Threepeats are special.
Summer 2019 marked the third year that Whitewater Crossing Christian Church of Cleves, Ohio, sent a crew to the Heartland via JCBS. It was special.
The bathhouse at the palace of King Herod at the Herodium is a perfect place for a group photo.
Thirteen folk from the midwest packed their bags and came to the mideast for twelve days of personal study, prayer, and fun. It was a small and tidy group. What we lacked in numbers was offset by raw enthusiasm.
The boulders on the trail at Tel Dan were slippery, but teamwork got everyone through.
The heat was cranked up in the Dead Sea basin, but the secrets of Masada and Ein Gedi were revealed.
The darkness of Hezekiah’s Tunnel was intimating, but headlamps (and a little hand holding!) did the trick.
These sturdy souls took up the challenge of wading through the dark tunnel known as Hezekiah’s Tunnel. This conduit provided water for the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the Iron Age.
Between that tunnel, the swimming pool, the Dead Sea, and and (of course) the Jordan River, everyone ended up in the water at some point.
With two physicians and two nurses in the group, I never felt so confident in my life. Fact is, I was almost embarrassed to be carrying a medical kit. Fortunately, there was no need for my kit or their knowledge.
Part of that success was due to the professionalism of our driver. We borrowed Louis for two weeks from the British Embassy. His knowledge of the roads and skills in navigating them was uncanny. While we did not splash like Tony Blair, I am certain we received the same attention from this wheelman as did the Prime Minister.
We borrowed an excellent driver from the British Embassy. Louis not only knew the roads, but was instrumental in keeping our group safe and well-fed.
The extra cover to the experience, of course, was drawn from deeper sources. We prayed in the morning and evening. We sang in the churches. We climbed to the top of many tells, and despite wobbly knees, stood on the top of these vistas and read from the Bible.
Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the traditional site where Jesus was crucified and resurrected. Photograph by Kurt Knochel.
One of our travelers, Nancy, returned home after these 12 days and wrote a quick note. She described the trip as more than a sightseeing excursion. She believed God communicated to her in these words:
“Child, you have heard my Word in new ways. You have seen with your own eyes places I designed. You have heard with new understanding historical events I orchestrated with purpose. You were led back in time to be taught and inspired by people I created and directed according to my will. You saw places of great importance and remembrance that have been uncovered under my supervision. In all of this . . . remember me, remember me, remember me.”
That kind of experience never gets old, no matter how often one returns to this part of the world.
Plans for a fourth trip with Whitewater Crossing Christian Church are already in the works.
We didn’t suffer too much at our hotel beside the Dead Sea.
If you are thinking about visiting the Heartland yourself, consider joining us next year. We have open seats for several trips in 2020 and 2021. If you represent a church or school group and are interested in exploring this kind of travel ministry, know that we are booking custom experiences for 2022. Chat with me at markziese@gmail.com or see our full list of study-travel opportunities at the link here.