Day 13-14

We're done! PTL. It was a great trip. This group was wonderful. Tough. On time. Enthusiastic. Very genuine. Interested in what we were doing (on the whole). Unified. I will miss them. Thanks to all who prayed. I was keenly aware that the Lord was taking care of us. Thank you for being partners on this journey. Look for more in 2012!

Day 12

Day 12

So it's our last night in Israel. Tomorrow we have a full day (Nazareth, Mt. Carmel, Megiddo, Cesarea Maritima, Joppa) then we leave around 12:30am. It's been a great time with a great group of students. Praise the Lord for he has been good to us.

Day 11

We found Cave 1!

 

Cave 1 is the cave where the first scrolls were found. I failed to lead the group to it in 2008. This time we made it! 

 

Day 10

I'm updating this from a Bedouin tent in the middle of the Negev. Yes, even the Bedouin have wireless internet! Today was Negev day. Beer Sheva, Arad, Nahal Zin, Ein Avdat. This is the wilderness region in the south of Israel. It's patriarch country. This is where the Israelite tribes wandered. This is where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob made their homes for a while. It's also the place where David lived while he waited for God to kill Saul. People waiting for God's timing. It's a fascinatingly barren place. Yet God seemed to use it to humble and season his people.

The gang rode camels today then ate way too much food at dinner. We're sleeping in a huge tent and for some reason I don't think we'll get good sleep. Tomorrow Masada, the Sea, Ein Gedi, and Jericho. All is well. Thanks for praying.

Day 9

Quickly. All is well. The beach at Ashkelon was wonderful. We like our new guide. Tonight we ride camels and sleep in Bedouin tents.

Day 7-8

The Central Benjamin Plateau. We started at Gezer, then up to Nebi Samwil for a wonderful view of Central Benjamin. Then it was over the saddle to Michmash and an overlook of the Wadi Qelt in the Judean Winlderness. This is a really important section of land. You should all re-read 1-2 Samuel.

Yesterday was an easy day. Kidron valley tombs, Israel Museum then a free afternoon. A few of us hit the Waffle Bar in the evening. Finally, American breakfast! Even if it was 9pm!

This morning eight of us went on a run around the Old City of Jerusalem! Wow! What a great bunch of students.

All is well. We are heading out of Jerusalem today for the coast and the Negev. We should be swimming in the Mediterranean Sea this evening. Internet access may be spotty for a few days so I'll update as I am able. Thanks for praying. We're over half way through the trip!

Day 6

Day 5

It's sad but true. The Temple Mount is a much more peaceful place than the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It's a huge space that looks and feels like a park! What is really amazing is that the Israeli's have allowed this space, sacred to Jews as well, to remain under the control of the Muslim religious authorities.

When you look at pictures of the Western Wall it's not immediately clear that it extends to the left beneath the Arab Quarter. We walked through a tunnel that traces the wall all the way to the north-western corner of the Temple Mount. Amazingly you can see the Herodian stones and the first century street the length of the structure. FYI, the Western Wall is NOT the western wall of the Temple, it is the western wall of the Temple Mount retaining wall Herod installed to create extra space for Jews to worship on.

On the south end of the Temple Mount we visited the steps Jesus would have taken to enter the temple. Pretty well preserved, these steps were constructed in such a way as to slow temple visitors down so that they approached in a reverent manner. We also paused to reflect on the huge stones that the Romans threw down from the top of the western wall onto the street below.

As if all this walking wasn't enough we finished the day by walking on top of the walls of the old city. We started at Jaffa Gate and ended at Lion's Gate. It's a great way to see the hidden parts of the city that are out of view.

All is well.