Day 11: There's no place like home...

As I sit here looking at the beautiful morning in New Mexico, I am amazed at how much my home state reminds me of Israel. The striking sunrises, the diverse landscape, and the beautiful scenery. It's such a blessing because in a way, I now don't have to look at my pictures to be reminded of my trip, I can just look out my front window.

I want to apologize for being so slow in getting this last post up--but after a grueling 36 hour trip back to New Mexico, I have been battling major jet lag, on top of nursing a nasty cold I picked up while overseas. But, I'd like to review my last day in Israel with all of you before I officially sign off on my adventure.

Day 11 was a long one because we started off at 7 a.m. and ended flying out of Tel Aviv at 12:45 a.m. But it was well worth it. We first went to Israel's Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, and I was able to see pictures of what Israel looked like in 1948. It is truly astonishing to see the transformation from nothing but sand dunes to the now bustling city of Tel Aviv. Israel has planted over 250 million trees since 1948, something that I still am not able to fully grasp. In New Mexico, there are certainly places you go and know that the trees you are looking at have been planted by a human hand. But in Israel, essentially every tree you look at has been hand-planted. It's pretty astonishing if you stop and think about it.

After Independence Hall we headed over to a hospital in Tel Aviv that hosts a program called "Save a Child's Heart." The mission of this organization is to find children born with life-threatening heart abnormalities and bring them to Israel for an operation. Each operation costs the hospital about $10,000, but the children's families don't pay a cent. It's an amazing place to visit, and being able to see these children who would have most likely died by the age of 4 but are now given their lives back is truly touching. I was able to go to the house where the children stay before and after their surgeries, and was so happy to see how God is working in the lives of these amazing kids. I got to meet a beautiful Ethopian little girl, who was waiting to have her surgery within the next couple of weeks. To see the children who have already had their surguries running around the yard, smiling and laughing, is a heartwarming experience.

After "Save a Child's Heart," we all went to the Tel Aviv market for lunch, and then had a free afternoon before our flight home. I walked the Mediterranean one more time, and took a little time to reflect on all that I'd seen and learned on this trip. Overall, it is an experience I will never forget. I know that one day I will be telling my grandchildren all about my trip to Israel with CUFI. The Bible is now so much more real to me because I am able to picture a lot of the places mentioned in my head whenever I read about them. It is my wish that each and every one of you gets to experience Israel at some point--it will change your life. However, I want to remind you all again that it doesn't take a trip such as mine to impact your relationship with the Lord. The biggest thing I learned on this trip is how much our Father loves us. It is a deep, compassionate, never-ending love, and He longs to be in a daily relationship with us. For me, that's what this trip to Israel was all about--learning more about my Father and deepening my walk with Him.

I am excited to be home, and I welcome any questions you all have for me. I know that some of you have tried to leave comments on my blog and it hasn't worked, but please feel free to shoot me and email at any time! If I get enough of the same questions I could always do another "Q&A" type blog. :)  Love you all, thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers throughout my trip. They were truly felt, and made an impact. Blessings to you all!

Picture: "Save a Child's Heart" (large left, top & middle). Independence Hall (bottom two)

Back home!

I wanted to let you all know I am back in the States and will be posting my last blog tomorrow after I recover from my jet lag!  Love you all!

Quick update

Hello everyone!  I wanted to let you know I'm not going to have time to do another blog post before I leave,  but I will for sure do one complete with pictures whenever I get home!  Getting ready for dinner and then driving to the airport.

U.S.A here I come!  :-)

Day 10: Gaza

Well, this morning was my last one in Jerusalem. As I left this wonderful city, I felt a twinge of sadness knowing I would not see it again for quite some time. It's nice to know that I will be heading home soon, but at the same time I think I will miss parts of Jerusalem a lot.

This morning started out with a lecture at our hotel by Col. Ben Gruber titled "Code of Ethics in the Field." It was very interesting to learn about all the ways the IDF tries to avoid collateral damage, and the state of the art systems which they work with. Colonel Gruber then drove with us down to Sderot (a city which you may hear about on the news) to get an overview of Gaza. It was amazing to only be a mile from the infamous Gaza Strip, and a little scary to be given instructions ahead of time on what to do if the alarm sounds warning of an incoming rocket. Everywhere you go in Sderot there is a bomb shelter--all the homes have them as well as the bus stops. What amazed me the most though was the local children's community center. At first, we all thought it was a nice little center because the actual town of Sderot is a little crowded, and there doesn't seem to be much room for public parks. However, after a tour of the building, we found out that it was actually a large bomb shelter where they would send their children to play, because it is not safe for them to play outside. With only 15 seconds to get into a shelter after the alarm sounds, no parent wants to take the risk that their child will be too far away from cover, so they make sure the kids are always safe. It was shocking to me that this type of thing was normal for these children. I kept thinking to myself how sad it was that these children didn't have any idea that the risk of rockets should not be "normal." It really reminded me how blessed we are in America that we can allow our children to play outside without worry of them being killed.

After touring Sderot, it was time to get our hands dirty. We went to a local kindergarten and helped fix up the place since the kids are starting up school again in September. It was so amazing to walk into the dirty building and work hard for 2 hours, and leave knowing and seeing that you made a difference. I loved the work, and was very convicted to continue doing community service such as this when I get back to the States. It's neat how 2 hours of your day can impact lives for months to come.

We then took a 1.5 hour drive to Tel Aviv and checked into our last hotel for this trip. I just got back from walking the Mediterranean beach (which is only about 2 minutes from my hotel), and the sunset was unreal. I am constantly reminded about how creative God is. From the intimidating yet beautiful desert, the majestic mountains, and the soothing beaches, He truly is an amazing God. I have loved being able to observe His handiwork throughout my trip.

Well, I leave at 12:35 a.m. Israel time tomorrow, which is 3:35 New Mexico time. I will see if I can get one more blog in before I leave, and I will certainly do a follow-up blog whenever I get back home. I want to thank you all again for your thoughts and prayers. This has been an amazing trip and I have learned so much, all while growing immensely in my faith.

Love to you all!

Picture: Overview of Gaza (top left), rockets that have been launched at Sderot (top right), at the beach (middle row & bottom left), children's community center (bottom middle), volunteering at the kindergarten (bottom right)

Day 9: He is Risen!

Shabbat Shalom, everyone! This is a Hebrew phrase that people say on the Sabbath, and it literally means "Sabbath Peace." No matter where you are in Israel on Shabbat, instead of the usual "Shalom!" greeting, you say "Shabbat Shalom." Today is going to be a relatively short blog, because in keeping with Sabbath, we did not do much today in the means of activities.

We started out the morning with a lecture on the politics of Israel, and then headed to the bus where we made a quick stop to see the Israeli Knesset (Parliament).  We then headed over to the Garden Tomb, the area where most believed Christ was probably crucified and then buried.

Being able to see Golgotha was amazing. You look at the side of the cliff and can literally see the skull formation. However, something interesting I found out is that the orgins of the name "Golgotha" are disputed. It is said that this area used to be a Jewish excecution site, where they would throw people off the cliff and then stone them. So, some believe this hill got it's name from this story. But, some people also believe it gets it's name from the fact that there is literally a formation that looks like a skull in the side. I would have to do more research in order to give my personal opinion, but my initial reaction when I saw the hill was "oh look... it looks like a skull!" Anyway, another interesting thing I found out is how my perception of the crucifixion has been very wrong. I (as I'm sure many others) have always pictured Christ being crucified on top of Calvary, just like we see in movies, paintings, and statues. However, the Romans wanted to make examples of those they executed, so they made sure to place these people where everyone would see them. So, Christ was actually most likely crucified along the road that ran right next to Golgotha. Which, if you think of the Bible, it talks about how the Romans wrote "King of the Jews" and placed it on the cross for all to see. If He was put on top of the hill away from the road, only the people who would have taken time out of their day to climb the hill would have seen it. Being crucified along the road made sure nobody would miss the event. It was very sad to see this place, however very humbling at the same time. Unlike at the Holocaust museum, Christ's death did not occur because He was a victim. Christ's death occured because I am a sinner and He loves me so much that He never wants to be separated because of my wrongdoings. In a way, this made it harder than the Holocaust museum--because Christ's death was my fault. I don't think there will ever be a time where I truly understand the full extent of His amazing love, but today definately put me one step closer. Because regardless or not of whether Christ was crucified at the exact location I was looking at, He was crucified, and He died a horrible death just for me. Talk about convicting...

After seeing the hill, we wandered a little ways down a path that led to a tomb carved from the rock. Now, was this the actual tomb that Christ was buried in? Maybe, maybe not. It was still really neat to see an actual tomb though, and know that Christ was laid in something like it. However, the most important part for me was not trying to figure out if this was THE tomb. The most important detail was the fact that no matter what tomb Christ was buried in, we would never find Him there, for He is risen! Even if you could prove to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was Christ's tomb, that wouldn't be what touched me. What touches me is knowing that Christ is alive and will be coming again for me, because He loves me so much to have died for me. It doesn't matter the exact location of events, what matters is the fact that the events happened--and they happened for us.

We then went up into a quiet part of the grounds and took communion together. It was a wonderful experience, and I felt so close to the Lord. Taking communion is supposed to remind us of the blood that Christ spilled and how His body was broken just for us--and there was no better place to do it than at Calvary hill.

I want to leave you with a Bible verse tonight (or this afternoon for all of you at home!) It is 1 Peter 2:24: "Christ carried our sins in His body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin, and start living for what is right. By his wounds, you were healed." -ERV

Picture: Golgotha (top left. Look to the right and you can see the skull in the rock), Garden tomb grounds (top middle and top right), Garden Tomb (bottom middle & right), Communion (bottom left)

Day 8: Shabbat

What an amazing roller-coaster ride I had today! I have had huge ups and downs, but thankfully am ending my day with an "up." I want to start out by apologizing for the delay in my last blog post, we had some internet issues at my hotel and I was unable to connect all day.

As I just mentioned, today was one full of emotion for me. We started out going to the Yad Vashem Memorial to the Holocaust, and as you can imagine it was a tough visit. I have studied the Holocaust a lot throughout my life, but the pain and shock of the event never seems to go away, no matter how many times I read about it. The museum was of course shocking, and it was very difficult to get through. However the hardest part for me was the children's memorial. You start out by walking into a room with a few pictures of Jewish children. You then move into an all dark room that contains five lit candles. The light from these candles is reflected by a bunch of mirrors, which makes it look like thousands of stars twinkling all around. This is supposed to remind us of the 1.5 million children murdered in the Holocaust. Now, I am not a mother yet, but all I could think about while going through this room was my beloved nephew, and my two youngest brothers-in-law. All three of these wonderful people in my life are the age of most of these children that were killed. I could not imagine losing them in such a horrible way, but even more so them having to go through such a terrifying ordeal. It was a heartwrenching memorial. So many times we go to memorials such as this and think something along the lines of "wow, how horrible..." and then kind of move on with our lives. I know for myself I have rarely had the courage to try to put myself in the same situation these people faced. What if I lost my mother, sister, husband, or child the way these men and women did? It was extremely difficult to think about, but it made me appreciate and grieve for these people so much more than I had in the past.

After the Holocaust memorial, we went to the Hertzl Cemetary, which is like the Arlington of Israel. It was so peaceful and quiet, and yet once again you were reminded of the pain of these soldiers sacrifice. You knew that these were sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, and wives buried there. The youngest Israeli soldier buried there was only 10 years old when he died fighting in the Israeli War for Independence.

After a really tough morning, we went to lunch at one of the local food markets. Now let me tell you... this market made Walmart on Black Friday look peaceful. Since it was the afternoon before Sabbath, everyone was there grabbing last minute supplies. You could hardly walk through the tiny alley ways, and had to put American manners aside for a bit and just shove your way through like everyone else. It was quite the experience. I told everyone in my group that I'm never complaining about Walmart again. :)

The next part of my day consisted of seeing the Pool of Bethesda (which was very pretty), walking the Via Dolorosa following the Stations of the Cross, as well as seeing the Church of the Holy Spulchre. This is one of the places people think Christ was crucified, although if you talk to many in the Evangelical church they say it was in a different place. To me the placing doesn't really matter, it's remembering why Christ was crucified. Whether or not I was looking at the exact location of the crucifixion was irrelevant to me--I was standing in the same area where Christ died for my sins, and it was very powerful. It really reminded me of the immense love my God has for me and how desperately He longs to be in a relationship with me for all eternity.

We then headed to the local market in the Christian Quarter in the Old City. I actually got really good at bartering and got a lot of neat stuff for fairly good deals. I didn't think I'd like bartering, but it became a really fun game for me to see what kind of deals I could get. It was definitely a cultural experience for me.  

After the market we headed to a host family's house for Shabbat dinner. It was probably the most amazing social experience I have ever had. We sang a bunch of upbeat Israeli songs, clapped our hands, and laughed until our sides ached. The food was wonderful and the atmosphere was even better. Even though the family was Jewish and not Christian, the experience really deepened my faith and brought such joy to my heart to be singing to my God and enjoying the moment. It was something I will never forget.   However, I was not able to take pictures once Shabbat started, so I apologize for my lack of pictures today.

Well, only 3 more days left in the Holy Land for me. I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing all of you again (especially you, Ryan! :) ), but at the same time I will be sad to leave this wonderful place. I have learned so much and know this is a journey I will always remember. I want to thank all of you again for your prayers, I love you all and can't wait to share my adventure with you when I get back.

Picture: Pool of Bethesda (top left & right, middle left), Via Dolorosa (middle right, bottom right), my new friend, Aundrea whom one of the merchant's here thought was my twin (bottom left), and the crazy market (bottom middle--this picture does it no justice)

Day 7: Indiana Jones!

As I look out on the city with the night lights twinkling on the horizon, I wonder what it would have been like for the kings of the Bible on a night such as this. With the crisp mountain air blowing through the trees and the stars above, it truly is a magical feeling. It reminds me a lot of home, but at the same time has a  unique character about it. I hope that one day the Lord allows me to see what this beloved looked like in the time of His servants such as David & Solomon.

Today was a very unique one for me. I learned so much that I am actually starting to get sensory overload. We started out going to an archeological dig from the Edomite period (about 2,200 years ago) and got to play Indiana Jones for the morning. I absolutely loved it, and learned how to find artifacts in the underground caves. I actually ended up finding about 10 pieces of pottery, and it was surreal to know that I had been the first person to touch that object in over two thousand years. After finding lots of hidden treasures, we then went spelunking in a cave nearby. It was so much fun to be crawling on your hands and knees at times throughout this ancient place. I had to lower myself down holes in the rock, lay on my back and squeeze through spaces with only a couple inches of clearance, and make sure I didn't blow out any of the candles  along the way.

We were then loaded into the bus to drive to Bethlehem. On the way, we passed the Valley of Elah, where David fough Goliath. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it, and once again longed to see what it looked like years ago. Right outside of Bethlehem our guide, Ronnie, had to leave us because he is Jewish and does not have a permit to enter the Palestinian controlled area (it is worth noting here that Palestinians are allowed to work in Israel even though Jews aren't allowed to work in Palestinian controlled areas). I was able to see the church of the Nativity, where some claim Christ was born. I personally doubt it was in the exact spot they claim, but the biggest thing I took from the experience was the caves. I could not imagine having to give birth to a child in a place like that, and it was so humbling to see the type of place where Christ entered the world. It was dark, dirty, and ugly to be honest. I was struck at the depth of His love for me to be willing to leave Heaven to come to a place like that cave--all because of my sins.

Walking through Palestine was a bit scary. Instead of IDF soldiers everywhere as in Jerusalem, there were Palestinian police patrolling the streets. There was a picture of Yassar Arafat around almost every corner, even in the office of the Church of the Nativity. But what struck me most was all the graffiti on the Israeli security wall at the edge of the city. The hateful and horrible language was not only offensive, but gave completely false accusations and spewed such hatred.

After leaving Bethlehem we met with Col. Danny Tirza--the man who was in charge of designing and building the security fence. An interesting fact to point out is that only 5% of the fence is actually concrete, something you don't see or hear in the American media. The rest is simply a fence with sensors and cameras. He explained to us the reason the concrete is up in the urban areas to protect the Israeli apartments from sniper attacks from the Palestinians, keep Palestinians from climbing a fence (it is over 9m high), and also to prevent the Palestinians from constantly setting off the fence sensors by throwing rocks at the fence. So, it just makes more sense to have a large concrete wall.

I think the biggest thing that impacted me today was how wrong the media is in portraying the Israel-Palestine conflict. Certainly, there are innocent parties on both sides being hurt by the conflict. But by no means is Israel the aggressor in this fight. In fact, Israel has tried several times to come to the table with peace agreements while Palestine refuses to cooperate. Instead of blaming Israel for "not cooperating" with the Palestinians, I think it is our duty as Americans, but more importantly as Christians, to strengthen and encourage them in their fight against terror.

On a personal side note, I feel obligated to tell all of you how much the Lord has been working in my life. Throughout these past few days I have discovered a love for God that I didn't even know I could experience. However, I think it can be really easy to fall into the trap of thinking that it takes a trip such as mine in order to discover this love. While being in the Holy Land is an amazing experience and truly lets you learn and see the Bible like no other way, I want to encourage each and every one of you to seek the Lord and really know how much He loves you. It will fill you with such peace and joy, and the wonderful thing is that it will never stop as long as you keep seeking Him--it is a life long journey.

Laila tov. ♥

Picture: At the security wall with Col. Tirza (top left), Valley of Elah (top right), playing Indiana Jones! (middle row), mountains outside Jerusalem (bottom left), Church of the Nativity (bottom right)

Day 6: Excitement!

As I sit here and look at my journal for today,  I realize that it was probably one of my most meaningful thus far on my adventure to Israel. Jerusalem is such a wonderful place--it's honestly quite difficult to put down on paper the atmosphere here. I started out today meeting the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, where she gave us a wonderful talk about certain difficulties facing the city. I learned from her that the Palestinians are allowed (and encouraged by Israel) to hold elections so they can be represented in the government and have a voice as to what goes on in the city. However, the Palestinian authorities actually tell their people not to participate in these elections, because it would be acknowledging Israel as a legitimate nation. However, the same Palestinian authorities then go around telling the media how oppressive Israel is because there are no Palestinians in the government. It really showed me how we as Americans, and as world citizens, are so bad at doing research for ourselves. We tend to take anything we hear on the news as truth, and I think that is a grave mistake. So I would encourage all of you to always look into what you are reading for yourself--no matter how reliable the source.  

We then headed to the Mount of Olives where I was able to get breath taking views of the city. As I walked down Palm Sunday road, I was amazed at how close I felt with the Lord. I've felt such wonderful love surrounding me throughout this trip, and I know it's the kind of love our Father wants us to experience with Him all the time. After the walk, our group was ushered into the Garden of Gethsemane. The olive trees here were over 2,000 years old, and they were enormous. I could completely understand why Jesus would come here to pray. It was such an interesting place with so much symbolism attached to it. I was able to take an olive branch away from the Garden, and I now have it in my Bible.  

Next was the Old City of Jerusalem where we had lunch in the Jewish Quarter. I got to see the Western Wall, and tour the Western Wall tunnels. It was neat to see the stones of the wall and realize how amazing it was that King Herod was able to build something like that.  

Then for my favorite part of this ENTIRE trip: King Hezekiah's Tunnel. For those of you who have never read the historical fiction series Chronicles of the Kings by Lynn Austin, please read them! They are about King Hezekiah and his reign. Anyway, those books completely made this tunnel come alive for me. I was like a little kid at Disney Land, walking through the tunnel with water that at times could be thigh-high. I think the entire rest of the group thought it was a little crazy how in love with this place I was. There were times the tunnel ceiling was so low I literally had to do a "squat-walk" as I went through it (I definately got my leg workout in for the day!)  I felt like I had personally known the people who built this tunnel after reading Austin's books, and the entire experience was absolutely mind-blowing. I will say again, please, please read those books if you haven't already. They have strengthened my faith tremendously, and I think you will be blessed by them. Plus you will be able to better understand what this tunnel was. To give a short synopsis, Hezekiah basically took part of the tunnel that David had used in the past, and extended it so he could get water into the city before the upcoming Assyrian invasion. He didn't want his enemies to have access to water in the area, and he also didn't want the entire city to be vulnerable to attack via the water system. 

A fun side-note is that I am getting better at my Hebrew! I still know pathetically little, but it's really fun to know a few words and be able to communicate with people, even in a small way. This trip has really taught me that the fastest way to learn another language is to completely surround yourself by it. Many people I've talked to have told me they became completely fluent within 5 months of moving to Israel.  

Well, that's all for today! Please keep me in your prayers tomorrow, I am headed to Bethlehem. I am very excited, but this is an area of Israel completely controlled and governed by the Palestinians. We are not allowed to wear shirts of any kind associating us with CUFI or even Christianity, just for the safety of the group. We have been reassured it is simply a precaution, but I am a huge believer in the power of prayer, and would appreciate as many as you can give.   

Much love to you all, only 5 days left in the Holy Land for me! I have already taken about 2,000 pictures, so I will have lots of stories when I get home. :)  

Laila Tov! (lie-luh tov) Or as we say in English, "goodnight!"

P.s. Check out this blog by one of our CUFI leaders, Josh. You may even find a quote from yours truly!

Picture: Western Wall & tunnels (top row), Palm Sunday Road & Garden of Gethsemane (middle row), City of David & Hezekiah's Tunnel (bottom row)

Day 5: Impacted

So let me say first of all happy birthday to the best husband a girl could ever ask for! Ryan, I know other people are reading this, so I get to brag on you a bit. You are such a loving husband to me and this past year & 8 months has been the happiest of my life. I'm sorry I'm not able to share  it with you today, but I'm sure our families back home will shower you with love for me. :)  

Ok now that I've let you all know what I wonderful man I have, I will now tell you about my latest adventure. Today started out leaving the Bedouin camp at 5am and driving to Masada for a sunrise hike. I was reminded on this hike how much I love the outdoors and the glory of God's creation. Seeing the sunrise from a vantage point like that is something I will never forget.  After enjoying the views, we went around Masada and learned a little bit about the place. This was where King Herod build his hilltop fortress, and where a small group of Jewish zealots took refuge after the Roman destruction of the Second Temple. The Romans ended up building a ramp to Masada (look up pictures online, you will see this was no easy task), and taking it over. It was scary to think of taking refuge in a place such as this and knowing you would never make it out alive. On the way down I took my first ever tram-ride, and felt like a little kid at Six Flags (even though the ride was only 3 minutes total).  

After Masada we went to Ein Gedi--also known as "David's Stream." It was so fitting to come here on my husband's birthday because the whole place reminded me of him. It is a little oasis in the desert where David hid from King Saul, and has beautiful pools of water hidden throughout. This was probably one of my favorite places of the whole trip. Even though it was hot, I was in awe of the fact that I was in the place that David hid from Saul! It just absolutely blew my mind, and after being there you can see why it was the perfect hiding place.  

For the next part of our day we drove down to the Dead Sea to "swim." You actually can't swim here because the water contains 30% salt, and so you float. It was the strangest feeling to lean back and not sink at all--plus I enjoyed the exfoliating benefits of rubbing the sea mud on my legs and arms. It was quite the experience.  

We finally got a small break from the heat as we drove to Jerusalem. We went to Mt. Scopus to get a better view, and that is when the full impact of this trip finally caught up with me. As I looked with my own eyes at the place the Temple would have been, it took all I had not to start crying right then and there. I am still extremely impacted by it. The amount of history that has gone on here, and some the people whom I've read about in the Bible had at one point been at the exact location I was looking at! It's a very hard feeling to describe, but the only word that comes close is "overwhelming." I thank God so much for the enormous blessing this trip has been to me.   I wish each and every one of you could experience it with me.

Well, that's all I have for today! I want to again wish my handsome husband a very happy birthday, and thank all of you again for taking the time to read this and pray for me. It means more than you can possibly know, and I can't wait to be able to tell you all about it when I get back.   Shalom!

Picture: Masada (top left & right, middle right), Dead Sea (top & bottom middle), Ein Gedi (middle right, bottom left & right), Jerusalem (large middle pic)

Day 4: Sightseeing

Hello friends and family! Thank you for being patient with me not having wifi last night, but believe me it was worth it! I will go ahead and do two separate blog postings so that I can try to fully include all of my experiences these past few days.  

Day 4 started out with me being baptized in the Jordan River. This was a very special time for me as I have never been baptized before. It was such an amazing experience to feel God's presence during the ceremony. I came out with a renewed love for my Heavenly Father and awestruck wonder at the love He has for His children.  

After the baptism we drove through the West Bank (don't worry mom I'm fine :) and stopped near the Jordanian baptismal site where many believe John the Baptist spent his time in the wilderness, and was the most likely area where Christ was baptized.  It was a beautiful location and had wonderful nice,  DRY heat (no more humidity! !)  

Then came one of the most majestic places I've seen so far: Qumran. This is the area where several old manuscripts were discovered from the end of the second temple-period. It is also possible to see the cave where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.   

Now for the final part of my day, which you already know about--the Bedouin camp. When we first arrived we got to go on a camel ride through the desert (my horse riding skills actually came in slightly useful here) and then we met in the community tent to hear a little bit about Bedouin history. We then had dinner which consisted of rice, pitas, vegetables, the best pears I've ever had, and...camel meat. That's right guys, I can now say I've eaten camel. And just for those of you out there who question my bravery, I knew it was camel meat BEFORE eating it, and I still tried it. It actually was pretty tasty, and wasn't too different from a traditional meatball. I then went to our big shared tent and snagged the only hammock available while everyone else slept on mattresses on the ground. I can easily say I slept the best last night. :)  

Overall, the day was a very interesting one. My favorite part was definately getting baptized. I feel such a joy in my faith that I haven't had in a long time, and I'm so grateful for that. Now, on to day 5!

Picture: Baptism in the Jordan River (top row), Qumran (middle left), Jordanian baptism site (middle right), Bedouin camp (bottom row), CAMEL MEAT! (Bottom middle) :)

Day 3: Politics

Wow... what a day! I had such an adventure that it is impossible to put down on paper all that I've experienced. However, I will do my best to sum it up here.

I started off the day going to Mt. Bental in the Golan Heights. From the peak we were able to see the Syrian border and actually hear tank fire from the Syrian conflict. It was extremely sobering to be only 15 miles away from the fight. Being on top of Mount Bental really showed me why this spot is so coveted a location. You can see everything... Even me with virually no knowledge of military strategy was able to see how incredible a vantage point this location is. At this stop I was able to go in an old underground bunker built in the 70s, and it was slightly frightening to think of actually having to take shelter in a bunker during a real threat.

My next stop was Caesarea Philippi--probably my favorite location so far on this trip. We had a lovely Sunday sermon right next to the river underneath the shade of all the beautiful trees. This location is where Jesus asked His apostles who people said He was and Peter responded "You are the Christ." It was amazing to be in the place where you knew Christ had stood. At this location I was also able to see Agrippa's palace ruins.

Now for the most interesting stop of the day. After thinking I could not possibly beat the wonder of seeing the Syrian border, we headed over the the Lebanon border to meet with the IDF soldiers patrolling the area. I was able to give two of the IDF guys NMSU tshirts (Go Aggies!) and talk for quite awhile one-on-one with a tank commander there. THEN (my favorite part) the entire group went to the Lebanon-Israel border fence with the IDF and planted a kiwi tree right on the border within view of the Hezbollah watch-tower on the hill above us. It was scary and incredible knowing that Hezbollah terrorists were watching you support, laugh, and talk with the IDF soldiers they so hate. (By the way, the IDF thought it was great and loved every bit of it.) We then went down the road to see the tanks and one of the tank drivers then taught us how to say "Fire the Canons!" in Hebrew. We all shouted that as someone from CUFI took a video of us in front of the tank. It was a wonderful experience, and amazing to get to talk with these young men face to face who are so bravely defending their country.

My last stop of the day was kayaking on the Jordan River (yes...that's right). I love kayaking to begin with, and being able to do so down the Jordan was so much fun. It was beautiful and the water was a welcome refreshment at the end of a long day.

Even though I had a lot of fun, today taught me that I need to be praying for the Middle East more. It is truly saddening to see all these people who hate Israel and America and will do anything to see us killed. Please remember not only the brave young men and women serving in the IDF, but our own troops as well. It is because of brave and honorable people such as them that we are able to truly call ourselves free.

Quick side-note: I will not have internet tomorrow because I will be staying overnight in a Bedouin camp in the desert. But I will write all about it as soon as I can!

Picture: At the Syrian border (top left & middle), Meeting with the IDF (top right, middle left, bottom pictures), Hezbollah watchtower (bottom right), Caesarea Philippi (middle right)

Day 2: Exploring

Greetings to all of you back at home! It's hard to believe that you are starting your day while I am ending mine. :)

 I went to several places today, and each of them was amazing. I started out at the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the famous Sermon on the Mount. It was more like a natural bowl in the landscape, and it was easy to see how His voice would have carried to the thousands of people who came to listen to Him. I was amazed at the extensive walk it would have taken to get places-- all of us here have determined that people in Jesus' time were in MUCH better shape than we are today!  

We then headed over to Tabgha--the fishing area on the Sea of Galilee. This was where Christ first talked with Peter and one of the places He appeared to His apostles after His crucifixion. I was able to touch the water in the Sea of Galilee, which I thought was pretty awesome. :)  

About a mile up the road was Capernaum, where I got to see the house of Peter as well as the synagogue where Jesus taught (I still can't quite wrap my mind around that one!)   I then took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee to where we had lunch. Being out on the lake was beautiful--I was able to see the Golan Heights from the boat as well as the rest of the amazing view around the lake. We had a lunch of fresh talapia and hummus, then headed over to Mount Tabor.

  Now let me tell you, going UP Mount Tabor was an experience in and of itself. The roads are very curvy and the cab drivers take the corners like you would on a video game. They also have to slam on their brakes whenever another cab is coming around the corner at top speed, so it makes for quite the ride... But the top of the mountain offered an absolutely amazing view. From the top, I was able to see the place where King Saul was killed, and see the church that is dedicated to Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Mount Tabor is mentioned in the Bible as the place where the army of Barak gathered for battle against Sisera, as well as where Jesus went through his Transfiguration.  

The last stop of the day was Nazareth. I went to the spot where they believe the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, and they have built a church in remembrance. It is the largest church in the Middle East, and has very ornate carvings.  

All in all, it was a wonderful day. I was able to see so much and learn so much more about the Bible. God has already spoken to me so on this trip, I can't wait to see what else is in store.

Love to you all!

Note: In my picture, the top show shows me taking the boat on the Sea of Galilee (left) and at the Mount of Beatitudes (right). On the bottom I am at Capernaum (left), the view on the way up Mount Tabor (middle), and in Nazareth at the church (right).

Day 1: Shalom!

Shalom from Israel! After a hard 10.5 hour flight, I finally made it to the Holy Land! I have been up a full 29 hours now and am just getting ready to head to bed. But before I do, I thought I would post an update for all of you who are kind enough to be following me back at home.

Once in Israel we started off the day going to a place called Neot Kedumim, which is a project designed to show what the physical setting of the Bible would have looked like. We were not able to spend a lot of time at this location, but it was amazing to see all the different types of plants and animals. From there we headed over to Caesarea where we were able to see King Herod's harbor beach and palace ruins. I was able to see a 2,000 year old Roman amphitheater, as well as the Mediterranean. It was so powerful to be standing in the exact location discussed in Acts 10 and where Paul went before Agrippa before being sent to Rome.

After Caesarea we went to Carmel Mountain where Elijah built an altar before the Lord and defeated the priests of Baal. It was amazing to be up on top of the mountain and look at the amazing view and know that Elijah at one point had been there and seen the exact same view. As I was looking down on what's known as the Valley of Armageddon, it finally hit me: I'm in Israel!

So, after a lovely Shabbat dinner at my hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee, I am slowly seeing the Bible come to life for me in a way I've never experienced before. Now when I read about Paul In Caesarea, I can actually picture the place in my mind. I can look out my hotel window in awe knowing I am seeing the very place where Jesus Christ placed his feet. I can understand so much better now that I've seen the Sea of Galilee why the apostles were afraid of getting caught in the storm. It is truly amazing to see not only what God created, but to see the very land He came to in order to die for my sins.

Thank you all for your continued prayer and support--believe me they are felt. I apologize for my lack of pictures, I promise I will post lots more as soon as I get a decent internet connection (That may not be until I get back though.) But, I have included a picture of me at Carmel Mountain.

Since in Hebrew it means both hello and goodbye, I will leave you again with , "Shalom!"