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I Volunteered for This?! Life on an Archaeological Dig

Stanley Waters, Tel Gezer

Every year I look forward to the issue of BAR announcing the upcoming digs. Like the salmon and swallows I would go
through the same ritual. Feverishly I would study each dig, the location, dates, goals and costs. I would then place each
one within the framework of Biblical history—how the Bible relates to each one—and then decide if I could fit it into
my summer schedule. This process would take weeks to complete while I carried the issue of BAR wherever I went scouring over the information again and again. Some excavations always fit better than others but it always came down to the
same thing. If given the chance I would work on any of them. This year was no different and I began the annual rite
when BAR came. My wife, realizing that this dream was important to me made the remark one night, “Nothing will happen until you do something about it. Write the letter.” So, I sat down and wrote the letter requesting a scholarship. With
hopes and prayers we sent it off. Now we had to wait.
One afternoon after work I sat down collecting my thoughts before church and the telephone rang. It was a telemarketer wanting me to accept another credit card. After a few minutes exhausting all the different ways I knew of saying no, I laid the phone down and continued my meditation. Seconds passed and the phone rang again and I thought,
ok, round two. To my surprise and delight the caller identified herself as not representing a credit card company, but
Kathleen Miller from BAS. She then offered me a deal. They would give me a scholarship if I would dig at Tel Gezer.
© 2006 Biblical Archaeology Society

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