“Shalom Shalom!”

“Shalom Shalom!” as one of our tour guides Ronen would say.

After a few days of travel, Heartland Camp’s 2019 trip to Israel has begun! Let’s start by introducing our travelers:

Emma Norwood
Lawrence, KS

What are you most excited about during your stay in Israel?

I am most excited to see history alive. Whenever I discover more context about the Bible it brings a new depth to my faith. I am excited to be able to bring more meaning to the names of places and people in both the familiar and unfamiliar Bible stories through the Holy Land of Israel.

Wyatt Tate
Hopkins, Missouri

What are you most excited about during your stay in Israel?

I am most excited to visit Jerusalem.

Drew Renollet
Prosser, WA

What are you most excited about during your stay in Israel?

I am most excited to be able to put images to the Bible stories that I have grown up learning about.

Halle Ri’chard
Las Vegas, Nevada

What are you most excited about during your stay in Israel?

I am uber excited to go float in the Dead Sea.

Sarah Windeknecht
Savannah, GA

What are you most excited about during your stay in Israel?

I am most excited about being able to put pictures to the Word.

Julie Barthel
Kearney, MO

What are you most excited about during your stay in Israel?

For this trip to Israel, I am excited to see the sights that Jesus has seen and walked by. It’s all too surreal. However, on a more specific note, I am stoked to float in the Dead Sea!

Ellice Mitchell
Maryville, MO

What are you most excited about during your stay in Israel?

I am most excited about visiting Jerusalem. Specifically I am looking forward to seeing the wailing wall.

We first met everyone from our tour group as we stepped foot in the Tel Aviv Airport. We have an exceptional team of leaders, from our bus driver to the tour coordinator. Additionally, we are in a group with 50 wonderful ministry workers from across the United States. For this, I am especially grateful. Each moment spent with them has brought encouragement, faithful conversations, and energy to our trip.

As we met more and more people the question of why does Heartland choose to send their interns on a trip to Israel seemed to pop up. For me, the answer was clear the moment we stepped foot on our first site a garden near Kiriath Jearim in the mountains of Judea. This was an opportunity to bring our faith to life in an entirely new way. It is an opportunity for us to learn how the geography of the land is a part of God’s promise and how the knowledge of Jewish traditions bring a whole new perspective on the miracles, words, and actions during the life of Christ. The internship exists in part to provide a year of discernment through the faith experience of camp ministry and I cannot think of a greater way to bring discernment than spending two weeks in the Holy Land, worshipping and learning more about the Lord and those who love Him.

Before I sign off I want to ask for prayers of safety and our alertness to the presence of the Lord as we continue on to the second full day of our trip. If you gave financially or have supported this trip in prayer I want to say thank you. This experience has already brought excitement and awe to each person whether it was joyful noises in response to picking a rock at the site of David and Goliath or the echoes of worship through limestone quarries.

Shalom Shalom

Emma Norwood