VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND
Wednesday

Our last day in the Holy Land and another very busy one.

As usual we made an early start after breakfast and the first highlight of the day was a sail in a fishing boat across the Sea of Galilee heading North.

As it was early morning the sun was shining but it was lovely and cool on the boat.  We had a demonstration of "casting the nets" as it would have been done in Jesus day.

The bus was waiting for us and we were taken to the Church of Mensa Christi (where Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection).  From there we headed to Taghba where the miracle of the loaves and fishes took place.  Instead of going inside the church most of us went to paddle in the cool water of the sea.  We had a bible reading on the beach followed by a short service in the shade.

On the opposite side of the road from Taghba, a little further up the hill, stands a modern church known as the Mount of the Beatitudes.  It is a large building, octagonal in shape, its sides representing the eight Beatitudes of Matthew (chapter 5) with a wonderful outlook over the Sea of Galilee.  We celebrated communion outside in a special area of the church gardens, where we experienced a particularly emotional and moving service.

After lunch we stopped at Banias Reserve.  The part we visited was Banias Springs, which is the source of the River Jordan at Caesarea Phillipi.  We also saw the ruins of the Temple of Pan.  It was here that Peter stated that Jesus was the Messiah and Jesus gave Peter the "keys to heaven" (Matt. 16 v 17&18).  While we were in this area, a group of Israeli school children arrived for a visit accompanied by their own armed guard, who didn’t look any older than 16.  Annis (our guide) explained that all Israeli children on a school trip must have an armed guard with them.

Heading back to Tiberius, over the Golan Heights, we saw the wreckage of a few tanks and stopped at the summit to view, in the distance, the UN Peacekeeping Camp protecting Damascus.  During this bus journey we saw many Army Camps and military personnel, a reminder of the ongoing strife and underlying tension in Israel.

As we had some time to spare before we were due back at the hotel, Annis said he would take us somewhere not on our itinerary.  So we visited the River Jordan.  Not the exact spot where Jesus and John the Baptist were baptised but where baptisms are now celebrated.  As I hadn't been christened as an infant and became a church member by Resolution I asked Jeanne to oblige and that is why I was christened, while we were both standing in water of the River Jordan.  What a day and what a fantastic end to my Pilgrimage.

Karine

Thanks to Karine for the time and effort she has taken to give us all an insight into her trip to the Holy Land.

** For further details please contact the webmaster or the church office