Charisma Magazine

What a sobering experience. My tour today began with a visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum located on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem. After reflecting on what I saw, it’s clear no other place so far has impacted me like this one.

First we went into the Valley of Communities where we watched a short video of life among Jewish people before Adolf Hitler executed his sinister plan to destroy them.

I'm so sleepy my eyes are burning, but I must tell you about the sites I saw today.

We started the tour with a scenic drive through the valley of Jordan where I could see in the distance the kingdom of Jordan. The mountain curved around and around until we were headed in the direction of the Dead Sea region. I'm told the region is the lowest point on earth, about 419 meters below sea level.

Shalom.

Today I sailed the Sea of Galilee!

Every time I think my visit to Israel can't get any better, something or someone will change my mind. That's what happened to me today when I had an encounter with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee.

After eating breakfast this morning we all boarded a bus headed for the sea. I was feeling a little anxious about some things, so I wasn't myself today. But when I stood up for prayer, the Lord spoke to my inner spirit and said "peace, be still." At that moment, the weight lifted and I was able to participate in all the tour activities.

Shalom!

This morning my tour group and I checked out of the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv (what a nice place) and boarded the bus for Caesarea National Park. King Herod the Great (not the Herod who sought to have baby Jesus killed,) built Caesarea. When I got off the bus, my mind went back in time to thousands of years ago.

I sat down in the Herodian Amphitheatre and tried to imagine what it would be like to attend a sporting event back then. According to the brochure, the U-shape venue is more than 250 m long and 50 m wide. Some experts say it might be the stadium mentioned by first-century Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius in Jewish War (Antiq. ll:9, 3). I also got a chance to see some of the archaeological designs made popular by the Romans after they gained control of Caesarea.

After staying up to 3 am the night before preparing for my trip, and after nearly missing my flight to JFK the next day, I finally made it to Israel!

My tour group and I arrived at Ben Gurion International Airport close to 3:30 pm and could hardly wait to see the first city on the tour schedule.

Tel Aviv is a wonderful place to visit, but if you're thinking it's lined with dusty roads like in biblical times, think again. It's a modern city and has all the makings of a bustling metropolis like billboards, quaint restaurants, public transportation and more.