DR. MARY SUE’S JOURNEY TO THE
MIDEAST PART 1
I will never forget my journey and the people I met, developed relationships with and places I walked, even where Jesus/Yeshua walked.
Day1- Long flight from New York JFK to Istanbul Turkey, 12 hours. With barely any sleep and less meals, ha. Arrived in Istanbul and immediately took a flight to Cairo, Egypt arriving at our hotel after a brief drive around Cairo. Cairo is a very impoverished city, even with all the beautiful sights of Giza Strip.
Day 2- We toured Sakkara, site of ancient idols, monuments etc. In the afternoon the pyramids. A highlight was walking, crawling down a narrow passageway to the heart of a pyramid.
Day 3- Giza strip, the Great Pyramid, and Sphinx. Highlight was the camel ride, much like a horse (I rode as a child) and in the afternoon the Egyptian Museum and relics of King Tut’s tomb. Especially interesting although I had to exit the museum quickly because of an ancient scroll which read, “Incantations, spell and rites for the dead.” I declared the name of Jesus/Yeshua in that museum and prayed that the Egyptian would come to know the true God, Yahweh, Yah. Jah or Yah (Hebrew: יה, Yah) is a short form of Yahweh (in consonantal spelling YHWH Hebrew: יהוה, called the Tetragrammaton), the proper name of God in the Hebrew Bible.
Instead Ancient Egyptians worshipped the sun god, Rah. Also interesting was the Ancient Egyptian word for Babylon. Baby- meaning talking and Lon another name for sun god.
That afternoon we took a plane ride instead of the proposed bus trip across the Sinai Desert. The exact route of the Hebrew children, due to previous reports of bombing of tour buses in that area. Needless, to say the Lord protected us.
Another highlight for me was being able to pray for our Egyptian security guard on the sidewalk coming back from the Pyramids. He allowed us, 2 Christian ladies, to lay hands on him and pray for an Egyptian Muslim man, what a miracle. He had tears in his eyes as we prayed.
Day 4- Amman Jordan. Petra- PETRA is a historical and archaeological city in southern Jordan. Petra lies on the slope of Jabal Al-Madbah in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of the Arabah valley that runs from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.Petra is believed to have been settled as early as 9,000 BC.
We walked 3 miles down into Petra over rough rock to view the ancient temple made from sandstone cliffs. Later that day I decided I was too tired to walk back up and was waiting on our group to come back, I had sit down to wait on the group to catch a carriage ride back up the mountain. Time passed, and afternoon set in to shadows, no group. EvidentIy, I missed them and decided to catch a ride myself. The only problem was they wanted $40, of course, they were taking advantage of an older woman alone. I bargained with them and finally got a ride for $20. This was a carriage ride from Hades!! We were too light for the carriage and I bounced all over the place which shook every joint and bone in my body! But I didn’t miss the bus and was shaken for the rest of the day. The Lord protected me though and I didn’t bounce out, thank God!!
There were gale force winds on Mt. Nebo and they blew me several feet until my friend, Juan, literally caught me. God showed me he was in the wind, His mighty power! It blew me but did not blow me off the mountain. His Spirit is like a gentle wind, blowing us but always protecting us!
Being the cat lover I am, a cat befriended me looking for shelter from the wind.
Blessings, Dr. Mary Sue
Day 6- Jordan Rivers baptismal service and Dead Sea swimming. We visited the Israeli side of the Jordan River and many in our group were baptized there. They said the water was cold!! I may have my days mixed up but another highlight was our Dead Sea trip. We viewed the tombs where the Dead Sea scrolls were found and swam, floated in the muddy, grey salt and mineral infested Dead Sea. Such a delight! I took this pic myself, I’m not in the pic, you wouldn’t have wanted to see me in my swimsuit, ha! That was where I purchased a number of gifts to take home, dead sea mud, dead sea salt, scrubs, soap, table salt. I’ve already used the mud before bath, nothing hurts afterward!! All of nature cries out.” I am the Lord who heals you!!” Exodus 15: 26; 1 Pet. 2:24 And He said, "If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will not allow any of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer." “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.”
Day 7- Garden of Gethsemane ,Old City Jerusalem, Temple Mount and Masada- The garden of Gethsemane was another highlight of mine. I didn't feel the agony that Jesus went through because he said. "It is finished." All I felt was peace. We visited the old city, Christian section of Jerusalem and the destruction site of he 2nd temple along with the wailing wall, sectioned off for males on one side and females on the other. There were boards separating part of the wall where Orthodox Jews were praying. I was reminded of Paul’s quote in Ephesians. Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
Day 8- Bethlehem, Jericho, Jerusalem- Via Dolorosa- I know I have the days mixed up now. I misplaced my notes. Anyway, we visited the big city, not the little town of Bethlehem, to view the birthplace of Jesus housed in the Church of Nativity Long lines, not my fav, but always interesting. Jericho is the oldest city in the world, located in Palestine, many shops and prices were much cheaper! I bought several gifts there as well.
The Via Dolorosa was crowded and a narrow street with the sites that Jesus stumbled numbered. I was moved but I kept hearing in my spirit, “All the agony, suffering is over!” There was only peace for me. It was very cold and rainy that day; we ate in a street restaurant, lamb kabobs and pita and hummus, of course! Trying my hand at making homemade pita bread and hummus today.
I declared the peace of Jerusalem everywhere I went that day! All I felt was peace. Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost!
I know I’m leaving out much for space sake. Mt. of Olives, overlooking Jerusalem, Mt. of Beatitudes
Mt. Horeb, etc.
Days 9-10 Flight from Tel a Viv to Istanbul and then to New York. Stayed 2 extra night in New York to recuperate.
Reflections and Acknowledgements:
To Apostle Cynthia and Pastor Joyce: for their prayers, counseling and mentorship during our trip. Our times of fellowship, laughing and just enjoying each other!
I am not
crying here, just laughing hysterically!
To Juan: for his assistance in walking and catching me on Mt. Nebo, mostly for just being my friend.
To Carol: my seatmate on the bus. And fellow retired teacher. Our long talks were stimulating! She was my interpreter as well, lol.
To Charlie: for being my ears and keeping me on track. I did get us through the airports much to my surprise!
To Dr. Ross: for his mentorship and sense of humor which I soon learned
To Pastor Ron: my seat mate for much of the trip. Our theological discussions were interesting to say the least!
To Faye, Clarence and Cameron: I love you guys! So encouraging. I enjoyed our conversation as well. Faye was also very helpful to me.
To Marcie: my walking example
To Becky and Paul: younger version and Dave and me, so full of life and encouragement, an example for me.
First and Foremost Holy Spirit who was my
comforter, guide, showing me the peace that was over this land. Angelic
visitations were very frequent as I pondered in my heart. This place and its
people are Protected, Shielded…. i.e. guaranteed, guarded, preserved,
secured, cherished, defended, ensconced, fostered, harbored, safeguarded,
shaded, cared for, immune, safe.
Leaving you with this: I’ve Just Seen Jesus Sandi Patti and
Larnell Harris
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=crmas&p=sandi+patti+larnell+harris+via+dolorosa#id=3&vid=7e5364c5a5764c51426a7b88bb38398d&action=clickThe places we visited were interesting, but I enjoyed the most the people I met, the friendships I developed. A reminder to me as I say a lot. “Yes, Israel is a land but also a land and a people.” As Paul so well described in his epistles.
1 Corinthians 12:13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Eph. 2:19 Then, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God,
Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Blessings,
Dr. Mary Sue
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