by Pastor Patrick Cho
It’s finally here. The last day we will spend together in Israel. I know how much I have been writing about the things we have been able to see and do, but I have not written about the wonderful friendships I have been able to build with the other members of our group. I’ve been so blessed by the conversations, singing, and worship together and am sad to think that we’ll all be heading home and returning to normal life. It really has been a tremendous joy getting to know all the people we’ve been travelling with who are from all over the globe. We had Canadians, Russians, and a New Zealander with us, so we really were from the corners of the earth! One of the sweetest memories of this trip will be that we were able to experience all of this together. It is amazing to think that just three weeks ago we were strangers because we really have bonded during this trip and have built sweet friendships.
I also have not written enough about how appreciative I have been for Dr. Grisanti and his instruction. I’ve been so thankful not only for all the technical information that has been passed along, but more so for the devotional quality of it. There were times where we were free to roam the city or enjoy an evening off, and Dr. G was diligently studying and preparing for the next day’s instruction. This trip really has made a significant impact on my life, and much of that is in thanks to Dr. G. I will never forget his constant exhortations to make God big in my life and to display His glory. Certainly through all the teaching we have received, God has been made much bigger in my eyes.
This morning, those who are taking the trip for credit enjoyed an exam while the rest of us slept in and enjoyed some rest. There was a time I was curious to see how I might have done on the quizzes and exams, but those feelings quickly got washed away by the many hikes and physical exhaustion. After a nice long morning of last minute packing and a hurried breakfast, we jumped on the bus for one last trip into the Old City.
John and I spent the bulk of the morning getting last minute shopping done. We were thankful for the opportunity to spend our last day with the Vlachs who have been a great blessing and joy to get to know. We actually began the day at Zak’s antique shop to look for a gift for Dr. G. Everyone in the group has been so thankful for the work that he has put in that we decided to get a little something to show our appreciation.
After our shopping was all complete, we had some extra time so we decided to swing by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre one more time. I really thought it was a perfect ending to an amazing trip to spend some time at Golgotha. The last time we visited, I didn’t get to see much because they kicked us out of the viewing area to make room for a ceremony. This time we were able to take it in. At the top of the stairs is an ornate viewing area with a little space you can crawl in. Inside the crawl space is a little hole and if you stick your arm in the hole, you can touch the rock quarry beneath.
We came down from there and went over to the empty tomb, but unfortunately the line to go inside was even longer than it was the first time we visited. We took a few pictures from the outside and began our walk back to lunch. On our way to lunch, we realized that we had entered the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with “immodest” attire (i.e., shorts). Thankfully, no one stopped us and told us to leave.
We were thankful to grab lunch at Jacob’s Pizza right by the Gloria Hotel where we had stayed earlier on the trip. Every time I had walked by, the restaurant smelled terrific so it was great to actually taste the food. It isn’t a kosher restaurant, so we were even able to get meat on our pizza.
We finished up lunch and then met up with the rest of the group to head back to the moshav. Bill Schlegel, who is an instructor at IBEX, took us on a tour of the biblical garden they have setup on the campus. It was pretty amazing! They have reproductions of a winepress, olive oil press, threshing floor, and even a rolling stone tomb. As we stopped at each display, Bill took some time to walk us through relevant corresponding Scriptures. It was neat to see the life-size illustrations before us as he taught. It was also fascinating to learn more about what life was like in biblical times.
After the tour, we enjoyed one last dinner together. The group from Dallas Theological Seminary headed to the airport first, so we had a brief chance to say goodbye. I was thankful that during our time in Israel, we were even able to get to know some of them. After they left, we had a little time to relax, finish packing, and make last minute phone calls before heading out. Thankfully, we had our rooms all the way until departure so we could take a shower before going to the airport. Our flight departs at around 1:00am, but I didn’t mind because it meant we could have a full last day in Israel.
What a wonderful time it has been! This most definitely has been a life-changing experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have been here. I will never forget all that I was able to see, smell, hear, taste, and touch as our group travelled up and down the country of Israel. I really hope that one day I will be able to return and learn more. It would be so great to be able to travel here with Christine so that we could walk this amazing country together. For now, it is good to be heading home. I miss my family, friends, and church and am looking forward to sharing all the stories and lessons learned.