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| Jordan is the bottom right country :) |
We began the journey with a bit of rain, but just as we were heading to our first stop, about half way from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, we were astounded to see this beautiful rainbow - and not just a rainbow, but it was a double rainbow - and we could see the entire arch where each end met the earth! Then, if this experience couldn't get any better, we could actually see the rainbow hit the ground! This was a first for most of us. This picture certainly doesn't do it justice.....
Our first stop was Latrun, the Armored Corps’ Memorial Site. If only one memory of this visit was to be shared, it would be what the soldier told us about the Israeli built tanks. He said the difference between the Israeli built tanks and most in the world is the placement of the engine. Most tanks are built with the engine in the back to protect the engine if hit from the front. The Israeli built tank has the engine built in the front - to protect the soldiers, which are in the back. Wow.
An original flag from during the Yom Kippur War.
A bit of beauty at the Memorial.
Next we went to the Biblical Gardens.
Most people don't have time to go there when they visit, but we thought it was great!
Grape vines.
Almonds growing.
Inside the casing of the almond.
Pomegranates - yum!
Figs.
Ants bringing in the harvest. :)
We had a few more stops that day, then headed to our hostel near the Lebanon border, close to the Mediterranean Sea. The next morning we travelled to the coast to the northern most point in Israel bordering the Sea - Rosh Hanikra. http://www.rosh-hanikra.com/default.asp?lan=eng
We took a cable car down to go inside the water caves.
Inside one of the caves looking toward the Sea.
When we left we saw this Naval ship.
While traveling on the bus with our 30 other companions, we came across these storks migrating through Israel. Israel's Hula Valley is a HUGE migrating spot for many birds from Europe, Asia and Africa. We hope to go visit there during the spring or fall to experience this.
We then went to the Tel Dan reserve near Metulla
in the far north of Israel near the Lebanon border.
Because of the abundance of rain and the snow this past January still melting from Mount Hermon, the rivers in the north are flowing rapidly!
Here is the first of several lizard pictures we took :)
An old outpost near the border.
From the northern most point of the national park, you can view this city that borders Lebanon. It is not really Lebanon or Israel - kind of stuck in the middle....
Another lizard :)
And another....
This is an ancient Canaanite gate from the time of Abraham. It is believed that when Abraham travelled to this region from the north, he would have come through this gate. Imagine...THIS is walking in the steps of our forefathers.....
Next, our guide took us to a border fence with Lebanon where a memorial is set up.
On the other side of the above fence, Lebanon and Hezbollah (an Iran-sponsored terror organization) have planted their flags as close to the Israeli border as they can.
This was taken through the fence towards the flags at the end of the road.
We next drove to a viewpoint above where we could easily see the border.
The town is Metula, and all around to the north is Lebanon.
In the picture below (Metula, Israel in the front and Lebanon behind), the flags (although you can't see them) are on the right side-middle, where the road turns southwest toward Metula (this is the dirt road from the other picture).
We then went to another memorial that had these
remains of a rocket from the 2nd Lebanese War.
A bit of beauty at the memorial.
Statue of a Lion (of Judah) roaring at the memorial.
Next day....another lizard!
A trip well worth it to the falls!
This isn't the best picture of the falls,
but the spray was so hard due to the abundance of water!!!
Banias Springs - we've never seen it SO GREEN!!!
Where the two rivers meet - wow, that's a lot of force!
(video below)
Praise God for all this much needed water!!
Holy cow!! Everyone is grateful for the water!
Next we drove to the Syrian border. Syria used to control the Golan Heights before Israel gained it in the 1967 Six Day War.
Former Syrian officers' quarters.
If you click on this picture, you will see the Syrian flag in the center just above the tree line.
UN controlled demilitarized zoned.
Close up of UN compound.
The Syrians have said that if Israel was to attack this area, they would open the dam to the lake therefore, flooding the whole area making it difficult to advance - including the Syrian city of Kuneitra.
As we continued south, we drove by the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).
It's amazing to see how high the lake has risen with all the winter rains!!
On the south side of the Kinneret looking east.
Our last main stop of the trip was at the national park of Bet She'an. This place has more history than we can go into, so here's a link:
From atop the Tel. Only Jim walked up - it was real hot and sunny....
Video from the top.
Driving south in the Jordan Valley towards Jerusalem - looking toward Jordan.
The cities in the distance are Jordan.
Video looking toward Jordan. You can see the border fence.
Border fence between Israel and Jordan.
Sheep :)
Date Palms.
Our last stop for the day - a potty break that also offers camel rides :)
While we continue to hear of "wars and rumors of wars", it was good for us to go to the borders for ourselves, to see and to pray. We are in this Land to support Israel's right to be here, and we pray as a staff each week for Her, and Her borders.
Even just last week, when during our prayer time for Israel, Linda felt led to pray specifically for not just the political borders (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt), but for the "border" with the Mediterranean Sea. Many times this is a "border forgotten. Then, on Thursday, we heard of the Israel Air Force having to shoot down a hostile unmanned drone from Lebanon (Hezbollah) 5 miles west of Haifa in the Mediterranean. Our prayers are not in vain.
It was also confirmed last week that Syrian government has used chemical weapons on those opposing them in this 2 year old civil war. Several times the effects of this have spilled over into the Golan Heights. http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Hagel-US-believes-Syrian-govt-used-some-chemical-weapons-311125
Again, less than 2 weeks ago, 2 rockets landed in Eilat, Israel (at the Red Sea) from the Egyptian Sinai. http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Islamist-militant-group-claims-Eilat-rocket-responsibility-310059
But we can honestly say - with all certainty - that no matter how dark things look in the natural, we know that God is watching over Israel -
We have His Promise!!!
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