My Bahá'í Pilgrimage During a Crazy Global Pandemic
March 8, 2020
Post 1: How Did I End Up in Greece?
Greece. Of all the places in the world, I did not expect to be here right now. Not during a global outbreak of a vicious virus! Not when I’m supposed to be in Israel!
On February 26, I left the U.S. for the first time in my life to go on Bahá’í pilgrimage. For Bahá’ís, pilgrimage is a period of nine days that involves visiting holy sites in Israel, including the shrines of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb. Bahá’ís consider these shrines to be the holiest places on the planet. Like a piece of heaven on Earth.
I’ve dreamed of pilgrimage to holy places like the Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, Israel. Photo © Bahá’í International Community
As a kid, I was fascinated by pictures of the holy land. I imagined myself climbing the steps to the top of Mount Carmel, where the Shrine of the Báb glows like a spiritual lighthouse. When I was 13, I even memorized a special prayer that Bahá’u’lláh revealed on the mountain to recite when I reached the top. I imagined that tears of joy would stream down my face as I walked through the gardens surrounding the shrine, and I would have to carry a packet of Kleenex at all times.
Yep, I’ve dreamed of going on pilgrimage my entire life!
So when I got the chance to finally go to Israel with my twin sister (Katie), my husband (Travis), and my dad (Phil), I jumped for joy! The dates available for us to come even included March 9, which is my birthday (and Katie’s, of course). It felt like destiny was calling ...
But tomorrow is March 9, and we aren’t in Israel. We’re in Greece, in an Airbnb rental with a gaping hole in the bathroom floor that smells of sewage and mold. Why did we end up here? One word: coronavirus, aka COVID-19—a monster that’s been chasing us across Europe.
I’ll tell you the tale from the beginning, but right now, I’m going to drink a strong cup of tea and try to find a way out of this bnb blunder. Wish me luck …
Meet my travel buddies! Left to right: Phil Malberg (my dad), Katie Malberg (my twin sister), me, and Travis Greenwood (my husband).