Thursday- by Robyn

Today we explored the Galilee region of Israel, and started our day off with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The ride soon turned into a dance party, as we all got up and started to dance to the music for the remainder of the ride.

Then, exhausted already, we disembarked and got back on the bus on our way to Tabgha, where Jesus fed the 5,000 with only two fish and five loaves of bread. Then we went over to the Mount of Beatitudes, celebrating where Jesus taught about the blessed peoples, the meek, the peacemakers, etc.

Our next stop was Capernaum, where St. Peter’s house is—a place where Jesus lived and preached in the Synagogue. Worn out from weather pushing 120 degrees, we took a democratic vote and elected not to swim in the Galilee itself, but instead went straight on to our next stop, the Jordan river, where we sat in the shade, ate ice cream, and walked down to the baptismal banks of the river itself. We watched a catfish fight, and Alex was playing with the smaller fish, watching them jump from her hands back to the river.

Tonight we will celebrate Eucharist, with Kate presiding, giving the local people a chance to experience a woman presiding over the service. It has been a very busy day, full of sights and opportunities that we may never have the chance to experience again.