As I write this I am in the city of Tiberius on the Sea of Galilee, the land where Jesus lived the majority of his life and did most of his ministry and teaching. I, and eleven other Hope pilgrims have been blessed to spend the last week here following in the footsteps of Jesus. How amazing it has been finally visiting in person the sites and locations that I have heard from Bible stories my whole life long; Bethlehem, Jericho, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Nazareth, and many more. I have to say it’s been spiritually illuminating as we now see more clearly and better understand Jesus who is the “light of the world”.

Coming Down Off The Mountain

This trip has literally been a “mountaintop experience”; I stood atop Mount Nahum where Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount, Mount Hermon where Jesus was tempted by Satan, and finally the Mount of Olives where Jesus rode into Jerusalem as king on Palm Sunday and the same spot where he is prophesied to return when he comes again. For as much as we’ve seen there is still ten times more that we had to pass on (next time!), but I’ll be forever grateful to God for blessing us with this experience of a lifetime.

Our pilgrim group has shared many of the literal experiences common to Jesus and his Disciples; we road in a wooden boat on the Sea of Galilee, we renewed our baptisms in the Jordan River, the four married couples in the group renewed their wedding vows at the church in Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle (turning water into wine for a wedding feast), and visited the hill where Jesus was crucified and the tomb he was placed in until his resurrection.

I Will Never Be The Same Again

I honestly have to say that after this experience I feel closer to Jesus than ever; the Bible stories seem more real and understandable now that I can imagine sitting there watching it happen in person. I wish every member of my congregation could have experienced this firsthand but I will do my best to share with them all the value of what I and the others on our trip received on our journey to the Holy Land. However, if this trip sounds like something you wish you’d had for yourself let me encourage you that the Holy Land isn’t going anywhere, so maybe in the next few years a similar trip will open up that you could join; I invite you to start dreaming, praying, and saving so that when the opportunity comes around again you’ll be able to say, “Here I am Lord, send me!”

“I Am The Alpha And The Omega”

In closing, I cannot thank enough Linda and the Alpha 2 Omega staff for putting together such a great itinerary and experience. Every day our group was awed and impressed by the accommodations, the ease of transportation, the variety of cuisine experiences, and even their recommendations for where to shop! There is no other company I would work with when coming back again (because I have faith I’ll definitely be returning). Just being here is awesome, but being here as planned and executed by A2O made it the best. - Love and blessings in Christ, Pastor Paul Finley, Hope Lutheran Church, Westminster, CA

The most meaningful place we visited was at the house of Caiaphas with St. Peters church built over it. When we visited the pit/cistern where Jesus was held the night before his trial, I was struck with just how much suffering Jesus did even before his scourging by the Romans. It was very emotional for me and I will never forget that place. Perhaps because this pit/cistern is not mentioned in any of the biblical gospels - maybe it is myth or maybe it is true. Only through faith can one believe it, and because it struck such a deep chord in me - I believed it and was very moving. Thanks for all the assistance and for a great trip. - Patti Smith

I would say hands down the tours with Alpha2Omega have been hands down the best over even a private guide in smaller group. The knowledge and reputation that they have throughout Israel is superior. You leave knowing you have been saturated with knowledge of the history, culture and people both past & present. The tour takes you in "as family" and you become part of the backdrop of this amazing country and people. - Pr. Carol Danna, Cornerstone Church, Anaheim CA

Linda Miller has a firsthand knowledge of the land and the people that provides the best experience for any pilgrim to the Holy Land. One of my favorite experiences every year is water baptism, and this year was no different. While we had a moving experience with our own group, I was also blessed by the opportunity to baptize a young couple from Russia (who now live in San Francisco). To see their tears and joy was beyond words. There is so much to see and experience every day. I love to teach the scriptures and see "the lights come on in people's heads." I also look forward to bringing more and more groups to experience the Holy Land and allowing people to see what it was like when Jesus was on this earth. - Pr. Bill Burnett, New Life Chapel, Hesperia CA