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Hello Friends and Family,
Today was our final day in Jerusalem. It was a free day, meaning there were no group tours or activities, everyone was free to create their own. Some of us went to the Holocaust Museum here in Jerusalem; a powerful experience. Others of us walked down Hezekiah's Tunnel from 2800 years ago; awesome and a little wet. Then others went to the Old City and explored the shops and alleyways and returned to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for more time to pray and ponder the meaning of these places.
We enjoyed our dinner together tonight, sharing stories and adventures we each had today. Then we sat up on the rooftop of our hotel and reflected on our time in Jerusalem. When it was asked which story in Scripture we will read differently because of our time in Jerusalem, someone said, "All of them."
Jerusalem is a special place. A place where 3 major religions in the world collide, where people from different tribes, tongues and nations gather to visit or to live. We feel the closeness, and sometimes the tension, that this causes when we're here in this place. But we also sensed the same invitation of Jesus that He gives to each person around the world, for Him to be our peace. Not a place, a temple, a church or a holy site, but Himself. So on the rooftop of our hotel, as the Sabbath fell and the stars came out, we sang worship songs to King Jesus, read Scripture of His return and enjoyed the company of our fellow pilgrims.
Tomorrow we leave Jerusalem and head east and down towards the Dead Sea region, where we'll visit Jericho, the Jordan River, Qumran and float in the Dead Sea.
Stay tuned! Shabbat Shalom!
Ryan