Shalom from Israel!

Shalom from Israel! We have had two extremely hectic days already, and everyone is ready to pass out for the night; but first we wanted to share with all our friends and family back home what we have already seen and experienced in Tel Aviv.

Arriving in Israel was exciting to say the least, but the first thing I (Ashley) noticed was how much vegetation there was! When I think of Israel one of the first things I picture is desert, miles and miles of desert. But there are trees, grass, shrubbery, and flowers everywhere! Most of the times I forget how fertile this land truly is, but walking through an olive orchard definitely reminded me! The presence of all the trees also reminded me of something else; it reminded me that Jesus was a carpenter for many years before He began His ministry. The trees we were walking through were the same types of trees Jesus would have worked with to carve and create beautiful and practical objects for the people of His community.

Eric and Ian led us through tall grasses and up steep hills to some truly remarkable places. We were able to sit on stones that made up a city gate where King Solomon himself sat in his time. We were able to see giant stones sticking straight up into the air, which were meant to remind the people who came across them of the wonderful works of God. We were able to stand on top of thousands of years of civilizations and cultures at the top of Tel Gezer. The view from these sites stretched from mountains on one side, to the Mediterranean Sea on the other. These interactions with the land of Israel has already taught me and the rest of the group so much about the people and cultures of the Bible. I cannot wait to see how much more God teaches us throughout the rest of our time in Israel.

Laila tov! (Goodnight!)

https://twitter.com/ratliff_kristen/status/478554458402480128

https://twitter.com/khamhazel/status/478595206556962817

https://twitter.com/zachsutton06/status/478562111090884608

https://twitter.com/khamhazel/status/478654419907526657