Our Last Day

As I write this, we are sitting on the plane flying home. As I look around the plans I see stories of lives that have been radically changed on this journey, friendships that have been forged, and hearts that are full from this experience.

Earlier today we said good bye to our guides, Ronan and Sam and Eileen Meier. We are forever indebted for their wisdom, insight, and kindness on this trip. In many ways, they are what have made this trip so special and we are truly honored to have learned from them.

On our final day in Israel, we went to the top of the temple mount and viewed the Dome of the Rock. Ronan shared with us about Islam and helped us come to a better understanding of the key tenants of their faith.

Following this, we headed out to the City of David and Sam shared with us about King Hezekiah and his decision to close the Springs of the Gihon which would later be condemned by the prophet Isaiah. This well was closed to protect the spring from the Assyrians and was a presumptuous move on the part of the King. We then proceeded to talk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel which was one of my highlights from the trip! This shoulder width water shaft flowed with ankle high water from the Gihon. Like walking through a cave we made our way from the opening and ended up at the pool of Siloam. One of my favorite memories was hearing all of the laughter as we made our way down the narrow passage ways. It was awesome!

Finally we closed the day with visiting Yad VaShem or the Israel Holocaust Museum. It was heartbreaking to come face to face with humanity’s incredible capacity for evil. One of the most moving parts for me was walking through the children’s memorial where names were read aloud of children who died in the Holocaust. Ronan shared that if we were to stand there and hear every name read, we would have to stand there for three months. This sobering experience continued to bring us face to face with the plight of the Jewish people and why experiences like this are so incredibly important.

As we wrap up the trip, the central theme for me has been the reminder of how big God really is. He alone is the one who is worthy of our trust. He invites us not to trust in our technology, the approval of others, or even in making a name for ourselves, but in the fact that He is good and He is working His best in the lives of the people of Israel and our own. We are so thankful for this experience and hope to go again soon!