A Day with the Living Stones

McKendree Students Pictured with Hope School Leaders

Today was a day given to the "living stones," a designation as to the people of the land. The term is used to remind the tourists not to visit only holy places and archaeological ruins but to interact with God's people, Jews and Christians.

Along our journey, we will meet with Palestinian Christians like today.  We will hear later from Jewish spokespersons.  This day we visited Bethlehem Bible College and Hope Secondary School

We met with representative leaders since school is out for the students.  In fact, today is Christmas for Orthodox Christians in Bethlehem.  They celebrate January 6th as their Christmas.

The leaders spoke of their mission to the Christian minority in the land.  While the description of the challenges to the teachers is portrayed as great, they confessed hope for the future and great faith in God to provide.

Bethlehem was also astir with the news of Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to the town.  He is in the country to monitor the progress of peace negotiations.

In the afternoon, we were transported to the Galilee.  We will be three nights in Tiberias on the sea.  More tomorrow from the lake country that Jesus walked and which became the center of His ministry.