Finally! We really are – finally!  – going to Israel! After two-and-a-half years of COVID-related starts and stops, replanning and rescheduling, refunds and double-deposits, we are really heading back to the Holy Lands for the first time since 2018.

Elaine and I are taking a group of 26 this time: 15 of us from the Golf Course Road Church here in Midland, five from the Central church in Amarillo, and six other wonderful folks from Hawaii and California and Wichita Falls. This is my fifth trip to Israel and this time, for the first time, my wonderful wife Carrie-Anne is going with me. We’re also taking our youngest daughter Carley and I cannot wait to see the sites and share the experiences through them and with them during these eleven glorious days.

Of course, this means no cheeseburgers and no Tex-Mex until May 21. So after we took our PCR tests – three negatives – and filled out our Green Pass forms, we had our “last lunch” together today at Blue Sky and our “last supper” at Ajuuas.

From here on out it’s shawarma, schnitzel, and falafel in one of my favorite places in the whole world with some of my absolutely favorite people.

Shalom,

Allan