Solomon Islands District - Women's Bible Conference

Special Report written by Major Vanessa Evans, District Director Women's Ministries... 

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

This was the scripture for the first Salvation Army District Women’s Bible Conference that was held on the 23rd - 26th January 2020.

In 2019 while talking with Mary Vasula, the local CRC pastor, we came up with the idea of having a combined conference with the aim of building up the women in our congregations. As we spoke together we realized that most of our women lacked confidence in themselves and their abilities. Many had grown up with the label of ‘pencil break’ (referring to those whose education has been broken) which is used in a derogatory way. Both Mary and I wanted to encourage our women and give them practical ways of knowing their confidence in Christ.

   

Our special guests for the weekend were Pastor Norma Cayzer, Turning Point CRC Senior Minister, and Pastor Joan Gordon. These ladies spoke throughout the conference and challenged the ladies to ‘Walk In Confidence’. The opening night was fantastic! The CRC youth opened the event with an amazing dance which incorporated the Solomon Islands flag. It was also where 200 women came together from all the different provinces to hear from the Word of God. Pastor Norma encouraged us to take a look at David and to ‘Press into God’ and that when we have troubles not to place our trust in people but in God.

Friday and Saturday mornings saw most of the campers up at 5:00 am for dawn prayer and then it was onto more teaching from Pastor Norma, Pastor Joan & myself. Topics covered included ‘Letting Go – Joseph’, ‘Intimidation – the Enemy of Confidence’, ‘The Names of the Lord’ and ‘Meditating on the Word of God’. Lunch was provided by The Salvation Army Emergency Services men which everyone enjoyed. After lunch there were electives that the women could attend which included ‘Children’s Ministries’, ‘Leading with Confidence’, ‘The World Needs You’, ‘Literacy’, ‘Reusable Sanitary Kits’, ‘Disaster Preparation’ provided by NDC, as well as the RSIPF representative Elizabeth Tavake providing an elective on ‘Family Violence’, which was one of the most well attended electives. I am aware that some women came forward and told Elizabeth that they were experiencing family violence and were needing help. Each of the campers came away from the electives chatting about what they had learned and how they could apply what they had learned to their everyday lives. This was exciting to hear as this was one of our desires, that women would learn different things that they would then apply.

The night sessions were amazing. The messages were ‘Stepping Up – Esther’ and ‘Being a Woman of Confidence’. After each message a group of ladies from the different churches represented put on items that ranged from dancing, singing and drama. It was fantastic not only to see the women come alive and step up in confidence but also to see the men from churches within Honiara that came to support their wives and daughters at the conference.

On Sunday morning as The Salvation Army Honiara Corps and Gateway CRC Church Henderson came together in worship with the campers, God was glorified. The singing was led by Francis which was God glorifying and extremely energetic with heaps of dancing. Pastor Norma spoke on ‘Rising Up – Deborah’.

Lunch was a ‘Motu’ (this is where food is placed on hot stones and are covered with banana leaves and left to cook) that was provided by the CRC Gateway ladies and youth. This was amazing and over 300 people enjoyed the food and the fellowship together. Yet, this was not the end. Sunday night was amazing. First, we spent time praising God and again hearing from His Word, which is where I challenged the ladies to not give up and reminded them of the Scripture that had been the basis of our weekend — “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me”. After this it was definitely party time, where each group danced and sang and again the CRC youth and women closed the program with more amazing dancing.

The coming together of women from different parts of the Solomon Islands and from Australia was a true blessing and I am truly blessed to be part of the organizing committee that made this event come to fruition. I want to thank Mary and her team at CRC, Pastor Norma & Pastor Joan and The Salvation Army Emergency Services for their amazing contribution to the weekend.

Solomon Islands District - Father & Son Weekend

Family relationships in the Solomon Islands are defined by a complex blend of cultural and religious beliefs that have paradoxically created an environment where gender inequality is eroding the structure of Melanesian village life and deeply held biblical values. Consequently, Solomon Islands now has one of the highest rates of family and sexual violence in the world! Over the past two years we have seen the evidence of these statistics through disturbing regular RSIPF reports throughout Honiara and the Provinces, as well as through direct conversation and interaction with local men and women.

We have heard comments expressed by some of our men that suggest, “we are developing a spirit of retaliation in our homes” or “we don’t know how to interact with our sons.”  Many of our women have disqualified themselves from any role outside of domestic duties because of the label “pencil break” that they wear (meaning they are uneducated) and lament the lack of interaction between their husbands and children.  Our engagement with the RSIPF and NGO’s reveals how such comments are indicative of the vulnerability of families for destructive behaviours to manifest in their homes and village life.

This is the cultural and social context that led us to introduce the successful ‘Father & Son’ event run by The Salvation Army in PNG to the Solomon Islands District.  While there is a lot of work being done in the equality space with women, the need for such an event to change the thinking of men is very evident.  I firmly believe that ‘belief drives behavior’ so the Territorial theme for this year’s ‘Father & Son Weekend’ seemed pertinent for our context — ”Rise Up!  Men of Godly Character.” More than anything, Solomon Islands families need men who don’t just profess faith in God but whose character reflects the heart of God! 

The four messages that spoke into this theme over the weekend called on fathers and sons to be men of strong faith, men of pure heart, men of deep character and men of clear vision.  Our Territorial Commander, Colonel Kelvin Alley, was our invited guest speaker who spoke powerfully into each of these topics by drawing on the lives of Joseph, Hezekiah, David and Bartemaeus.

The Opening Session on Friday night set the tone for the weekend with an extraordinary time of worship led by the Honiara Corps Worship Team.  The evening also featured the RSIPF Brass Band who performed a bracket of contemporary music that was a clear crowd pleaser.  I had the privilege of playing flugelhorn alongside these very talented musicians and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity. 

Saturday continued the teaching themes in morning and afternoon sessions, along with more opportunities for worship and response to the Word of God.   The day also included a fun and interactive activity to encourage the fathers and sons to work together and participate in some friendly competition.  We had the guys build ‘Billy Carts’.  This familiar activity growing up in Australia was completely foreign to Solomon Islands.  Nevertheless, once I displayed an image of a ‘Billy Cart’ on the screen and played the classic ‘pushcart race’ scene from the movie ‘Cool Runnings’, it didn’t take long for the men and boys to get excited and energetically participate in this activity.  I recruited the help of an Australian expat builder Martin Wynne, who provided the timber and his expertise. After a practice session at his workshop earlier in the week Martin captured the imagination of eight local builders who are a part of his work crew.  Such was their enthusiasm to get involved, they brought along their own ’Billy Cart’ and joined in our activity.

The fathers and sons were divided into four teams and allocated a prefabricated ‘flat pack’ containing all the components to construct a ‘Billy Cart’. Team leaders guided the process to ensure each ‘Billy Cart’ was race worthy. It was terrific to see the level of participation by the guys of all ages and the energy they invested into constructing their team ‘Billy Cart’. While the concept of a ‘Billy Cart’ was initially unfamiliar, nobody had to show them what to do with the finished product! After lunch, which was lovingly prepared by the wives and mothers of those who attended the weekend, the inaugural Solomon Islands District Billy Car Race was on! Each team was assigned a coloured bandana and the friendly laughter immediately turned to some seriously competitive cheering as the first round of drivers and runners lined up at the starting line. There were multiple thrills and spills as the ‘Billy Carts’ weaved around the figure of eight course. In such a competitive environment there were the inevitable scrapes requiring some minor first aid and missing wheels requiring mechanical attention from the pit crew. After several rounds somebody had the idea to hold a ‘leaders’ race. So, the Territorial Commander, District Officer, Honiara Corps Officer and Gateway Corps Officer took their positions on the starting line. The TC had a commanding lead after the first lap as the DO took the inside curve on the final bend to steal the lead when his ‘Billy Cart’ became entangled with the TC. Then, out of nowhere the Honiara CO did a “Steve Bradbury” winning the race from behind, with the Gateway CO on his tail for a close second. It was a lot of fun, though the TC is calling for a rematch! The value of this activity was much more than a lot of fun and laughs. It was great to see the interaction between fathers and sons, the coaching as guys learned new skills and the team spirit on the racetrack. From the youngest to the oldest, everybody got involved and by the end of the day, everyone wanted one of the ‘Billy Carts’. The TC made a great suggestion to hold a silent auction to fairly allocate the four ‘Billy Carts’, which solved a potentially tricky situation. Though, I’m tipping a few backyard projects are sure to follow for those who missed out.

Each teaching session commenced with a fun activity to further engage the fathers and sons with each other and the theme for the weekend.  The first was a game of ‘Celebrity Heads’ to challenge the guys, with the help of the audience, to guess which biblical father and son they had displayed on their head.  The second involved an enactment of the rite of passage for young men of shaving.   It was hilarious watching the brave dadi’s allow their pikinini to shave their faces, albeit with a plastic knife.  On the Saturday evening, the Closing Session featured some of the Honiara Corps youth who are a part of a local band they call the “Holy Cross Boys.”  Their style of music is a blend of country rock and gospel with a Bon Jovi vibe (especially when Solomon is singing).  These talented young men added a pleasing musical contrast to Friday night’s featured band that was equally enjoyed by the congregation.  The Territorial Commander concluded the final session with a call to commitment that invited the men and boys to sign the following declaration:

“In the presence of God who loves me, who has called me, and who has promised to always be with me, I commit my life by God’s grace, to be a Man of Godly Character in my family, my village and my country.  I choose today, and by God’s help to be the Man of Godly Character that He has called me to be.”

On Sunday morning the whole Honiara Corps congregation came together for a combined time of worship at the Father & Son venue as a finale to the weekend.  This service was a celebration of a powerful couple of days together and included two very significant Salvation Army ceremonies—the Enrolment of two Soldiers and the Commissioning and Appointment of six Envoys.  This was truly a momentous occasion for the Solomon Islands District!  Alick and Esther Hagi started attending The Salvation Army in Honiara after the National General Election in April this year.  They are from a Church of Nazarene background, where Alick had previously held ministry credentials as a Pastor.  His credentials were taken from him by church leadership after he unsuccessfully contested the election in their constituency, so they decided to look for a church where he could continue to serve.  Alick and Esther have a heart for mission and easily aligned with the theology and mission of The Salvation Army.  It has been a pleasure watching their growth and engagement at the Honiara Corps over the past few months. Alick works at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) and has opened up a number of ministry opportunities already, including the idea of commencing a new Neighbourhood Fellowship on the SINU campus.

The Commissioning of new District Envoys and the official recognition of their appointments was truly a significant moment for the Solomon Islands District.  We have been working hard over the past two years to raise up local leaders, so it brought us much joy to witness Territorial recognition of these leaders.  The rank of Envoy has been applied in this situation as two of the couples are above the maximum age to enter the Officer Training College (OTC), while the other couple is presently navigating through the Nominee/Candidate process for training at the OTC.   The formal recognition of their roles lays a foundation of official Salvation Army leadership in our District that will encourage others to rise up and respond to God’s calling to become Salvation Army Officers.  We congratulate Envoys Wency & Fostina Ramo’oroa on their appointment as Corps Officers of Honiara Corps, Envoys Charles & Judith Akwasitaloa on their appointment as the Corps Officers of Gateway Corps, and Envoys Joshua Henry & Edith Aebata on their appointment as the Area Officers of Malaita Province.   Colonel Julie gave an appropriate message for the occasion, referencing William Booth’s image of ‘A Vision of the Lost’ to challenge the congregation not to get too comfortable on the ‘rock’ but to reach out and rescue those who are still perishing.

Following the service, Major Vanessa presented Colonels Kelvin & Julie with a gift of appreciation on behalf of the District for their leadership of the Papua New Guinea & Solomon Islands Territory.  This will be their last visit to the Solomon Islands before retiring next year.  Their support and encouragement have been deeply appreciated by Vanessa and I as well as the Salvationists who make up this growing mission in the Solomon Islands.

Our first Father & Son Weekend was a great success with God speaking so powerfully into the lives of those who attended and affirming His mission in the Solomon Islands.  We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our guest leaders Colonels Kelvin & Julie Alley, the RSIPF Band, the Holy Cross Boys, the ladies of our SAES team and Martin Wynne for contributing to the success of this weekend.

Holy Land Pilgrimage Journal (Day 16)

Friday, 27th September 2019

When we flew into Brisbane, we ordered a ride through ‘Uber’ to get from the international terminal to the motel. To our surprise, the driver was a Jordanian man who had grown up in Bethlehem in the West Bank. He also worked in Dubai before moving his family to Australia. He was so excited that we had just travelled to his homeland. We shared stories about the places we had visited and learned a bit about his family during the short trip to the motel. It really was a delightful way to end this part of our trip back to Australia. What are the chances of getting a driver from Jordan and the West Bank in Brisbane?!

Holy Land Pilgrimage Journal (Day 15)

Thursday, 26th September 2019

Today’s journal entry comes from the seat of flight EK904 from Amman to Dubai, as we begin our journey home. We left the Movenpick Hotel in Petra early to make our way up to Amman. Along the way, we stopped at Mount Nebo to visit the ‘Memorial of Moses’. From this vantage point, we looked over the Jordan Valley and could see what Moses did from the very spot that God gave Moses a glimpse of the land he would never enter. It was a surreal moment taking in the significance of such a view. It was so much more than just pretty scenery but a vision of a promise for the people of Israel.

“Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land – from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev and the whole region from the valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, “I will give it to your descendants.” I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it”” (Deuteronomy 34:1-4).

What may have been a disappointment to Moses may also have been a vision of fulfilment, having completed the task God assigned to him at the burning bush. We don’t read of disappointment or resentment but of anointing and handing of the mantle of leadership to Joshua to lead the Israelites Moses had rescued from slavery into the promised land.

“Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.” (Deuteronomy 34:9)

The ‘Memorial Church of Moses’, along with some impacting statues, stand as a tribute to the man who earned the epitaph, “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face…” (Deuteronomy 34:10). The remains of the 6th century church and stunning mosaics housed in this memorial church have stood as a lasting testimony to Moses’ life and leadership on top of Mount Nebo.

From the mountaintop we descended back down into the valley to the city of Madaba to visit ‘St. George’s Mosaic Map Church’. This remarkable mosaic map of the Holy Land and surrounding regions is another example of the amazing craftsmanship of the 6th century that has been passed down through the generations to today in Jordan. The detail of this map, showing key places of biblical significance, is something to be admired and preserved for future generations.

After visiting the ‘Church of the Mosaic Map’ we all gathered at the 'Haret Jdoudna Restaurant' for our final meal together as a group of pilgrims. Over the past two weeks, we have shared a life changing pilgrimage that has taken us on a journey through the pages of Scripture to the sites where it actually happened. We have shared moments of awe and wonder, laughed and cried together, and have experienced divine encounters along the way. At the beginning of this pilgrimage, many of us were strangers, but along the way, a bond of friendship that has roots sown in a mutual experience has been formed. As we each return to our respective appointments, we will take a piece of each other’s lives with us as fellow pilgrims of the Holy Land. It has been a real joy to share this journey with Officers from around Australia that already share a common calling and covenant. It has also been a delight getting to know Officers from the former Australia Eastern Territory and travel together under the banner of the new Australia National Territory.

As we approached Amman airport in Jordan, one of our fellow pilgrims presented us each with a small crocheted cross that she had handmade during our trip as a thoughtful token of our journey in the footsteps of Jesus over the past two weeks. Therefore, I have chosen to embed this lovely gift into the pages of this journal as a permanent imprint of what this trip was all about. It’s all about Jesus!! The historic Greco-Roman culture set the environment for the birth of Jesus and the present Israel Palestinian conflict may well set the scene for the return of Jesus. In the centre of this complex political and religious region, by God’s divine providence, Jesus still remains at the heart of the Holy Land. The ‘Wailing Wall’ and the ‘Golden Dome’ pale into insignificance before the path of the cross! Even the ornate beauty of the ‘Holy Sepulchre’ falls short of the majesty of the One it represents. Walking in the ‘Footsteps of Jesus’ throughout the Holy Land was ultimately a journey towards the cross, as this was Christ’s mission for the salvation of humankind. All His teaching, miracles and encounters along the way was to fulfil His Father’s will (John 6:38).

“Oh, the wonderful cross, oh the wonderful cross

Bid me come and die and find that I may truly live.

Oh, the wonderful cross, oh the wonderful cross

All who gather here by grace, draw near and bless Your name.

Love so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all.

It’s the beauty and the shame, it’s the glory and the name

Wonderful cross.”

Holy Land Pilgrimage Journal (Day 14)

Wednesday, 25th September 2019

Our destination for today was literally over the road from our hotel. The visitor centre at the Petra Archaeological Park was a doorway to one of the ‘7 Wonders of the World’. As we descended the stony path, we were greeted by stunning sandstone cliffs that gradually revealed their secrets. This was the land of the Nabateans who carved extraordinary monuments into the surrounding cliffs to form a sophisticated society in the barren desert. Elaborately decorated rock faced tombs of the Nabateans and caves recently occupied by the Bedouins line the cliff faces. Following the contours of the ‘Siq’ (shaft) is an aqueduct channel carved into the sandstone to allow a channel of water to run down the mountain into deep cisterns to sustain this ancient civilisation in the desert. Walking through this crevice known as the ‘Siq’ was an awe-inspiring experience and a photographer’s paradise! 

Every turn opened up another stunning scene begging to be photographed. The natural colours of the sandstone against the bright blue sky with the sun piercing between the rocks was truly amazing. The further we descended the more impressive the tomb carvings became. Then we reached the famous ‘Treasury’ which was featured in the movie ‘Indiana Jones – Last Crusade’. This forty metre high façade carved into the cliff face is a magnificent, intricate rock craving from the first century that has been remarkably preserved to the present day.

Beyond this main attraction, we found the ‘High Place of Sacrifice’, a Roman style theatre that can seat 4,000 spectators, royal tombs, the church and other equally spectacular world heritage monuments from this ancient city. There was so much to take in along this promenade of historic masterpieces. Along the way, were peddlers, market stalls, donkey and camel rides and other conveniences for the large number of tourists who visit this attraction. Unlike the locations we have visited throughout this trip, the locals trying to sell their products or services actually added to the experience. It brought these static displays to life with the hustle and bustle of village life that gave some sense of how this society may have functioned. You could almost imagine the travelling caravans passing through the once vibrant community. In fact, it was just outside of Petra where Moses struck the rock (Numbers 20:7-11) when the Israelites were perishing from thirst in the desert. It is said that Moses sent a message to King Rekem of Petra, asking permission to pass through Edom, but the king refused causing Moses and the Israelites to take the longer route around this valley. Maybe the king’s refusal was to preserve the precious water he had stored up in their cisterns? This land is full of stories that could take a lifetime to uncover. Today’s adventure certainly raised my curiosity and interest to learn more about this fascinating place that I walked through today.

When we returned to the visitor centre this afternoon, we were looking for a souvenir for our son Adam, which led us to this small store where we met the owner Magid. His shop was without power, which opened up a conversation that went well beyond us spending a few ‘Dina’ in his shop. Magid shared his heart and soul with us, revealing the very dark place of hopelessness he was in and his feeling of despair. We were deeply moved by his story but felt somewhat helpless as we will probably never see him again when we leave Jordan tomorrow. So, I felt prompted in my spirit to promise him that we would pray for this Muslim man from Petra. I asked his permission to take his photo as a reminder for me to fulfil my promise. He seemed somewhat uplifted by this commitment of prayer and asked us to start praying tonight, as he is presently trying to sell some land. He was so grateful for this conversation that he refused to take my money for our purchase and even broke Muslim protocol by reaching out to shake Ness’ hand. He said, “I don’t normally shake the hand of a woman, but there is something different about you.” We left his shop feeling this was a God-ordained encounter and with a sense that His Spirit was present in this encounter.

After dinner, our group assembled for a final time of devotion together. Our leaders Graham led a time of sharing about the highlights of this pilgrimage. After two weeks of travelling the Holy Land, there was much to share; so many experiences, divine encounters, ‘aha’ moments that impacted each one of us in different ways. Yet, something I believe we all share in common is that we will return to our respective appointments different people to who we were before we embarked on this pilgrimage. With just one day left before we depart Amman tomorrow night, we have so much to give thanks for – to God first, and to The Salvation Army for granting us this opportunity.

Holy Land Pilgrimage Journal (Day 13)

Tuesday, 24th September 2019

Once we left our hotel at the Dead Sea, we were on the road pretty much all day today. We followed the Israeli Jordan border all the way down to the Red Sea and crossed at Aqaba. At the border was our first drama for the day. Three of our tour group were pulled up on the Jordan side of the border by customs. It seems their souvenirs purchased in Israel breached Jordanian law. The offending items were a small menorah (a Jewish candelabra). Instead of just confiscating the items, they sent our group back over the Israeli border to dispose of them before letting them through customs. Two of them were actually escorted out by a soldier. You can imagine their stress and anxiety during this ordeal. As a result, we were all held up at the border for over an hour. After finally clearing immigration, we set off on our long journey back up the east side of the border towards the ‘Wadi Rum’ desert. Just before we reached the main highway in Aqaba, a car drove through the wrong side of a roundabout causing drama number two! The bus driver took evasive action, causing the bus to sharply veer onto the opposite side of the road, as he locked up the brakes. Fortunately, we avoided an accident… just! With a few frayed nerves, we continued on through the desert and enjoyed the magnificent views of the barren, rocky mountains.

Our destination was the ‘Wadi Rum’ desert, where we set off for a two-hour jeep ride through the desert. This was the scene for our third drama, which I will get to in a minute. Again, we were confronted by stunning views of the ‘Seven Pillars of Wisdom’, which were featured in the movie ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. This place was a photographer’s paradise with the desert sand against the imposing rock faces and the deep blue sky. 

Halfway through our desert adventure we stopped by a Bedouin village where they provided camel rides. A few of our group jumped at the opportunity for a short camel ride in the desert, when one of our group, Liz, came crashing to the ground when the rope holding the saddle broke. She didn’t seem to be hurt, just a little shaken. During afternoon tea at another nearby Bedouin tent, the shock of the fall hit hard, causing Liz to feel quite ill. She was loaded into one of the vehicles and rushed off to the nearest clinic for medical attention. After a lot of drama and an ambulance ride to the hospital 70 km away, she was cleared of any major injuries. All of this meant we arrived in Petra, our final destination for the day, quite late. We praise God that all three of these incidents only resulted in a bit of inconvenience and discomfort, when you consider how much worse each situation could have been. God’s hand has certainly been upon us today and we have been blessed by the rugged beauty of His mighty creation. Driving through the barrenness also gave us a brief insight into the hot, dry and tough conditions that the Israelites would have journeyed through when they left Egypt during the Exodus. Any wonder they complained so much and wanted to return to Egypt. The vulnerability of this desert space is very real and presents a similar life of challenges for the Bedouin today!

Throughout this pilgrimage, we have been treated to some exceptional accommodation in very fancy hotels. Never before have we stayed in such places! Our hotel in Petra, where we will spend our final two nights is simply beautiful, offering very fine service, facilities and food. We have been so blessed to receive such generous hospitality. It is hard to believe our journey is coming to an end, but we look forward to the final experiences on our itinerary before leaving this intriguing part of the world.

Holy Land Pilgrimage Journal (Day 12)

Monday, 23rd September 2019

After saying farewell to our homestay families, we ventured into the dry and arid Judean countryside, starting with a visit to the ‘Wadi Qelt’ wilderness. This vast wilderness contained the famous road from Jericho to Jerusalem, which was the main thoroughfare to the Holy City. David fled to Jerusalem on this route after Absalom made himself king (2 Samuel 15:23-16:14). King Zedekiah escaped from Nebuchadnezzar’s troops on this road (2 Kings 25:1-6). Jesus walked it many times (Mark 10:46-11:1, Luke 2:39-50). Even the Roman Legion marched on it to destroy Jerusalem in 70 AD. This hilly, arid countryside has a strange beauty looking across it, but no doubt was a brutal journal along the barren, rocky trails.

We continued our journey through this wilderness into the ancient city of Jericho to take a trip up the ‘Mount of Temptation’ in a cable car. Jericho is considered in this region to be the oldest city in the world, dated as 10,000 years old. It is located in the Jordan Valley and is governed by the Palestinian National Authority. The ‘Mount of Temptation’ is the place where Jesus was tempted by Satan after spending 40 days in the wilderness we had just seen. This was a breathtaking journey up the mountain, with quite a steep climb after we disembarked the cable car to a precariously located monastery on the side of the cliff face. For Jesus, I’m tipping it was quite a different journey, both physically and spiritually. I’m actually glad that the last stage to the place of temptation was strenuous and required a lot of effort! It seemed right to be standing in the space where Jesus was tempted, feeling hot from the scorching sun and feeling out of breath from the climb.

We moved from one mountain to another via the Dead Sea, as we made our way to Masada. On our way, we stopped by the ‘Qumran Caves’, which was home to the Essenes and the archaeological site where the ‘Dead Sea Scrolls’ were discovered around 1947. The way this ancient monastic movement carved out a life in the barren wilderness is quite impressive. Not only did they learn to survive as a recluse community in a ‘dry and thirsty land’, but they also disciplined themselves to a life of rituals and deep study as they transcribed the Scriptures to preserve them for this present age. Having seen the ‘Shrine of the Book’ that houses the ‘Dead Sea Scrolls’ in Jerusalem, it was quite amazing to visit the site where they were found today.

Upon our arrival in Masada, we were shown a short video to tell the remarkable story of this epic battle, as recorded by Josephus. Again, this is a story that I was previously unfamiliar with. In brief, a group of Jewish rebels known as the ‘Sicarii’ fled Jerusalem after the destruction of the second temple in 70 AD. They settled on the mountain top of Masada (the previous fortress of Herod the Great around 37-31 BC) after slaughtering the Roman garrison. In 73 AD, the Roman governor Lucas Flavius Silva headed the Roman Legion to lay siege of Masada. The Roman Legion surrounded the fortified mountain and built a siege ramp against the western face of the mountain plateau and used a battering ram to penetrate the massive stone walls. When you stand atop of the plateau and look down the steep rugged cliffs, it is absolutely extraordinary that the Romans considered attempting such a siege, let alone succeeded!! The tragedy and heroism of this story is that the ‘Sicarii’ refused to be taken as slaves by the Romans, so they chose death by enacting an internal murder suicide plot. The ‘Sicarii’ leader gathered his men in the synagogue and gave the following speech:

“Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than God himself, who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice … We were the very first that revolted, and we are the last to fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favour that God has granted us, that it is still in our power to die bravely, and in a state of freedom.” (Elazar Ben Yair)

Since Judaism prohibits suicide, Josephus reported that the ‘Sicarii’ had drawn lots and killed each other in turn, down to the last man, who would be the only one to actually take his own life. On one mountain Jesus fought against Satan and overcame his temptations. On the other mountain the ‘Sicarii’ fought against the Roman Legion and took each other’s lives to avoid defeat and slavery. One cannot escape the irony between these two compelling stories from the pages of history that came alive today. The other interesting detail about this part of the journey is that the imposing cliffs of the Masada National Park stand 290 metres above the Dead Sea yet standing on the top of those cliffs looking down on the Dead Sea is only 33 metres above sea level. From this vantage point, you capture just how low the Dead Sea really is as the lowest point on earth.

The Dead Sea is where we ended our day. Once we checked into our hotel, we walked down to the shore of the Dead Sea for an obligatory swim, or should I say, float!? I’ve heard many stories about this experience from other travellers, but it is quite another thing to experience the sensation of floating in the Dead Sea for yourself. It really is a strange sensation being so buoyant in water that contains around 35% salinity (salt content). It requires absolutely no effort at all to stay afloat in the very warm water, but when you try to stand up, it requires an enormous amount of effort. It was indeed an experience! We are so blessed to be staying in another beautiful hotel that offers a bit of luxury for their overseas guests. Never before have we stayed in such places and enjoyed this level of hotel accommodation.