Testimonies January 2011 Pilgrimage
Egypt 2011
We had an amazing time travelling through Egypt, Jordan and Israel for 17 days here is a photo of our amazing pilgrims that conquered Mt. Sinai, Petra and Israel; people who came together as strangers but left as friends. Read their testimonies below…
We experienced the favor of God chase us down wherever we went. From the start we had beautiful weather despite it being winter time, we had wonderful guides who shared their heart with us and the depths of their knowledge. We were blessed with having an awesome worship leader in the tour who blessed us everywhere we went by leading us in worship, and the presence of God fell at those times, even our guides were touched by the worship.
We had miraculous healings of necks, backs, knees, legs, but the greatest miracle that impacted me was at the River Jordan where we baptised 4 1st time dedications, and 4 people who understood the Jordan to be a place of change and stepped into the river for a greater anointing.
Before we set out on this journey in my planning l had thought that it would possibly be too cold to baptize anyone so l didn’t come prepared to do that – should anyone want to be baptized l would suggest that they might just do it the Jewish way as a Mikvah…
Not being a person who likes the cold at all, this seemed to be a reasonable option…but God had different plans…as he so often does…
So when more and more people came up asking to go into the Jordan the traditional way l realized that now my first priority would be to find a wet suit. Where does one find a wet suit in a land that has no surf! So l asked my guides and finally they worked out that l wanted a Scooba suit… which would be quite expensive, but l was prepared to pay any price not to be cold.
Our bus driver who was Christian said ‘don’t worry Jesus help you’ to which l responded ‘yes l know – do you know where l can get a wet suit’ (feeling like a mighty woman of faith about now), he repeated himself again ‘don’t worry Jesus will help you -’ so again agreeing that was the end of our conversation about wet suits.
When we arrived at the Jordan the sun was shinning yet the water was as l had anticipated COLD! We had to wear white gowns and underneath l wore my 3/4 jeans and a ling sleeved top. As l entered the water it was COLD but once l got knee-deep it felt like l was in a heated pool.
We baptized 8 people which took 1hr.45min praying over them waiting for a prophetic word for them and each one as they entered the water were cold but when we laid hands on them it was like a heat wave went through them…
As l walked out of the water after the last person the Lord gave me the impression that all that time my clothes had acted as a wet suit l had been as warm and comfortable as though l had been in a heated pool..
The Glory and Praise go to God alone!! When He calls –He equips!!
There were so many more God moments throughout the journey – often after being in prayer for a good portion of the night the next day His presence was so heavy l found it difficult to speak, just as well we had a guide with us- all l could do was just bask in His presence…
Join me in January 2013 for another amazing journey through Jordan and Israel, where the Bible will come alive and God’s presence is tangible….you will not return home the same person, it is a journey of transformation…come and be transformed…..
Testimonies
With my profound thanks, love Julie Carne
Joyce & Rodney Buchanan
The trip made so many things in the bible very very personal ; means all that we felt before became so very real ,very moving and emotional to a point never before experienced. Thank you for being game enough to take me with you . Trust all was well when you got back. Bless you Joyce and Rod. P.S. Rod really learnt a lot from it too; the day in the garden at the tomb was very special to him.
Joyce celebrated her 81st birthday on the last day of our journey…what an inspiration!
Su Atkinson
It was the most wonderful experience. At this moment I don’t have words for it all. God is so good!! Before we started I had great concerns – about my left leg. Some days I could walk for about 10 minutes before being in pain and some days it would hurt from the first step. Walking was one of my pleasures but it became an absolute nightmare. At some stage – I can’t remember when – it went right out of my head. I just didn’t think about it any more – maybe just before we left or a couple of days before – don’t know. But I can say that at no point in all the time we were on our journey did that pain show itself. I have just walked to the letter box and, guess what – no pain!! Healed!! Thank you for everything, Astrid. What a wonderful job you did. God bless you heaps.
Angela Bellamy
Just wanted to let you know that the whole trip was such a blessing for me and to be able to go with our daughters as well and to see Carlas Baptism and Jessicas recommittment in such a special place. Thank you Astrid for being such a spirit filled , loving, caring leader on this trip. You have been such a blessing to us all. My prayer for myself and all Gods family is that he ignite/reignite/stoke the fire of passion within us to desire Him as our first love and whatever the plan/s He has for us……Amen.
I loved the whole trip even though it was physically testing..but He did sustain us and provide for us as needed. The highlights for me were many edpecially the sea of Gallille ( would have liked a little more time on the shores)and the Garden Tomb . I also loved the few occasions of being able to interact with the locals in Petra and in Jerusalem.
I especially wanted to share with you Gods provision for me personally on our trip down Mt SINai (as the locals call it). As you know Su was injured on her way up the mountain and God provided for her with the assistance of Magdalena and Abraham all the way to the bottom. I was following behind them(probably the last one). I made it up the hill OK but on the way down my knees (1 badly broken needing to be wired up approx 10 yrs ago and the other athritic) were becoming quite painful. By just over halfway down every step was having to be considered (tried all sorts of styles- even crablike)and being a very independent sort of person was reluctant to any offers of assistance. But God had to bring me to the end of myself before He could provide, so I needed to get into a pretty bad state (both legs like sticks that wouldnt bend and swollen knees). Tears were streaming down my face ,my nose was running all the way to my chin when I cried out to God telling Him that I couldnt go on anymore. How am I going to get down this mountain? I just wanted to sit down in the dirt.
One considered painful step at a time- and then- Jehovah Jireh provided- in the form of a big black man (flash of blue) almost running up beside me saying “you want this stick?” yes please- I gratefully accepted his walking stick- and off he ran again. Praise God. Further on things were getting difficult again and I was helped by a lovely woman holding my arm and helping me over some larger rocks and sticking with me for some time. Further down the hill I again didnt think I could go another step and sat down with Su and Magdalena in one of the huts thinking that they would have to airlift me out of there because my legs just wouldnt bend- at all-. Su said that she had some panadol in her bag and gave me 2. Within 15 mins my knees began to move again and was able to keep going. Further on a couple of Nigerian ladies came flying past on camels saying, Keep going- we have been praying for you . Later a taxi came to get us as far up as it dared to- you know the rest….
Just wanted to share that Sepi ( I had told a few people what had happened) named the stick Jireh (nearly lost it @ Melbourne airport but went back from the hotel and found it again!) and indeed Jehovah did provide. Doing the mountain trek reminded me that God only shows you what you need to do one step at a time and to focus on that. In the dark going up we had no idea how steep that mountain was ( a bit like our lives) and then pondering it in the daylight thinking if I knew this before going ,I wouldnt have done it……But Gods grace is suffiient for us for the day and in His mercy He doesnt (mostly) let us see our lives mapped out before us either for obvious reasons.
I have certainly got a lot to chew on and praise God for. Hoping this is an encouragement to you. Each one of us has a special story. Blesssings to everyone, as you have all blessed me. It is so special to be part of THE church being built together as living stones which the gates of hell will not prevail over. Your sister in Christ
Carla
I also want to thank you again for being part of the journey with me; you were a huge part of it. I really admire your strength, fortitude and your reliance upon the Lord, especially in the light of everything you shared with me personally while we were away. I feel incredibly privileged to have had that experience in the Jordan River, from me to you, it will stay with me for a very long time.
We certainly did have enormous favour from God in all aspects of our journey, down to the timing of the whole thing. With everything that happening now in Egypt, we are reminded there are no accidents or coincidences. I think we are blessed to have had that window open to us and Gods timing is always perfect.
Well it would be great to keep in touch and l am sure you’ll do an awesome job planning 2012. May God continue to bless and reveal himself to you always. With love in his great name, Carla.
Karen Buckmaster
Still digesting the trip & probably will do so for a while still. Julie & I have been asked to share about it with the CCD ladies in mid-March. I’ve also been through my photos with a number of friends eager to see Israel & have had fun reliving our journey. I do miss the group & must say we gelled well.
There are many highlights for me – the surprise of being baptized for a new season & anointing in the Jordan, climbing into the heart of the pyramid, the Dead sea, walking under the Western Wall & praying for a terminally ill friend there with Julie & Marg…visiting the Temple Institute, & Hezekiah’s tunnel … ok, all of Israel & Jerusalem!
Loved Petra & Egypt because I teach it in Yr 7 History, then crusaders are in Yr. 8 History… & Israel is scattered all the way through! Praying for that region is made easier by simply being there… Mt of Olives. The Gates & walls.. busing through what will be Armageddon.-.Bethlehem, King Tut, Cairo traffic, Mt Carmel Gallilee etc.…& I treasure the times we simply worshipped together. Must go back & spend more time wandering tough Israel!
Marg Box
What a pilgrimage! I have been waiting 20 years to go to The Holy Land , words can’t describe my excitement building up to the trip.
The tour met all my expectations. Beginning in the land of Egypt where God performed His first miracle ….and where I had a personal miracle when I climbed Mt Sinai!! (with the help of a camel and my lovely guide Josephus) . “with My God I can scale a wall” Ps.18:29 The Lord gave me this verse when I was very fearful whether I could achieve it, having a hip issue and a minor heart condition. Wow… I was blown away. No hip pain and no palpitations, Thank you Lord.
Other highlights were walking into Petra and coming out with the awesome sight of The Treasury before us. After climbing Mt. Sinai the day before…. we decided to hop on donkeys half way back, then a horse and buggy ride for the last half!!
Our devotional and worship times were so special, thanks Astrid for all your prayers and listening to The Lord – we had such opportunities to worship freely, so beautiful is his presence. Thank you Sepi for using your gifts, what a blessing you were.
Floating on The Dead Sea, Sailing on The Sea of Galilee, the baptisms in the Jordan River, and then Jerusalem!!! Looking over the city from The Mount of Olives to The Eastern Gate where Jesus will one Day enter!! Seeing the people praying at the Wailing Wall and going under along the wall, so touching.
Our wonderful guide Hillel "e “take your time 2 minutes”…. what a depth of knowledge, thank you. The feel of The Old City, walking through and soaking it all in, The Via Delarosa. The Temple Institute, eating falafel in a quaint little street, the people, the crazy crowded markets. The Garden Tomb and taking communion.
The morning we left Jerusalem we were worshiping on the bus and as I looked over the city I started to weep, I think I have left a piece of my heart there, I didn’t want to leave. All my thanks and praise to our beautiful God.
Laura Gouw
Just wanted to let you know how amazing you are… the trip was such a blessing to all of us. God is so good. Thank you so much for leading the tour. You’re such an inspirational woman and I will forever remember you for being such a loving and caring person.
We saw so many beautiful places… and am so pleased I was able to capture the moments and share with you all … it does take some time to digest… Much love!!! Thanks so much for baptising me too =)
