# Once apron a time tales from a journey to Jerusalem



## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We had set out for Jerusalem in an old Bedford Dormabile

It died in Turkey but we decided to continue on foot as it were

Fast forward we arrived in Nicosia 

The priest we met was obviously afraid, go back he said 

Something was politically not good, but ignorance is bliss, we carried on

The Covent was unable to help us, it's the last day of our retreat, come back tomorrow 

By now it's dark,and we have no idea were to go

We passed the Armenian bishops residency

The light from the open door spilled onto the pavement, and he was stood there

Are you alright he said


We explained, ah he said the convent is just around the corner

They are on retreat we told him

Well he said, God is Big

Soon we were in a family sized room in the bishops house

We will have breakfast together in the morning he said 

True to hisword we did and after breakfast he said he would show us his beautiful church

Albert strode ahead admiring the architecture 

The bishop moved me into every dark corner, touching me, kissing me and trying to get his tongue into my mouth

I was desperately trying to keep my mind neutral, this was a church, he was a bishop, I didn't want God to read my mind, to know what he was doing

It never occurred to me God could read his mind

Finally we returned into the sunlight 

He invited us to lunch and to stay another night

We graciously declined and moved on 

No harm done

I still think of him, remember him in the doorway light pooling around him, saying God is Great, offering us shelter from the night, chasing me around the Church 

And I think to myself

Well at least he was a Bishop :wink2:


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

A swift knee would have dissuaded him in the first dark corner.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

It doesn't work like that Kev, at first you are unsure what's happening

A friendly arm around the shoulder, a friendly hug 

And anyway I certainly wouldn't have wanted to hurt him

It's not as though he cornered me in a dark alley 

Sandra


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I assume you were very young, but this is how they work, creepy little Bstds, should have been reported and jailed.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

In those days nobody would have believed her against a local Bishop.I bet you never told Albert.:wink2:

cabby


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Forgot to say, please post some more of those snippets. 00

cabby


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I was young and really beautiful:grin2::grin2:

Actually I was 6months pregnant with twins 

But still beautiful 
And iwouldnever have told anybody at that time

And that was the problem in those days

40 + years ago

But hey he never hurt me 

He offered sanctuary the day before

For us and three kids

And that's what I remember

I was tired, unsure

And mostly I remember 

God is Big

and He was

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Who could blame him for being overcome:grin2:


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

:grin2s

If I dropped my hair 

It reached my waist 

Those were the days :wink2::wink2:

Sandra>


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Sandra is a lovely lady and I would also welcome more of the snippets of her time and travels, I know that she spent time in a kibbutz (if that is how they spell it) and I would really like to know so much more about such things - they are totally beyond my experience, sadly.....

I have been enthralled listening to her (and sampling her lovely food) for very happy evenings and she and Albert worked their socks off to help us install the concrete pad for our swimming pool - Albert is INCREDIBLY knowledgeable about such things and I am sure, that God's will delivered him to us at that vital time. Without them and Albert's knowledge we would have made a real (and expensive) mess of trying to lay a 40cm thick slab of concrete in 38C temperature....

Sandra is also a wizard with a hose when we were laying said concrete pad - she knew EXACTLY where to squirt it ad we will always be grateful for both of them for their efforts (and Shadow made an instant effect upon the concrete mixer driver - he refused to go anywhere until Shadow was safely corralled - even though he (Shadow) is as gentle as a lamb......

More snippets please Sandra - those are the icing on the MHF cake for me....

Dave


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Dave

You are biased so you don't count>:kiss:

You and Leslie are just beautiful, lovely people 

I could write a book of that 6 month journey to Jerusalem and the 8 years we spent there 

It was a long and difficult journey and a strange 8 yr period and looking back I would not have missed it for the world

It should have made us much better than we are

But I guess it made us better than we would have been without it

Now did I tell tell you about the Church of England Arch Bishop who put us up for a few nights in Nicosea then visited us in Jerusalem 

I guess I didn't .......yet

Sandra


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I will look forward to it, as I look forward to most of your posts.....

I can genuinely say that every comment that I made previously was totally justified and totally justifiable - you are a lovely pair and I envy your family for the way that you surround them with your love 24/7.

They are very fortunate.

Dave


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I can't really tell of our journey

Because it was a journey of faith 

And I would not want to offend those who have no belief 

I certainly would not say our journey proves anything

I guess it just proved my faith or naivety at a given time

A faith or naivety that's lasted over 50 years

Sandra


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

and IMO there is nothing wrong with that, thanks.

Some things can never be "PROVED" either way......

and that is how it will stay.....

I give you three things; "Faith, Hope and Love" but the greatest of these is LOVE.

So true,

Dave


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I guess Dave 

We struggled to care for our kids

We had very little in the way of money for a long time

We returned to England with even less 

6 kids, and nothing

Albert worked non stop to provide

Once we had a place to stay, beds and bedding and food 

We both went to university by day and he worked by night on the taxis to support us all

And the rest is history

We put them all through uni 

Their choice although they tell me it wasn't>

But hey we all make mistakes don't we?:grin2:

They are doing well

We did well

And we find ourselves surrounded by them all , and our grandkids and in laws

We are not special, we just feel family is special

And Israel taught us that

And much more

Sandra


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