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GTI Tours 2017 Israel Familiarization Trip
January 2-13, 2017
Led by Rich Ferreira, Randy Alonso
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Trip Blog Posts
Trip Wrap Up Video
posted on Saturday January 14 2017 at 10:16 pm UTC
Now that our study tour is complete, hopefully you'll be able to talk to one of us in person about what we saw, heard, learned, and experienced! Below is a wrap up video that serves as a nice summary of the trip and a reminder of all that we did. Leave us a comment below or head over and like GTI...
Greater capacity to love
posted on Friday January 13 2017 at 12:52 am UTC
Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain. Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide...
Where Heaven touches earth
posted on Thursday January 12 2017 at 12:46 am UTC
It is hard to believe we only have one day left on this amazing trip. I've been waiting for the moment of awe where everything in the Bible suddenly clicks and I see God in a totally new way. That hasn't happened. What has happened over the last week or so is that I have developed a new appreciation...
No Separation
posted on Wednesday January 11 2017 at 12:43 am UTC
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? - 1 Corinthians 3:16 This morning I woke up in Jerusalem. For many, this is the primary reason to plan a visit to Israel. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would the city be completely modernized?...
Behind a mask
posted on Tuesday January 10 2017 at 12:44 am UTC
Today we moved from the Dead Sea across to Jerusalem. On the way, we stopped at Beit She'An. What an amazing view - seeing Mt. Gilboa and the valley. There were 19 civilizations that built on Beit She'An over time. This area was the location where Saul took his life in battle and his body was brought...
Jesus the Builder
posted on Sunday January 08 2017 at 7:53 pm UTC
Shalom friends and family from the shore of the Galilee. Today our fearless leader/tour guide Ronan took us to Golan heights to immerse us into the first century culture and then later on to learn about some modern Israeli history and current Israeli concerns. We started our day in town called...
Part of that rock
posted on Saturday January 07 2017 at 8:33 pm UTC
This morning, we awoke to gaze out on the Sea of Galilee. Today, we explored the northern bit of its shores, including Mt. Arbel, the Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha (the area where Jesus told Peter to “keep the sheep”), and old Capharnaum. We closed the day with a boat ride on the Sea and a dinner...
No word of the Lord returns void
posted on Friday January 06 2017 at 9:56 pm UTC
Today was day three of our trip. We started our day out with a trip to Ein Gedi, a place that is an oasis of fresh water in the middle of the desert. Many people have a picture in their mind of an oasis looking a certain way; being there in reality was very interesting. We have been learning so much...
Locations and their purposes
posted on Thursday January 05 2017 at 10:13 pm UTC
Today we hiked Masada, rode camels, and floated in the Dead Sea. We traveled from the lowest place on Earth to the height of Herod’s palace and back again. Israel’s desert – the “Negev” as we’re calling it – felt hot like other deserts, dry like other deserts, and seemed like any...
The people are real, the places are real, and this story is real!
posted on Wednesday January 04 2017 at 5:51 pm UTC
Whenever I teach my middle schoolers I always say to them, "This is REAL; these people were real, these places are real, and this story is real." I constantly remind them of that because our Bible can so easily become a fairytale. I believe that the Bible and the stories in it are real, but that...
Made it to Israel
posted on Tuesday January 03 2017 at 9:57 pm UTC
Just a quick update to let everyone know that we made it to Israel safe and sound. The Miami, Los Angles and Chicago groups met up in Istanbul caught a flight together to Tel Aviv Israel were we met up at the airport with the group from Dallas. What a long flight with a few delays but as they say,...
Arrived at the airport
posted on Tuesday January 03 2017 at 1:40 am UTC
Hey everyone! We are excited to tell you that all the California crew have arrived at LAX airport and have finished the fun check in process on Turkish Airlines. We are all here, besides our friends flying out of Dallas, Miami and Chicago who will be meeting us in Israel. While our group is not...
The Time Has Come
posted on Saturday December 31 2016 at 11:02 pm UTC
Shalom friends and family, I can hardly believe that the time has come for this trip to begin. We at Hume Lake and GTI Tours are very excited for the experience these men and women are about to partake in. Within their busy ministry schedules they have spent the last 4 months studying through a 9...
Journey of a lifetime
posted on Saturday December 17 2016 at 6:46 pm UTC
On January 2-13th of 2017 a group of 53 pastors, teachers, students and spouses (in association with GTI tours and Hume Lake Christian Camps) from different churches and schools throughout the United States will be traveling together on a once in a lifetime study tour of Israel. We invite you; friends,...
Preparing for Israel
posted on Wednesday October 19 2016 at 9:03 pm UTC
Our trip to Israel will be here before you know it! Once we're on the ground in Israel, we'll post periodic updates and photos. Check back often or get update notifications using the subscribe options on this page. We'll be sharing our travel experiences online with you, our friends and family,...