“One of the best parts about that trip was meeting new people. We didn’t meet the others in our group until we flew into the airport in Amsterdam,” said McMahan, who lives in Centerville. “There were only three couples over 40; everyone else was under 30.”
A prominent Bible passage on UFTM’s website is Isaiah 2:3.
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord ... He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
Under the leadership of George DeJong, groups of about 20 to 30 people get the spiritual trip of their lifetimes. Following the footsteps of Moses in Cairo to the Sharm El Sheikh, where he asked Pharoah to “let my people go,” ascending Mount Sinai and finally hiking into Israel, is quite a journey.
There were 26 people on the two-week trip that the McMahans took.
These trips are definitely not for the faint at heart. Heavy hiking is involved over very rocky and rough terrain. It’s not a tourist trip; it’s very taxing physically.
“The weather conditions there are very hot and arid. It’s very hot in the desert; like a giant hair dryer is blowing in your face,” said McMahan. “It could be as high as 188 degrees during the day, and drop down into the 40s at night.”
But where else can you see the pyramids, the Great Sphinx of Giza, and the Cairo Museum? However, they also experienced burned-out buildings and destruction as a result of the unrest that began in February. But the group wasn’t particularly anxious; they had a policeman escort at all times.
“They had already taken a hit from the revolution, but I would say the people of Egypt and Jordan were very friendly. Our guide, a Muslim gentleman, was very gracious,” said McMahan.
“They are so often characterized as revolutionary fanatics, but they were just tired of Mubarak and his entities stealing billions of dollars from his people. They look to Israel and ask, ‘Why can’t we have that: all religions living in harmony?’ ”
From Cairo and the Nile River South in Egypt, the next leg of the trip was a test of the participants’ strength and endurance. It took them six hours to make the uphill climb to the top of Mount Sinai. But they were well rewarded when they reached the top. That night happened to be the first lunar eclipse in more than 50 years.
“It’s like God turned on a million Christmas lights,” McMahan said. “One of our fellow travelers, Pat, was celebrating her 65th birthday. She said, ‘God, if you get me up there, I’ll celebrate you.’ ”
After that highlight, they descended the mountain to hike through the wilderness and travel over the Taba and Arava border crossings into Petra, Jordan.
“One of the most memorable parts of the trip was getting to swim in the Sea of Galilee when the sun was going down,” McMahan said. “And it was just amazing seeing all the fish hooks and boat anchor artifacts in Capernaum.”
The group’s last three to four days were spent in Jerusalem.
“It’s a powder keg of sorts, with the Muslims, Jews and Christians living in very close quarters. They are sharing sacred spots,” McMahan said. “There’s a tension there, but also a glory. I felt like I was home. I could go back there tomorrow.”
Even though the rockets blast in from time to time on Jerusalem’s West Bank, McMahan indicated that the group never felt unsafe. They knew the danger was there, but they felt just as safe as they do back home.
Another sight brought home the immense struggles that Mary must have had on her nine-day journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
She was in late-term pregnancy and riding on a donkey over rugged terrain. As there is not much wood to be found in and around Bethlehem, the group saw what must have been the first cradle for the baby Jesus — a stone manger.
“The faith lessons on this trip were incredible,” McMahan said.
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