Day 12

We had a field trip to Jericho. We drove out to some different archaeological sites for Herod's winter palace and a tower that is supposedly the oldest structure in the world and a sign of the first settlement society.



We hiked up to this monastery in the mountains. It is supposed to be the Mount of Temptation, and they have a stone there that they think is the stone that Satan tempted Christ to turn into bread. It was a pretty incredible place, especially considering how steep the hill was and how much it would have taken to build the monastery there.



Then we went out into the Judaean wilderness, which is where Christ went when He fasted for forty days. It was the most desolate place I have ever seen. When I had heard about a wilderness before, I pictured what you pass on the way to Southern Utah, scrub brush and desert. No. It is way worse than you could have ever imagine, and it was hot. Really hot. It is crazy to think about all of the different people in the Bible who wandered through there on their way from Jericho to Jerusalem.




After dinner mostly homework and reading... But I did dominate in the first round of the Rummikub tournament. This week there's a lot going on to get stuff ready for Egypt... I am so excited!!!