Imagine walking on ancient soil trod upon by Moses as he led the Hebrews from bondage in Egypt to the freedom in the Promised Land.
Or following the tortured path Jesus Christ took as Roman soldiers led him his crucifixion and mankind’s salvation.
Ten lucky members of the Oxford Free Methodist Church don’t have to imagine these things because they got to experience them firsthand last month on a 15-day guided tour through the Holy Land.
‘I will never read the Bible again as I did before. There is a new meaning and depth to my understanding,? said Dr. Mark Orchard, the 62-year-old Addison resident and former Oxford Schools superintendent.
‘I always thought that my faith was strong, but it has certainly increased since this trip,? said Peggy Krantz, a 62-year-old General Motors retiree from Metamora. ‘They told us that we would never view the Bible the same again. That is so true.?
From Nov. 6-20, the group traveled through Israel, Jordan and Egypt to visit ancient sites of biblical, archeological and historical significance.
Notable sites included the Sea of Galilee, the mountain top fortress of Masada, the city of Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Temple Mount, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Caesarea, the Red Sea, Mount Sinai, the Pyramid of Cheops and the Sphinx.
‘My favorite part of the trip was visiting
the ancient cities and sites that are mentioned in the Bible. It certainly gave me an idea of what life was like 2,000 or more years ago,? said Darryl Lambertson, 63, of Oxford. ‘A favorite site for me was the Temple Mount ? a real feat of engineering rebuilt by King Herod and a focal point for Jerusalem.?
The Garden of Gethsemane ? a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem believed to be the place where Jesus and his disciples prayed the night of his arrest ? was among Carla Lambertson’s favorite spots.
‘I figured an area of olive trees on a hillside could be the same area where Jesus prayed before his crucifixion,? said Lambertson, 63, of Oxford.
The garden was also a favorite for Krantz.
‘It was a very spiritual and emotion place for me,? she said. ‘All I could think of was how Jesus must have agonized there on the night before his crucifixion.?
Carla Lambertson enjoyed visiting the Lions Gate and the stairs on the south side of the Temple Mount because that’s where scholars believe Jesus stood and preached about the widow’s mite.
‘To sit on these very steps was truly a moving experience for me,? she said.
On most of her trips, Carla enjoys collecting a rock or sand from each country as a way to stay connected to places. This time she brought home small bottles of water from the Sea of Galilee, Jordan River, Dan River, Dead Sea and the Red Sea.
‘Floating in the Dead Sea, which is 30 percent salt, was a very strange and fun experience,? she added.
Carolyn Farmer, 63, of Oxford, will, never forget ‘hiking up Mt. Sinai in the middle of the night, partly on camel, mostly on foot, to see the sunrise? with her husband, Terry.
Visiting these ancient places was like journeying back in a time machine for many in the group. ‘When we were traveling by bus through the desert, I felt like I was living in biblical times,? Krantz said. ‘There were camels, sheep and goats on the side of the road. The nomads live in the desert as they did in the Bible. They wore the long robes and the head coverings as they did back then. This is still their way of life.?
‘I guess in most places I felt transported back in time,? said Carla Lambertson. ‘But then, along the way, especially in Jordan and Egypt, I was shocked back into reality when I saw the souvenir booths, empty plastic water bottles and plastic bags everywhere.?
Despite the potential threat of terrorist acts and violence, the people who went on this tour generally felt safe as they frequently encountered armed guards at borders and various checkpoints or were sometimes escorted by them as they traveled.
‘I was never fearful while I was there in Israel,? Krantz said. ‘We did see armed guards at the borders coming into Israel. They were in towers with machine guns. That made me feel safe knowing that their borders were so well protected.?
‘We saw nothing that was a threat to us,? said Darryl Lambertson.
‘Of course I was concerned (about) terrorism as we prepared for the trip, but then I figured if it was my time to go, what better place to go from,? said Carla Lambertson. ‘While on the trip, at no time was I afraid.?
During their trip, Carla said there was a confrontation between two radical religious groups near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem and there was a shooting in the Golan Heights. ‘But we didn’t know about (the latter) until we saw it on their version of CNN,? she said.
‘One could sense the political tension in the conversation of our guides,? noted Orchard, who was accompanied by his wife, Diane. ‘I returned home with a renewed appreciation for our system of government and people.?
Overall, the attitude of the locals towards the group was hospitable, according to some.
‘We were treated very well by the people in all three countries,? said Darryl Lamberston. ‘They were friendly and showed no hostility towards us. Many wondered what we thought of our new president-elect and seemed genuinely concerned about how relations between our countries might be affected.?
‘People were very nice,? said Carla Lambertson. ‘Everyone spoke English. Several young people asked us how we felt about the recent election. Many of them had connections to the states ? their parents live here or they themselves have attended school here.?
Others had a different opinion.
‘When we entered Jordan, there seemed to be an air of resentment,? Krantz said. ‘The people would stare at us, but never said anything negative to us. People working in the gift shops that we met were friendly enough, but there seemed to be sorrow surrounding them.?
The Farmers also felt the cold shoulder while in Jordan. Upon entering the nation, they said the authorities processing them didn’t do so in a pleasant or speedy manner.
In the end, everyone agreed it was definitely a worthwhile trip and highly recommended it to others. ‘This was truly the trip of a lifetime,? Krantz said. ‘I would tell anyone to go if they get the chance.?