This post marks day 10 of our biblical journey with the Church. It was part of the Hope and Grace TBN Israel tour 2018 with Pastor Joseph Prince and Pastor Joel Osteen.
Mount Scopus
Finally, we have come to the last day of our trip. It was a bitter-sweet ending as I enjoyed the trip, but I’m missing my bed, Sam and my family. I was also craving for home cooked food and all the local delicacies available back home. It was time for us to head home and I can’t wait to board the plane and fly home too. This biblical journey to Israel has been incredible and eye-opening. The battle is real, but this trip also made me realised how omnipotent God is and how loving He is. He has blessed us throughout the trip – making sure that we are safe and sound. Everything went smoothly, and I have no complaints.
At Mount Scopus, we caught the last breathtaking paranomic view of Jerusalem before we left the city for Joppa. On our last day, we bid goodbyes to our new friends we met during this trip.
Our Guide, Kiki
Kiki has been the most responsible and motherly tour guide to us. She ensures that we are well-informed of each attraction we’ve been too. Her sense of humour helps to lighten up any tense situations. She’s been patient with us, and her dedication towards her job is applaudable.
Our Bus Driver, Harlot
Harlot is our big friendly giant. He may look fierce and tough, but he is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet in Israel. When someone took our parking space, he got angry with the other bus driver and almost wanted to pick up a fight with him. He tried his very best to drive safely and bring us to our destinations on time. When one of our sisters-in-christ got lost at Tel Meggido, he asked us not to panic and remained optimistic. When we found her, he broke into a smile. Now, that’s our bus driver.
Lunch at Malcha Market
Lunch was special. We were given meal coupons where we can choose what we want to eat at Malcha Market. There are several food stalls at Malcha Market, and we could use our meal coupons to exchange for a meal. Since this would be my second last meal in Israel, I thought I should go for something local. I got a falafel wrapped in a pita. It comes with a packet of fries and a drink. It was delicious, but I was so full as we just had breakfast that day. Malcha Market is located at Malcha Mall in Jerusalem.
Daily Scripture Reading
Our guide would bring her Bible along to every attraction, and she believes that it contains all the geographical information of Israel in it. After she has explained the history of each location, our church leader would take over and read our relevant scriptures. She would like us to draw biblical references relating to the site so that we have a better understanding of how each story in the Bible unfolds. Through this, we would also be able to understand the heart of God. That was the very last scripture she read before we head over to Joppa for a short city tour and dinner.
Joppa (City of Jaffa)
Joppa is also known as the city of Jappa. Like any other cities around the world, it is modern and well-connected with the rest of the world. It is a charming city to walk around.
Joppa is best known for the story of Jonah. This was where Jonah boarded a ship to Tarshish instead when he was told to go to Nineveh. Joppa is also the city where Peter stayed at the house of Simon, the Tanner.
There was a video crew filming a singer dancing for a music video. Perhaps, we might appear in the music video too?
St. Peter’s Church at Jaffa
Within Joppa, there’s a Franciscan church close to the sea. The church interior is reminiscent of cathedrals in Europe, with a high-vaulted ceiling, coloured-stained glass, and marble walls. It was pretty spectacular.
Dinner at Saint George Restaurant
We had fish kebab for dinner with the usual cold side dishes. The fish came with a mountain of fragrant rice. The meal was quite filling, and it’s our very last meal before we fly back to Singapore.
Ben-Gurion International Airport
Ben-Gurion International Airport is pretty neat. It has a good mix of duty-free shops selling mostly the local produce such as dates and figs. I bought a packet of halva before boarding the plane. Before you leave the country, there is another round of security checks, and we were told that it is best not to leave your check-in luggage locked as they would still screen through your bags.
That marks the end of my ten days Israel trip. Would I revisit Israel? Yes! But I would visit Israel on my own or with a group of friends. It is still more enjoyable travelling on your own and exploring the city at your own pace. And thank God for the blessed trip.
That’s a typical day for us in Israel during our biblical tour with Sar-El. Do check out for the next blog post as we unravel the other interesting sites in Jerusalem! Or you can visit my main blog post on Israel to have a look at our tour itinerary.
