Lumi!

There's nothing like coming back to the office and to be welcomed back by Lumi. Ahh Lumi! She is the sweetest soul I know, and a very crucial member of our team here. I don't know what I would do without her. She has such a heart for Israel and such a heart for people in general. When you call LeSEA Tours, you will most likely be greeted by Lumi's beautiful Romanian accent. She will answer all your questions and guide you thru the easy steps of your journey. She will cry when you cry, laugh when you laugh and after you hang up, she will usually say a quiet prayer for you. She is all about love and we indeed love HER!

Thank you for all you do Lumi!

Kim

"Remember when...?"

“It’s hard to leave.” I said sadly to Daniela our Israeli hostess and friend as we waited outside the hotel for the luggage to get put under the bus. A handful of us stood on the side walk, stalling to board the bus until the very last minute. Horns are honking, a dog barking, a warm breeze on our cheeks, and a hint of exhaust drifting over from the street nearby, people walking – Absorbing our surroundings. I bet each of us was vowing silently not to forget this moment. I know I was.

Air travel is the greatest invention! I’m drinking coffee 37,000 feet above the ground. My body is moving at 535 mph and outside my window its -83 degrees. How is this all possible and do I really want to know all these details because it kind of freaks me out! There is 4 hours and 19 minutes to our destination. (Newark) I’ve been watching the tracking map that Continental displays through-out the flight. I watched it a week ago too, but this time I notice that I have a different feeling.

Reyklavink. That’s the city that I see on the map now. Iceland is not far from us. I watched as we flew over Athens, Rome, Berlin and London and wondered what life was like for them. Do they know Jesus?

I had such a wonderful time, met the greatest people, walking the steps of Christ! It’s so bittersweet to leave! I was really excited to hear that Frank gathered everyone’s email/snail mail information and is planning to keep everyone in contact with each other. I also heard the excitement of many people who are planning to return…some are planning another trip this year!

February, June and November every year… I’ll be there and hope you will too! A big fear I have for myself and others is “living with regret”. Lumi and I talk to so many people on a daily basis who we hear in their voice the passion to visit Israel. It’s strong, it’s emotional and they are so hopeful that they will get there someday. I pray that each of you who have yearning in your heart to visit Israel will listen to it…pray about it. God placed it there. He wants you to come, visit, and draw closer to Him in this land… This is where God chose for His son to be born… and for Him to die on the cross for us. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…because it is so true… You will never be the same. Don’t wait too long to do something about that feeling you have in your gut. Life is shorter than we expect sometimes. God wants you to live a full and blessed life. I am thinking about Amy, Derrick, Jessica and Lake right now. This is a family who came this week and will be talking about this trip for the rest of their lives! What a bond, what a family vacation to change the dynamics for the good in each of their relationships. “Jessica, remember when we rode a boat on the Sea of Galilee…?”

What a trip.

With a big sigh,
Kim





Hey, is anyone out there? I'd love to hear from you!

Scott and Jane!

Oh Scott! You cracked us up in the Old City yesterday! Do you even know how many heads that head-scarf has been on? ewwwww! (Just kidding!)

You and Jane are a blessing to have on the trip!

Mary and Naidean!

For all of you who are curious who are celebrity guests are who are celebrating their 10 year anniversary. (They met here 10 years ago on tour and have been best friends since!) This is their 11th trip to Israel!

My surprise blessing...

Today was a "WOW" day for me but I didn't go very far away from the hotel. I didn't visit any Holy sites. But I've been touched and blessed! You know, I've been to Israel quite a few times...my heart is here and I love the land and it's people and I am blessed to work for LeSEA and to be able to come often. But sometimes, like today, I wasn't touched by the country or by a specific place I visited - I found myself touched by the people who have come here to experience it. I've gotten to know so many people in the group and I'm amazed how God has put the right people in our lives at just the right time. I'm not surprised...just amazed! I'm sure everyone in this group would agree that God has His mighty hands all over us, working His perfect will into our lives, opening our eyes and hearts to not only His home...but to each other.

Only in this very special place, only this week and only with these God chosen people placed here all together by His loving hands.

Today I went to the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem. I didn't go alone, I went with another tour member to help her with some paperwork. This remarkable woman shared a fraction of "her story" with me. And as my chest grew heavy and my heart broke, she reassured me that God has blessed her (and even others) through the hardships that she is experiencing. All I can tell you is that she touched me and this is a day that will be engraved in my heart. And this amazing woman will be someone that I will always remember.

Humbled by His love,
Kim

All about the water...

Scott and Jane Johnson say hello to those special blog viewers! You know who you are! We had a beautiful day in the Lord today! Scott and Jane are just two of the many smiling faces!


Today we went up north to the Galilee. Our first stop was Bet She’an. This is the largest archeological dig in Israel and is simply amazing. You could literally spend 2 full days here exploring the city that was destroyed in a major earthquake. It’s one of my favorite spots actually and what a beautiful day!
The sun was out and we enjoyed temperatures in the high 70’s! (Sorry all of you who are snowed in back home!)

After Bet She’an we moved onward to Tiberias. This is the area of the country where Jesus lived and performed most of His miracles…very awesome! We got on a boat that looked a lot the “Jesus boat” that was discovered years ago. (A boat that scientists feel date back to the time of Jesus.) Looking around the area from out on the boat was so beautiful.
The hills surrounding the lake were the greenest I’ve ever seen! Usually the hills are bare and brown because of the lack of rain, but today after a lot of rain in the last few weeks the hills are very green and beautiful! The water on the lake was pretty choppy and there were several times that waves splashed up and blessed our clothes and hair with the water that Jesus walked on! We cut the motors, sang songs, and Pastor David Sumrall talked about Peter and letting God use our failures…


Then he renewed the marriage vows of two couples on the tour. What he said about marriage…wow. He made us all stop and think…



The day was one goose bumps moment after another. After the boat we ate at St. Peter's fish! Well, most of us. Jessica and I thought we'd try out the pasta since the fish looks back at you while you eat it...and if you've read my blog, you know my rule about eating things that look back at you. (It just doesn't happen!) But really it was a fun lunch.

After lunch Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Tabgha and .... yes! The baptism! 80 people braved the cold spring waters of the Jordan River! I'm so glad they did and so are they. I'll just let the pictures of the day speak for themselves.







Tomorrow I have some work business...but it's interesting so come back here about it AND I'll give you the latest group update!

Oh, and a crazy picture of Mary and Naidean! ha!

Night!

Kim

Pinch...."Ouch!!!"

Pinch…ouch!

Hi Mom! I’m in Israel!

Today we got our first look of Jerusalem. Jerusalem! We started out today with a group photo on Mt. Scopus. Mt. Scopus gives us a panorama view of the Old City and it’s a great place to take a photo with the whole group. But the next stop was even better…. The Mount of Olives! Oh yea! The Mount of Olives! Please, please look up the Mt. of Olives in the Bible. This place is where some of the most amazing things have happened and WILL happen. It’s definitely a goose bumps place. Am I really standing here? Pinch, ouch! Yes, I am!

The Eastern Gate… I could stare at the Eastern Gate for a long time. Jesus is coming thru this gate you know! Pinch…ouch! Wow!


I do this most the day… Garden of Gethsemane, Upper Room…pinch…ouch! House of Caiaphas, Yad Vashem…Pinch…ouch! Then to top the day off, we got back to the hotel in time to relax before dinner and after dinner Pastor Dave Sumrall from the Philippines enlightened us about our Bibles! I’m sooooo tired!!

Tomorrow is my favorite day…come back and find out why!

Kim

We are here!

“Ladies and gentlemen we will be arriving into Tel Aviv in just a few moments...”
What?
Already?

My day started off like a lot of people on this flight… with the alarm going off way early! For me it started with the alarm going off at 2am to catch my flight with the group. It was a long day – but I must say I didn’t feel as weary as I thought I would. I think it was the excitement of seeing all the LeSEA Tour’s name tags at the airport! Traveling with a group is really very fun! I love meeting all these new people who are excited about experiencing the Holy Land. I must admit to you something… I was never a “group tour” kind of gal before this trip. I was someone who needed to do everything myself, on my schedule and the thought of hanging out with strangers was just weird to me. But then I went to the Holy Land with LeSEA and my whole perspective of group touring changed. First of all, these “strangers” became my friends very quickly – some who I still keep in contact with even after 13 years! Of course the proof in the pudding is Naidean and Mary. They were total strangers 10 years ago this month; then they met on a LeSEA tour to Israel and became Best Friends! And guess what, they are with us today, in Israel celebrating their friendship and how good God is! They believe with all their heart that it was God that put them together. They live in different states, have different lives but are the best of friends and even come to Israel every February together! There are so many other benefits too. On a group tour you really get to relax. Experts plan the day for you. People who know where to go and what to see…they will make sure that you see it and understand it. If I would have come to Israel alone I would have missed so much for sure – and even if I would have gotten to the important places, without my guide I wouldn’t have a clue what I was looking at. I learned so much from having a guide and a driver take me all over the land of the Bible and using with the Bible as the guide book…it’s an eye opening, life changing experience! On group tours you don’t have to wonder where to eat and how to order it…then stress over how to pay in Shekels! On a group tour tips to the hotel staff and guides/drivers are included in your price so you also don’t have to worry about who to tip and when and how much. I must say again…relaxing! Or maybe the better term would be stress free. Our Israeli hostess is always around the hotel to answer my silly questions too.

Anyway…!

Here are a couple pictures from our first Israel dinner together! We’ve had a long day to get here…but we know it is worth the effort. (ok, so I'm learning how to post pictures to this new site so please bare with me! ugh!)

Pastor Sumrall said something that really stuck with me tonight. He said something like… “don’t forget while you’re learning about the past to remember that this (Israel) is also our future…we all will spend considerable time here when Jesus returns…” Such a new perspective for me to consider… Thanks Pastor!

Tomorrow is our first full day here and it’s a full one! Come back and find out what we did!

Now…how do you sleep when you are so excited?

Kim

butterflies and daydreaming...

7 DAYS!

I walked in the office today and the first thing I did before I even took off my coat was correct the countdown on my whiteboard to read "7". I feel like such a kid sometimes... counting down the days, getting that funny butterfly feeling inside...and daydreaming. Lumi and I have talked to so many people who are just as excited about this trip. Everyone is now in "packing mode" and this is the week where we get more calls about luggage, weather and packing than any other week. It's fun to hear the excitement in everyone's voice.

There will be 128 people with us next week. 25 of those will be from the Philippines and Pastor David Sumrall's church, Cathedral of Praise. Of course the group is broken down into 4 buses so that we actually experience Israel in intimate groups of 35 or so. Every bus will have their own guide and driver and the group as a whole will meet at various times during the week and every night at dinner.

7 days from this moment I imagine I'll be hearing an announcement... "Welcome to Continental flight 84 with non-stop service to Tel Aviv; we'd like to begin pre-boarding the aircraft..." If you see me in the airport you'll notice that I will look calm, cool and collected - but inside, that inner child is jumping up and down!

Where will you be in 7 days? If you will not be hearing that announcement with us this time, then consider coming with us in June of this year. Start your own count down now (133 days until the June tour departs!) and get your own butterflies! It's truly a trip of a lifetime.

Call us or visit our website for all the details!