Hiking the Golan Heights

Today was a long, but interesting day. We had class again. Brother Draper has prepared a quiz and it was not at all the material he told us it would be on. So, we didn't take the quiz. (Right - me and Megan in front of the pool where we went swimming) Sister Draper got really sick last night and she was taken back to Jerusalem. He was really worried about her, and so he messed up on the quiz.
After class I went on a hike in the Golan Heights. It was beautiful! I really enjoyed the hike. We hiked to a waterfall and swam. It was really cold, but it was nice and a lot of fun. On the hike, we learned about some of the plants around the area. We found mustard and some seeds that will stick on you if you throw them. I think I am allergic to those.
After the hike, our bus driver sang us the call to prayer. (Left - our entire class in the pool) It was great.
We tried to meet for GQ again at dinner, but Mindy fell asleep after a long day of cleaning up after a rat that had gotten into her suitcase. Poor girl!
After dinner, I went to Aimee's bungalow because she invited me over for a movie night. While there, Matt, Jeff, Chris, and Russ started serenading us. (Right - Me, Jade, Megan, Aimee, and Lauran in the pool) They sang a verse for each of us. It was really cute. I went over to Bethany's for some candy and was there when they came to serenade that group. It was great.
After that, I watched A Little Princess with a bunch of girs. It was a lot of fun, but that is why I am so tired. It was a late night.

Me, Clare, Emily, and Megan at the top of the waterfallTom, me and Aimee on our hike out of the pool
Jeff, Matt, Chris, and Russ - Our seranaders

Gamla and Qazrin

Today we went on a field trip to Gamla (the camel's hump). It is a fortress built on a hill. It was quite a hike. We climbed on a lot of rocks. It was fun. (Left - Gamla - Doesn't it look like a camel's hump?) Gamla is a place where several Jews killed themselves rather than be taken by the Romans.

They jumped off the cliff in the back. Its sad, but that's how strongly they felt about not being under Roman rule.
Next we went to Qazrin where there is a great Talmudic village. We saw an unfinished home, a Rabbi's home, and a synagogue. (Right - Me in front of the ruins at Gamla) It was really cool and helped bring several scriptures to light. There were a lot of implements there that were talked about in the scriptures
After that, we walked to a market. I got strawberries. After the market, I studied with Megan for Brother Draper's quiz. (Left - Me at the cliff where the entire city of Gamla jumped to their deaths) We also talked a lot. That night we went to the Fish Restaurant. It was really cool. I got the whole fish. It is from the Sea of Galilee and was yummy! I sat with Megan, Mindy, and James. We began GQ(=G Qbed=G Cubed=GGG=Good Gossip Group). We started going around and telling good things about each person. (Right - At Qazrin with my friend Megan holding a scythe to my throat. I am holding a typical broom that would have been used to sweep to find the lost coin) We didn't finish, but it was a lot of fun and very eye opening. Then we went to Tiberias and went to the market. Some people bought ice cream. It was a really good night.

In a doorway at Qazrin
Me and Megan sitting on the beach at the Sea of GalileeSunset at the Sea of Galilee Me and Megan at the Fish Restaurant with our whole fishes

Class, class, more class, and class again!

Our first day of classes in the Galilee. The power was shut off for some maintenance work today, so we had to have class outside. It was actually really nice and not too hot. (Left - Brother Draper lecturing on the banks of the Sea of Galilee). We had three hours of lecture on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. Then after lunch, we went swimming. That was a lot of fun. Some people played Frisbee, others were thrown into the air. It was great. I spent the rest of the day working on homework (with three hours of lecture, we have a lot to do) until dinner. After dinner, we had two more hours of lecture, this time our ancient near east studies class. (Right - swimming in the Sea of Galilee. Can you find me? Here's a hint, I'm not standing up!) We began class by singing a song to the tune of Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree. It was fun. All in all, today was not an exciting day, but at least it was productive.

The following two pictures contain the words to the song, Date Palms, sung to the tune of Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree

Sea of Galilee and Capernaum

Today has been a wonderful day! We began bright and early, as we usually do. We rode in the bus to a place where we would be taking a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. (Left - reading the story of Jesus' walking on water and the storm while in a boat on the Sea of Galilee). Several people had to run to catch the bus. It was a beautiful day for a boat ride. We rode out into the middle of the sea where we all walked on water. Just kidding, we talked about when Jesus walked on water and about how Peter got out of the boat and also walked on water. We also talked about the time that the Savior was asleep on a boat while a storm raged. It was so amazing to be talking about those stories while sitting in a boat on the Sea of Galilee.
After our ride across the Sea, we walked to a place nearby called Nof Ginnosaur. (Right - the weather was so beautiful! The view from the boat was great, too). There is an ancient boat from around the time of Christ. It was really interesting to see that. Then we drove to the Mount of Beatitudes. The Mount of Beatitudes is thought to be the place where the Sermon on the Mount was given. It was beautiful. The Italians under direction of Musalini in the 1930s built a chapel and an abbey on top of the mount. We had a lesson there on the Sermon on the Mount and then were able to walk around. There were a couple of groups of pilgrims. One group was from Nigeria. It was funny because they all wanted to take pictures with us. (Left - Musalinni's chapel on the Mount of Beatitudes). I’m not exactly sure why they chose us because there were plenty of white people around. A miracle happened while we were there. My screen which hasn’t lit up since I went to Micah’s cave (can you believe that all the pictures I’ve taken since have been without being able to see what I was aiming at?) lit up! I was taking a picture of something and suddenly realized that I could see what I was aiming at! It was amazing. I kept thinking that it would be temporary, but so far it has stayed on. I sure hope and pray that it stays that way!
Our next stop was Heptapegon. That means Seven Springs. (Right - the famous mosaic at Tabgha celebrating the miracle of the loaves and fishes). We ate lunch there before going inside a crusader church that commemorates the feeding of the multitude with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. It is actually possible that the miracle took place because it was a popular gathering place at the time and in the “wilderness.” There we again saw our Nigerian friends. One woman told me that she would take me to Africa. She called me her little sunshine and something like that. She also asked me if I would come to Africa. I told her that I would someday, but not right now. It was quite amusing. Too bad I didn’t get a picture of her though she got one of me.
From Heptapegon we walked to St. Peter’s Primacy (Left - I am sitting on the steps leading up to the chapel at St. Peter's Primacy). On the way we saw an old Byzantine Church that had been destroyed. That was the old church that used to commemorate the feeding of the multitude. St. Peter’s Primacy is another church. It commemorates the visit of the resurrected Savior to the apostles. It was at that time that the Lord asked, Peter, lovest thou me? While there, we had a lesson by Brother Huntington. That was really interesting. Then we sang inside the church before looking around and taking pictures. While looking around, I heard some people speaking Russian. One man asked me to move aside so he could take a picture, so I asked him where he was from (in Russian). (Right - Capernaum). He was really surprised that I spoke Russian. He is from Moscow and came with a group from his church. He is Seventh Day Adventist. I was able to talk with him a little. That was really nice, just to be able to talkin Russian. I think he really liked meeting an American who spoke Russian because he came up to me later and wanted to take a picture.
Our final stop of the day was Capernaum, the City of Jesus. There they found a first century house that is believed to be Peter’s house. There is good evidence that that is the case. Not only is there an early tradition, but there is evidence that in the first century it was being used as a religious gathering place. The only people who would have been meeting inside a house rather than the synagogue, was Christians. A Byzantine church was built there and later a crusader church. On top of that now is a modern church in the shape of a boat. It was very interesting. Across the street is a synagogue from the same time period. That was very interesting. In the 7th century, something tragic happened that led to the complete abandonment of the city. The Jews used the invaders as cover to burn the Christian church down. 15 years later the Christians retaliated and destroyed the synagogue. Capernaum became known as a place of shame and both Jews and Christians left it. It hasn’t been inhabited since.

Sunrise Service and the Galilee!

Today has been such a very long day. It probably wouldn’t have been so long if I had gotten more than one and a half hours of sleep. (Right - Mandi, Mindy, and I standing in line waiting to get into the Garden Tomb). But, surprisingly, I don’t regret my decision. So, I woke up around quarter to five, got ready and headed out the door. I left with a group and we hurried to the Garden Tomb. We were already behind a large line of people. Some of is started singing hymns while we were waiting. That was really cool. Finally, they opened the doors and I went in. I got a really good seat, I guess. That is what we were told. We were right in front of the pulpit. They were recording the entire service, so maybe I will show up on TV or something like that.
(Left - Brea and me ready for the service to begin). Anyway, it was a lot of fun and very different from the mass I went to hours before. The mass felt gloomy, but this was rejoicing! We rejoiced because the Lord is risen! I had a lot of fun and it was easy to sing along. We even made it back to the center by 8 am. That was good because we were supposed to leave at 9.
We drove first to Megiddo. That was very interesting. Megiddo is a city known for its battles. It is more commonly known as Armageddon. That comes from the Hebrew Har (meaning mountain) and the name. (Right - The preacher giving his sermon). Har Megiddo has then come to be Armageddon. It was very interesting because that place is going to play such an important role in the future.
After Tel Megiddo, we went into town to get lunch. I just ate the sack lunch that we got from the center, but I went with people who wanted to get falafels. We went to this place where the guy making the falafels flips the falafels in the air and catches them inside of the pita. It was really cool to watch. I tried the falafel and it was delicious.
Next we went to Sephoris. That is the city where the Mishna (used to be the Jewish Oral Law) was written down. It was interesting because they have beautiful mosaic tile floors there. (Left - Megiddo, another Tel). One mosaic is known as the Madonna. It was beautiful and amazing. It made me want to have a mosaic tile floor someday.
That was our last stop before heading to Ein Gev and out resort hotel on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. That is where I am right now . . . sitting in a hammock along the bank of the Sea of Galilee. It is dark and I can hear animals and people singing while strumming a guitar. It is very pleasant, even though the insects are starting to get to me. On the way here, we had a quiz for New Testament. I tried to sleep (because I got so little sleep) but sleep wouldn’t come. (Right - Sephoris, more ruins. Here is one of the beautiful mosaics that can be found there).
Right after arriving I couldn’t find my luggage. I had allowed one of the guys to carry it up and he told me that he would make sure it got on the right bus . . . well he didn’t. It didn’t even get put on the bus. Luckily, the Lees drove up in a van and brought it with them. Otherwise I don’t know what I would do. At least it all worked out.
Once that was all worked out, I went to my bungalow to drop my luggage off and then went down to the beach. I made it just in time to watch the sunset over the Sea of Galilee. It was very beautiful. (Left - Sunset over the Sea of Galilee). I skipped rocks, too! I was able to skip a lot. That surprised me because before tonight, I’ve only skipped one rock . . . and that was on the Baltic Sea.
I’m about ready to go to bed. It is still early, but I don’t want to be tired for tomorrow. Tomorrow we are taking a boat across the Sea of Galilee!