Farewell to Israel!

Today (Thursday) may be the last time I have access to a computer. The excavation office is packing up here at the kibbutz and moving to Jerusalem tomorrow. The dig season is over for Tel Rehov as of today. We have tomorrow and part of Saturday to wind down and get ready to fly back to the U.S. I think most people in our group are looking forward to coming home.

I just wanted to list a few insights and remembrances from our five weeks here in Israel. Some are duplications from my blogs, but others are things that stand out and will be forever remembered:

* Getting off the plane in Tel Aviv, marveling that we are actually in the Holy Land.
* Schlepping our luggage from the bus up a hill to JUC. No curbside service for us!
* JUC is on septic tank; that meant we could not put ANYTHING in the toilet...not even toilet paper!
* Walking the Jerusalem ramparts in the morning heat.
* Hezekiah's Tunnel - Amazing!
* Standing on Temple Mount - Wondrous!
* Jacob's Pizza - the best pizza in Jerusalem!
* Singing hymns a capella in the underground dwellings at Bet Guvrin Maresha.
* Getting to know the people in our group and the others who joined us on all our excursions.
* Floating in the Dead Sea and covering ourselves with Dead Sea mud.
* Pita, pita, and more pita!
* Singing and dancing on the boat as we crossed the Sea of Galilee.
* Witnessing a soon-to-be first-time mom (Jan, who was part of our group) standing next to the place where Jesus was born in Bethlehem - a poignant picture!
* Knok-Out ice cream bars - Awesome!
* Praying at the Western Wall on Shabbat.
* Worship night in the garden at JUC the last night we were all together before our group broke up to come home or go to other places of interest.
* Crashing after excavating from 5:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Statements made to our female students from vendors in the Old City in Jerusalem:
"Your husband is a lucky man!"
"You're worth 600 camels!"
"Excuse me, you dropped something...my heart!"
"You looking for a husband? Me! Me!"
And last, but certainly not least...."Come with me to my home in Hebron for 4 days and meet my family!" (He was enamored by 3 of our female students. Needless to say, the girls did not go with him!)

The students are thinking about the first thing they want to eat when they get back home. I'm yearning for an In N Out burger! So, be prepared to visit a fast food restaurant or something that has meat and cheese together (basically not found in Israel because they keep kosher).

As mentioned before, this has been a trip of a lifetime. We all took vast amounts of pictures, so also be prepared to peruse these pictures and listen to stories told. This was a life-changing trip and one that has helped us all grow in our faith and our relationships. God has been faithful to us and has walked with us throughout this amazing adventure. He is so good to us!

Blessings to each family represented. You have such amazing young adults! I love every one of them!!! I look forward to seeing them on campus next year or staying in contact through Facebook.

Shalom for the last time!

Bev