Journey to Jerusalem

3

At the beginning of the weekend, I had a long list of things to do before we left for the Holy Land. Writing this blog entry is the final item on my list. We’ve talked to all our kids, Alan came by and picked up the basset hounds, we’ve packed our bags (mostly because Marlene took charge of that), we have the phone list, the list of folks in our tour group, we’ve got our tickets–and yes, we’ve got our passports. We have enough medicine to take care of any of twenty different emergencies, and I’ve packed away my copy of The Christian Traveler’s Guide to the Holy Land by Charlie Dyer and Greg Hatteberg. I’m taking one pair of shoes–my tennis shoes. We have plenty of clothes. It’s warm in Israel at the moment–highs in the 80s–so we’ve packed our polos.

My new camera is ready to go. You can take digital pictures or high-def video with it so we’ll be experimenting with both on the trip. 

Our group this year is a small, a total of 15 people, but that’s nice because we’ll all get to know each other. They come from Florida, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia and Oregon. With a smaller group, it becomes more like a personal, private tour of the Holy Land.

This is our fifth trip to the Holy Land, and our fourth tour to lead. We went first in 1986 as a last-second addition to a Pastors’ Tour. We led our own tours in 1994, 1997 and 2007. Because so much excavation continually takes place, each time we go we see things that hadn’t been uncovered before. I particularly noticed the difference around the Temple Mount between 1997 and 2007. 

People wonder about safety when you travel to the Middle East. We’ve never had the slightest problem on any of our tours. I’ve always felt safer in Jerusalem than in the downtown areas of most American cities. 

I still remember the overwhelming emotion I experienced in 1986 when after landing in Tel Aviv, we met our tour guide who greeted us with the words, “Welcome to Israel, land of the Bible.” Tears starting rolling down my face. Israel is the only place outside of America where I don’t feel like a stranger. I feel like I’m on a pilgrimage to my spiritual roots. 

So we’re packed and ready to go. In few minutes we’re leaving for Memphis where we’ll catch a plane to Chicago. Tonight our group will fly from Chicago to Istanbul, Turkey, and then on to Tel Aviv, arriving around midnight on Monday. We’ll spend the night in Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea where Paul was held prisoner for several years (see Acts 24-26). Then we’re off and running. I mean that in a true sense. A tour is a pilgrimage, not a vacation. We tell folks, “You can sleep when you get back home.” Most people go to the Holy Land one time so we pack in as much as possible.

Stay tuned to the weblog for pictures and video. We want you to join us as we visit the land of the Bible. 

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Visitor Comments:

October 19, 2009, 3:19 AM Patrick Sullivan says:
British / Australian . Retired Pastor. Hospital Chaplain. Creator and Webmaster of www.jesuschristonly.com	Gods speed to you Ray and all your group, stay well and soak up the wonder of it all. I walked today where Jesus walked, In days of long ago. I wandered down each path He knew, With reverent step and slow. Those little lanes, they have not changed, A sweet peace fills the air. I walked today where Jesus walked, And felt Him close to me. I knelt today where Jesus knelt, Where all alone he prayed. The Garden of Gethsemane, My heart felt unafraid. I picked my heavy burden up, And with Him at my side, I climbed the Hill of Calvary, I climbed the Hill of Calvary, I climbed the Hill of Calvary, Where on the Cross He Died! I walked today where Jesus walked, And felt Him close to me. Every Blessing. Pat
October 19, 2009, 3:43 AM george hizon says:
	wish I was there with you.
October 20, 2009, 11:39 PM butch88 says:
	Mr. Sullivan, very appropriate and very well written.Thanks