Trying to continue with the religion theme I set for myself because of the Passover/Easter week. What better way to honor the holidays with a visit to the Palestinian Gardens, a 20 acre recreation of the Holy Land made out of cinder blocks and concrete. Constructed between 1953 and 1960 by Rev. Walter Harvell Jackson, the model is currently maintained by the Bradley family in Lucedale, Mississippi. Lucedale happens to be the home of the annual Christian Music Festival “Praise in the Park” and is considered to be a city even though only 2,923 people live there. Wowza!
Okay…back to the Palestinian Gardens. When Don Bradley took it over in the mid-nineties, he changed the name to Palestine Gardens “for simplicity and to prevent any misconception that we may be of the Islam religion.” He also added some signs and rebuilt part of the city so visitors can better understand the “Promised Land where Jesus walked.” More ministry than tourist attraction, there are brochures and souvenir booklets to go with the daily guided tours. There is also a theater and a chapel. But don’t worry, it’s all FREE! Because that’s how God wanted it to be. Amen.
