Great fellowship

Tonight we went to the house of the sister of the Pastor here.  His other sister and her family came also plus his mother, his fiancé and her sister.

We had a great time of fellowship followed by singing and worshipping.  The spirit of the Lord was so sweet and strong.  I love His presence.

It is now 1:30 am and we just arrived back at the B&B. 

Weekend

Friday we spent time with Bro. Velanti and had a service in his church. Saturday was spent with the other Pastor in town Bro. Tuminelo with service in his church that night.

Sunday we travelled back to Catania. We had a great service here with Pastor Daniele.  The spirit was so sweet.

Afterwards we went to a real Italian place....McDonalds!  LOL!  Oh well...we'll look for Pizza and Gelato today!

Today is a down time day.  Wow the first one in a looooong time.  We will visit Syracuse and relax.  YEAH!!!!

Friday in Sicily

Last night we arrived in Catania.  We spent the night in the same B&B that we did in October.  This morning's relaxed breakfast was a treat after all the going we did in Israel and Jordan!  We didn't have to leave until 10 am!!  YEAH!

We are in Marsala, Sicily. We drove here in a rented 9 passenger van. Daniele, his mother, Teresa, his finance, Titziana and her sister Clelia. It is a four hour drive from Catania.

We had lunch at the Pastor’s house. It was very good. So neat to actually eat with a local. You get the real feel for the country, its people and the regional food.

We are in Hotel Carmine. I tried to rest and they were repairing something in the kitchen next to us. Banging, drilling etc for over an hour! GRR!! Not my ideal of rest!

The receptionist assured me that they will stop soon and won’t work tomorrow. I sure hope so.

I am kind of worried though. Being next to the kitchen doesn’t sound like a quite spot for sure! I am expecting early morning noises of breakfast in the making.

The hotel itself is very nice. It is a old monastery converted to a hotel.

I am not crazy my room. It is nice but a bit closed in for me. I need big windows with my claustrophobia. Feel pretty closed in at the moment.

I have had enough of that on all the airplanes lately.

Oh well…we are leaving in a bit for a church service so I’ll get some space…well after we get out of the van full of 9 people! LOL!

Tweets

I am seeing tweets from those who went to Israel that they are home in Calgary now.  We, the Kings, are in Catania, Sicily.

We are headed to Marsala for services.  Back here on Sunday morning for services Sunday night.

We will be joined on Saturday by the Grells and Melwoods. 

It was so good to see Daniele, his mother and Clelia at the airport to greet us last night.

We went for pizza at the corner cafe.  SO GOOD!

Pray for us here is Sicily that we will bless the church here.

Safe in Frankfurt

Message to all concerned about the bomb blast in Jerusalem.  It happened right after we left so we never heard it.  We are safe and sound in Frankfurt!

Homeward Bound

Leaving Jerusalem to catch our flight to Frankfurt from Tel Aviv.

First group homeward bound tomorrow morning!

Kings and Melwoods and Grells Sicily bound to strenghten churches there.

:)

Tuesday

Today we wound our way through the Canaanite Tunnel.  Very narrow!  We then went on to the Pool of Saloam. 

Pictures above taken along the way to the Pool of Saloam from the Tunnel.  Background is Palestinian area.

We then visited the Holocast Muesem.  Very sobering.

The afternoon was spent with most of us going to the Old City for Shopping and Sightseeing.  Fun time.

We will pack up tonight and head out to Tel Aviv for the flight tomorrow to Frankfurt, Germany.  Most everyone will fly out from there home to Calgary on Thursday.

Pictures

I tried to upload pics tonight but it is not happening for some reason!  Sorry!  I will keep trying.

:)

Sunday and Monday

It is Monday night and I am sitting in my hotel room exhausted!  We have been having 12 hour days!  Full Days!!

Yesterday we went to the Temple Mount, Bethesda, Sang in Saint Anne's, Mt of Olives, Shrine of the Scroll Muesem (saw Dead Sea Scrolls there) and then on an hour and half drive to Caesarea by the Sea and back by the Valley of Elah where David killed Goliath.

Today we went to the Rabbincial Steps, Wailing Wall, Rabbincial Tunnels, Garden of Gethsemane, Garden Tomb for Communion and then to the Upper Room!

The Garden of Gethsemane is always my favorite.  It is hard to describe what you feel there! 

Everyone is enjoying the trip.  However, we are all very tired.

Friday & Saturday

Sorry I didn't have internet access last night so I am posting for Friday and Saturday.

Friday we visited Mt Nebo and Petra.

Mt Nebo was where Moses stood viewing the Promise Land that he would not be allowed to enter.  He had led the people 40 years to come to this climax.  As I stood there looking over the vast valley below with Jericho in sight I tried to imagine how he felt.  The frustration, the confusion, the anguish in his heart. 

Pastor King read a moving excerpt from a writing of Nate Wilson about Moses at this place. 

It was a moving moment on the windswept mountain for me.  And others too I think if tears and silence were any indication of what they were feeling as well.

We then travel on south to the lost city of Petra.  Amazing, amazing, amazing!  We hiked down through the gorge to view the caves and splendor of the place.

This morning we arose early again!  5:30 am!! 

We traveled through a very curvy mountain pass through Moab to come to the south side of the Dead Sea on the Jordanian side.  We went all along the coast of the Sea until we came to the north side where we crossed back over into Israel.

Lunch, Ein Gedi, where David cut a piece of Saul's garment as he slept, and then to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

We made our way up to Jerusalem for supper and hopefully an early night. 

Up early again tomorrow for an exciting day in the City of Jerusalem!

Jordan!

Tony Spell Roman City Jerash Jordan

Babies!  David and Lucas Holmes

Andrew Bentley with Tas Melwood

What a wonderful day!

We started out enjoying a leisurely morning on the Shores of the Sea of Galilee.  Our hotel is right on the seaside.

We had breakfast on a open terrace overlooking the Sea.  So relaxing after all the rushing around and jet lag.

However now the rest is over!  We arrived at the Jordanian Border at 10:30 am.  Our Jordanian guide, Omar, had been waiting there since 8:30 am.  There was a miscommunication and we didn't know we were supposed to be there so early. 

So......becuase we arrived so late there was not enough time to do the things that were scheduled and now we have to squeeze one of the items in tomorrow.

That means the wake up call is at 5:30 am tomorrow and on the bus by 7:00 am.  Some thought we were joking when we announced it!  Our first day wake up call was at 6:30 am....then 7:30 am...now 5:30 am!!!

That being said....we are loving Jordan. 

The border ordeal was just that....a lenghtly ordeal....just to leave Israel.....stop at gate....guide and driver get out and answer questions...show papers....guards look under bus with big mirrors.....go to Israel departure building get out of bus.....stand in line and go one by one to window and show them exit receipt and passport......unload suitcases and wait for shuttle bus.....load shuttle bus....drive couple minutes to Jordanian side..... unload shuttle bus....go inside and show passport at windown and take a picture of your irises...one by one......go back out and get suitcases and walk over to building with x-ray machine for suitcases....put them through and walk to bus....load bus with suitcases and then off you go.....lengthly ordeal.... or so we thought.  Our guide informed us we got through fairly quick.....it can take up to 4 hours if more buses are in front of you.

We were saying....Jordan better be worth it!  Well....withing minutes of hearing phrases like "We are now in Gilead".....we knew it was well worth the hassle at the border!

Gilean...Ammon.....Moab....Edom.....Looking down at the River that Jacob crossed going home and meeting Esau......Crazy exciting!

The Holiday Inn in Amman is great.  The buffet was so good...my favorite was the Coconut Curry Fish over rice....WOW!   And then a nice flan to top it off.

Tony Spell, my husband and I shared a cab to the Mall after supper to go to Starbucks.  So fun people watching there.  Several others were there also.

As we were leaving the hotel....a Jordanain Groom and Bride came in and we got a picture.  I will post when I can download from my phone.

Well, as I mentioned before the wake up call comes at 5:30 so I better sign off for now!

Promise pics later.

Wednesday

Today starting our trip on the right foot for sure. We had a fantastic day.

We started out on a boat trip across the Sea of Galilee.  This one of my favourite things on the schedule. The weather was gorgeous!

We could feel the spirit as Bro. Tony Spell preached that if the Lord said we were going to the other side then that's exactly what will happen...even if a storm comes and tries to tell us we won't. 

We stopped for a viewing of the Galilee boat then went on to Nazereth where we toured a replica of a village in Jesus' time.

Mt Carmel was next with a fabulous view of the valley of Armageddon. 

Then on to the ruins of Caperneum, the town where Jesus did much of his ministry.  What a feeling to be there on the shores where he made Peter and John fishers of men.

Lastly, we went to the area where Jesus would have spoke to the multitude what we now call the "The Beattitudes."

We are now sitting in the dining room.  Relishing the day!

We are here!

We are all safely in Israel!

Took long enough but we are all excited to be here.

After arriving in Tel Aviv at our hotel we all gathered in the dining room for a buffet dinner. Afterwards some of us took a stroll along the path that runs behind our hotel along the shore of none other than the Sea of Galilee.  I love that stroll.

I am sure tomorrow more people will have access to internet and will give you a shout.

I will try to keep you posted everyday if possible.

Headed to bed for the first time since Monday morning!  :)

Follow us as we experience the Holy Land!

Off

Okay off to the airport.  If I forgot something I just forgot it!!!  I have my passport and boarding passes so I am set!!

See you all there at 1 pm!

It is still saying D44.  That is the first terminal you come to when you approach the departures. 

Frequent Flyer Number

You can use your frequent flyer number on this flight if they are a partner.  Just check frequent flyer 1st.  Add your number and last name.  Then it will ask your booking reference number.

I didn't know this until Jolene discovered it.  So I am going to ask them at the gate to add my Aeroplan number to it!!

YEAH!!

YEAH I HAVE IT!

The booking reference for the rest of the group is  47J8YT.  You can check in, print your boarding pass and be at the airport by 1 pm.  Go right through security to Gate D44.  Check monitor to see if that is still the gate.

You will need your expiry date on your passport.

REMEMBER DO NOT CHANGE YOUR SEAT if you are one that we asked to swap with someone.  Just check in using the seat that comes up.

Tip:  For those of you who can change your seat....the only ones I saw available were in the back of the plane.  They weren't good seats last time.  But that is your call.

Please let me know if you are having any problems checking in.

Also if you check in online would you please give me a call and let me know that  you did or shoot me an e-mail?

BON VOYAGE!

Booking Reference

This is the booking reference for those staying over only.  It won't work for those who are coming back March 24th.  We will try to get that one in the morning when they open.

BOOKING REF 2KBLTV

Brooks, Dehod, King, MacLeod, Melwood T

Online Check in

I was able to check in online and print my boarding pass!

We are going to call in the morning and see if they will give us the other booking references.  I only had the one for the people that were staying over. 

If they do Loro and I will try to contact you with your booking reference.

I will also post it here.

If we are able to obtain it and you check in and print your boarding pass you can go straight through security to the gate because you are not checking bags.

If you check in online then please be at the airport by 1 pm and go ahead and go through security to the gate.

Right now it is saying gate D44.  Check the monitors to make sure the gate hasn't changed.

I hope it all works out this way so you don't have such a long wait.

Two Things

If you show up with nothing more than your passport and your ticket (and the clothes you have on) you can at least go.  If not, you are stuck here.

2 things!

Thanks!

A big thank you to those who were willing to swap seats with those in need!

I knew you would be gracious and I was right!