Day 03 - Negev: Ein Gedi, Qumran, Lower Jordan

It’s Day 3, and we are getting into the rhythm of long tour days and soaking in the richness of all that Israel has to offer.

We kicked off the morning saying goodbye to the Dead Sea and headed north to Ein Gedi. We went on a visual hunt for Biblical trees (the broom tree, acacia tree and Christ-thorn tree) and animals indigenous to Israel (the ibex and hyrax). Then we we followed Scripture about David and Saul meeting in Ein Gedi. We wrapped up getting wet under waterfalls and doing a beautiful hike up lots of stairs carved out of the hard rock, through mini tunnels/caves and past several brooks and falls.

We continued north to Qumran. While not specifically named in the Bible, Qumran is where the Dead Sea Scrolls were (and are still being) discovered. The history and restoration of these ancient documents is important to the preservation of God’s Word.

The next stop was the Lower Jordan River. We visited the place that John the Baptist baptized thousands including Jesus. It was humbling to sit in the neighborhood where that piece of Biblical history happened. It was equally heartwarming to sit a few short steps away from the country of Jordan and peacefully wave across the river to each other.

We were on task today and got to make an impromptu stop in Jericho! There were no walls to see since they fell back in the time of Joshua, but we were warmly welcomed by the Palestinian community in Jericho. We embraced the memory of Christ leaving the wilderness and passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. This stop included a culinary experience as we sampled local snacks and drank fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice from a very animated vendor!

After leaving Jericho, we continued north along the Jordan River to the Sea of Galilee. Check back in for our adventures on and around the sea the next few days!

-Jennifer Sherick