Walk on the Ridge, not in the Valley

1/24

Today we went on a hike and I knew we were in for it when my prof said that "It's a hike!" He lives here and is in shape and then there is us. . . yeah :)

As you look out from the classroom there is this huge descent into the valley that quickly turns into a steep ascent up the other side where we see these beautiful hills with trees (i have a new appreciation for them now!) 

Bill (our professor. . .we call them by their first names) began to point and show us we were walking down and up the other side. Just so you know this is around 400ft decent and 500ft ascent! When he said that i became nervous :)

It was tough terrain going down with the rocks and gaps on the grown. There was no path either.

Towards the bottom we came to a cistern which was really cool! It was how people used to store water. We talked about Jeremiah and Joseph, how they were thrown into a cistern.

Our professor's son Zack went and took a swim in it. It is wide and deep. Then we kept on walking.

Then, we started our ascent. It was intense! It was steep and the rocks weren't always secure and it felt like we always had a long ways to go :) I was more worried about falling on my camera than anything else otherwise i don't think it would've fazed me as much but i just wanted to be extra cautious. I didn't bring my case so it was around my neck or in my hand. I was so happy when we made it to the top; it felt good! Definitely getting my exercise here :) and PTL my body has been holding up!

We found out that the reason we traveled through the valley was to see why the Israelites did not :) We got the picture! It is easier to travel on the Ridge than in the valley. This is tough terrain and so they had to be wise where they traveled. Then Bill took us to a goat farm that was on the ridge for a short break and bathroom stop for those who needed it.

Then we went to a look out where we could see Abu Ghosh, Kiriat Jaarim, Yad Hashmona, and Neve Ilan all in one look. This place was at the allotment of the tribe of Dan but they did not keep it for some moved out. It was a beautiful place!

Bill talked to us about how the Ark was place on a hill and how there are many hills in Israel and before the Ark was placed there it was just another hill but now there is divine significance which makes it different and significant from the others. It is like our relationship with Christ that we were just another fallen sinner and human until the Divine got involved and changed our lives and came into us.

Then we went to the ruins of an Israelite fortress. There were huge rocks around where the foundation would have been. It was a strategic location because it was on the highest point of the hill so you could see if anyone was going to invade.

Then, thankfully, he let us take the road back along the ridge rather than going down and up again. We were going to but we didn't have time :) 

We passed through Abu Gosh and got fresh pita with hysop which was AMAZING! Oh so good. Then we walked back, or in my case, with a few others, Bill came back with a car and picked us up and drove us back and then went to pick up more.

After dinner I walked around with Jen and practiced quizzing each other on Psalms 48:1-7. We continued to do homework and then the day was over. . . literally :)