The theme of the day seemed to be “stories of trying times” or the “struggle for faithfulness”...

For Tom and Jen, members of the group who were left behind in Jerusalem while they ran for a quick coffee (oops/sorry/we learned to count heads and not assume)…

For the people who made a choice for death on Masada…

For David who hid from Saul in the days when he was hunting him but did not take advantage of him while near En Gedi – Read Psalm 18…

For two Palestinian Christians that told stories of families losing long held property during the coming to nationhood by Israel in 1948, were treated unfairly by the laws of the land but want badly to see a peace in the land that is grounded in the Prince of Peace…

We also did the Dead Sea Bob but that wasn’t really much of a struggle to be honest and had little to do with faithfulness – it was however quite fun!

Tomorrow we leave Bethlehem and head toward Galilee.