Israel and Jordon Tour: Day14

Today was meant to be a free day, but because the next two days were to be very busy we made some visits from the itinerary this morning. Paul read from John ... "The people living in darkness have seen a great light" ... as we drove to Capernaum on the shores of The Sea of Galilee where Jesus started his public ministry. We saw the ruins of an ancient synagogue where Jesus is believed to have taught. This is next to "Peter's House" where Jesus performed two miracles - Luke 4, 38 & 39 where he healed Peter's mother-in-law and also where he healed the paralysed man who was let down through the roof by his friends because there was a crowd outside.

We crossed into the Golan Heights which Israel occupied after the Six-day War in 1967. When Israel was excavating for a new road at Kursi (at Gergesa) they discovered mosaics and then substantial remains of a Byzantine church from the sixth century. This is supposed to be where Jesus cast out the legion of demons from the man with the impure spirit who lived in the tombs (which we saw on the hill) - and the demons entered the pigs who ran down the hill into the Sea of Galilee. (Paul read from Mark 4). We climbed the hill for wonderful views over the Sea if Galilee.

On return to our Kibbutz accommodation we dropped Phil and Carol at Tiberius for Phil to try and find where he stayed in 1978. On arrival at the Kibbutz we had driven all the way around the Sea of Galilee.

This afternoon Phil Mercer conducted the baptism of one of our party - Margaret - in the Sea of Galilee, a moving and unique experience for all of us.