I was in a rather serious burnt-out state from the accumulated stress for the last few years. This last summer, I asked God to provide ways for me to be refreshed and renewed. In August I joined this tour, trusting it was one of God's ways in helping me.

God started with me before the trip - via the leaders of Chinese Christian On Watch, He urged me to pray. So I prayed. I saw God intervene in my workplace, in the health of Grace's (our tour-mate) father, and in my personal life. This movement of praying keeps going now even after the trip. God continues to urge me to trust Him in everything large and small and that I should seek His directions and input in all that I do and plan and worry about.

List of most impressive experiences during the trip:
The Wailing Wall - I joined other women (men and women separated there) in praying there touching the stones of the wall and praying and truly wailing. I grieved for the sin of the Jews in deserting God. I found the position (in the shadow of HIS cover, Ps 91) being the best position in the world. Whatever the noise, the busyness, the chaos there was around the Wall or in the outside world, I am in His embrace and it's safe and secure and it's all okay.

The Temple Mount - Once I stepped up to the ground where the mosque stood, I was deeply grieved by the destruction of God's temple, and the suffering of the Jewish people for more than 2000 years and their loss of their land and temple. I pray all Jews would return to God truly and will accept Yeshua soon.

St. Peter Primacy, at a similar site where Peter and some disciples had breakfast with the Lord after His resurrection and Peter was asked 3 times if he loved Him. I couldn't answer that question favourably myself. Peter could at least say he (philio, though not agape) loved Jesus. I picked a small rock from the shore to remember this place. My roommate in the tour had an artistic eye and she commented that the rock had a heart-shape (I am very thankful she pointed it out; I would not have noticed). Indeed I can see two hearts on this piece from different angles. Now the rock keeps bringing me back to that conversation with the Lord about love.

May the LORD bless you through this trip and also in every other way unimaginable.

Alice Yu