Holy Land 2016 Day 1-2

We finally completed our journey to the Holy Land, although there were some challenges. Okay, so it was a delayed flight from Newark to Tel Aviv and it was less than 2 hours. The problem was it came toward the end of a long layover already, and it also came in pieces: 3 different delays, an hour, another half hour and then another half hour. It felt like it was going to be forever! 

We also had plenty of time to get to know one another better. We discovered that Karen is full of questions, Dave has to be watched carefully (or we'll lose him), and Susan and Terri are quieter than expected. I also am watching them enter into this pilgrimage with eyes wide open and ready to learn. That makes me excited to be able to share my own insights with them, and to share this land I love so much with dear friends. If I have any regrets it's simply that there are not more of us to share in this together.

But we finally boarded, made some new friends (and quite possibly some enemies if we have to fly with them again) and arrived safe and sound in Tel Aviv. All our bags made it fine and then met Kathy, our EO rep at the airport who told us that Shraga was waiting for us! Shraga was our guide in 2007 and we got reacquainted again in 2010. It was good to see him and catch up with him as we made a whole new batch of Shragalites of our pilgrims. Awaiting us also were Richard and Karlene, and Steve and Kathryn who made it safely on Sunday morning. (They spent Monday touring old Jaffa and getting acclimated to the area. 

So we left the airport quickly and headed straight for Caesarea Maritima. Shraga began to share his knowledge and then his dry and quick wit with us (even if most of us were too tired to either get it or laugh at the sly jokes). We gathered in the amphitheater to hear of Caesarea's history then a gentleman on the stage began to sing. It mesmerized all who were in the crowd. (I told the group it was good he did that or I was going to have to do it!) Then I shared the Acts 10 story of Peter's dream and Cornelius' request that happened at Jaffa and Caesarea. It was here that the Gentiles were officially added to the Gospel story and that we are still reaping the benefits of both Peter and Cornelius/ faithfulness. 

We toured the site more completely than we ever had with a group before and then boarded the bus for Tiberius. Our first Israeli buffet didn't disappoint as it also took our pilgrims by surprise to its abundance and its excellence. All filling quickly, most turned in early to prepare for tomorrow,. 

On a day that usually is nothing more than a travel day, we turned it into productive first real day of our pilgrimage.