Why aren't you here?

You've just got to come here and see the sun and how it comes up over the desert to shine on this incredible city of Jerusalem.

After my "sunny side up" cooked to order egg at yesterday's breakfast, I decided to go for an omelet today! Our first stop was to an overlook of the city in front of Hebrew University on Mount Scopus. A magnificent view and the guides took the opportunity to point out the highlights of the city. We also took the group photo here. Don't we all look great? You could be in your own group photo in November...there is still time to sign up!

From Mount Scopus to the Mount of Olives... we traveled the short distance and most of us went crazy with picture taking! This is the place where Jesus will return on this earth!! From the Mount of Olives we have a tremendous view of the Old City with Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock as well as the Eastern Gate where Christ will enter the city when He returns. We walked down the hill to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was praying and was arrested by the Romans. The olive trees give us an idea of how the garden would have looked when Christ prayed there 2,000 years ago.

We then boarded the bus again to travel past the Kidron Valley where Abshalom's tomb is on our way to Mount Zion where the tomb of King David and the Upper Room is located just outside of the Zion Gate of the old city. We had a great time of prayer and thanksgiving remembering that this could be the place where Christ had the last supper with the disciples and where the Day of Pentecost took place!

Then, what I consider one of the highlights of the tour, the Garden Tomb! This beautiful and serene place is located just outside the Damascus Gate of the Old City in Arab East Jerusalem. Outside the walls there are loud busses, people and noise but inside the garden it is peaceful. We viewed the hill called Golgotha where Christ was crucified and the tomb where we believe Christ rose, yes, it is still empty, Praise God for His resurrection! We had communion with Pastor Al and we sang in praise and worship. It was a moving experience.

Dinner was again at the hotel and we were all blessed by LeSEA Broadcasting's Middle East correspondent, Brian Bush, who shared his impressions of living not just in Jerusalem but also in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City followed by some time for questions and answers with the group. Brian is TALL!! And a great blessing, we all enjoyed hearing just what it is like to live in this ancient yet modern city.

This actually is one of the last times the group, as the entire group will be together on the tour. Tomorrow is the optional tour to Masada and some people will stay in Jerusalem for a free day of relaxing by the pool, walking in the streets of Jerusalem or some all important shopping. A few of us took the opportunity to visit famous Ben Yahuda street after dinner, an eclectic place of cafés and shops with thousands of people strolling on a wide promenade.

Tomorrow sadly is our last day for the June 2008 tour! Late tomorrow night the group returns home with great memories and experiences from the Holy Land. Many people approached me tonight with questions about our November trip. They want to come back in November! It's so exciting to be here!

Why aren't you here?