Day 00 - From Sunrise to the Holy Land

A Journey Begins Across the Skies

Today, Sunday, twenty seven of us set out on the first day of what we trust will be a meaningful and memorable journey through Jordan and Israel. The adventure began early, with the bus pulling up right at 7:00 am, ready to take our group from Sunrise to the airport and into the unfolding story ahead.

From there we made our way to San Francisco, where we boarded the first leg of our journey, a thirteen hour flight bound for Istanbul. Somewhere between time zones, oceans, and even crossing over the Arctic Circle, the sense slowly settled in that we were leaving the familiar behind and stepping into something new. Long flights have a way of doing that, quiet moments looking out airplane windows, half sleep, half anticipation, hearts beginning to catch up with what our minds already know, we are really going.

After landing in Istanbul, we had just enough time to stretch our legs and sample a taste of local flavor. A bit of Turkish delight lived up to its name, sweet, simple, and surprisingly grounding after a long flight. It was a small reminder that this journey will be filled not only with famous biblical sites, but also with ordinary human moments, shared snacks, tired smiles, and laughter in airport terminals.

From there we boarded our next flight and continued on to Amman. Late in the day, weary and a little jet lagged, we finally arrived at our hotel. Suitcases rolled down hallways, alarms were set, and conversations faded as exhaustion caught up with us. Yet even in the tiredness, there was a shared sense of excitement. The journey has begun, and tomorrow we will wake up in a land woven deeply into the story of Scripture.

As you follow along through this blog, our hope is to share more than just where we go. We want to tell the story of what we are seeing, what we are learning, and how God is meeting us along the way. We will share moments where the Bible comes alive in fresh ways, stories from our travellers, and reflections from walking the land where so much of our faith’s story unfolded. This is just the beginning.

Biblical Reflection

Travel days often feel like in between moments, not quite here, not yet there. And yet Scripture reminds us that God is just as present in the journey as He is in the destination. Abraham was called while on the move. Israel met God in the wilderness. The disciples followed Jesus along dusty roads between towns.

As we begin this journey, Our hope is that we may be attentive not only to the places we visit, but to the God who goes before us, travels with us, and meets us even in moments of fatigue and waiting.

Stay tuned, more stories are coming.