PILGRIMAGE TO JORDAN AND EGYPT

Petra - The Treasury.




One of the things that I have done over the years is lead groups of people to interesting places! For instance in 2005 we went on a journey through Jordan and Egypt. It was a fascinating experience, taking in Amman, Petra, St Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai, and ending up in Cairo and many

other wonderful places in between. At key biblical sites we may retell the story, pray or celebrate Holy Communion, and we always have a local guide who travels with us throughout the journey.

St Catherine's Monastery

The Monastery of St Catherine is set in the midst of the Sinai desert where one would think that few people would be, but my! the coaches do pour in and one jostles for a little bit of peace and quiet to see "The Burning Bush" or the bookshop to buy a small icon, but yes it was possible to experience the loneliness and heat of the desert. For some there was the opportunity to climb Mount Sinai and see the dawn rise. Others of us followed our guide in the afternoon on a less taxing walk to meet a Bedouin living in the mountains with his wives, sons, grandchildren and to be entertained with tea and his singing to us. It was magical and moving.

In Cairo we did a huge amount in just 2 or 3 days - the Pyramids, the Sphinx, including a Son et Lumiere one evening which was amazing. A river cruise included dinner and both a belly dancer (mediocre!) and a whirling dervish (see picture) who was excellent. I suppose the highlight of the time in Cairo was seeing the Cairo Museum's section on Tutankhamun which was mind blowing and looked so fresh and clean as if it was all newly made instead of being several thousand years old.

It is always a privilege to take small groups of people on journeys like this. For some, it is the opportunity of a lifetime to see and experience some of the wonders of our God-given world, and to appreciate just what a diverse and rich place that we inhabit. I have seen people's lives changed by experiencing such a journey as this. Not forgetting that it is great fun in the company of Christian people. We are not overly "religious" and we do have fun, as well as trying not to impact too detrimentally on the lives of the people whose countries we visit. We always try and include visits to e.g. children's homes and sheltered workshops and take gifts in kind and cash.

Over the years I have taken groups to the Holy Land which is probably the greatest experience of all, the Passion Play in Oberammergau (Germany), and to Turkey. Accounts of these will follow in due course! I am sharing the leadership of a group to Oberammergau in 2010 - sadly the group is already full, but a trip to Turkey in 2011 0r 2012 is in the planning stages.