Ryan's Africa Trip

I know I haven't finished posting all my pics from Israel, but I started getting pics from Ryan's trip and didn't want to get too far behind.  So, here are some of the pictures I have from Ryan's trip to Zambia so far.  I don't have a description to go with them, but I included an email I received from him earlier describing his experience so far.

 I spent my whole day teaching computer classes. These people are so excited for what I am teaching them. They told me that computers are too expensive so they haven't been able to learn in the past. With some of the leaders of the organization I am teaching excel to help with budget management and such. The others I have to teach what a trackpad and mouse are. The whole concept is foreign to them. Try explaining what a file is to a person who doesn't know what the word file means. Tricky. These people keep asking Can we come back tomorrow and learn more?  Apparently I will be teaching a lot this week. I came to build playgrounds but God had a different use for me. The look of excitement on their faces when I am showing them stuff is priceless. 

Last night around 3 in the morning I swear there was a dog and a chicken fighting somewhere close. Quite the sound.

All the stuff you see on TV for stereotypical Africa is true. These people have nothing and praise God for everything. It is truly amazing. I have seen 3 kids with shoes since we have been here and I have seen hundreds of kids. Oh yeah and when I  am in town you would swear I was a unicorn or had legs coming out of my head with the way people look at me. It can be a little scary but the kids just want to touch you. Not sure about the adults, they just stare. Stare with no regard to staring. Everytime you stop the car for gas or a break people come from all around to check you out or try to sell you bananas. Lots of bananas. I lived off of bananas for the first day and a half here because I didn't want to eat anything else cause I felt bad.   

More stories to come

Love you all.

Ryan

Days 5 & 6 - In and Around Jerusalem

The birthday girl with her birthday cake just outside Mount Carmel

A beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea at Caesarea

Will bought Beth & me olive wood crosses.  Truly one of the sweetest boys I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Hezekiah's Tunnel in the City of David.  This was a long underground tunnel with water that we waded through.  It was pitch black so we had flashlights to get through it.  Very cool - one of my favorite moments on the trip.

In Bethlehem, we went to the Church of Nativity.  There was a cave inside with a star representing where Jesus may have been born (this is just a guess).

Herod built a palace called Herodian.  It was one of his greatest palaces and he was buried there.

The Western Wall.  The left side is for men, and the right side was for women.  We went up and prayed along this wall.  This is the closest point to the Holiest of Holies (where the original temple was built) that Jewish people can go, because they are not allowed on top of the Temple Mount where the original temple used to be (which now has the Dome of the Rock - I'll post pictures of this with Day 7).  When you finish praying on this wall, you back away all the way to the entrance as not to show disrespect by turning you back.

I ate what?!?!?

I just found out that brown piece of meat on the rice in this pic was cow tongue.  YUCK!!!

Day 4 - Family Pics

Will (Shan's son) is my replacement child, since my girls aren't here with me.

 Beth and I ready to fight at Tel Hazor.

Beth and I being adventurous by walking through a bunker at Tel Dan.  By the way, we were way to big to try to fit through this, not that this stopped us!

Good view at the Nimrud Fortress.  This place was awesome with lots of ruins & secret tunnel.  There were LOTS and LOTS of stairs.

Such good looking parents.

Pops looking at an ancient... toilet.  Ewww.

The top of the Nimrud Fortress.  Unfortunately we only had 20 minutes, so our tour guide said we didn't have enough time to make it to the top.

 Challenge accepted.... and boy was the view worth it!

Tomorrow we leave our hotel at the Sea of Galilee and head towards Jerusalem.  Hopefully, I'll have internet there as well.  We're having a wonderful trip - it's going by so fast already thought!

Day 4 - Shiver & Kitty

First, we visited Bethsaida, "House of Fishermen."  The first five disciples were fishermen from Bethsaida.  This is where Jesus fed 4,000 and healed the blindman. 

Next, we visited Tel Hazor.  I took a picture from the overlook point which was created to see enemies coming when they were up to 2 days away on foot.

Next, was Tel Dan.  The Dan Springs (in picture) feed into the Jordan River.   

Next was Caesarea Philippi/Banyas.  This is part of the Golan Heights.  The Banyas Spring also feeds into the Jordan River.  This is the location where Jesus asked Peter, "Who do you say I am?"

 Nimrud was a fortress built by Muslims to guard the road to Damascus.

Finally, we went to a point in Israel where we could see Syria.  That's Syria that you see in the background.  Don't worry, we were over 100 miles away from anything crazy, although we did hear gun fire in the distance.

Baptism Pictures

Here are the pictures of us getting baptized in the Jordan River yesterday.  First Pops

Then Mama

Me

And Beth

Day 3

Day 3 started off with a half hour drive to Cana.  We had a Church service with Arab Christians from the Christian Holy Land foundation.  We had communion, sang songs, and prayed together.  The sermon was in Arabic & translated into English

We each received  this communion cup as a gift.  What an incredible way to start off our trip!

Next, we isited the “Wedding Church”.  This was built to commemorate Jesus’ first miracle (turn water into wine). 

 For lunch, I ate the following:

We went to Nazareth and visited the following spring that dates far enough back that Mary & Jesus (as a small boy) would've gone here to get water.

Another church was built over where Mary was thought to live:

Next, we went to the Mount of Beatitudes.  You can't tell very well from this picture, but the slope on the hill forms a natural ampi-theater where the Sermon on the Mount was thought to occur:

Don't worry, I'm keeping Shivers & Kitty out of harm's way!

We finished off the day by going to Capernaum (where Jesus spent a majority of time and perfomed many miracles), followed by a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

All four of us decided to get "re-baptized" in the Jordan River.  So glad I decided to - what a wonderful experience to share with my family!  I'll post more pictures when I have the chance.  The internet here is sporadic and it takes a long time to upload photos.