The last day of Galilee
The fifty day has passed in Galilee. Today we are going to move to Jerusalem. We will divide into two groups, the tour group and the special ministry group.
This is the last morning of Galilee.
The tour group started
We're watching after the tour group.
I'm a little early
I'm a little early. Because I came to a front desk, I wanted to recharge. But for five minutes, I'm looking for this way and that…. Finally I found a wall outlet behind the leaves.
Special ministry group leaves
Today there are various parts what we need to do. Please look forward to seeing on this blog.
Mansion [tour group]
This area near Mt. Carmel are built around mansions of the wealthy Arabs.
Shells of Caesarea [tour group]
Shells of Caessarea are tiny and pretty.
Mount Carmel [tour group]
It is the view from the place where Elijah got the victory against 450 prophets of Baal. I can see a tiny cloud in the sky.
Guide [tour group]
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Take a break
Now we are going to the south in Israel.
We take a break for using the rest room.
The short-term team
Sister O. and Sister M. of the short-term team have arrived in Japan, and they went home safely. Thank you for your prayers.
Caesarea (tour team)
This is Caesarea's National Park.
La spouza (tour team))
La spouza praised the Lord at the Roman theater or the amphitheater.
Special ministry group arrived at Mr.Phillip's house.
Mr. Philip came and welcomed us.
We head to his house.
"The Meyers" is written at the entrance.
We are treated.
It's been one year since we last met Mr. Philip and his wife, Bennett.
The Meyers' house is opened to the public.
The house is so beautiful and is decorated Japanese style everywhere.
Japanese style
A Japanese style coaster.
A Japanese style container.
Lunch is being prepared!
A napkin is pinched between the prongs of a fork, and looks so neat.
They have even prepared soy sauce!
Lunch
Avocado and salmon salad.
Deep‐fried chicken with sesame.
The dishes are coming out one at a time!
Mr. Philip joins us for lunch.
Mr. Philip joins us for lunch and talks about his job and the situation in the Middle East.
We are assigned a portion of the meal, and I'm fulfilling it.
This dish is….
Empty just like that!
Noa
Phillip's grand daughter, Noa (eight months old) was with us. She was with her baby sitter.
The wife of Phillip, Bennett, and her grand daughter Noa. (In Israel they spell NOA if it is a girl, and NOAH if it is a boy)
Phillip's daughter, Susan, also came in spare moments from her job.
They are already talking about the schedule of the Israel team of next year. The date will be announced soon!
We enjoyed the meal
We are having the delicious ice cream with syrup on after the meal.
We are served with blue berry tea, and we thought the meal is over…
Cake and …
nuts have been served. The cake was so delicious as to be used for sale in Japan.
Almost all the dishes were cooked by Veret-san; they welcomed us so much. We are so grateful for this incredible blessing.
We truly appreciate it !
They said that they prayed a lot about the earthquake that happened this time. They also told us that they'd like to cooperate in the work of the orphanage in Japan !
And we have received the offering from the Immanuel church Mr. Phillip attends ! We truly appreciate that !
As soon as I was just introduced as staff of the orphanage, in conditioned response I snapped the shutter !
I took a picture of Immanuel Tours' envelope !
After the meal !
We are taking time having a pleasant talk !
A souvenir is being handed to Suzan-san !
Low-frequency massage device has been handed to Mr. Phillip !
Veret-san wants to try it now, so we sets it on her…
She has got surprised and said, "Wow!"
Mr. Phillip also tried !
Pastor Nagato seems to have had the device of the same kind, and is giving Mr. Phillip advice ! His wife Veret-san said to him, " I tried it. You should do it too."
Thank you for the meal !
We really appreciate the treat at Mr. Phillip's ! We are going to see Mr. Phillip and Suzan-san tomorrow again !
We prayed together at the end !
Special ministry group leaving
They strongly shake hands with each other in leaving. We'll see each other tomorrow too.
He came to see us off at our parked car.
Special ministry group heading for Jerusalem now !
It's getting close to evening !
Take a break
The elders remember the way since they visit Mr. Phillipe's every year. So they talk a lot about taking a break for using the rest room at this point before upcoming traffic congestion.
Special ministry group arrived at Jerusalem
We appreciate the driver ! However, I forgot to take a picture of him !
We stayed at this hotel last year or the year before !
Waiting for the room keys !
Dan Jerusalem Hotel !
They are welcome drinks !
We're waiting !
Anyway it's a huge hotel !
The bus hasn't arrived yet !
Pastor Kobayashi, mission staff is expecting the bus to come at any moment !
The team to Caesarea
It is so beautiful in Caesarea today. The wind is soft, and the sea is fresh and green.
A race track [tour group]
This is the place where there once was a race track during the era of the King Herod.
John rides and shouts with joy, "Come on!".
Doctor Kimura [tour group]
Doctor Kimura is a well‐known doctor. He is also a teacher of Senryu or Comic Haiku. Several books by Doctor Kimura have been published. He sang one haiku-poem for us while taking a rest under a tree.
Videographers
One of the videographers, Sato-P points his camera toward the sea.
A happening
Yumi-chan, who is one of the members of Abeille, is stung by a bee. However it's not serious. "Abeille" means bee in French, so the word's meaning has been revealed.
Lunch [tour group]
Pooches
There were many pooches in the restaurant.
Elvis Presley
There are a lot of reminders of Elvis Presley in the restaurant where we took a break. The shopowner is a great Elvis fan and memorabilia collector.
The tour to Bethlehem
This is the Church of Shepherd.
Praise [tour group]
We also sang and praised the Lord in the Church of Shepherd.
Church of the Nativity
The Church of the Nativity was built on the stable where they say Jesus was born.
A cross [tour group]
A souvenir shop clerk gave him a crown of thorns and a cross to bear.
Bus No.2 finally arrived !
They arrived late past 6pm ! It seems they were caught in a heavy traffic jam in Jerusalem !
Bus No.1 arrived !
Bus No.1 arrived 15 minutes after !
The first meal after entering Jerusalem !
It's a gorgeous hotel after all. Food looks so good.
Vegetables
Meat
Desert
Ice cream
Announcement !
Announcement is being made at the meal ! The person who announces has to be careful not to spit as he says, "Sorry to interrupt your meal."!
Immanuel-kun and Ryoko-chan ! A little John making a peace sign in the back !
Dedication !
Simply speaking, it is to offer yourself to God and start obeying Him. Congratulations, Hitomi Sato who prayed a prayer of dedication at Jerusalem today !
Sato Hitomi-san on the right! Okamoto Ryoko-san on the left prayed a prayer of dedication at Jerusalem two years ago! Incidentally, Pastor Maeda prayed that prayer at Saga-prefecture long time ago!
Preparation for the meeting
It's going to be the first meeting in Jerusalem.
They are setting up PA system. The PA system has played a big role on this trip. As I joined the Israeli team for the first time in a while, the high level of PA system makes me feel like singing "I simply give thanks ♪" Especially I am impressed with the appearance of a wireless microphone which is almost the same as the one in Japan !
Many people started to gather.
The meeting starts
The MC is pastor Matuda.
The opening worship time
They worship with all their heart for the camera.
The short message
Pastor Timothy Kobayashi delivers a message.
The audience was listening intently to his message.
The time of praise and message
The pastor's worship time.！
The message was spoken to us from 2 Chronicles 20:22.
We tried to sing and praise with all our hearts as the same as doing yesterday.
The last day
Thank you for your prayers. Today is the last day in Jerusalem for us. We plan to be photographed in front of the Golden Gate. After that we will divide into two groups. One group will be staying at the hotel, and the other group will be working on special ministry.
In the morning of Jerusalem.
Breakfast
The sun is rising.
Breakfast in Jerusalm
Bagel is so big!
Dance!
We practice to sing and praise the Lord with dancing, and try to design the dances.
Okinawa style dance
Sister Tinen from Okinawa performs a Katyuashidance or a Okinawa style dance.
I'm great.
I feel a little chilly outside today, but I am great in putting a T shirt on!
Psalms
In the Psalms the Hebrew original has its Japanese translation on the opposite page.
They are sold at the bookstore.
The special ministry group starts
We are heading for the Golden Gate.
The local child is cute.
The tour team starts
The tour team is going to the Old City by way of the Lion Gate or St. Stephen's Gate.
Praise [tour team]
We sang and praised the Lord in the Catholic Church located in the Old City. Many tourists took our pictures and greeted us. Some of them were moved and shed their tears.
God's glory [tour team]
After our praises, we could see halo or God's glory in the sky.
Special ministry team in the Golden Gate
We have arrived in the Golden Gate
We worship the Lord and put the word of God.
In front of the Golden Gate,
We read the Bible.
Special ministry team has a time of meditation.
We have a time of meditation.
After worshiping the Lord, the special ministry team also could see God's glory.
Special ministry team moves to another spot.
The special ministry team moves to around the Golden Gate.
It's an exit.
The Israeli soldier,
he's smiling with a machine gun. There is an unspeakable gab between smile and gun.
A military vehicle
A military vehicle is Toyota! The red number is for the military.
We're passing through the Lion Gate.
We are near the Lion Gate.
We could see Ms. Oruga of our guide. The other team is near here.
Via Dolorosa
We're passing through the Via Dolorosa.
There are a lot of tourists than any other places.
The stone pavement is slippery. I'm most likely to stumble over a stone.
We're passing through the Wailing Wall.
This is the Wailing Wall.
Knesset
We praise God and put the word of God in front of the Knesset.
There is the Knesset in front of us.
Bar Mitzvah
It seems that today is Bar Mitzvah [a coming-of-age celebraion in Isarel]. When a child become at the age of thirteen, they will be celebrated as an adult.
A boy who is carried on the shoulders grow up to be a man.
It seems a picnic for kindergarten children in Israel.
Lunch–Special Ministry Team!
There is a staircse in the days of Jesus before the wall. We are heading to Mt. Olive for lunch.
Arrival at Mt. Olive!
We thought that we were the first to arrive at the mountain. But we found Pastor Kobayashi and his wife and the filming team already.
Mt. Olive–Special Mission Team
A view from Mt. Olive is the best, as I expected!And…
The special mission team is going to have lunch at the Seven Archies Hotel.
A fine view from Seven Arches Hotel
We can see a fine view from this seat.
Satou-san, Higuti-san, Pastor Sugisawa, Pastor Kobayasi and his wife join us.
The meal
The onion soup is very delicious. It is Pastor Yamada's most favorite one.
We know well of the hotel because we used to stay at the hotel several times in the early days of our church.
Our main dish
Stone grilled beef steak.
Whenever the team visited the hotel, we used to order the stone grilled beef steak. Since last year, the dish deleted from the menu. However the chef at the hotel is familiar to us. So whenever we order it, he cooks for us specially.
It's very hot and delicious.
And we have some desserts!
We're not eating ! [special ministry group]
We are having a time of silent prayer. We were told: "this month is to be the first month of your year" att Mt. Olive seven years ago, and we made the month of November the first month of the new year of The Light of Eternal Agape !
While we are praying, an aureole appears !
a Rainbow-colored cloud ! [special ministry group]
Right after the worship, rainbow-colored clouds appeared on both sides of the sun ! A rainbow and a rainbow-colored cloud are the signs of God's promises ! God will fulfill His wonderful promises !
Special ministry group returns the hotel !
A little time before leaving, the couple in the back is Pastor Kobayashi and his wife !
They are given a title as "lovebird."
Special ministry group returned the hotel !
We passed Hebrew University on the way back ! This is the univ. Hollywood actress Natalie Portman graduated from ! I think・・・
Special ministry group really arrived !
A ceremony will be conducted by Immanuel Tour tonight !
Videographers !
They are shooting from Mt. Olive today !
Videographers 2 – Sniper
He is looking for a point of shooting as a sniper makes sure of a target !
From the U.S.A. !
Request from a person in the U.S. who gives us every help for our movie making !
He said he wanted to have a picture of John getting a camel clutch !
a Cat in the Old City [Tour group]
Via Dolorosa [Tour group]
We have walked on the street called Via Dolorosa where Jesus had walked with a cross on his back.
Videographers 2
They are shooting an evening view from Mt. Olive !
the Last night for the team !
Noah-kun is eating a lot !
Pastor & Mrs. Nakamura!
Joy-san & Murakami-san !
Room of Petecost [Tour group]
Church of the Primacy of Peter [Tour group]
This is the church which was built on the site of the high priest's house when Peter denied Jesus three times and a cock crowed.
a Heavenly Sign [Tour group]
A solar aureole, a rainbow-colored cloud and a rainbow have been up from morning to evening today.
Jerusalem [Tour group]
We sang a praise song called Jerusalem overlooking the Golden Gate from Mt. Olive; a wonderful presence of the Lord was poured.
Garden Tomb
This is the place where they say Jesus was buried called "The Garden Tomb".
We can see the full-moon in the sky.
Mr. Phillip
Mr. Phillp and Ms. Brett have joined us.
Shai-san has come, too.
The ice-cream is delicious.
God's glory by the moon light
Our last night in Jerusalem , and we could see God's glory by the moon-light.
Preparation for the holy communion
Today we will have an award ceremony with Mr. and Mrs. Mayer.
The opening worship time
There are some dancing members.
We praise the Lord with dancing together.
The award ceremony
Mr. and Mrs. Mayer have come. Shai-san and Mikako-san have come, too.
At the award ceremony, Mr. Phillip told us about the word of blessing.
Gifts
We received an old map that the mission would be reached to all the world from Jerusalem.
The award ceremony-2
The elders have been given clocks written in Hebrews the reason why they would be easily reminded of Israel.
To Pastor Yumino,
To Pastor Nagato,
To Pastor Sugisawa,
And to Pastor Kobayasi.
The award ceremony-3
We have received some lamps and certificates from the Immnauel Tour.
We all have received them including children and all members of mission staff.
Hiroto-san recieved a certificate.
This is the model of lamp.
The meeting
The short meesage.
Pastor Paul Akimoto delivers a message from 2 Chronicles 20:22.
The time of prayer.
The meeting was over.
The last meeting was over with God's blessings. Thank you for your prayers. Now it's 1:20am, and a few hours later we will leave soon.
A live performance
A live performer is playing a piano in the lounge of the hotel.
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