Leaders Make it Possible - Testimonies from Missouri

Lizz W. shares a portion of her experience in the Holy Land and how great tour hosts, guides and everyone in the background at EO make this a trip of a lifetime.

“Looking back on things now, about a month later, I cannot believe that I was really there. I really enjoyed meeting the group from North Carolina and Florida! You know, I did this trip in honor of my mother, Sue and I think one of my favorite moments—if I REALLY have to pick one—was taking the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. . .

Thank you John and Terri for this chance of a lifetime!

I read the Bible now and sometimes will come across a passage that mentions an area where we were and I think, “Oh yeah! I was there!”

Thank you to Mike, Eunnis and all the people at E.O., and all the others who made this possible for us to enjoy our pilgrimage to the Holy Land! . . . Looking forward to one day returning!!”

— Lizz W.

New Friendships - Testimonies from Missouri

James S. shares how he and his wife, Elaine, found new friends across states even though this is his third trip to the Holy Land.

“Our Holy Land Trip 2016 was very special! For us, we were able to visit our favorite places from our previous two trips to the Holy Land as well as see and experience new places!

Our group was an awesome group of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! We were able to create new friendships and share special “Holy Spirit” moments together. Besides our St. Joseph/Kansas City friends, I really enjoyed our group of new friends from North Carolina! This pilgrimage was very special in sharing the presence of Jesus in our hearts as well as the places we experienced together.”

— James S.

Being Home Makes Being There a Reality - Testimonies from Missouri

Linda M. explains how her trip didn't settle in until after she came home. Enjoy her full testimony below as the Testimonies from Missouri continue.

“I was glad to go to Israel, and after two weeks - glad to come home! In many ways the trip was as I always thought it would be and in other ways nothing I could have imagined. I was not so touched to be actually there as I have been now at home to know that I WAS there, if that makes any sense. I have loved looking at my pictures, reviewing where we traveled, reading the Bible and recognizing places and seeing them with my “soul eyes.” I loved experiencing all the different aspects of the trip - bonding with old friends, enjoying new relationships, meeting many new people and people groups; grasping an understanding a bit of the typography and geography of the region, the politics and religious diversity. I loved the busy market, the arid and windy wilderness, the damp and confining tunnels, the salty sea, the calm and warmth of the Sea of Galilee, the majesty of Mt. Hermon, the gnarled trees of Gethsemane, and the panoramic views everywhere!

And of course, there was Jerusalem itself with its busy market, walls, gates, quarters, sights and sounds so different from where we live. I thought of this song many times when we were in Israel and it pretty much sums it up:

”I walked today where Jesus walked in days of long ago.
I wandered down each path he knew with reverent step and slow;
I walked today where Jesus walked and felt his presence there.”

Thanks Terri and John for encouraging us to go and leading the way. I really enjoyed Mike, as I’m sure we all did. So glad to have had this experience and share it with all our new and old friends!!”

— Linda M.

Testimonies from Missouri - Stayed with Great Tour Hosts and Tour Guide

Rev. Ray G. shares how his trip to the Holy Land this year was still exciting to see after his first trip 28 years ago.

“I very much enjoyed my trip to the Holy Land. I had gone there 28 years ago and not too much has changed since then: the Western Wall, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, drinking from Jacob’s Well, the Garden of Gethsemane, the tomb next to the Skull, the Essenes’ cave where the scrolls were found, and the City of Jerusalem. Still, it was exciting seeing all of this again.

On this trip, while walking up the hill of Jericho, I must have thought I heard the trumpet of Joshua blaring out, because I went tumbling down. Nice people on our trip helped me up. I appreciated that!

On the negative side, adjusting to jet lag was hard for me. Maybe being 28 years older made a difference!

I want to thank our good leaders: Terri, John and our guide Mike. All of them were great. I felt safe while I was there. And I appreciate all of the good people I met on the trip. (Also, this time I found that you can’t make a microwave oven out of a room safe!)”

— Rev. Ray G.

Testimonies from Missouri - Dream Come True

We are continuing to share testimonies from Brookdale Presbyterian Church who traveled to the Holy Land in March 2016. Kim C. tells how this trip was a dream come true for her.

“Our journey to the Holy Land was a dream come true for me in that for years I had wanted to go and see, hear, and be present to where Jesus walked in his own ministry. I was not prepared for how incredible the pilgrimage could truly be.

I was touched in every part of my sensitivities and thinking of how awesome this Sacred Story is as it became unveiled for us each new day. It was very meaningful to me to be asked to read scripture before we entered the Upper Room. I felt God wanted me to have a new awakening to the meaning of this event for the benefit of others as well as myself and I hope that will be reflected in time in my ministry.

The Sea of Galilee captured by heart and senses and gave me such a visual of the area in which Jesus did much of his ministry. Also, I was touched deeply in reading scripture at the Garden of Gethsemane and God’s Spirit affirmed to me that Jesus’ “nevertheless” faith of going forward, even if the way is difficult, has already given me new strength and insight for ministry.
Every sight, every moment, every day with friends with such devotion to the gospel message has encouraged my own faith. Mike was a gift in just the person he was created to be in being our guide and friend on our pilgrimage.

The final touching moment possibly for me was when we sensed being “a family of friends” on the street corner of Jaffa. Having seen John in such pain in the last hours of our journey, our compassion captured us together to offer a prayer of comfort for John, each praying in his own heart and with tender hands stretched towards him for his comfort and peace as words were said over him. In a few short hours John was able to get the medications he needed and his body responded to attain some comfort. In the hard labors of days of walking, climbing and touring, relief could have been delayed by the extreme stresses to his body but John received the blessing of his body responding to the medication and stages of relief came to him to endure the long flight home. Praise God.

I will be forever grateful to John and Terri Lansbury for their hospitality and guidance in this tour. I will be forever grateful for the new friends in faith we have made. I will be forever grateful for the grace of God’s Spirit who has changed my life forever through this experience.”

— Kim C.