The pictured calm and beauty of the Sea of Galilee seems long off at the moment. I have much to do before Friday's departure. The calm will come though within me as I make my way through my lists and get my bags packed. Yogi Berra in one of his great one liners said, "Why buy good luggage you only use it when you travel." My good suitcase has logged thousands of miles and so many of them from travel in one of the most fascinating and engaging destinations in the world-The Holy Land. It will serve me well again and when I unpack in two weeks it's contents will have been witness to adventure, stories, laughter and fun, transforming moments, stunning scenery, new relationships, deepened faith, breathtaking vistas, unbelievable insights, widened world vision, heart opening understandings, all of that and more. It is why I keep going back and why this is my 15th trip there .
There is another kind of calm for which I pray. Rarely does any group take off for Israel with the sense of complete calm over there. This week is no different. It is helpful to understand though that October can be a month of tension. High Holy days are just past in Judaism. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur toward the end of September and the Feast of Tabernacles that just ended last week mean that the city of Jerusalem has been filled to overflowing and it has presented opportunity for extremists in both the Jewish faith and Islamic faith to make bold statements and sometimes provocative actions. They are localized in areas where we will not travel. They are in no way directed toward tourists, Americans or Christians. Also our itinerary is changeable by the day if necessary. Jim Fleming our lecturer and guide is a master at knowing what is going on in the country and knowing how to pro actively avoid difficult spots. A long conversation with him yesterday was reassuring.
I always covet prayer when I travel with a group, so do remember us, but also know that WE WILL TRAVEL SMART AND SAFE. Sadly there are tensions in the world, even here.
Anticipating a grand adventure punctuated with a stay at a kibbutz next to the above pictured Sea of Galilee,
I close with Blessings and Shalom to you,
Mary Hulst
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