It was the most amazing trip! “Enjoyable experience” does not even begin to describe how totally amazing it was! Where to begin? To walk where our Lord walked. Enjoying the fellowship of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Sharing in the expressions of our love for the Lord with the Torah ceremonies and scripture readings. Again, amazing!

How does one even begin to describe Moshe the Teacher? I know now why several of the tour members carried digital recorders with them. As one of Moshe’s students, you want to soak up every word and not miss one syllable. He makes it all so real, not just with lectures, but with hands-on experience. Everything from crawling around in tunnels underneath Jerusalem, to actually teaching us how the various tools and equipment worked (like the wine press and olive press and grinding wheat and the heart shaped boat anchors), to riding a camel on the Ancient Spice Route. His passion for the Lord is contagious! The Bible seems so much more real now. I read the scriptures like stories and can visualize the people and places and actions much more clearly. I want to know the “whole story“ , if that makes any sense. I think special mention should be made of our bus driver Sami. He did magical things with that bus! Who knew that a tour bus could be considered an “all terrain vehicle”? And he took such good care of all of us and made us all feel very special. There are not words enough to describe what this trip has meant to me. Each day of the trip was more exciting and more memorable that the day before. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, it did! I can’t wait to do it again! Being a soldier in Moshe’s Army for the Lord is the only way to see Israel!

We’ve read about these places and studied them all of our life and have even taught others about it, and to actually be there and being in the places where the Bible took place was an incredible experience. When you’re at the Sea of Galilee, you’re right there on the shore and Jesus was right there on the shore. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. There was a lot of old, old ancient ruins where the Bible took place and you’re actually walking right in that area. To be a pastor and to go there and see it, I think the difference it made for me was you read about those places, but you don’t know what they look like, where they’re at, what topography it has and after being there, when I read the city name, like Nazareth, I can picture it on the hill where it sits. It just brings it out, how far places were from one another when you read about Jesus going from this place to that place or David going from this place to that place, you can picture how far they had to walk. It’s instant whenever I read the name of the city I’ve been to, I picture it and it just brings it right out so it’s easier to describe to people what it looked like, how far it was, how long it took them to travel, it just makes a difference. I think that’s the thing I drew away from most, the picturing it and knowing.

Hi Sir Byron, My memories of Israel are refreshed by just reading this. Thanks for sharing it, Sir. We love you, ma’am Tammy and the Father’s House family. Indeed, the impact of that trip with the FH (January of 2010) is still fresh and unforgettable. The zeal, the vision, focus and purpose is unquenched even up to this very day. We are committed to do the main thing God called us to do, which is to love Him with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves and to teach God’s commands diligently to our children and to our children’s children. Simple, but this truth never came to life within me, no not until we went to the Holy Land and received great spiritual treasures beyond words. I can go on and on, but I still don’t know how to describe God’s amazing grace. So let me just say again, thank you Father’s House Educational Foundation for obeying God’s call and vision. You are strengthening the under-shepherds that God called to full-time ministry in helping, training the saints, and advancing His cause. Hallelujah! -Bro Armand V

We took quite a group from our church and never felt unsafe. We never saw not one tank or anything. We never saw convoys or anyone getting ready for anything. I have felt more uncomfortable in some parts of Denver than I did in Israel. I know more than ever that the roots of Christianity are there. I understand that it is important for us to know that our Christian heritage is there. Everything came through Israel. That is the nation God chose to manifest Himself and His plan. It was an honor to be walking on that land and learn. It was a tremendous time, a great education.

I just keep thinking how I can read the Bible in color now! Being able to “picture” it will change my relationship with God. Also gave me such a hunger to grow in my walk! Thanks for everything. What an amazing time!

After serving in the pastorate for 33 years, I wish that I had gone to Israel 20 years earlier. The Old Testament and the Gospels became crystal clear concerning the plan of God for His people. In fact, everything now is not only clear, but alive. I am aware today that it is not only about what has happened, but about what is happening now. If you have the opportunity to go, do not delay!

People say, What’s your highlight? The whole trip from morning to afternoon to evening was so full of God, so full of His wonderful land. It was all the highlight. Now I can see that the land, the wilderness used properly can bless abundantly. The dates that grow in California might produce 40 kilos, but in the wilderness in Israel the same trees can produce 400 kilos. On the Sea of Galilee it was exposed to me that there was good in the wilderness and we are in a wilderness experience right now with a granddaughter. But there is good in the wilderness because God is there. He will bless it abundantly.