Day 5

There are no photos for our first activity this morning, just as there are no words to adequately describe it. We journeyed to Yardenit baptismal site, where we held a service of renewal of baptismal vows using the river Jordan.  No doubt individuals will share with you their experiences of this occasion, suffice to say - God met us.  Dawn and Steve both feel deeply privileged, humbled, and blessed to have been of part of this moment in people's lives.

 From Yardenit we travelled to Be'it Shaen -- one of the Roman cities of the Decapolis, and a powerful statement of imperial Roman might. Our guide, Nurit, explained the site which includes a bathhouse

 

And an early Christian baptismal pool

Steve then climbed these steps

To take this photo

As a favour to his Dad, who over many years has built up a series of "excavation in progress" of this site! However, he was not alone in this foolishness, in the midday sun, as these two madmen joined him on the climb...

And got a round of applause when we rejoined the group! From here we journeyed to the north shore of the Dead Sea, which we will be floating in on Monday, for a spot of lunch

After lunch we went to Bethany-beyond-Jordan (where I forgot to take photos-sorry!) and Wadi Kelt (ditto!) and on to Jerusalem, which feels as safe as any other city...some groups have been in this hotel for a few days before us and have not experienced any disruption whatsoever.  Our hotel has a rooftop terrace with views of the old city and the golden dome - honest(!) 

(It's between the two trees in the middle of the picture!)

Tomorrow we head to Bethlehem to do some souvenir shopping (send your requests now!) - but more importantly to visit the church if the nativity, and the shepherds fields.  We are also visiting the Bethlehem Arab Rehabilitaion Centre to learn of their work.

One last thing for this blog...Steve keeps being mistaken for a local wherever we go...and he's not sure why....?