Galilee-Sunday, 5/25

Wow! We just finished the most amazing 10 days in the Galilee and there is so much to write about. I am going to have to do a short post because it is already 11:15pm and we leave for a field trip tomorrow AM at 6:30. The day we left for the Galilee we also left early in the morning. We slept a little on the bus before we had our first stop. I just have to say one thing about our bus/class. It is so amazing how well we have all mixed together. We all love each other and everyday on the bus people sit with different people. We have no "clicks" and love abounds. I really feel so blessed to be among this group.
Okay, our first stop was Caesarea Maritima. Herod the Great built up this city and it was the center of Roman society at the time of Christ. Pilate traveled from his home here to oversee the Passover the week Christ was crucified. It was here Paul defended himself before King Agrippa and almost persuaded Agrippa to "be a Christian." We were in the very building the trial took place and he stood bravely before the king. What bravery and faith to bear testimony before kings and judges! And I've been there!
Next stop was Megiddo or Har Megiddo (Armegedon). This overlooks the Jezreel Valley and the bread basket of Israel. It is a beautiful, far reaching valley where more battles have been fought than any other battlefield. It was interesting to be where it has been prophesied that so much would happen. From the old city tel we could see across the valley and Mr. Tabor, Nazareth and Nain.
We then crossed the valley and went to Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation. The beautiful feeling in the church was wonderful. It celebrates the humility of the young girl Mary and her willingness to be the handmaid of the Lord. I've been thinking a lot about this since Bethlehem. Upto this point in history, the announcement made by Gabriel to Mary was teh most important every made on earth. She had been chosen and a child would be born of her that would save all mankind. I think of Mary's willingness to be a mother and I am so grateful to be a woman. I hope I will always answer as Mary did when I am called to be an instrument in God's hands.
After Nazareth it was the last leg of our journey. I loved when we dropped down into the basin that is the Sea of Galilee. At the Southern end of the Sea is the head of the river Jordan. Here, although it is not the location John was baptizing, they have established a memorial and a place for people to come in pilgrimage and be baptized. It was pretty amazing to see their fervor as they were baptized several times over and then would spend the next few minutes swimming around in their baptism whites. Always an interesting thing to see the pilgrims.
At the end of the day it was so wonderful to arrive at the holiday kibbutz Ein Gev and our home for the next 10 days. Our little housing cabins were only yards from the beach. We spent our first evening looking over the Sea of Galilee and enjoying the sunset. It was the beginning of ten amazing days!