Golan Heights, Caesarea Philippi, and our Farewell
We are all kind of bummed out this evening realizing that tomorrow is our last day here and we are bound back to the USA. It has been a great trip full of places that are bringing the Bible to light for many of us. In some it has increased our awareness of how God speaks to us and how often. To others it has been a time of rebirth. Each of us has been greatly impacted by this trip, it has been said often and by many, we will not be heading home the same as when we left.
Our day was primarily spent in the Golan Heights. We headed out at about 8 AM this morning and went around the Sea of Galilee from Tiberias and as we started to climb up into the mountains on the other side you could see across a small stretch of land where there was a checkpoint. This wasn’t just your normal every day checkpoint that you see around here often, but one that signified the border between Jordan and Syria. There is a fence that goes along side the road that we are on and it prevents people from crossing over into Israel but you can see so much from that one spot. You can understand immediately that if there was a war of any kind that broke out in that area it wouldn’t be something that would take awhile to accomplish, it would be an immediate threat.
As you head up the mountainside and this incredibly narrow and windy road, our bus driver has to be the best one ever for his easy handling of this part of the trip to a site that sits high above the Sea of Galilee and is directly across from Tiberias. Pastor Leo gave us a Bible Study there that was based on Ezekiel 36, about how the Son of Man will speak to the mountains.
We headed from there through the Golan Heights and as we were driving down the road checking out the scenery there was a training that was going on by some of the IDF. As we stopped the bus to take pictures the soldiers were waving us over. They were happy to see us, especially when they heard that we had… chocolate! So we stopped and talked with them, took some pictures, and at the end of the visit Pastor Leo lead us in a prayer. You could just feel the energy of God working among them, it was an awesome site. They knew there was something different about us than the normal Christians that they see (typically catholics).
We left them after our short visit and continued on our journey. We stopped at this little store in one of the towns along the way for some things made locally and found this amazing shop. It was even the first time Ido or Yosi had been there so it required a few directions along the way and a few wrong turns. We got there to find that they offer many different things made out of olive wood, beautiful jewelry and other items. Of course there was much done there to make Israel greener if you know what I mean. 
We drove up the side of an extinct volcano and in the valley is a vineyard. Above it is an area known as Bental. Here is where we found an old bunker that overlooks the Syrian border and you can see just how close that really is from you. As Damascus is located in Syria that was as close as we could get which is approximately 32 miles. The sign that was there also showed that we were about 500 miles away is Bagdad and 150 miles away from Jerusalem. Really brought it home about how close they are to those who want to make them leave the area they have as their God given right.
We then went to this city that is really close to the Syria border, just down the hill from the top rim of the volcano. Here is where we saw a movie based on the Yom Kipper war of 1973. How it happened, how it affected the soldiers that survived and how long they had to fight to protect what was theres. Not just the men who survived but also the women who survive loosing their husbands. It was a very touching movie to see so many people who feel that it is the duty to ensure that the country remains what it has been and always should be.
We headed from there to Caesarea Philippi. Here is where you can see the different things of the times and we got a Pastor Steve message based on Matthew 16. Where Jesus asks Simon Peter, “Who do you say I am?”. It is interesting how many times you see Peter be like the star student and turn around right after that happens and get the smack down for something else.
After we left there we got a treat… Ido stopped for our lunch at McDonalds! We got back to Tiberias and the hotel and many took the opportunity to enjoy either some time in the spa, some time in the outdoor pool, walking around the area, or walking around downtown and enjoying the shopping opportunities.
As I had too much fun last night, our last night here, hanging out with the girls and looking over the baptism pictures I didn’t get this posted right away. In fact this morning we are getting a late start out of here and leaving at noon. We are heading to Armageddon and then off to Tel Aviv to check out the promenade before we all head off to our flight home. We are all sad to leave this place and many of us are already planning our return next year. See you all back in San Diego!
Sea of Galilee Boat Ride, Mount Beattitudes, Capernum, and Jordan River Baptisms
Today we started out with a 2 hour boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. This was where we had our church service. Charles led us in worship songs with the help of Mike holding open the music for him. It was a great experience to be singing songs that Joe wrote and to be here doing it. We had a great message from Pastor Leo, how nothing in the world can satisfy you like a relationship with Jesus. How the many came to hear Jesus speak, to see him heal others.
We saw the ancient boat that had been salvaged and placed in a museum and all that they go through to keep it in tack today. It’s amazing the ingenuity behind what was done to keep it from disintegrating.
From there we head up to the Mount of Beattitudes. Here we saw the church that was placed there on the side of the mount looking down on the sea. Pastor Leo’s Bible study here was about how it is better to be poor in the secular world and rich in heaven. It also covered what Jesus asks us to do in John 6. How we need to have mercy and patients for others in the world and where they are at in their walk with the Lord.
We also stopped at Capernum. This city was never rebuilt as stated in the Bible. The area shows a torn down church (synagog) and you can still see some of the original pieces of it. Also there are some columns that are started up high and that tells us that there were two different floors to the building. Women on the top floor, men on the bottom. This was the area where the Centurion built the synagog because his child had been healed. Also here is the house believed to be Peter’s. You were able to see how big houses typically would be and the layout of the house.
After this we headed out for a fish lunch. This was a lunch of talapia fish, with the head on unless you specified otherwise. It was a beautiful place of scenery and a great time of sharing among the little groups at each table.
The last thing on our list today was to do the baptisms in the Jordan. Only 3 people opted to not do this. Having been one of the ones to be baptized what an awesome experience. To know that we were in the area where baptisms were done back in those days, to know that you were in a place where Jesus was baptized. The experience was so amazing that there aren’t really words I can write to describe the feelings you get when you are in this place.
Heading down to the Sea of Galilee
So today we headed down to the Sea of Galilee. We got on the road and headed to Tel Aviv. This was to be able to drop of Pastor Leo and Pastor Rob off to catch a cab as they had gotten a call that Mayor Ron Nachman wanted to see Pastor Leo. After dropping them off and saying a prayer that they would have a safe trip, the rest of the group took off for Caesaria. This is the city that Herrod built as a port. We had a bible study in the theater where Paul plead his case to King Agrippa. There are still sections of the seating area of the theater that was originally there back when this occurred. We sang a few songs here as well and on one of the songs the group that was sitting below us started singing with us. This added to the joy of the song for me. To know that others who heard us were compelled to join in.
We saw where the palace had been and a replica of the stone that had the name Pontious Pilate on it. You could clearly see where the pool was as well. As you walk back towards the bus you could see the whole stadium where they used to have chariot races.
We got back in the bus and headed to Mount Carmel. This was after lunch and by then Pastor Leo and Pastor Rob were back with us. From here you have quite a view! At the top of the building where you can see as far as the eye can see, there is a map on the floor pointing you in the direction of what you are seeing. From where we stood you could see Nazareth and in the distance Meggido (also known as the place of Armageddon). We were supposed to go to Meggido afterwards but most of us were tired and the thought of climbing 183 steps a little daunting. So we drove through Nazareth on our way to the Sea of Galilee. It was a nice trip and some of the churches, etc were pointed out to us.
Most of us were happy to have the rest of they day to take advantage of the pools (both inside and out) and the beach.
As a side note to those of you who are following this and know Ron Nachman, Pastor Leo and Pastor Rob were able to spend some time with him and were able to pray with him.
Pools of Bethesda, Antonia’s Fortress, Skull Hill & Garden Tomb
Today we headed up through Lion’s Gate to get to the Pools of Bethesda as our starting place. This was the place where the story of the man who had been lame for 38 years was healed by Jesus. Not far from this spot, just a little up the hill was the place where Jesus was tried by Pontious Pilate and beaten by the soldiers.
As we entered the Praetorium that all this took place in you were instantly hit with you are standing in the area where Jesus suffered so much for each of us. As Pastor Steve gave the Bible Study down there, we learned further about how Jesus was beaten. How normal man couldn’t have survived the beating, the ripping off of his beard from his face, and add in the crown of thorns. How much pain he was in, all for the sake that we could be saved. So that we couldn’t fall back on the all time human response of you don’t know the pain or you don’t understand where I’ve been. We need to flip that around a bit. It’s not that He can’t know.. it’s that we can’t know the pain He went through for us as we couldn’t handle it ourselves.
As we walked outside that building we walked down the street, Via Dolorosa, to the Damascus Gate, crossed the main road of town and then started up to Skull Hill, aka Golgatha. As you are walking down Via Dolorosa you find that there are children who are begging for a handout, peddlers trying to sell their bags and bookmarks, and people walking around. You wonder sometimes if they get the significance of this road they are on or if to them it is just another road in the city. Across the from the main street the walk continues through a muslim marketplace to get to the Garden Tomb. This place was crazy busy with people running all over the place and it was a challenge to stay together as a group but we made it through there just fine.
Once we were in the Garden Tomb we were led by a different guide than Ido through the garden. We sat and looked at pictures as he explained why it is believed that Jesus was crucified and buried there. He said that they can’t say with absolute certainty because there is no way to 100% prove it to be the place but listed out the reasons why it would have been likely. The side of the mountain known as Skull Hill has a natural design in the side of the mount that looks like it is a skull with eye sockets and a nose. The garden is just to the side of it and it would seem likely that with the short amount of time to bury the body before the Sabbath began that it is reason enough to believe. But at the same time our guide agrees with us that it really didn’t matter where it was at because there isn’t anything to see in the grave as he is risen!
While we were at the Garden Tomb we sang a few songs and took communion. Communion for me has always been a time to remember that what Jesus did for us no one else could do. This time was special as you were in the place where He not only died to save us from our sin but also the place He rose again. That is definitely another moment that I will think of often.
We headed out from there to a surprise Ido had for us. Some chose to go back to the hotel but about half of us went on the trip with Ido to the Jewish Open Marketplace. This was an amazing sight! As it was only about an hour away from when everything would close for the Sabbath people were going everywhere to find the last minute food and other items needed. The marketplace was full of people when we got there and about 15 minutes before it closed there were only a few left wandering through it. There are these men that go along the streets of the marketplace and blow horns telling people to prepare for the Sabbath, a warning that it is time to close their businesses. It was a special moment in time for us to see what the community is all about, to experience a moment of their lives. It was definitely a great way to end the day!
City of David, Mount Zion, Yad Veshem
We were running late from the start this morning and Ido was worried that we would mess with our schedule to visit the City of David. None of us realized the reason this visit held more significance beyond it’s history, we found out shortly after getting there. God is so good to us on this trip that He made the place we were starting at run late with us! Onto the reason this was so important to the trip. They just opened up a section of the City for viewing that they had uncovered, David’s Palace, last week. So this is something that hasn’t been seen before!
We were supposed to climb down the 300 steps and then tour the tunnels, however, due to Palestinians throwing rocks into the wet tunnel it made it not safe to tour. So instead we headed to Mt Zion. We toured what is believed to be the room of the Last Supper and King David’s Tomb. In the room that is believed to be the Last Supper Room we had a Bible Study led by Pastor Steve. This Bible study was all about the last meal. It was about how the disciples reacted to what Jesus said and His actions to those around him in those moments. The Bible study was on Luke 22 and John 13. The question is are we willing to do the least of things for those around us, are we willing to sacrifice something for someone else? These are the things that we need to do, so that when we get to heaven we can be in front of our Father and hear Him say job well done!
We then went to an archeological dig. The dig isn’t so much digging but sifting. The reason this is important to do for these archeologists is that this information needs to be documented for historical purpose, not for rebuilding. So the history behind this sifting is that the Muslims illegally built a mosque in the Southeast corner of the Temple Mount. They dug out a new entrance to get into this mosque and in doing so illegally took 400 trucks worth of dirt out from the Temple Mount Plaza in 48 hours to complete it. This led to them dumping the dirt and contents, also illegally in the Kidron Valley. So after 5 years of fighting the government, the archeologists got the right to go through it. So we were searching for pottery, metals, coins, mosaics, glass, bones, etc. A few people in the group found somethings that were new and were going to be researched. One group of two found a coin that dated back 400-800 years and another one found a purple bead that could be a precious stone.
We ended the day with a trip to Yad Vashem. This is a memorial to those who were in the holocaust. There is a font of information here on what happened and when. Video’s and scenes depicted everywhere. It is a place of remembrance, a place that will make sure that no one forgets those people and what they went through. It is a place that finds that one thing that makes you see what had happened. It built on what we had learned from the couple in Ariel on Monday. It makes you realize how easy it would be to make it back to those days again.
Temple Mount & Mount of Olives
Hello again!
Day 3 was so far the best day. According to Ido we will think each day will be the best day because as he promises we haven’t seen anything yet. So far Ido has not been wrong!
Today we toured the Temple Mount, Rubbinical Tunnels, Wailing Wall, Mount of Olives, Palm Sunday Road, Garden of Gethsemane, and a museum that houses the dead sea scrolls, as well as, a model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period. To say the least we covered a lot of ground on foot today rather than by bus.
First we were dropped off at the Temple Mount. As you walk in you have to of course go through security and then we were on to our first tour, the Rubbinical Tunnels. The first thing you see when you walk in is there is a set up of a semi circular area that looks like the ground. This is where your tour guide, and ours is the best, explains to you how the temple mount was built and why you can only see certain parts of it, as well as, it’s changes over the years. We have what is known as the first temple period, the second temple period and today there is the Dome of the Rock. We actually walk through the Rubbinical Tunnels to find that there is a lot of current excavation.
Later we were told that there was a Rabbi, who was part of the archeological digging, between the Temple and Antonio’s Fortress. The interesting thing is that once he said it the Muslims prevented them from digging further so we don’t know yet if it is true. But as Ido said “It’s all in God’s time.” As you walk through these tunnels you can see the foundation for the temple, the large pieces of stone that were moved into place. As you continue through the tunnels you can now see in a couple of places covered by plate glass where the stones were torn down below you from the Romans.
As you continue through the tunnels you get to a point where there are a lot of Jewish women who are praying at the wall. This is because they think this is as close to the area of the Holy of Holies to pray. We continued down the tunnels until the end where the temple ends and Antonio’s Fortress begins. You can actually walk on the street that is the original street from the second temple period.
We made our way back through and then waited in line to get onto the Temple Mount. This took a little wait and also another security check. Once we headed in we were able to get a feel for what life was like back then. Where the old temple was compared to the Dome of the Rock. We were on limited time up there as they were closing it shortly after we got there. But one thing stood out. There was a little gazebo that sat to the directly across from where the Eastern Gates would stand. It had different flooring on it than the rest of the temple mount and Pastor Steve explained to us what he thought it meant. I have to say I am looking forward to the day we find out if he is right!
We made our way out of the Temple Mount through the Chain Gate into the Wailing Wall area. There were many people and it seemed that the women’s side was far more crowded than the mens side was.
We then went on the tour of the south facing side where Pastor Leo gave us a Bible study on Genesis 22. There were many correlation’s that I personally had never tied together with that of Jesus’ death on the cross prior to this chapter of the Bible, however, Pastor Leo made it come alive in my eyes today!
We then headed off the Temple Mountain and over to the Mount of Olives. Here Pastor Leo did another Bible teaching based on Matthew 24: 1-3. He points out that Jesus was telling the disciples of the future. The stones will be turned to rubble so they weren’t to be so impressed with size and the looks of the building. They in turn understood that he was telling them something important, and were asking of Jesus when he would return. I know I personally have read through this a couple of times and I don’t remember ever having noted this bit of information before.
Another thing that is clear to see from where we are sitting for Pastor Leo’s Bible study is the Kidron valley that runs between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. I know it is mentioned in the Bible quite a few times and I don’t think until I saw it I put together really what it looked like. The eastern gates of the Temple Mount face this valley and the Mount of Olives. On the Mount of Olives side there are many, many tombs where Jewish people have been buried. There were also many tombs that are just below the eastern gate that happen to be Muslim. They actually lead up to and block off the eastern gate, so they must believe some part of Jesus’ return to us in the final days.
We left there and walked down Palm Sunday Road to the base of the Mount of Olives where the Garden of Gethsemane is located. It is a long steep walk that we were able to do at our own pace. We weren’t in a hurry, we were able to savor the fact that we were walking where we knew Jesus had been. We were able to see what he saw. When you get to the bottom of the hill it looks much different now than in his day. The garden of Gethsemane is broken out into little areas. There is a huge Catholic church that covers the stone that is believed to be where Jesus was. There are also some olive trees there in the garden that are around 2000 years old and quite likely had been there at same time as Jesus. If only those trees could talk and tell their story.
After touring the church to see the rock, we headed across the street to this other little part of Gethsemane that had a gate to get through and was surrounded by walls. Here Pastor Steve gave a Bible study on Matthew 26:31-46 & John 18:1-11. The importance of being here for this Bible study was huge. This was the area where Jesus had sweat drops of blood from his face as the burden of all the worlds sin weighed down on him. Yet He didn’t back down from what the Father asked of him, He didn’t run away from what he was facing. It is said that our Joy is in His strength. What gave Him strength to face all that He knew was coming for Him? PRAYER! He spoke to His Father, He asked for the Father’s will to be done, not His own. The question that we were asked was how often do we say that in our prayers? How often do we ask our Father in prayer to help us do His will in us, not our will?
Even as I write this blog of the moments we experienced in that Bible study make me reflect on how amazing of a moment it was. We had a section of the garden set aside for just us. It was peaceful, it was a chance at the end of the Bible study to be able to pray to our Father. To come to him in prayer as Jesus had done in that place so often before. It is another memory that I will never forget!
As we left there we headed up the side to meet up with Yosi our bus driver, I think we have all decided that he drives our bus like it is a Maserati and not a bus. He is an awesome bus driver…. how he wings that thing in to the tightest of places without hitting anything and always able to get us there on time or before the other bus drivers just blows us away! Last night he had a challenge for sure. We were 30 minutes behind schedule leaving the Mount of Olives area trying to get across town to a museum that housed the real Dead Sea Scrolls and also has a model of the Second Temple Period. Ido kept saying we are never going to make it before they close, yet Yosi managed to get us there with 15 minutes still left before they closed. So we got the 12 minute tour of the area, a first for even Ido.
As we got back to the hotel we were exhausted… which is why this is being written in the morning before our next trip out! Today we are touring the City of David, Yad Vashim, and going on an archeological dig!
Just a note pictures still aren’t loading for some reason so I will try again when we return.
Dead Sea & Other Things
Hello from Israel!
So today was our second full day in Israel and quite an exciting day for us at that. Where yesterday we went to Ariel, which is the capital and heart of Samaria, today we went south to Judea. We left Jerusalem to go south to see the Dead Sea and surrounding areas.
Something that was noted to us, was how often you read in the Bible that you are always going up to Jerusalem, no matter whether they are coming from the north, south, east or west. This is because Jerusalem is built high in the mountains. Now these mountains aren’t like the Rocky Mountain range but they are around 3000 feet above sea level.
As we left Jerusalem going south, we started our trip mostly going downhill the whole way. This is because the Dead Sea is literally the lowest place on earth at -416 feet below sea level. To get there from Jerusalem the way we went we travelled through the area that is known to be wilderness where Jesus had been tested by Satan (Matthew 4:1-4). As you drive through this area you notice that there is literally no where for a person to get food, water, or shade from the heat. Jesus had prepared for the test by fasting for 40 days and nights. The wilderness had been the first part of Satan’s test. You can see why it would have been quite the temptation. It was awe inspiring to see this place. You could read the Bible over any number of times from cover to cover and never get a grasp of what it was like without seeing it first hand.
Before going to the Dead Sea we went up a little higher to where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, Quram. This was truly amazing experience. These people who were scribes were looking for a more “holy” way of life. So they built caves into the mountain sides across a 25 square mile area where they each lived alone. They would spend hours there and come down twice a day to complete their rituals and work. It was not a group of people that you just joined either. You had to work your way into the group. While we were told of the rituals they lived by and were able to walk around and tour the area, the first thing I noticed was that some of those caves were close to the top of the mountain and travel to those locations would have been difficult no matter what time of the year. As you walk through the area you can see things like where they pitted olives, where a cistern for water was, the aqueduct, their bathing pools, etc.
It is impressive that they were able to build so much and that it is still there today in some form. The reason the Dead Sea Scrolls are so important is because these people who lived where we were, had been dedicated to writing the different books of the Bible, over and over and over again. This was done for many reasons but the main one is that the paper that they were writing on isn’t like paper today so it wasn’t as easy to read later on and/or it wouldn’t last. It has been determined that there are a few books missing to have a complete set of all the books of the Old Testament.
While we were here we had a small Bible study going over Genesis 1 and Micah 6. The Bible study was on can you really live a more holy life. It was a short Bible study that lasted about 20 minutes and in the end, Pastor Leo’s point was that when we confess our sins, because as humans there is no one righteous, to God and ask for forgiveness we are holy in the eyes of the Lord.
We then went back down to the Dead Sea so we could “swim” in the water. The minerals in the Dead Sea are supposed to be healthy and reinvigorating for those who use it. As the Dead Sea contains 33% salt in the water it is impossible to sink, so you really don’t swim you float. However, you want to be very careful to not stay in the water too long, not get it in your eyes, not drink it or have any known open wounds. The mud that you can take from below the water surface has minerals in it that makes for very soft skin. We ate lunch there overlooking the Dead Sea then got in the bus to head farther south. Ido explained to us that the water of the Dead Sea is shrinking by 3% a year. This is due to the fact that Israel as a nation is using the water supply from the Jordan and diverting it to the major cities of Israel. As we were riding in the bus, Pastor Leo pointed out Ezekiel 47:6-12, where God promises to heal the waters of the Dead Sea and make them become full of life.
One of the amazing things that you can see while you are in the Dead Sea area is that there are some really lush areas of vegetation. Tree farms growing palm trees and other vegetables like cherry tomatoes. They now have catchers for flood waters and the little bit of rain they get in that region and use a drip irrigation system to be able to grow that vegetation with their limited water supply. Typically that area of Israel only sees about 1/2-1” of rain in a year.
As we continued our journey south we stopped next at En Gedi. This is the place where David hid from Saul. From this place you still have a clear view of the dead sea. It is a waterfall that is coming off the mountain and fills the different pools below, some hot and some cold. There are steep inclines on either side of the waterfalls (there are 3 total) and the pools. The walk or hike really from where we stood was about 2 miles back to get to the falls. There were many groups who were doing that hike back and also children’s groups who were hiking up the sides of the mountain to the south of the falls. The animals that David wrote about with the hinds feet on high places, were there Ibex (males) and females ?????. Here we had another small Bible study on 2 Chronicles 20 under the shade of an Acacia tree that we read about in the Bible.
We left En Gedi and headed even further south. Then headed west. We drove through the Negev desert on our way to Be’er Sheva (we drove through town on our way back to Jerusalem). The Negev desert was where Moses was. Both here an in the Judea wilderness you see a lot of little “towns” of nomads, or beduins. In the Negev desert these people are friendly to the IDF and often serve as scouts.
One last thing that was really worth noting for the day, we met a group of soldiers from the IDF in our travels today. These soldiers were from America, London (England), and Melbourne (Australia). These were of Jewish descent, who rather than living the lives they had back home had felt compelled to serve in the IDF. Felt the need to defend Israel and what it stands for. They had more strength of purpose in what they believed, through their time here in Israel. These men and one woman, left me so in awe of them. You have to thank God every day for people like them. Who are willing to leave the family and life they know to pursue what God has put on their hearts to accomplish. We were all so honored to have been able to meet them and spend a little time getting to know who they are and why they are here. I know of for me personally, they will always be a source of inspiration.
Ariel
Hello All!
Today we visited the capital of Samaria, Ariel. It was a fun bus ride where we got to see some of the Israel countryside. Along the side of the highway, we found the rows that were built into the side of the mountain that helps farmers to be able to grow without so much erosion. We also saw a couple of people herding sheep, unfortunately for me I didn’t see them early enough to grab my camera fast enough.
We got to Ariel at about 9 AM and picked up Avi who took us through the town for the day. We started off with a tour of the industrial area and went on a tour of the sheltered workshop. This was a great visit as we got to see what they were making and get an understanding of their purpose. This is a place where those who are disabled or seniors come to work as volunteers to offer their contributions to the community. It was explained to us that these people don’t often call in sick as they have a reason to not be sick every day. Also they are a close knit group, if one ends up in the hospital or sick, they take turns going to visit the person who is ill. It was great to see these people as you could tell from their faces they were happy to be there.
A special musical performance was waiting for us at the culture center. The senior’s choir was there to perform three songs for us one of them being Bill Bailey. It was an amazing performance. The only requirement to be in the group, is that you have to be over the age of 75.
We then stopped at the new performing arts center that is attached to the building of the culture center that has been 20 years in the making. It was explained that this center has taken so long to build because of the many different building freezes that have occurred over those years. Tonight is set to be it’s opening night and we were all able to go in this afternoon to see it. As we were sitting in the back row Pastor Leo suggested we all sing a song out of the book of Numbers (Numbers 6:24-26).
On our way again we found the recreation and sports center. This was a huge building with a covered outdoor swimming pool. The building looked modern and had a coffee shop. Since most of us on the trip were needing a caffeine fix about then, it was a great time to get a little coffee. Inside this building that was named in honor of John Hagee, is a gym (which Ariel didn’t have before this was built), a hair salon, a little shop, and so much more that we didn’t see. There is now a waiting list of people to be able to get access to this resource.
As we left there, we headed over to meet the commander of the post between Sulfit and Ariel. He explained to us that they are there to make sure that those in Sulfit are not able to hurt those in Ariel. They are there to protect those who live there. It seems to me and the others in the group that these men who are defending Israel against attack are the most misrepresented group. People in the media have made them out to be a military who is out to cause problems rather than being there to protect and defend.
After stopping for lunch we headed to a little place that was up the road where a couple (Irena and Yaakov (pronounced Kuba)) have created a Holocaust Memorial Museum. This has some amazing artwork and a collection of items from the different concentration camps that they have collected over the last several years. They were both survivors of the Holocaust and shared with us their experiences. Also on display here are some pages of the Torah. The edges of it were burned and it was written in Hebrew so Avi read to us a part of Leviticus. What they have on display is the end of Numbers and the beginning of Leviticus.
From there we went to our last stop, the National Youth Leadership Training Center. This is built along a hillside in Samaria on the outer edges of the town of Ariel. This center is the only one like it in the Middle East. They run it here in combination with people from the JH Ranch in Northern California that put team building and leadership training together with the Bible both new and old testament. On site they have a training course that consists of different activities at different levels to teach each person how to work as a team and develop leadership and communication skills that will help them be better leaders in the future. The group that walked us around were great, they were from the JH Ranch and had taught a group of people earlier today. At the base of the hill we were able to plant vines, fulfilling the scriptures from Jeremiah 31. This was such an awesome experience I doubt any of us will ever forget it.
As we were leaving we got a call that the Mayor, Ron Nachman, was going to be able to briefly meet with us before we left town. We pulled up outside the new Performing Arts building that we had toured earlier in the day and Mayor Nachman joined us on our bus for a bit. As he was talking to us about all that he had completed with the city of Ariel, his own trials with cancer, and how everything was done by God, the media that had been outside the building had come onto the bus as well. So those of you who watch different channels with international coverage may see Pastor Leo and the rest of the people on the bus, on the news! We ended our meeting with a prayer for Mayor Ron Nachman, that he may be healed from his cancer.
As we headed back to Jerusalem for the night we all had a lot to reflect on from today’s trip. At dinner most of us were so in awe of everything. The spiritual things that we saw today led many to feeling overwhelmed with what God can do. It has truly been an awesome trip so far and we are only one day into it. Everyone who has been on this trip before has told us we haven’t seen anything yet! Tomorrow we are off to the Dead Sea.
Our Arrival in Israel
To all those who are back home and following us on our trip to Israel, we finally made it! It was an interesting trip from starting in LA to arriving here in Tel Aviv. Our group is a mixture of people from Mission Valley Christian Fellowship, Hawaii, South Carolina, Texas, and a couple other places as well.
Our arrival in Tel Aviv was an amazing sight! To fly in over the water and see the city from the air as you then circle to come in to land and you see more cities, the rolling hills and the farm lands. It was definitely be something I remember.
We got through the passport control area and onto baggage where we met up with the rest of our group prior to heading out through customs. As we walked through customs we saw Rob standing there with Ido and you could hear Pastor Leo saying hi to people as we entered into the next part of the airport. At first I didn’t know where he was but he was standing at the railing from the second floor. We all headed out to the bus that was waiting to take us to the hotel.
As a surprise for us newbies to Israel we took a small trip through town and up to the top of a mount that looked down on the dome of the rock and you could see how big the city of Jerusalem actually is. It was amazing and so beautiful at night to see everything lit up with lights. Most of us were standing there shivering as it gets cold up there at night and there was a breeze that added to it.
We made it to the hotel and got our room assignments, labeled out baggage and headed to our rooms to freshen up so we could head to the room where we had our buffet dinner. The food was amazing and so were the desserts. We are all hoping to stay up a little later tonight so that we can be rested for tomorrow’s trip to Ariel.
We can’t wait to see what is in store for us in Ariel. So far the trip has been full of surprises and meeting new friends.
Since my internet access wasn’t working last night I am posting it a day late. But another one of today’s trip to Ariel will be posted shortly.