The Promised Land

Traveling from Australia in mid August, I doubt that any of us felt up for two and a half months in the Middle East.  Heat, the culture that is so different, a tiny budget and knowing that our time for going home was drawing closer all played a part in the mood.

Sight seeing in a sweltering Cairo was fun, but we all thought it best to split up and go on our own for about 5 days, just to think things through, recuperate and gain some energy for the home stretch.  God sent me to a place called St Simon the Tanner’s church.  This is a marvelous part of Cairo where all the rubbish of the city gets sent.  The Christians that live there make a living by recycling the rubbish and just above this neighbourhood, you find the church where scenes from the Bible are cut out of the rock.  The church itself is a cave that was enlarged to seat close to 5000 people.  I had a wonderful 5 days here and met some lovely people.  

Rock Sculptures at the garbage city

The Garbage City

We all met up at a Coptic retreat centre again and had a week of teaching and introspection.  This was just what we needed and after this week we were ready to take on the job entrusted to us again.  The Lord did however warn us that the time ahead was going to be tough and that we needed to put our armour on as described in Eph 6.

Sunset at the retreat centre

From here we traveled to Alexandria, Matrouh and Port Said in search of a way across the Mediterranean Sea to Turkey.  After about a week of searching we decided to rather go to Israel and maybe try to go to Turkey overland.  This is where the fun began…

We arrived in Taba, the Egyptian side of the border crossing to Israel, late at night.  Not wanting to spend money from our tight budget on accommodation, we thought it best to crash on the beach for the night.  

We were barely asleep when Egyptian police officers woke us, took our passports and drove us to the station.  Anthony was interrogated while the rest of us tried to get in some more shut eye in the reception hall.  In the end we were held for almost 11 hours and after some praying, loud singing and just trusting in God, we were let go with national security clearance!

Jail

You would think that that was enough adventure for one day or night, but no.  The Israeli border patrol didn’t seem too fond of my Kingsley Holgate-like beard and my shaven head.  More interrogation, body and bag searches led to us leaving the Israeli border crossing 7 hours later.  By this time it was already dark and we decided to crash on the beach… which was legal this time.

From Eilat, the most southern part of Israel, we hitch hiked to our next destination which was the city of Haifa, north of Tel-Aviv.  Here we served and stayed at a Messianic (Jews that believe in Jesus as the Messiah) congregation.  We helped them with odd jobs on the property, played with the refugee kiddies and listened to some amazing teachings from the pastors.  We made some wonderful friends and were privileged to learn more about the Jewish culture from them.  It was wonderful to see them honour the laws that God gave them in the Old Testament, but still not being religious about it.  A true eye opener.  We also spent the evening after Yom Kippur with a South African lady to break the fast and fellowship with her.  A definite highlight for me.  

Kiddies at the congregation

Our Luke 10 journeys followed (read Luke 10 to understand what a Luke 10 journey is).  Ivan and I decided that we were going to follow the instructions as close as possible and so we only took a bible, camera, passport and a toothbrush.  This journey took us to Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley.  Like in the Biblical times, we expected a town, but it turned out that the town of Megiddo was long gone and only a kibbutz now remain.  They provided us with food and a bed for 3 nights.  Wonderful people.  From here we then traveled to Nazereth, Jesus’ home town.  After being blessed with some money and free accommodation in a guest house, we spent the rest of the time ministering to some Spanish girls that we met.  It was disturbing to see what little regard they have for God or any higher being for that matter.  I can only believe that our prayers will make a difference.

Back at the congregation we had the great privilege of helping out with a Spanish speaking school of ministry.  During this period of 12 days, we received teachings on the end times and how Israel, the Jews and the Arabs fit into that.  We also went to the sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights to the Syrian and Lebanese borders, Ceasarea, the Dead Sea and surrounds and then to Jerusalem.

On the shores of Galilee

On the shores of the Dead Sea

Jerusalem is my favourite city by far.  So much history, so much religion (which is a bad thing if you were wondering seeing that we don’t believe in religion, but a living relationship with the living God), so many lost and confused people, but also the city from where Jesus will reign one day! Hallelujah.

Jerusalem. On the Mt of Olives, Kidron Valley, Temple Mount and Old City in the background.

  After the school of ministry, we remained in Jerusalem for a few days before visiting Bethlehem.  Now Bethlehem is in the Palestinian territories and you need to go through the security checkpoints in the wall to travel between the two.  Almost like Berlin or Apartheid.  Sad to see.

In Bethlehem we stayed at a convent and we worked as hard as we have ever worked this year.  It was good to let the body feel good old fashioned hard work again.  Picks, shovels and wheelbarrows were our friends for about 3 days and we managed to move about 45 tons of soil from a cave.  Needles to say, we slept well!

After we left Bethlehem, we traveled down to Eilat again from where we entered Jordan to go see Petra.  It was definitely worth the trouble.  Petra is a city carved out of the cliffs and is magnificent. 

Petra

From here it was back through Israel to Egypt and the little diving mecca of Dahab on the Red Sea.  This was a treat for us after a long year on the road.  The coral and fish were beautiful and a must see if you visit the Middle East.  Put it on your bucket list now!  We also traveled into the desert to Mt Sinai.  After a fair climb we reached the summit just in time for sunset.  We spent the night on top and woke up early for the sunrise.  The presence of the Lord was tangible up there and we had a glorious time worshiping and just taking in the greatness of the creation.  Another must see.

Mt Sinai

Dahab, Red Sea.  Saudi Arabia on the other side.

It was with a smile and a tear that we left Dahab, because it was our last bit of traveling for the journey, but we were going home!  What a feeling it was to touch on home soil again after 8 months. 

All praise and glory to God for bringing us home safely.  Amen.