Our motor coach followed the Mediterranean coastline north to the Stella Maris Church near Mount Carmel, where I shared from 1 Kings 18:1-39, the story of Elijah calling upon God to reveal his power.

Then we headed up to Mount Carmel to learn about Jezebel from 1 Kings 21:1-16 and 2 Kings 9:30-37, while looking down on the Jezreel Valley from the roof of a Carmelite Monastery. Definitely a HIGH point, in more ways than one. Wow, what a view!

Lunch was at a Druze village home, where we heard about a most unusual religious sect, and ate another wonderful Mediterranean meal. And more yummus.

Then we continued to Cana, and then on to Nazareth Village, which was a terrific reconstruction of ancient Nazareth, complete with a carpenter…

…and a shepherd dressed in appropriate garb and accompanied by appropriate sheep.

At Nazareth Village I taught on Mary’s visit from the angel, found in Luke 1:26-38, and they presented each of us with a small clay oil lamp, commonly used in Israel of old. As night fell, we visited the beautiful Church of the Annunciation.

Then off we went to enjoy a Saint Peter’s fish dinner by the Sea of Galilee, before lodging that night at a kibbutz in Tiberias. It looked like any other hotel, until I noticed the thin metal box on my doorpost: a mezuzah, with verses from the Hebrew Bible tucked inside, in obedience to this command: “Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:9

Needless to say, we all slept like logs, never imagining what wonders the next day would hold…