Some of our OCP students, and our principal, Mrs.Jacobson had an amazing opportunity to visit Israel over the Christmas Break. They set out on a nine day adventure from Orlando to Israel, where they were able to experience places where Jesus himself lived and walked!
The students were able to visit some amazing sites, such as the Basilica of Annunciation in Nazareth, where Mary was told by Gabriel that she was going to have Jesus! They visited Mt. Arbel, located on the path that Jesus walked from Nazareth to Capernaum during his ministry. Valeria described the trip to Mt. Olive as a great time as they walked down the Palm Sunday walk. She loved this because it was the same exact path that Jesus had ridden into town on a donkey. They saw the City of Capernaum, where Jesus lived while he was doing his ministry. They even went to the beautiful Sea of Galilee, which is where Jesus performed miracles such as walking on water and filling the nets with fish. Emily talked about the trip to the Sea of Galilee as being one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen.
Another opportunity our students had during their time in Israel was to pray at and touch the rock that Jesus prayed on before his Crucifixion. The Garden of Gethsemane was where Jesus cried tears of blood before he was taken to be crucified. Anna describes this as a bitter sweet moment because it was hard coming to the realization that Jesus was taken from that exact place, but it was also such a beautiful and incredible place. That same day, they were able to visit the Garden Tomb where Jesus was resurrected. Some of the students felt touched and were amazed by their visit to the Garden Tomb. Then, they visited the famous Jordan River to get baptized in the same water where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist! Andrea loved this part of the trip, and she described seeing two doves fly over her after she was baptized.
Our students were also able to float in the Dead Sea! Nathalie described this as dangerous but filled with adrenaline and fun. The students described this experience as an amazing one, though they faced a few challenges due to the hardened salt all over the shore. Despite some scratches and cuts, they all had a blast during their time in the Dead Sea! The next day they traveled to Bethlehem, where they saw Abraham and Isaac's graves. They even visited the place of Jesus’ birth, which was symbolized with a silver star.
Overall, our students described the trip as eye-opening and remarkable, and they felt truly blessed to walk in and see where Jesus began his ministry, and where he will come again at the end. Valeria described it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and she is so thankful for the opportunity. Students also described the trip as surreal, as it was unbelievable to visit the same places where Jesus once walked.
We are delighted that our students enjoyed their time in Israel. Be sure to ask them about their time and experiences, as they’d be more than happy to share their story.
