Model of Masada.

View from the top.

These are the pipes that heated up the sauna at Masada.

After that we stopped at the Ahava factory, which sells beauty supplies made from the dead sea salts and mud. I had thought about getting something, but the prices were outrageous. I’m just too cheap for that.  Sis bought some things and fell in love with them (appropriate, since Ahava means love in Hebrew), so she’s decided to carry them in her pharmacy.  Maybe I can talk her into a discount. 

Our next stop was a beach on the Dead Sea to eat our packed lunches, then swim. Sis decided not to get in, but I wanted to check it out, so I put on my suit and got in with the moral support of a couple of other girls. The water was a little chilly, but not bad once you got used to it. It was such an odd feeling to float effortlessly. Sometimes you really had to fight the natural buoyancy of your body. If you had your knees or feet slightly in front of you, they would just float up and you’d be on your back. It was nice except you had to hold your head up, which wasn’t comfortable for long periods of time. After I’d walked just to where I couldn’t stand up anymore I tried to push myself down a little to see how far down the bottom was, but I just bobbed right back up. There was also a mud pit where everyone was slathering themselves with the black stuff. I figured what the heck, so I joined in. It felt odd, but my skin did feel soft after I washed it off. I ran up to the showers (OK, well I slogged my wet self up) and tried to get to some semblance of clean. Then I headed to the bus to wait for the group. I was a little early, but it gave me the chance to talk to a couple of people and catch my breath.

The standard position for most peole in the Dead Sea.

Everybody's gettin' pretty!

Our last stop before heading “home” was Qumran–near the caves where they found the Dead Sea scrolls. We started with a movie about the community that lived there, then went out into the ruins. I have to admit that by this time, even I, the die-hard history major, had about had my fill of old ruins. What I think is fascinating about this site, though, is that the find in 19– shows that the text of the Bible was unchanged for 2000 years. I guess that doesn’t really mean anything for non-believers, but to me that is such a powerful evidence of God’s control over His word. After looking around a bit, we headed back to the bus and on back to Jerusalem. It was sad to have our last ride together as a group. Husam and Itay humored us by recreating our initial entry into the city (it brings tears to my eyes to think about it even now)–and Husam took a detour around the block so that we didn’t get to the hotel before the song was over.

In the evening we had dinner, then one last time with Joel to ask questions and rejoice over the incredible trip we had been on.

An interesting fact that I picked up on this visit was that some Jews escape to China. Apparently, you didn’t have to have a visa to go to Shanghai (?). I wonder if there are populations of Jews still there–though I would imagine there are.

We ate lunch at the museum and had a fair amount of time to wander around. Some people decided to walk to the Valley of the Communities but I didn’t join them.  It sounded neat–a memorial to thousands of Jewish communities that had existed for hundreds of years, but had been wiped out during the holocaust.  Even though I’m from Texas, the sun here is just too much for me. The heat isn’t bad, its just the direct sunlight that gets to me.

Our other stop for today was the garden tomb. First we saw Golgatha, where you really can see a skull in the side of the hill. Who knows what 2,000 years have done to the erosion, but I guess its possible it could still look almost the same as in Jesus’ time. The guide gave the scriptural authority for why they believe this place is the true place of the crucifiction. In the ‘valley’ (not really big enough to be called a valley, just to give you an idea of what I’m talking about) next to the hill there was a bus station parking lot, then a roadway, then the city wall. The guide explained that while we picture Christ being crucified at the top of a hill, the believe the cross was by the side of the road (scripture). I think they said that there was an ancient road underneath the modern one, which is another reason they believe this is the place. If you a standing at this spot looking at the hill, then you walk about 100 yards to the left you come to the garden tomb. Here they found evidence of a vineyard (small by US standards) with a winepress. This is a depression cut into the rock with a channel, then a lower vat. The idea is that the grapes would be pressed and the wine would run down into the vat to be collected. This is important because Mary thought that Jesus was the gardener when he appeared to her at the tomb. At the back of the garden, facing the city wall, is a 1^st century tomb that has a channel where a stone would have rolled over the opening. We were able to walk in and look; you could see a place where a body would be laid with a stone pillow and a cut-out for the feet. After we finished the tour, we gathered for some praise and worship and communion. Then it was time to head back to the hotel.  (Here is a good article by Chuck Missler that lays out some of the scriptural basis of why many believe this is the correct site.)

Can you see the skull?

The tomb is empty!

That says it all.

Thoughts of home have started creeping in, though I’m trying to block them out.  I’ve enjoyed myself so much, I don’t want to go home to my daily routine.  God has been so present and immediate here, and I know I will go back home and other things will crowd in.

Sderot didn’t look as bad as I expected.  We were asked not to take pictures, out of sensitivity to the residents, so I won’t have many (if any) to post.  A few people were out and we saw some kids playing outside.  However, it definitely felt oppressed and depressed.  We went to an old school where we met a rabbi.  The school had bomb protection, but couldn’t be used as a school because there wasn’t enough shelter for the children, so they were using it as a community center.  There were a few local people there (about 15).  Another thing they had explained to us was not to expect a lot of people to show up.  Apparently the locals are very wary of outsiders and donations because in the past they have only come with strings attached.  Some of our group were able to personally hand out the boxes and spend time speaking to those who had come.  They were almost all women, and a couple had their babies with them.  One of the women there had lost her son in an attack about a year before, if I remember correctly. 

We only stayed there about 45 minutes, then headed back toward Jerusalem.  We stopped a few miles away to eat a boxed lunch that the hotel had provided.  While we were eating we found out that the guy doing press coverage for Bridges for Peace was an Aggie.  Sis and I enjoyed catching up with him a little.

I’m so glad we were able to go to Sderot.  I hope that our small act of service was able to assist the people there.  I would have like to have been able to do more.  After we returned, I emailed one of the members of the board of The Joshua Fund and suggested a trip involving several days of service.  If such a trip happened, I would hope the Lord would provide a way for me to go.

 After dinner we went to a Messianic church in Jerusalem.  They don’t generally have a Wednesday night service, but held one so that we could be there.  It was a great service.  The senior pastor brought his family to Israel, I think about 20 years ago.  His son was also a pastor but practiced law as a ‘day job.’  We sang worship songs in English and Hebrew, and heard testimonies from a couple of members.  Based on what they told us, it seems that the majority of Israelis are not religious, though they may be Jewish or Muslim in name.  Especially the younger generation–rather than celebrating the holy days, they use that time to go to big new age festivals on the beaches or up in Galilee.  The pastor also gave a quick message, then we headed out. 

I’m so glad we were able to meet with this congregation.  It was another reminder that it is the people of Israel that are so important.  The sites are interesting, but the people are the treasure of the country.

On the approach to Jerusalem, we went through a long tunnel, and when we came out the city was laid out on our left.  The bus driver was playing the song “The Holy City” and we were all so moved.  It felt like we were experiencing Christ’s triumphal entry into the city.  Here is a video of this song, though it is completely unrelated to our trip.

Our first stop in Jerusalem was at the Mount of Olives.  From there you can have an amazing view of the old city.  Our guide gave us an overview of the city, then we had a time of singing and prayer, and Joel spoke.  We took a group picture, then split up to eat lunch and do some shopping.

Our next stop was the Garden of Gethsemane.  I wasn’t as moved as I thought I would be.  I think in many ways, these sites are dead–and just a best guess of where these events took place.  But God is still speaking to me.  As I walked into the church, I looked up at the ceiling mural.  The first tile I saw said ‘obedient unto death’ in Latin.  That is my prayer, that I will be obedient even if it means death, or something just as terrible such as poverty or singleness. 

 After that we went to the wailing wall.  We had time to stop and pray.  My heart was broken to see these women who seemed so anguished and desperate for God to hear them but with no hope that he did.  After that we walked through the old city, along parts of the Via Dolorosa, though many scholars believe that the Via Dolorosa is not the correct route that Christ would have taken.  We ended up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which is the traditional site for the tomb of Christ.  Again, it wasn’t spiritually moving but seemed more like the historical churches I’ve visited in England and France. 

We went to the hotel and ate dinner, then had a group meeting.  Joel spoke a little about The Joshua Fund and its history.  It is amazing how God is blessing and multiplying their efforts.  We had a time of prayer for Israel, the current political situation, and the next few days events.  Then it was off to bed.

After that we walked back down to see the ancient city gates.  I think its hard to see from the picture, but the “gates” is actually more like a courtyard, a large open area where the city leaders would do business.

Our next stop was Ceasarea Philipi, which was an ancient temple to the god Pan.  There is a large cave with a stream running out of it.  They would sacrifice an animal, then throw it in the cave.  If the stream ran clear, then the sacrifice had been accepted, but if the water was bloody then it hadn’t.  The guide explained that Herod’s sons divided the country into three parts after his death.  The son that governed Galilee was very concerned about keeping Rome happy, so it was difficult for Jesus to declare who he was in Galilee, but the governor of the Golan was more hands off.  As long as Rome didn’t give him any problems he wouldn’t give them any.  So Jesus was more free to speak about who he was here and the governor wasn’t threatened.  If things got too hot in Galilee, he could easily cross the sea into the Golan.

Lunch was at another Kibbutz.  Before we ate one of the guides gave an interesting history of Kibbutzim.  He talked about how they were initially set up so that everyone shared everything.  When you joined the Kibbutz, you put all your possessions into the control of the group, and everyone received the same housing, clothes, etc.  The children were kept in a dormitory, seperate from the parents.  Eventually, things started changing and people wanted to have more control of their own things.  Also, they realized that some people were carrying the load for others in the group.  So most of the Kibbutzim have changed and become more like a company, with a board of directors.

Our last stop for the day was at a spot commemorating the prior conflicts over the Golan Heights.  Joel spoke her giving an overview of Epicenter and the history of the area.  It was a little surreal to be listening to the author of Epicenter speak on that topic while we were in the area he discussed in the book.

Let me tell you a little about the guides I keep referring to.  Our group was divided into four buses, and each bus had a driver (obviously!) and a guide that stayed with that group.  We were on Bus 2; our guide was Itay and our driver was Husam.  I believe that Itay was the ‘leader’ of the guides.  He was so knowledgeable, and we all were so glad he was ‘ours.’  We spent so much time with our group, guide, and driver that by the end of the trip they felt like family.  It is my understanding that neither Itay or Husam have a personal relationship with Christ, so would you please pray for them as you read this? 

On the bus on the way to our first stop we found out that our bus was chosen to serve in Sderot.  We all cheered and were very excited.  Sderot generally gets bombed from Gaza at least once a day.  I did feel a little nervous about the prospect of seeing a bomb while we were there, but was still excited about this opportunity.  We sent a message home asking for prayer, which was promptly sent out to several friends.  If you received it–thank you for your prayers!

We began our sightseeing for the day in Capernaum.  Here they have found a 1st Century wall with an icthus (sp?) carved in the plaster.  Just a few steps away there is a synogogue from the 5th Century built on one from the 1st Century.  According to our guide, Jesus made this city his home.  What an amazing thing to sit in the synogogue area and look our on the Sea of Galilee and think that Christ was in this place and worshipped here.

Next we went to Tabgha, which is where the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is believed to have happened.  There we had a time of group sharing and prayer, and some time to enjoy the scenery on the shore. 

From there we went to see the “Jesus Boat.”  This is a fishing boat that was discovered several years ago in the Sea of Galilee that dates to the 1st Century.  We ate lunch beforehand–chicken schnitzel in a pita.  There was a short video about the discovery and restoration of the boat, then we went out for a sail of our own.  We took a boat cruise in a recreated boat, just made larger for tourists!  They started with the American national anthem (sorry to the Candians on the trip!) and raised the American flag on the boat.  Then our boat captain sang some songs.  He explained that he was an Israeli Christian and co-owned the only boat owned by Christians.  He had translated several popular worship songs from English to Hebrew and recorded a CD.  While it sounds a little hokey after the fact, it was another moving experience and a cry-fest.

The next stop was the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus is believed to have preached.  We stopped here and had a prayer time, but the nuns rushed us out.  It become the group joke, a little nun with a megaphone walking around shouting “Go home now!  Get out!  You go home now!”

On the way to dinner we stopped at the site believed to be where Jesus healed the Gadarene Demoniac.  There is a steep cliff/mountain that runs right into the sea.  Since there is only a limited area that fits the Biblical description, that’s where they think it happened.  I tried to get a shot of the cliff, but it wasn’t too easy to get a good perspective.  There were also warning signs because this area was disputed during the 6 days war with Syria and there are still unexploded mines there.

After that brief stop, we went to our fish dinner on a Kibbutz.  Dinner was pita bread, hummus (wish I had some now!) and other sauces, with a vegetable soup then a whole fried fish.  I only ate a couple of bites of fish–I’m just not a seafood person.  After dinner we were enjoying the evening and scenery when about 4 kids came over and said hi.  They were cute and laughing about talking to the crazy American tourists.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at the Diamond Center.  You didn’t have to, but I figured it couldn’t hurt.  After a rushed sales pitch, we were allowed into the sales room.  I had thought I might buy a cross pendant for about $100, but the cheapest thing I saw was $600–I’ll decided I could wait.

We got back to the hotel and sat in the lobby with a couple of friends drinking cokes and playing cards until about 10:00.  Then, this woman we’d met the first night came up to Sis and I.  She told us that she felt God was telling her to give us a message.  She wanted to encourage us that if God had given us a dream a long time ago, we shouldn’t give up on it even if it seemed impossible now.  I wasn’t too sure of what to make of it.  I’m generally skeptical of these types of messages, but try to be open-minded.  I’ve yet to have a solid answer, so who knows…

We’d met several nice people, though it was hard to remember everyone’s names.  The girl from Canada is very nice, and someone I could see myself staying in touch with.

Our first stop was the Jordan River, where we could get baptized.  I’d been going back-and-forth, and finally decided not to get baptized.  Sis really wanted to, and I was happy for her.  For me however, I came back to the thought that I wouldn’t get baptized again in my church, so why would I do it here?  I didn’t want it to be something that I just did as part of the tourist experience.  Before we got to the place, those who were getting baptized gave their testimonies.  There were only 3 on our bus; it was neat to hear what they had to say and made it seem less ‘touristy.’

The actual experience was very cool.  I guess I was expecting more of a remote, desert-like location, but it didn’t look much different than a big creek at home–with a little tourist center on the side.  There were two amphitheaters with ramps going down into the water.  I was more affected than I thought I would be–it was definitely more than a tourist experience, though I don’t regret not getting baptized.

Our next stop was the Church of the Annunciation, which is the traditional site where Mary was told that she would have Jesus.  These are interesting and beautiful sites, but I didn’t feel as connected to or moved by them as I thought I would.  I think part of that is because most of these sites weren’t ‘discovered’ until around 300 AD, so I guess I look at them more as guesses than documented places.  Also, I think that many of these sites, and the Annunciation itself, are more import for Catholics than for me as a Baptist.  The Church of the Annunciation had pretty murals from countries all over the world of their view of that event.

 After that we headed to lunch.  They didn’t tell us much, just that we would eat a meal they would have eaten in Jesus’ time.  This turned out to be among my favorite experiences of the entire trip.  First, we had a tour of some displays.  The guide explained that the place was a cooperation of Israeli and American Christians to share the “living stones”–experience life in Nazareth at the time of Christ.  After the initial tour we went to lunch.  First we had fresh pita bread (yummmmmmm, I wish I could find some now that I’m back!) with bowls of hummus, za’atar made with olive oil and hyssop, and another that seemed like a Greek tzaziki sauce.  Next was a soup with lentils and onions.  Then a salad with a tart dressing and sesame seeds–like cold slaw without the mayo.  Dessert was fresh dates.  Everything was good, though the dates weren’t my favorite.  I think Sis only ate pita bread.

After lunch, we finished the tour.  This part included people dressed in period costumes.  We saw a vineyard, winepress and watchtower similar to one described by Jesus (need to find that cite).  They had excavated and found the remains on site.  Then we saw other buildings, including a reproduction of a rich man’s home, an olive press, and a synogogue, where we asked our guide if we could stop for a time of prayer.

The highlight of the visit was meeting Hannah.  Our guide through the village was Roseanne (I think that was her name, it was a little hard to be sure with her accent).  Roseanne mentioned to Hannah in Hebrew that we were Christians.  Hannah and Roseanne are both believers, so Hannah asked us to pray for a man who had been abducted by Hamas in Gaza.  His cousin had been kidnapped and killed a few weeks ago, and they didn’t know where this man was.  We prayed then and there, and it was one of the most moving experiences I’ve had–almost everyone was in tears at the end of the prayers.  Please remember to pray for Christians in Gaza, who are subject to persecution.

At the end of the tour, the guide told us that ours was one of the best tours she’d given in four years.  We received an oil lamp to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world, and the guide again asked that we keep them in our prayers.  Please pray for the Israeli people, that Christ’s light would shine in their land.

The last place we stopped was the Galilee Experience, which wasn’t far from our hotel.  This was a movie about 4000 years of history of the Galilee region.  It was interesting, but I was so tired from still fighting jet lag and being constantly on the move that it was hard to stay awake.  This center was started by a Messianic Jew and her husband from the US.  Their goal is to reach Jews for Christ by presenting the Truth through history.  One of the ladies that spoke to us told us that she felt a dbt of gratitude to Gentile Christians, because they were the ones who prayed her into the kingdom. 

Next stops…hotel, dinner, bed.  A full day and we were tired!

Breakfast was good–a huge buffet with tons of bread, cheese, fruit, etc.  After a scramble to get the luggage downstairs, we headed out to Ceasaria.  At the (amphi)theater* there, Joel spoke and we sang a few songs.  We were right on the Mediterranean Sea, and the day was just beautiful.  It was powerful to be praising God in that ancient place–but there were more experiences like that.  The ancient buildings were interesting–the harbor, amphitheater, hippodrome (complete with toilets!), and the foundations of Herod’s house right on the water.

From there we went to Tel Megiddo.  You could see all the way around the Tel (a built-up hill), and there were ruins including ancient city gates, pagan sacrifice areas, etc.  I’m afraid I don’t have a complete understanding of how Tel Megiddo relates to Armageddon, one of many questions that this trip raised for me to study.  We ate lunch there–felafel (not my favorite) with some soft french fries.  It certainly wasn’t as good as the meals at the hotel.  Our guide was so knowlegdable–it is amazing how much he can recite from memory.  He told us that Megiddo was on one of the trade routes with Egypt, the “Via Maris,” and from the Tel you can see Mount Carmel, Nazareth, Mount Taboreh, the Hill of Moreh, the Mountains of Gilboa, and the Valley of Jezreel.  The Tel is mentioned in Hosea and Revelation 16.

The next stop was Mount Carmel, which is believed to be the sight were Elijah built the alter in competition with the worshippers of Baal.  I snoozed on the way over, but felt better after my little nap.  This was basically another high spot where you can see Lebanon, the Jezreel Valley, the Mediteranean Sea, and Galilee.  Israel is so full of important sites, and yet is such a small area.

After Mount Carmel, we went to the hotel in Tiberias–the Gai Beach.  Sis took a nap until dinner.  I unpacked and read, trying to stay awake so I could beat the jet lag, but no such luck.  I slept for about an hour, then we went to dinner (another buffet, I’m sensing a theme).  Then we played cards in the lobby and went off to bed about 10:30.

*according to our guide, the half-round is a “theater” and the full-round is an amphitheater–we were in a half-round, which I’ve always called an amphitheater.  I may have to do some checking to see who’s correct.