Last Day In Israel: a free day

Greetings Friends,

Well today was my final day in Israel. I have dual emotions. On one hand I am sad to leave this special place that has transformed me significantly, on the other hand I am thrilled to be heading back to be with my family again. As special as the Holy Land is, it is no substitute for Kealy and our kids ;)

Today was a 'free' day. We had no guide, no itinerary, just a day to go wherever we liked to as a group. We had some discussions last night about what people were still hoping to do and, other than shopping, no one had any great ambitions.

So we started later today and it was really quite nice. The itinerary is rigorous here because there is so much to see and do each day so to move at a slower pace today enabled everyone to catch up a little bit. I am feeling mugh better today and will hopefully be 'phlegm phree' ;) by tomorrow when we travel.

We began our day with a walk along the ramparts of the old city. It was really cool to see the views from the city walls and think of Isaiah 62:6-"I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night."

We also had an opportunity today to visit a special shop and place for discussion called, "The Shorashim Shop," where we listened to and spoke with a Jewish man whose family came to Israel from Canada thirty years ago. We talked about the Land, faith and the Bible. It was a great conversation.

After that we had a nice lunch under a canopy while it rained, then decided to finish our shopping and head back to the hotel. It was fun visiting all the shops again and enjoying the mix of locals and tourists from all over the world. This truly is an international city!

We enjoyed our final meal together as a group and are now each packing and preparing for a short night. We leave our hotel at 3:30am tomorrow morning for the Tel Aviv airport. From there we fly to Turkey, then LAX, the Portland where we will hopefully arrive at 10:30pm Thursday night. I'll be staying the night in Portland after the long travel day then driving home Friday morning to Corvallis.

Please pray for safety and health during our travel time as we return from this amazing and life changing experience. I will post a follow up blog next week when I've had a chance to process a bit more all the experiences we've had here in this special place. Thank u for your prayers and support and for following along during this amazing adventure!

Shalom,

Ryan

Day 7 in Israel: the old city, shrine of the book and Yad Vashem

Greetings Friends,

Today was a fun day filled with some new experiences for me here in Israel. Unfortunately I'm still not feeling my best but I was able to complete the full itinerary today in spite of it.

We began our day back at the Western Wall at 7:30am. It was great to pray again at this amazing spot as the sun rose above Jerusalem. This time we went down into the Western Wall tunnels, where we could see more of Herod's 1st century Temple Mount and excavations that are still taking place, it was super cool to be underneath the current city and in the midst of so much rich history!

We went from there to the Israel Museum where they have a giant replica of Jeruslaem during the time of Jesus. It was great to walk around it and have all of the sites we've visited in the last few days come together into a visual picture of the city during the time of Jesus. Here at this museum is also stored the portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls, including the longest one found, the entire book of Isaiah. It was so cool to see the tiny Hebrew Text and be able to read it. I found myself with a deepened appreciation for the commitment those people had to copying the Scriptures and the contribution this finding has had on biblical scholarship.

After lunch in the old city we visited the temple institute where you can see life sized replicas of items used in the temple during the Old Testament period. Very cool visual once again.

We finished our day at "Yad Vashem" or the "Hall of Names" which is the holocaust museum here in Jerusalem. It is a powerful and overwhelming thing to take in. I found myself reflecting on what I would have done in the face of such evil and suffering and asked for strength to stand with the marginalized and oppressed of our day and time.

Each evening our group has taken time to share our favorite moments from the day and some devotional thoughts. It's been a great chance to get to know people in our group and process the days events through someone else's eyes. This is a transformative place and none of us are the same people we were when we got off the plane last week. God has used this experience to deepen our faith and broaden the depth of understanding we have about this important part of the world.

Tomorrow is a 'free day'. There are no sights or guided visits planned. We are going to sleep in and do some walking around in the old city and finish our shopping. I'm hoping to see some of the sites I missed yesterday and pick up a few more gifts for the kids;)

Until tomorrow!

~Ryan

Day 6 in Israel: a forced day of rest

Greetings Friends,

As I admitted before I have been battling a cold for the last few days here in Israel. This morning when I woke up it had worsened substantially. With three days left in Israel and a long flight home on the horizon, I decided to stay in my hotel room today and not go out with the group touring. It was a bummer to have to miss a day here in the Holy City, but the itinerary today was mostly things I had seen/done last time I was here and I am looking forward to the next two days which are new stops for me. I thought it best to try and beat the cold instead of prolong it.

Taking the day to rest was a great thing. I slept most of the day and am feeling one hundred times better with still another night's rest ahead before touring again tomorrow. It was actually kind of nice in a way to be quiet, read scripture, rest and process all that we've seen and done here so far on this amazing trip.

So thank you for your continued prayers for healing. They are working and God is good.

Until tomorrow!

~Ryan

Day 5 in Israel: Sunday on the Mount of Olives, the Western Wall and Bethlehem

Greetings Friends,

We had a beautiful Sunday morning here in the city of Peace: Jerusalem. I'll admit I've picked up a cold and am a little under the weather so I would covet your prayers for restored health. But God is good and I was able to still participate in this full and wonderful day!

We began this sunny Sunday at the mount of olives. The mountain where Jesus ascended into heaven and rode down to the temple on a donkey! We were able to walk the very same road that Jesus came down during his triumphal entry into the city. It was a beautiful site and a beautiful morning.

At the bottom of the hill is the Garden of Gethsemane, an oil press factory during the time of Jesus that pressed oil for the temple. The olive trees are still here to this day and a beautiful church sits over the spot venerated as the place where Jesus prayed in agony. I sat in the church and echoed the same prayer as Jesus, "not my will but Your will be done."

From the Mount of Olives we went over to the southern wall excavations and saw the main roads and steps leading up the temple during the time of Jesus.

We also visited the 'wailing' or western wall where people from all over the world come to pray. I'll admit this was the most powerful moment of the trip for me this far, to stand and pray in the city of peace with people from all over the world was an overwhelming experience. I prayed for my family, my church, for myself and for the peace of Jerusalem.

We drove from the western wall to mt Zion to the traditional site of the upper room and King David's tomb. At King David's tomb there were rabbis and Hasidic jews singing the scriptures and teaching the Torah. I enjoyed listening to them speaking in Hebrew, Spanish, French, German and English as people came by.

This afternoon we went to the city of Bethlehem, in Palestine. We had lunch and visited an olive wood shop where they had beautifully carved olive wood items. From there we went to the church of the nativity, the oldest functioning church in the world. Here the church is built over the cave where early Christians believed Jesus was born. It was a humbling experience to be on a place that so many Christians have visited for centuries and I was reminded of the great cloud of witnesses that has gone before us. The church itself is undergoing significant renovation and restoration now that the three sects of Christianity that oversee the church have finally agreed that work needs to be done. You can see the restoration work and me touching the spot where Jesus was born over on my Facebook page.

The sites here are all so close that they begin to blend together but each one strikes a different chord within me and I am learning new things at each of them even though I have been there before.

Jerusalem is also a very modern city and currently, as I write this, we are sitting on the bus at 5:30pm in rush hour traffic.

Tomorrow we visit the Temple Mount, Old City and the Garden Tomb.

Have a blessed Sunday. Until tomorrow!

~Ryan

Day 4 in Israel: The Desert and the Dead Sea

Greetinga Friends,

Happy Valentine's Day! There is not much proof of valentines day here but someone on our bus made cards for everyone and handed out M&Ms so that was fun! 

What an amazing day we have had today! The weather cleared and we had a gorgeous day down at rhe lowest place in the world: The Judean Desert and the Dead Sea. Just 20 minutes from the city of Jerusalem you drop 3300 feet down to the Jordan Rift Valley. Here we saw the desert fortress of Masada, the spring of En Gedi, the community of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, we floated in the Dead Sea and finished the amazing day in the oldest city in the world, Jericho. 

Masada was our first stop, an amazing fortress built by Herod on top of a huge mountain. Going up by cable car you can see for miles around you. On top of the mountain was where the Jewish Revolt ended in 73 CE. Here almost one thousand Jewish Rebels killed their families and themselves rather than being enslaved by the Romans. You can still see the siege ramp built by the Romans up to the fortress today. 

We continued on to the Spring of En Gedi where David hid from Saul and cut off the hem of his robe in a cave. Over at my Facebook page you can see some cool pictures of caves. It is so cool to visualize these stories we know so well in the actual places where they took place. 

Next is one of my favorite spots, the site of Qumran. The site is where the Essene community during the time of Jesus lived. Their calling was to copy manuscripts of scripture and other important writings. The most significant archaeological discovery in Israel took place here in1947 by discovering the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Scrolls confirmed the authenticity and integrity of the biblical translations we have today. Very significant stuff. 

Next was the memorable 'swimming' in the Dead Sea. It is more like floating and is an incredible sensation. The mud in the sea is so mineral rich that it is great on your skin. We had a ton of fun floating in it and covering ourselves in mud! 

After swimming we swung by the city of Jerixho, an oasis in the desert. We saw the spring of Elisha and the ancient city of Jericho as well as the modernization  one. 

It was great to have a better day weather wise and we are hoping for continued good weather tomorrow as we visit the mount of olives, southern wall, mount Zion and Bethlehem. 

Until tomorrow! 

~Ryan

Day 3 in Israel: from Nazareth to Jerusalem

Greetings Friends, 

Today was a wild day. Wild itinerary. Wild travel. Wild weather. We covered quite a bit of ground today leaving from the Galilee this morning to head west to the Mediterranean sea then up to Jerusalem. It was hard to say goodbye to the Galilee this morning, I think there is nowhere else like it on earth, but there are a lot of exciting places still to see on our trip. The downside is the weather has not been great so it has limited some of the stops that we've made into shorter abbreviated trips. The last time I was here was in June and the weather was warm and wonderful. I got a bit spoiled then without realizing it. 

Our first stop was in Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus. A village of maybe 100 families during Jesus' time, today is a city of 70,000 people. It was fascinating to drive through and see the old well from Jesus' time still in use today. Being in Israel requires an active imagination to remove the modern and visualize the landscape and place of a particular period. In Nazareth we also visited Mt. Precipice where the villagers from Nazareth tried to throw Jesus off the cliff in Luke 4. On top there is a great view of many of the mountains and Jezreel valley below. 

From Nazareth we went to a strategic city in the Jezreel valley called Megiddo. Megiddo was a continually inhabited fortress for thousands of years and has been conquered 25 times. There are Canaanite, Israelite, Greek agnd roman fortifications here and it is fascinating place to explore because of its history, archaeology and strategic significance particularly during the reigns of Mkng David, Solomon and Ahab. Megiddo also overlooks the Valley of Armageddon where the writer of Revelation says the final battle between God and the forces of evil will take place. 

From Megiddo we went up to Mt. Carmel where Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18. As we drive up the mountain there was rain, hail thunder and lightning. On top of the mountain was great views of the whole norther part of Israel as far as the Mediterranean Sea. Very cool. 

After Mt. Carmel we headed to the Med to Caesarea Maritima, a roman port built by King Herod during the 1st century BCE. It is one of my favorite places as it is also the site of the first Non-Jewish conversion to Christianity, a man named Cornelius. You can read about this powerful story in Acts 10. When we arrived the wind was driving HUGE waves against the palace and over the walls of the hippodrome. There was hail, snow and hard rain all mixed together and within minutes our clothes were soaked through. I posted a video of it over on my facebook page. We drove up the coast just a little to where Herod's aqueduct brought water along the coast into the port and had a chance to put our hands in the Mediterranean Sea. 

From Caesarea we drove to Jerusalem. The wind and rain continued but it is always a beautiful and powerful experience driving up into the mountains where Jerusalem is. As we drove I read psalms to myself that talk about the beauty and joy of being in this Holy City. I was particularly struck this time by Psalm 125:1-2-"Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forevermore." It is a moving experience to come over the mountains and see this incredible city which has been the focal point of humanity for so long. 

As we entered the city we paused on the bus and our guide let us through the ritual breaking of bread and sharing a prayer as we entered the city of Jerusalemem, a custom that dates back to when Abraham met King Melchezidek here In this place. 

We arrived at our hotel and I admit I fell asleep for a few hours before dinner. The travel and trying to take everything in and processing it can be quite exhausting, but in the best possible way. The hot is awesome and sits on a hill that overlooks the north part of Jerusalem and the Old City. 

We are hoping for better weather tomorrow and an opportunity to head down to Masada, Qumran and the Dead Sea.

Until tomorrow! 

~Ryan

Day 2 in Israel: The Galilee and cradle of Jesus' ministry

Greetings Friends,

Today was another powerful day around the Sea of Galilee. I keep pinching myself when I walk out of my room and am fifty feet away from the lake where Jesus walked and taught. I've had some amazing quiet time just sitting on the shore by myself, visualizing Jesus and his disciples and the crowds listening to Him teach and placing myself in each scene. God has a way of speaking to me in those moments that is fresh and new and very rejuvenating.

The weather was not great today. It rained most of the day until our last stop. I realized when I started the day that, even though we we're going to locations that I had been to on my previous trip to Israel, today would be different experiences and it was unfair to try and replicate whatever nostalgic recollection I had of my precious time here. That was a helpful attitude to carry with me today.

That being said, I partly got my wish. While I wouldn't classify our boat ride as a 'storm', when we took our boat ride on the Sea of Galilee this morning it was raining quite hard. It was much easier to imagine just how frightened the disciples would've been in a storm in a boat much smaller than the one we were in. We were able to visit a museum in Magdala (where Mary magdalene was from) which is a fishing port on the west side of the Sea. There they have discovered a 1st century fishing boat that would've been the same kind the disciples and Jesus used to travel around the region. It's a great discovery and a cool museum.

Our boat ride was full of people from all around the world and we sang songs in English, Hebrew and Ethiopian while on the boat...very cool.

After the boat ride we headed north to the northern end of galilee and the mount of beatitudes. It is a beautiful site where u can very easily imagine Jesus given his famous, "Blessed are those who..." Sermon from Matthew 5. After that we headed down the hill to "Peter's Primacy" one of my favorite places where Jesus had breakfast with Peter after his resurrection in John 21. It is a tranquil spot on the sea where you can easily visualize Peter and the disciples fishing and catching nothing until Jesus showed up. Inside a small chapel there is a rock venerated as the place where Jesus and Peter had breakfast. Again, it was great to visualize the restoration of Peter in this place. Inside the chapels and churches here you have to be silent so it is a wonderful time of quiet reflection between guides and your buses.

We continued on to Carpernaum, the home base of Jesus' ministry in the region. Here there are 1st century remains of Peter's house where Jesus stayed and the 1st century synagogue and city where Jesus preached and lived. It was so cool to stand in the middle of a place where we know without a doubt Jesus walked and lived. It is like visitng the hometown of a friend, where you inevitably learn more about who they are and why they are that way because of where they lived.

After this we had a special lunch. I'm normally not a big fish eater but I couldn't pass up a chance to eat fish from the Galilee, St. Peter's fish. Over on my Facebook page there's a great picture of the fish and the fun I had eating it.

After lunch we swung briefly by a spot on the Jordan River where many people are baptized. But, it was a bit cold and no one in our group was being baptized, and since we had seen the fresh beginning springs of the Jordan the water there looked less appealing.

Our final stop was a new one for me on this trip: Bet Shean. Here they have just recently excavated a HUGE Greek and Roman settlement from the first few centuries after Jesus. It is a huge excavation that I didn't know was here so it was very cool to see. At the far end of the site is a large hill where the biblical city of Bet Shean was located. It is famous as a place where the bodies of King Saul and his sons were displayed after being defeated at Mt. Gilboa three miles away. While it was quite a climb it was WAY worth the effort. It had beautiful views of the roman city, the Jordan Valley and the country of Jordan off to the East. Thankfully the weather had cleared up at this point and so we could see a long ways.

We finished our day with a drive through the Jordan Valley, such a lush, green area where cows and sheep were grazing and Date Palm and Mango orchards were in abundance. Back at our hotel I was able to watch the sun set while sitting on the shore of Galilee. I had about an hour to myself to sit, pray and read through all the Gospel stories that take place in this region. It is so cool to read God's word and look up and see where it actually took place. It is an amazing feeling.

Tomorrow we leave the Galilee and our first hotel and make our way to Nazareth, Megiddo, Mt. Carmel and the Mediterranean Sea. I am looking forward to tomorrow, but only after a solid nights rest. I have been able to FaceTime Kealy and the kids and that has been really nice. They are doing well!

Until tomorrow!

~Ryan

Day 1 in Israel: A day in Northern Israel

Greeting Friends,

Wow what an incredible first day in Israel. We arrived late last night...well....early morning at 3:30am and starting touring today at 8:30am after a good breakfast of eggs, yogurt and granola. The Sea of Galilee this morning was calm and beautiful and I spent a few minutes by myself on the shore, in awe of it's quiet beauty and transported to a time when Jesus walked and taught along the same shoreline I was sitting on this morning! I am truly overwhelmed with the opportunity to be here!

Our first stop on our tour was the ruins of the 4th century settlement of Chorazin. It is a city that was around when Jesus was ministering in the Galilee and many of the main buildings have been excavated. It was amazing to see the 4th century synagogue and "Moses Seat" where people speaking during synagogue gatherings would sit. We also saw the city gate, a fishermans house and an olive oil press.

After Chorazin we headed north to Hazor, an ancient 18th century BCE settlement of the Canaanites and later one of Solomon's main fortified cities. Here we saw the large city gate, King's palace and a 150 foot deep water cistern built by King Ahab in the 9th century BC. Many of us decided to walk down to the bottom of it, which was awesome. Walking back up however, was not.

We continued north to the Hula Valley and the city of Dan. Both Hazor and Dan are mentioned in the book of Joshua and it was so cool to see these cities full of rich biblical and archaeological history. The Dan river feeds into the Jordan River, the main river in Israel. The water here is crystal clear and our guide, George, said it was safe to drink, so I did!  It tasted better than bottled water ;) also interesting in Dan was the site of Jeroboams temple that he built after Israel split into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. The land up here is lush with vegetation and reminded me a lot of the Pacific Northwest.

Our final stop this afternoon was one I have been looking forward to since I found out about this trip: Caeserea Philippi. This is the spot where Jesus asks his disciples in Mark 8 and Matthew 16, "who do you say that I am?" and Peter makes his great confession, "you are the Messiah, the Christ!" It was so amazing to be in the same place where Peter realized just who it was he was following. Even though it had started raining pretty hard, I went up to the grotto where there were temples built in the 3rd century BC to the Greek Gods of Pan, Caesar Augustus and Zeus. To think about Peter making his confession in the midst of all these Greek temples was a powerful thought. I stood in the temple of Zeus and confessed with my own lips that "Yeshua HaMeshiach VahaMelek." (Jesus is the Messiah and the King) it was a deeply moving experience.

All day I have found myself overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to be here. To me, this place feels like no other place in the world and a part of me feels closer to Jesus here than anywhere else. The richness of the land and the images it evokes are powerful messages to God's love for people and His creation. Today was a day of all new sites for me. I am looking forward to visitng Capernaum, Tabgha, Beth Shean and the Jordan River tomorrow as well as hopefully a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

The weather forecast is for rain and currently it's raining hard outside my condo here at the Ma'Agan Kibbutz. The food is great and the team we are traveling with is enjoyable. We are all safe and well.

Until tomorrow!

~Ryan

Leaving on Some Jet Planes!!!

Greetings Friends,

LAX to Istanbul in T-Mius 1 Hour

Today is the day! Currently I am sitting in the LAX (Los Angeles) airport with our travel team waiting to board a flight on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul, Turkey! It is a 13.5 hour flight (ugh) then from there we will fly to Tel Aviv...then from there...we will bus to "Ma'agan Kibbutz" in Tiberias in the Galilee. It'll be a long time of travel, but all worth it when we finally arrive at our hotel around 2am local time (4pm Tuesday Pacific Standard Time).

I left home this morning at 7am. It was hard to say goodbye to Kealy and the kids;, but they seemed to have a good day and I have already checked in on 'facetime' with them a couple times.

It has been great getting to know the people on our travel team. Some of them are students that I've known previously, others are spouses and people that the tour company where are going with, "marantha tours' has grouped us up with. There are people on are team from Portland, San Diego, Chicago, Vancouver, Utah and California! We are all pilgrims excited about the chance to see Israel and grow closer to God together.

You won't hear from me tomorrow as we will be flying and sleeping. I will post the next update around noon on Wednesday your time after our first day of touring in the Galilee. We will be going up to the north of Israel to Hazor and Caesarea Philippi. These are both areas I've never been to before and am VERY excited to see them.

The Traditional Picture of the PDX Carpet! 

Hope you all have had a great Monday!

Your Fellow Pilgrim,

Ryan

Israel Adventure Travel Itinierary

Greetings Friends,

View of Sea of Galilee in Northern Israel

Its three days until wheels up to Israel! We are enjoying family time and all of the preparations that go along with an adventure like this one. It is looking like the weather in Israel will be mostly wet and similar to Oregon in February (minus the desert of course).

For those of you that are interested, below is the tentative itinerary for the time our team will be in Israel. I'll be posting each day with photos and reflections on the things we have seen and heard.

I am looking forward to the time spent with others who are heading to Israel for the first time and am looking forward to seeing the places where so many of the powerful stories of our faith have taken place. While I will miss the kids and Kealy a great deal, I am open to whatever God might shape or form within me during this particular pilgrimage to Israel.

Here's the Itinerary:

DAY 1 - Monday, February 9, 2015

PORTLAND / ISTANBUL

DAY 2 - Tuesday, February 10, 2015

ISTANBUL / TEL AVIV / TIBERIAS

Upon landing we will be met by our representative who will assist us in getting to our modern motor coach. Continue through Tel Aviv, the largest city in Israel. We proceed to the famous Sea of Galilee where we check into our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 3 - Wednesday, February 11, 2015

TIBERIAS / UPPER GALILEE

"The Head of all those Kingdoms" (Joshua 11:10) The Sources of the Jordan. This morning we leave Tiberias and head north via Magdala into the valley of Gennesareth to Ginossar to view the New Testament boat found below the sea and to visit the kibbutz. Then on to Chorazin, through the Hula Valley to Hazor, ruins of the powerful Canaanite city destroyed by Joshua and rebuilt by King Jabin and then by Solomon as a chariot city to command upper Galilee. We continue to the northern limits of Jesus' travel as we cross the River Hatzbani to Dan, where we combine a nature walk beside the Upper Jordan with views of the ancient ruins, topped by the Israelite high place that supported a golden calf (I Kings 12). Then a short drive to Banias (Caesarea Philippi), dedicated to Pan the Greek god of pastures, flocks and shepherds; here Peter made his great profession of faith, recognition of Christ Jesus (Matthew 16). Driving along the foot of Mount Hermon, we ascend onto the Golan Plateau for a magnificent view of upper Israel. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 4 - Thursday, February 12, 2015

TIBERIAS / BET SHEAN / SEA OF GALILEE / TIBERIAS

This morning we follow the Rift Valley running parallel to the Jordan, along the route Jesus most frequently traveled to Jerusalem. We visit Bet Shean at the foot of Mt. Gilboa, where King Saul was slain, see the evidences of Egyptian, Roman and Byzantine occupations, and view the ancient tel, Roman Theater and church mosaics. In the afternoon we enjoy a relaxing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, then visit Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. Our last stop today will be at the River Jordan where we will have the opportunity to be baptised, then transfer to the hotel in Tiberias for dinner and overnight.

DAY 5 - Friday, February 13, 2015

TIBERIAS / NAZARETH / CAESAREA / JERUSALEM

We leave Tiberias for Jerusalem, on the way we pass through Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle. Continue to Nazareth, boyhood home of Jesus and then proceed across the Plain of Jezreel to Megiddo to visit the excavations of over 20 different civilizations. Visit Muhraka on Mount Carmel. In the afternoon we visit Caesarea on the Mediterranean, the Roman aqueduct and port, Crusader's Moat, and the famous Roman Theater. We pass through Tel Aviv via Jaffa (Joppa), the city of Jonah, where Peter had his housetop experience at the home of Simon the Tanner (Acts 10). Proceed by way of the Aijalon Valley to Jerusalem for check-in and dinner at our hotel.

DAY 6 - Saturday, February 14, 2015

JERUSALEM / MASADA / JERICHO

Today we drive to Masada and ascend by cable car to the magnificent ruins of the fortress where, from 70 to 73 AD, Jewish defenders made their last stand in the Judean revolt against Rome. We see the remains of storehouses, cisterns and a sixth-century Byzantine church. Continuing alongside the Dead Sea, 1300 ft. below sea level -- the lowest spot on earth -- we proceed to Ein Gedi. Here we will have a stop for lunch and swim in the Dead Sea or walk the path to see the waterfall in the desert. This afternoon we continue to Qumran and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. We travel to Jericho, the world's oldest city. From the excavated tel atop the ruins of ancient Jericho we view the lush green Jordan Valley, Elisha's spring and Qarantal, the Mount of Temptation. We will head up to Jerusalem and return to the hotel for dinner.

DAY 7 - Sunday, February 15, 2015

MT. OF OLIVES / SOUTHERN WALL / BETHLEHEM

"If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace" (Luke 19:42) We start the day with an orientation to Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives with an opportunity of a group photograph overlooking Jerusalem. We then walk the traditional Palm Sunday route to the church known as Dominus Flevit ("Our Lord weeps"). After viewing the Golden Gate, we walk downhill to Gethsemane, where we take time to meditate on the Gospel text. Boarding our bus we drive to the Dung Gate. Just inside we walk to the Southern Wall excavations. We then examine the ruins near the south side of the Temple complex, including steps where we may be certain that Jesus and the disciples walked, then to the slopes of Mt. Zion there we will visit the Upper Room and King David's Tomb. This afternoon driving south, we visit Solomon's Pools, Jerusalem's main source of water for almost 2000 years. Passing the Herodian the palace set in a conical mountain that was built by Herod to mark his tomb. We will proceed to the Shepherds' Fields and time permitting sing a few Christmas carols. We conclude the day with a visit in Bethlehem, walking through its alleys and markets to the Church of the Nativity. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 8 - Monday, February 16, 2015

OLD CITY / VIA DOLOROSA /GARDEN TOMB

"He has risen!" (Mark 16:6) After breakfast we transfer to the Dung Gate, we walk up to the Western Wall Judaism's holiest site. We ascend to the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site of Islam, located on the traditional site of the ancient Temple Mount. It is believed that here is where the Temple once stood. Just to the north we find the Pools of Bethesda (John 5) and St. Anne's Church, the church is perfectly preserved from the Crusader period – with remarkable acoustics. We then follow the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) through the bazaars as far as the Holy Sepulcher. From there we walk through the Christian Quarter along the Arab Souks and past the Armenian Quarter.  This afternoon exit the Old City at Mt Zion to the grounds of a church called Peter in Gallicantu, which affords the best view of early Jerusalem from the west. (Here, the Assumptions Fathers suggest, was the house where the High Priest Caiaphas interrogated Jesus.). From there we board our bus and transfer to the Garden Tomb where we will end our day with a special visit and the possibility of having a private communion on the grounds outside the city walls. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 9 - Tuesday, February 17, 2015

JERUSALEM / RABBI TUNNEL / TEMPLE INSTITUTE / YAD VASHEM / SHRINE OF THE BOOK

This morning we will board our bus for our exciting tour to the famous Rabbi Tunnel. Here we will enter by the Western wall plaza and go down to the foundation of the Second Temple. We will see a model that will demonstrate where we are in location to the Temple in the time of Christ. Continue along the tunnel as we proceed to the Gateway of the Priests entry to the Holy of Holies. We will continue to the Temple Institute where we will see the making of the instruments for the new temple. We will see how they are following the Bible for exact instructions. We will see a film explaining where the Rabbi believes the Ark of the Covenant is located. This afternoon we will head to Yad Vashem and see the Museum of the Holocaust. Continue to Shrine of the book and the model city of Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple. Return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

DAY 10 - Wednesday, February 18, 2015

JERUSALEM / FREE DAY

The entire day is free to explore this famous city, take any private sightseeing excursions desired, shop or just relax. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

DAY 11 - Thursday, February 19, 2015

JERUSALEM / TEL AVIV / USA

We transfer to the airport for our flight home with unforgettable memories to cherish always. Knowing we have walked in the footsteps of Jesus and the early Christians on such a memorable tour will bring new meaning to our Bible reading.

Another Adventure In Israel: One Week to Wheels Up!

Greetings Friends,

Snow in Jerusalem at the Wailing (Western) Wall

Many of you may already know this, but I (Ryan) have been granted an amazing opportunity to travel again to Israel one week from today! In all of our travels and adventures, I've never been someplace so compelling, enriching and spiritually refreshing. I will be travel to Israel for two weeks with PESM (pacific evangelical school of ministry) which is a part of our regional network of churches. I will be co-leading the trip with the amazing Dr. Bill Vermillion. Bill and I co-teach the Bible courses at PESM and will be leading students and their spouses and some missionaries to Israel with Maranatha Tours.

I am extremely grateful to Kealy for allowing me to go on this trip. This is the longest we've EVER been a part in our ten years of marriage and she has agreed to shoulder the parenting load for the whole two weeks. I will miss Kealy and the kids deeply and I am thankful, as always, for her grace and love for me to have this amazing experience.

Our itinerary in Israel will be very similar to the trip Kealy and I went on a few years ago. We will be spending a few days in Northern Israel and Galilee, visiting Capernaum, Caesarea Philippi, Nazareth and Megiddo. Then, on to Jerusalem for 6 nights with day trips to Bethlehem, Masada, Qumran and the Dead Sea.

I will be posting each day a brief synopsis of the days events and some photos for those of you that would like to follow along with me. I am looking forward to seeing these places again, with fresh eyes, knowing a little bit of what to expect while also realizing that this experience will be different from the previous one.

I would covet your prayers for safe travel and health for the group and for courage and strength for Kealy as she cares for Annabelle, Levi and Avery while I'm away.

Thanks again to Kealy, our church family and others who have made it possible for me to participate in this amazing adventure. I look forward to keeping you in the loop!

in Christ,

Ryan Thorson

A Journey to Israel: The Final Reflection

Greetings Friends and Family,

As promised, we wanted to share one last reflection on our amazing adventure to Israel. It has been almost three weeks since we have returned from our trip and we have hit the ground running...

It has taken us a while (and we are not done yet) to really process and internalize the many different places and experiences we had while we were on our adventure. The 10 day trip is so intense you reach a saturation level of emotion and experience each day. Then, when we returned, the demands (and joys) of life with three kids and ministry and summer have swept us back into the current of 'normal' life.

What is interesting to me, however, is that 'normal' is now different. For me (Ryan) every day when I sit down to read the Scriptures it is different. In my post-seminary recovery phase of life I have been trying to recapture a love for Scripture and not just a trained and analytical reading of the biblical text. Until our trip to Israel I was failing miserably. But something 'unlocked' in my heart and my mind when I was sitting or standing in the places where these stories took place and it has reignited a passion and love of Scripture and ultimately, a deeper love for the One who reveals Himself through all of these stories and teachings. Now, when I read Scripture, I can feel and see those places in my mind and I am there within the story, participating in the unfolding drama of God's redemption of the world. I will never read the bible the same way again.

For Kealy, she rediscovered that she was truly a person! After three years of selfless parenting and being willing to step out in faith multiple times in discovering God's will for our family, in Israel she was able to stop, reflect and simply enjoy life. It was remarkable to see the spark of vibrant joy and grace that is always there in my wife to fan into flame once again. I loved watching her interact with others because she has a unique way of bringing joy and encouragement to each person she meets, whether it was people on our travel team or random kids or adults in shops in the old city, Kealy was truly a light shining in the darkness and it was so meaningful to see her discover that she is still the same person she has always been.

We are so thankful for Educational Opportunities and for our tour guide and for my Dad and Dr. Larry Porter for making this trip possible, and for the many family and friends who generously supported and encouraged us to make this trip a reality. We had an opportunity on Sunday at our church in Corvallis to share with over 60 people pictures and stories from our time in Israel and it was so amazing to have so many show excitement and interest in our adventure there. Words can never express our gratitude for the many, many ways each of you has shown your love and support of us on this adventure. Thank you especially to family who loved and cared for our kids while we were away!

At the risk of going on and on for pages, I'll share one final thought. Our guide in Israel shared with us during our trip that the number '40' in Scripture is the number for purification. The flood in Genesis lasted 40 days, to cleanse the earth of its evil, the Israelites wander the desert for 40 years to prepare them to enter the promised land, Jesus was tempted in the desert for 40 days at the beginning of His ministry. All of these times of purification and testing were to prepare them for something that was coming. Our guide then shared with us that our trip, like the Israelites, like Jesus, was a journey of purification and that, as meaningful and amazing as it is to be in Israel, we are to wait and see what God is going to do AFTER we return home, what God is preparing in us through our trip to do for His Kingdom in the world.

So, it is with great anticipation and great hope that we step into our new adventure. After tasting, seeing, touching and being in the places where creation's redemption story was written on the hills, the valleys, the mountains and the cities of Israel, the promised land, we begin a new chapter in that story, becoming a living testimony of the amazing grace and incredible

salvation of God in our world. Amen.

Grace and Peace,

Ryan and Kealy

Our Final Day in Israel and Home, Sweet Home

Greetings Friends and Family,

We wanted to give you a recap of our last day in Israel before returning home. Currently we are at home with the kids! It was a long day of travel yesterday but we are thankful to be home and to be settling back in to normal life here as a family. Our trip to Israel was a life-changing experience and we are still processing the impact that it will have on our lives.

Our last day in Israel was a little slower paced, but extremely full emotionally. We had the morning to rest and pack before leaving our hotel. We tried to enjoy a slow morning and make sure we had all of the last minute souvenirs and gifts with us to take home.

Mid-morning we left for Ein Karem, a small town on the West side of Jerusalem that was the home of John the Baptist and where Mary visited Elizabeth when she was pregnant with Jesus. We were shocked at the amount of greenery and pine trees on this side of Israel because on the other side of Jerusalem it is desert and brown. But we enjoyed the smell of pines and a visit to the church of St. John the Baptist.

We thought this sign outside the church was kind of funny

Byzantine painting of John the Baptist

Inside the Church

 After lunch we visited 'Yad Vashem' the Jewish Holocaust Museum. We knew it would be an emotional experience but I wasn't prepared for what we would experience. The Museum does a phenomenal job of telling about the history and development leading up to the Holocaust and the Anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews that contributed to the eventual plan of the 'Final Solution', Hitler's plot to exterminate the Jewish people from planet Earth. Most of the Museum is told from the first hand accounts of victims and survivors of the Holocaust: letters, pictures, belongings, video interviews...all were gut-wrenching accounts of the pure evil that Jews suffered during that time. The most overwhelming part was the Children's memorial. We walked into a dark room full of candles with mirrors, a candle for every one of the 1.5 million children murdered during the Holocaust. In the dark room their names and ages were being read. I stayed in there as long as I could, to hear the names and honor those children who were lost, but it was admittedly very overwhelming and I wept.

View from Holocaust Museum

Our final stop on our tour was the Garden Tomb. The Garden Tomb is a possible alternative location to the death and resurrection of Jesus to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It does not claim to be THE place, but the organization that cares for the area has maintained it as a garden and limits the amount of people who can be in there at one time. It was a welcome difference from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It has beautiful gardens and an empty tomb that very well could've been the tomb Jesus stepped out of. We had the chance to enjoy the garden, walk in and out of the empty tomb and culminate our trip by sharing communion together. It was phenomenal!

Sign for the Garden Tomb

Golgotha (place of the skull) can you see the face? 

Me and my Dad at the empty tomb

The Garden Tomb

Our trip home was long and grueling. There were about 9 layers of security at the Tel Aviv airport in Israel to leave the country. The first leg went ok. It was the longest and we were able to sleep a little bit. But we were only left with 90 minutes between our flights and the rest of our group didn't make it through customs in time, we were the only ones to make the flight. Fortunately the rest of our group caught a later flight, but it added quite a bit of stress to the trip. Then we flew from Philadelphia to Phoenix, the Phoenix to Portland. We finally made it home last night about 5:30pm and went to bed at 8!

The kids did great without us thanks to everyone who helped out and they loved the presents we brought home for them. We are doing laundry, dishes and getting back into a regular routine.

I will post one more summary blog next week sometime when we have a chance to process a little more our trip together. We are so thankful to have this experience and we know that we will never be the same because of what we have seen and experienced together.

Thanks for following us on our adventure!

Grace and Peace,

Ryan and Kealy 

2 Days of Israeli Adventures!

Greetings Friends and Family,

We have had two very full and wonderful days here in Jerusalem. I know I say it each day, but it is hard to distill and summarize all that we have seen and felt while here, it truly is a life-changing experience. Everyone here has been so friendly and we have seen some amazing things and have had a very special time together!

Yesterday morning we spent the day in the Old City of Jerusalem. We began at the Pool of Bethesda (where Jesus healed a lame man). Next door to the pools is St. Anne's church. Here we sang some songs and the acoustics were amazing.

the Pools of Bethesda

After St. Anne's we walked the Via Dolorosa (the way of the cross). Most of the specific route that Jesus took on Good Friday is unknown to us but some of the spots we know for sure, and those we visited. It was a humbling experience to be walking the same path that Jesus walked on our behalf. The streets were packed with pilgrims walking the path as well and every so often we came to a 'station' where something significant that happened on Jesus' walk to Calvary took place. It was very moving to stop and read from Scripture in each of these places.

Sign marking the Via Dolorosa

Mosaic in the spot where Jesus was given His cross

the street today, lined with vendors

along the Via Dolorosa

Finally we arrived at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional place where Jesus was crucified and buried. I was expecting to be moved and overwhelmed with appreciation. Instead, I felt squished and sweaty. There were a ton of people in the church and so some of the spirit of what I hoped for wasn't there. However, I tried to remove the people and remove the church to visualize the scenes that are so significant to all of humanity. Kealy and I both took time to reflect and thank Jesus for His willingness to forgive our humanity and die on our behalf.

the Church of the Holy Sepluchre

Ancient pilgrims would scribble crosses inside the church when they arrived there

Huge domes inside the Church

And that was all before lunch...

After lunch we went to the place that I have most looked forward to on this trip: The Western Wall. The Western Wall is that last remaining foundation of the 2nd temple, the same temple that Jesus taught in and was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. Many people from all over the world have come here for centuries to offer prayers and petitions and I have dreamed of coming here to pray as well. It was an amazing experience. I spent time in prayer at the wall and put a written prayer in the cracks of the stones.

The Wailing Wall...3000 year old stones

my prayer is on the yellow sheet of paper

Finally we spent time on the southern steps on the Temple where Jesus taught. Some of the original stones that Jesus sat and taught on are still there today!

Southern Steps of the Temple Mount

Sitting on the steps where Jesus taught

Kealy and the Temple Mount

We came home exhausted from our full day of sightseeing. Not only are we active going from place to place. We are stopping to listen and learn from our guide, who is phenomenal. Then, on top of that, there is the emotional energy of trying to absorb and appreciate everything that God is trying to show us and teach us through this experience. I'm sure it will take a few months to fully process everything we have seen and done.

Today was a more low key day out in the desert again. We traveled to the mountaintop fortress of Masada, Herod's amazing desert fortress and the last spot of the Jewish Revolt in 73 AD. We rode a cable car up and down and saw amazing excavations and sites from 2000 years ago.

Store Rooms from Herod's Temple (2200 years old)

a Rabbi writing the Hebrew Scriptures in a room on top of Masada

The Cable Car and view of the Dead Sea in the background

Ryan and Kealy on top of Masada

We continued on to the Dead Sea for a chance to swim in its salty waters. It was AWESOME! The Dead Sea is so salty that you literally float in the water...not tread water...or bob...but float. It was so much fun...Kealy was laughing the whole time! The mud from the Dead Sea shore is also supposed to be great for your skin...so we rubbed it all over ourselves multiple times!

Mud Bath! 

at the Dead Sea beach, a cozy 96 degrees! 

Tonight after dinner Kealy and I went on a date! We walked the Old City of Jerusalem just the two of us, shopping and enjoying the light show that comes on at night here in Jerusalem. It is our last night in Jerusalem and we had such a fun and romantic time walking the streets together, people watching and soaking in all the sights and smells and experience.

beautiful lighting walkways and a beautiful woman

the Damascus Gate at night with light show

Today is our last day here in Jerusalem. We have some time in the morning on our own and then we are going to the birthplace of John the Baptist, the Jerusalem Holocaust Museum and the Garden Tomb. After dinner we leave for Tel Aviv and the long plane ride home.

We are so thankful for this experience and wish we could fully articulate what it has meant for our faith and our marriage. We hope each of you have an opportunity to come here someday...it will change your life.

We will post sometime on the trip home and perhaps once after we have arrived safely with our kids back in Corvallis.

Thank you all for your love, prayers and support.

Shalom,

Ryan and Kealy

Too Much To Take In

Greetings Friends and Family,

Today was a very full day with lots of walking and things to take in. At the risk of disappointing you all, I am going to keep this post very brief with no pictures because we are simply worn out. I will post a more detailed narrative with pictures tomorrow night summarizing the last few days.

We spent our whole day in Jerusalem visiting many different sites. We saw St. Anne's Cathedral and sang a hymn with its amazing acoustics, the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed a lame man, then walked the Via Dolorosa (the way of the cross) into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional place where Jesus was crucified and buried, and that was all before lunch!

After lunch we visited the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall. This place has been the one I have most looked forward to and I was not disappointed. It was a remarkable experience praying at such a significant place with people from all over the world. This afternoon we also visited the Southern steps leading up to the temple where Jesus taught. Some of the original stones from that time are still there to this day.

Again, it was simply too much to process in one day...lots of walking and pretty hot. But we are so thankful to be here and are having an amazing time. We love having the opportunity to experience this together and even though we miss our kids very much, it has been a time of renewal for us spirituality and for our marriage.

I will post more reflections tomorrow after we head down to Masada and have a chance to swim in the Dead Sea! Thank you for understanding!

Until Tomorrow!

Ryan and Kealy 

And the Spirit led Jesus into the desert...

Greetings Friends and Family,

We began our morning refreshed and ready for another day in Israel. Yesterday was a bit exhausting and overwhelming, as the pace of things was catching up with us...but this morning we felt great and ready to go.

Kealy got her morning mocha! 

 We headed over to the Armenian and Jewish sections of the Old City (the part of Jerusalem inside the old walls) and entered through the Zion Gate. In front of the gate, lining up for inspection were the young Israeli soldiers. Each Sunday morning, the soldiers visit various holy Jewish, Christian and Muslim sites so they learn and appreciate the history of the city. We walked through the Old City, visiting the Upper Room and King David's Tomb. The amazing streets and stone buildings were awesome and it was really cool to be standing in front of the tomb of King David, a man after God's own heart.

Church and street next to the Upper Room

Statue of David playing the harp for Saul

Phoenix column (a symbol of the early church)

the Tomb of King David

Kealy and a travel friend, Amanda, in the Armenian Quarter

the Jewish Quarter

From the Old City we headed down the hill of Mt. Zion, through the Kidron Valley towards the dead sea. There is a road that is built over the ancient way from Jerusalem to Jericho, the same road that the parable of the Good Samaritan takes place. It doesn't take long to get out of Jerusalem before the terrain changes and you are in the desert.

Our first stop was in Qumran. Qumran was built by a Jewish separatist community named the Essenes who lived in the desert from 150 bce to 68 ce. They purified themselves twice a day, studied the Scriptures, wrote them down as an act of worship, and waited for the coming of the Messiah. When they Romans attacked in 68 ce, they knew they would be overrun and so they hid their scrolls and writings in jars and placed them in caves. Almost 2000 years later in 1947 these jars with ancient scrolls in them were discovered on ancient by a young Bedouin boy. It is the greatest literary find of all time. This one cave pictured below had nearly 15,000 fragments of over 530 scrolls of all the books of the Old Testament, which confirmed that many of the biblical writings had been preserved over time. The desert was a balmy 97 degrees but it felt great!

a teaching of the Essenes (perfect for our home group)

Sweating in the desert at Qumran

the Desert

A Cave discovered in 1959 with over 15,000 scroll fragments

We continued onto Jericho, the oldest city in the world. Here there are ruins of a city from a long time ago and it is here where Joshua entered the promised land and conquered the city by trusting in God for the victory. When the city was destroyed by Joshua another one was later built next to it, and this is where Jesus heals the blind man Bartimaeus and has dinner with Zacchaeus...we even saw a 2000 year old Sycamore tree.

the walls of Jericho

Kealy overlooking the city of Jericho

Sitting at the spring of Elisha

This evening we also had a chance to attend a Christian worship service downtown full of people from all over the world. It was an amazing experience of God's kingdom to be able to sing songs of worship, in Hebrew, with Christians from all over the world, in Jerusalem. Knowing that you all are at home in our corner of the world worshipping the same God, the same Saviour, Yeshua HaMeshiacha (Jesus the Messiah) was extremely moving.

Kealy and I had a fun evening walk together to the Damascus Gate again and bought the kids some gifts. We enjoy talking with the vendors and everyone is friendly and we have felt very safe the whole time.

Thank you all for continuing to follow along! Tomorrow we are in the Christian Quarter of the Old City, walking the Via Dolorosa and visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional city of the crucifixion and burial (and Resurrection) of Jesus.

Grace and Peace,

Ryan and Kealy