We Arrived safely and hit the ground running. Instead of checking into our hotel we went directly from the airplane to the tour bus. First stop…the ancient seaport of Joppa. This is the same port Jonah fled to when he was running from the Lord. It was breath taking as we stood on the 1000 yr old streets looking out at the Mediterranean Sea listening to Paul Hopler re-tell the story of Jonah going overboard in the storm and the great fish swallowing him.
Of course, we also see Peter here at the end of Acts 9 when he raises Tabitha from the dead. This is also where Peter stayed with Simon the tanner and had his vision about the sheet coming down with unclean animals on it. From there Peter went to Caesarea to preach to Cornelious. So we did too (by bus).
We walked around one of Herod the Great’s biggest achievements, the port city of Caesarea. Where Peter realized that the Gospel was for all people. Where Paul was taken and kept under house arrest (Acts 23) and finally left for Rome.
Our guide is named Isaac and keeps us moving…”Come on Virginia” he has shouted all day. I don’t think we move quite fast enough for him. : )
We are 7 hrs ahead so this is all the future for you back home. We have finally checked in and for the first time since Monday morning…change clothes. Whew…what a whirlwind of blessings.
Keep praying. More later!