, it was necessary to do the work alone. I
remembered that in most of the discoveries made by Ron Wyatt, although they were
obvious, the experts were not even able to realize that they had an important discovery
in front of their noses. It is a kind of gift that apparently God gives to whom he wants.
Then I faced an additional problem, I should request to the Heavens that I could became
worthy of this so big and undeserved gift. This process of searching and praying
continued for several days, while my attention has distracted by other working projects
at Jerusalem and at the ruins of the city of Gomorra that I will narrate for you later on.

Finally, more pictures and old paintings appeared. I bought a Visitors Guide to
Bethlehem, where I found a drawing of an old door entrance painted by George
Sammour, this door was matching some of the previous considerations, was a single
entrance, it was in an upper part of a hill, and it had an adjacent wall. My cousin
acknowledged to me that he knew that important person that used to be the Minister of
Antiques during the Israeli occupation. Without even make a telephone call, we went to
visit him, while I was trying to convince my cousin to call him first; he seemed sure that
it was not necessary. Later I understood that the people at Bethlehem is still acting like
the patriarchs, like Abraham, making you feel always welcome at any time.

Picture 30, Painting of George Sammour, Door of Bethlehem

Already in his home, and spite of the surprise visit, we were received with a lot of
kindness. Trying to be prudent, I requested him information about the old city of
Bethlehem, its original location and the doors, he very kindly and taking me by surprise
responded to me in a very fluent Spanish. He gave me priceless information and I could
take out many pictures to their paintings. Among those a particular one got my
attention:
 Picture 27, Pinura de George Sammour y el Pillar
There was a pillar, where you could see part of the very old city, for churches were not
seen.

Big was my surprise when I could realize that it was the same pillar of the previous
picture, but now from a different angle that allowed me to see the city. It was the
Manger Square, in front of the Nativity church and Armenia church and the old
Byzantine or orthodox cemetery that now is part of the Oriental Palace hotel.

The pillar was at my noses, I had looked at it many times, but I was not able to to "see"
it. Then more resolved, although it was already night, I went in its search and I found it.

Picture 32. The pillar found near the Nativity Church

 10 cm

Some time after the year 1900, this

mysterious pillar was broken in two
pieces, maybe due to the impact
46 cm received by some big vehicle or a
military tank, I could see an old
picture, where were several military
154 cm trucks in that square, surely of the
Second World War. The base of the
pillar was at the same place, and the
cutted column was left as collection
remains of pillars joining others of
Bloque extraído
different sizes that are resting at the
feet of the external front wall of the
28 cm
Nativity Church. Its original location
Bloque existente was marked by the stump base, which
Pilar Bloques colindantes top end was later smoothening, leaving
you to see a meaningful white cross in
its surface. Will this be Raquel's Tomb
pillar? We will have to wait until the corresponding excavation take place. Personally I
believe that it is the best candidate, what I back up for the following reasons:

- It is at the exact distance of 800 meters of the old entrance, which I walked that
very night counting step by step.
- It appears in very old photographs and drawings as a solitary pillar when
churches were not still seen to the interior of the city.
- It is surrounded by Christian remains.
- It is exactly in the road toward Migdal Eder for the lowest passing road as it is
appreciated in the following picture.

Picture 33. Road to Migdal Eder that goes around the bottom of the hills of old Bethlehem

- There is still to this days a Christian Orthodox cemetery that maybe comes from
an old Byzantine cemetery from times of the crusaders, which in general as they
recognized sacred places, they wanted to be buried near them.
- To less than 20 meters, has been found at the underground of the Bethlehem
Peace Center some remains of a Byzantine church and mosaics, signed by the
same author from the one at the entrance of the Nativity Church, what indicated
 that the singular pillar had been surrounded of primitive Christian buildings.
There was also a great cistern dug out of a rock, still in excavation process, but
that I could enter in to examine it from the interior.

Picture 34, Byzantine Remains under the Peace Center

- It was exactly in a place of accustomed merchant’s traffic.

- The pillar is in the vertex of a rectangular platform, which border was made up
of some very old blocks that although prominent and hard, you could notice that
they were deteriorating.

The only thing that is left is to begin a more rigorous investigation and then to dig out,
project that should count with the local authority’s approval, and the support of all the
people wanting to elucidate the truth hidden there.

VISIT TO THE RUINS OF GOMORRAH

I shared with many about the discoveries of Ron, in an opportunity, in my cousin's

house Nabil; I had an audience of six people, where there were two North Americans,
July that was the principal of a Christian school for Muslims, Anna that is one of the
teachers and Elías Garib a Palestinian professional guide. They kindly received a
presentation of the evidences for five and a half hours. They were so impacted that
finally they decided to go with me to the Dead Sea trip, to visit the ruins of the city of
Gomorra. Few days later we organize it, and then we left at 6:30 in the morning where
we were also joined by another young North American teacher. We needed to start very
early in the morning, for I remember the experience hold by my good friend Jonathan
Gray from Australia, who told me that this area in summer was extremely hot, since it is
the lowest part or the planet (400 meters below sea level), there is a kind of a
greenhouse effect, for what the climate is very pleasant in winter, but in summer it
becomes very hot, what can cost the life for an inexperience explorer. Thanks to God,
the day we left didn't seem very hot, it was quite cloudy.

It was touching for me, now having so good company and also being able to go in a
well equipped vehicle. My original idea, some days before, was to spend a night in that
place, so that it could take out profit of the best hours to work, and through this way I
could obtain pictures and films of good quality, also with care to look for those priceless
sulfur balls, unique in the world, as evidence of the destruction narrated in the Bible.
Génesis 19:24 “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone
and fire from the LORD out of heaven.”

2 Pedro 2:6 “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned
them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live
ungodly;”

Being this way, the example should be visible, and my purpose was to verify it and to
share it with my friends.

Fortunately, Elías had obtained permission on behalf of the Israeli authorities to leave
Bethlehem, so everything was perfect, however when we were arriving to the check
point, we notice that people were returning sowing their faces being grief-stricken, the
soldiers communicated us that the exit from Bethlehem was closed by two weeks for the
Palestinian. I explained in vain that Elias had permission, it didn't work out. It was a
paradox; they gave him permission, for later capriciously to tell him not. We didn't
surrender; he got off the vehicle, while we cross de border, we told him that maybe in
the other exit they would allow him to pass. We drove around to the other exit, which is
at the opposite side of Bethlehem and waited for him at few meters from there. Big it
was our happiness when we saw him arriving. You could notice his sad look; it is a
humiliating situation, for the continuous expressions of a hardened nation. I
remembered the humiliations that our Messiah had to live, when he left Bethlehem in
his mother's arms running away from the sanguinary Herod, who inflicted the worst of
the ignominies to the mothers of this loved city. It cost us a while to lift up the spirit to
our friend Elias.

Already in the route, you could appreciate the increasing atmospheric pressure, while
we went down below sea level. When passing by Jericho, I told my companions about
my friend Annan and about the sanctuary’s replica, it was too early to visit that place.
Then, we arrive to the Dead Sea, where you can appreciate the singular scenario, still
enough arid area, but with plantations of date’s palms and in contrast the acacia tree that
growth solitary in the middle of the desert.
 Ilustración 28. On the rout to Gomorrah

We went by the famous caves of Qumran whose history Elias repeated to me, when at
my surprise, he told me that very near to us, in Bethlehem, there lived that Muslim, who
found the Dead Sea scrolls; Elias committed himself so that in a near future we would
visit that distinguished personage.

We were distracted talking and having a very pleasant moment, when suddenly in the
scenario we could perceive the white and distinctive ruins of the city of Gomorra,
everywere the desert color is brownish, but these ruins are of a creamy white color. Full
with enthusiasm, I instructed July to drive into these ruins, so that she pulled over the
road, and then we entered toward a path that seems to be on the way to one of the
entrances. We continue for a good distance until she decided to stop, caring to avoid the
car to get caught up in that ashen road. The first thing that we saw was a kind of burnt
sphinx. I remembered that the ancient people used to place sphinxes of cherub's at the
entrances of the cities, habit that goes back to the history of the Garden of Eden, when
God, to protect the entrance to this Garden and to avoid that men to come closer to the
Tree of the Life, he set up a protective cherub.

Picture 36, Arriving to Gomorra

 Picture 37, The first sphinx from a distance

Picture 38, The sphinx

Long minutes we expent going around the different parts of the north side of the city,
evidently I was the most delighted, I forgot everything, I was running from side to side,
taking pictures and filming. Finally we intended to look for the famous sulfur balls; I
decided to leave the group for a while and to see more, searching everywhere. There
were many places with characteristic forms of a city, platforms, castles, pyramids,
buildings and monuments. I remember the scenery in a place where the walls with the
time have been wearing away; where you could clearly appreciate the track left in the
buildings, the penetrating sulfur balls of 40-50 cm. of diameter, these balls broke
through the buildings burning them, and finally resting in the interior of some of the
structures.
 Picture 29. The entering sulfur balls

According to experts, the temperature reached by these balls would have been around
4.000 to 5.000 Celsius degrees. It was such the heat radiation and so sudden that it
overturned all the elements in ash. You can not find marble or clay or sand or earth or
rocks, but burnt ashes of all those elements. The only rocks and earth that we found
were the ones that have been deposited there previous to that destruction, as product of
the earth falls, coming from the mountains around the area. Since in the area rain is very
poor, the mountain surfaces are covered by dust and loosen material. Then water can
produce a dangerous move of earth, as the one which cost the life to one of Elias's
friends and his partner who were making an exploration among the hills of that area.

Deuteronomy 29:23 “And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and
burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the
overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew
in his anger, and in his wrath: ”

I was distracted searching when suddenly, the floor gave in and one of my legs fall in
till the superior part of my thigh, I had stepped into a kind of an aqueduct or tunnel of
an animal den. Fortunately I was unhurt, but then I remembered my friends and I
thought that maybe they could be worrying about me, for I was already been alone for
long minutes. So I began to go back in search of my friends. While I was walking, I saw
a white vehicle that was going away in the distance, and then I decided to hurry up, and
to shorten the distance I pointed straight toward the highway. Coming toward that place,
I heard that Elias was calling me; I responded to their signs and started moving towards
him. When surprisingly I found something that at first seems to be a helicopter landing
platform, for you could appreciated at distance a flat rectangular area with small walls,
and a mound in its interior, the platform from the distance seems to me been made of
large platforms of cement as are built today. While I came closer I stopped in several
opportunities, to check if it was only my imagination or if it was truly a structure with
rectangular pieces of cement. Already convinced that in fact it was kind of a helicopter
landing platform, because there is enough military activity in this area and minutes
before I had been able to appreciate the maneuvers of some military airplanes, however,
big it was my surprise when I stepped on what I believed to be cement and to realize
that it was a platform of hardened ash. I walked through that platform, the one that still
reflected clear evidences of have been a kind of a city square with a monument inside
made of bricks.

Picture 39. The mysterious platform

I was already very tired and completely dehydrated; I pointed the video camera to my
lips to show the dryness of them. I met Elias and we left to where the girls were. I
narrated my experience, it was to hot then I noticed that the spirit and enthusiasm of
them had diminished. Although it cost me a lot, it was necessary to respect the rhythm
of them and to be prudent. I proposed them to go toward Masada to have some lunch,
rest and to keep going with the expedition later in some hours, they pleasantly accepted.

Arriving to Masada, we realized that the ruins of Gomorra were very large; we could
confirm that the south end of the city was better preserved. I was dying in my desire of
keeping exploring. July was a little discouraged; she wanted to find the final evidence,
the sulfur balls. Joking, I proposed a reward of 5 shekels for the first one in founding
one of it.

After traveling to the entrance of Masada we decide that it was not worthwhile so much
to ascend to the top, it was also very expensive to consume there, so we leave to Elat,
where we knew about a great commercial center and also a MacDonald.

On the road we met Ahava industry, the famous factory of products elaborated with the
extracted mineral from the bottom of the Dead Sea. I took advantage of some offers and
I made myself of souvenirs, because, to be the Dead sea the lowest place on earth, per
millennia it has been accumulating in its bottom, great quantity of rich mineral silts,
coming from the fertile adjacent sectors and carried by the waters brought by the river
Jordan.

Then, already satisfied, we went around the surroundings, Elias had shown me the
acacia trees and in that opportunity he showed me a bush called the Sodom Apple,
which grows in the surroundings of the Dead sea, it gives a beautiful fruit but with
pilled with air in its interior, it is empty, such as the fruit that is offered by the
wickedness of this world.

We return to Gomorra, but now to the nearest part to Masada, the first thing that we saw
was an immense sphinx of burnt marble. It was an impressive moment; still useful to
give us shade and rest. But it was necessary to keep looking for, July with the purpose
of awaking my enthusiasm up even more, insinuated that she was beginning to have
some doubts, because we could not find any of the famous sulfur balls. In many
opportunities she wondered about how they were, about their consistency and
appearance, I tried to explain to her, but she continued without understanding. Then, I
increased the reward to 6 shekels.

Picture 40. The great sphinx of Gomorrah

Picture 41. Resting at the shade of the sphinx

We walked to a close field, and we begin to dig, when in front of me, standing out of a
small hillside, it was a rounded protuberance of the size of the palm of my hand, I took
it to extracted it, then I pressed it with my hand, then it braked showing a strong yellow
color from its interior. I shout full of emotion saying: I Found a sulfur ball!, then
everybody looked at me, and I showed it to them, Anna took it and she kept breaking it,
while I heard Elias's words exclaiming: Then the Bible is true!, that single expression
made me feel that it had been worthwhile all the effort and sacrifice, listening to my
friend admitting that to his eyes the Bible had been vindicated as a genuine source, it
made me feel a deep joy in my heart. I have reached a goal; I could see him enjoying
with me the Heavens.

Picture 42. Elias and sulfur balls

We kept searching, July had also prayed to the Lord so that he allowed her to find some
of those balls, when suddenly she didn’t only found one, but a bag full with sulfur balls
that surely somebody of the W.A.R. team had lost, because few days ago I should have
been with them visiting this place. Voluntarily, she gave them to me, however I
considered prudent to give them the best samples, so that my friends could show to
others the evidences of this destruction coming from Heaven.

The only way that you could find sulfur in nature is in crystal form, or dissolved in
volcanic areas, but in no part of the world, but in these five cities that were destroyed
for God, a sulfur powdered ball, surrounded with a vitrified shell and ashes for all
around.

I dedicate the following text to my friend Elias and to all those that patiently are
suffering the humiliations from those that love violence, so that he could know that God
will make justice for its cause:

Psalms 11: 5-7 “The LORD tried the righteous: but the wicked and him that loved
violence his soul hated. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a
horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loved
righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.”
With a feeling of success, we went down to the Dead Sea, where I gave myself a
pleasant bath, I was for several minutes floating on my back, I easily could have slept
some hours, in that position, for it is impossible to be submerge. The concentration of
salts is so potent that makes the water weights proportionally much more than the
weight of our body, that’s why it pushes you upward, it ends up being uncomfortable
for swimming on your belly, because your legs want to leave the water, the only
problem that I found is if a little drop of this water came into your eyes, it start burning
so much that you are forced to leave running looking for a shower of clean water. I tried
to avoid that to happen to me, but it was impossible, in three opportunities I had to leave
running to wash myself. Regrettably, none of the girls could take a bath, although they
didn't say anything, I believe that for the fact of being voluntary missionaries, they have
accepted a series of strict rules, one of them apparently is not to dress a swimming suit.

Pictura 30. Your servant at the Dead Sea

When we were starting our return to Bethlehem, in front of us at the highway appeared
a couple of impressive wild mountain goats, one of them was crossing at five meters
from the vehicle, and stopped in front of us for few seconds. This was the golden
present coming from God for my filming, when just in that instant, the only video tape
that I have was finished.

Then I thought, how many countless situations that I have, every day was as one day
programmed by my angel, to make me live experiences that I won't forget for the rest of
my life.

THE FAREWELL

Bethlehem has been the city where I have felt more comfortable and happier in the
entire world; it appears to me that I have always belonged there. I felt at home, I am
desiring dearly to repeat for always those moments shared with people whose feelings
are in the way that felt our loved king David, in the way that our God feels (Acts 13:22).
Every day I was receiving invitations, they packed me with attentions, I met true
kindness, dignity and nobility, and a unique respect for all the sacred things and an
eloquent tact to be inspired to correct some of my erroneous western attitudes.

I should thank Sahar Rishmawi for their professional help, Ghada Hasboun for make me
feel at home, to Bashir Hasboun and his wife Amira for their invitations to have a good
time and to Sussy Atalla for the books.

Picture 44. Ghada, Amira and Bashir

To my relatives, my aunts Anrriette and Monda, my cousins Nabil and his wife Arlette,
Jack and his wife and to Magdi and his wife, and to so many others that filled my days
of visit with a true happiness.

In spite of the traumatic invasion and the current military blockade, the nobility, the
unity, the courage and the love to their land have made them and it will make them to
endure forever. In spite of the anguish caused by the forgetfulness of many that
emigrated from this city to different countries of the world, who in general have gotten
notably rich, product of the lasting moral inheritance, education and respect in which
they were gifted there, today, those that remained there, are receiving us with open arms
and treat us with the same nobility of that father that received his prodigal son (Luke
15:11-32).

Today more than ever I feel deeply proud to be part of the true City of David.

Jorge Flefel
Arkeygroup@yahoo.com