A trip to Israel is a right of passage for any Christian. An opportunity to encounter the roots of their Biblical faith first-hand.
On the invite from a family friend, who was being honoured at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, it was a dream my parents made a reality in 2010. My dad said, “It was far beyond what I had imagined even after seeing sites on the net, reading books, etc.”
These are some of the photos from their first and only trip to Israel.
This summer my oldest son will get his own chance to experience the complex landscape of modern-day Israel. Quinton was nominated by professors in his Political Science program at Trinity Western University, as a “Christian University Student with Leadership Potential,” to spend almost 2 weeks in The Holy Land. The program (Passages Israel) selects a group of students from across Canada and the United States. They will connect with the Biblical roots of their Christian faith, a pilgrimage… and walk in the footsteps of King David, the prophets, Jesus, the disciples, and the people who live in Israel today.
They’ll visit foundational Biblical sites such as old Jerusalem, the Garden of Gethsemane, places on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus spoke, and swim in the Dead Sea. They’ll get to see Biblical passages come alive! He’ll get to meet with a diverse group of speakers; local religious and political leaders and others, to help share the Israeli culture, government, and economy. The group will listen to lectures from Israeli and Palestinian political representatives, visiting Parliament and the Supreme Court. While they’re there, they’ll also visit the borders of Syria and Jordan.
This is an experience of a lifetime!
When we encounter a different culture, our perspective grows. We can’t help but come away forever changed. This is why we encourage our kids (and our church) to get involved in mission trips; locally and around the world. This will be Quinton’s third mission trip in his short 19 years of life. His first trip was to Lima, Peru at the age of 12.
It’s not a coincidence that the Scripture verse we believe God gave us when I was in my first trimester with Quinton was 1 Kings 5:7. It’s a verse we clung to as an anchor when the storms, challenges, and trials came after our first ultrasound. Quinton is a miracle and he is living this out!
“Praise the Lord today! He has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation [Israel]!”
