Climbing around like the native ibex

Mother and father your fourth daughter Ruth Braica (also Andrew… no relation) sends you greetings from the Holy Land!!!

Our day started waking up to a breathtaking sunset over the salt sea does it get any better than that?? Dewey reminded us this morning before we began our adventure to listen to what the land has to tell us. Not to just look and see it but to listen to the whispers that it has. Then we loaded on the bus and drove to the Wilderness of Zen!! We climbed around like the native ibex up and around!! We were hiking about and then we came across a patch of trees and Rich had us read psalms 1 and reminded us that in the middle of the dessert we are to be trees planted by a stream of water. That in the heat of the desert we are to be flourishing and thriving seeking and searching for nourishment in the water. Abide Abundant Able. The symbol of the tree has been with us all year long and it really came to life today J but the adventure did not stop there people!!

We then went on our merry way out of the canyons and began to hike through the desert to our next location. We were stopped along the way and discussed what it would have been like for the Israelites to wander in the wilderness for forty years and how difficult that would have been. After that discussion we came to a replicated Bedouin encampment. Once we got there we realized that we were going to be able to ride camels! This was such an amazing experience and Daniel and I (Andrew) had a rocking time with that. It was definitely a crazy time and we got to ride for about 20 minutes around the camp. Afterwards our group went into a tent and was able to hear a Bedouin shepherd tell us what their life was like. That was our last experience before lunch and it was an amazing way to end the morning!

After lunch we got on the buses and drove for about an hour and a half to get to Masada. We finally got there and drove around to the back of the mountain where the Roman built siege ramp was. Because it was so close to Sabbath and so hot our guides decided to take us up the siege ramp which is way shorter and less strenuous than the normal path up the face of the mountain. It was super cool to be able to walk around on the fortress on top of Masada and learn about its history and how it finally fell to Rome. Afterwards we walked down the path on the mountain face and drove home to finish the day.

Before dinner we had the chance to hang out in the pool or on the beach of the Dead Sea which was super sick! Overall it was a fantastically tiring day and continually blew my mind that we have this amazing opportunity! Team Braica Burleson out!

To learn more about Masada, listen to this lecture series from an archived GTI Study Tour.
Masada - Part 1
Masada - Part 2
Masada - Part 3
Masada - Part 4
Masada - Part 5
Masada - Part 6
Masada - Part 7
Masada - Part 8