Within a couple miles (that would be 3+ kilometers here) from our temporary home on the kibbutz are several sites associated with Jesus' ministry. The closest is right here on the kibbutz. About 20 years ago, a small wooden boat was found in the mud on the bottom of the lake near the shore. It was carefully removed and immersed in a chemical bath. When I first saw the boat fourteen years ago, it was still soaking. Today it's in a state-of-the-art museum here on the kibbutz. We saw the boat and enjoyed the view of the kibbutz and the lake from the museum.
Down the road, we stopped in to the Church of the Multiplication - along with about twenty tour buses. Since the early days of Christianity, a particular rock in that spot has been identified as the place where Jesus multiplied the bread and fish. The rock emerges from the floor of the church, and the floor itself is made of mosaic tile and dates to the 400s. It was found underneath the dirt after being hidden for 1300 years. A new church was built in the 1980s to commemorate the site. It was fascinating to watch a tile artist make repairs to the floor.
Nearby is the Church of the Primacy of Peter. It marks the traditional site of the breakfast Jesus had on the beach with his disciples after the resurrection. After breakfast, Jesus took Peter aside and asked repeately if Peter loved him. After affirming three times that he did in fact love Jesus, Jesus asked him to "feed his sheep." On the beach are three enormous rocks shaped like hearts. Leroy's college chorus at Eastern Nazarene sang a song by Ken Medema titled "Peter, Do You Love Me?" and Leroy sang it on the beach and then throughout the day in the car until I had to ask him to stop. 
The most important site connected to Jesus in Galilee is Capernaum. The village that existed there was his home base while ministering in Galilee. It was also the home town of Peter and some of the other disciples. In the center of the excavated village are the remains of a 5th century octagonal church built on top of a room used for worship by early Christians and believed to be part of Peter's house. 
From the shore of Galilee, we drove north into the Golen Heights. Northern Israel really is a very beautiful place. It is probably nothing like what most people imagine when they think of Israel. Surrounding and to the north of Galilee are lush, green hills covered with trees and cows. We were heading to the highly-rated Golen Heights Winery where we enjoyed a tasting and purchased bottles of Chardonnay and Caberet Sauvignon. We tried to find some other wineries that we had read about, but quickly became disoriented without a good map or GPS.
Driving still further north, we passed remnants from the Six Day War of 1967. Concrete structures riddled with bullet holes stood on hilltops among cattle grazing peacefully. By now we were seriously lost and found ourselves driving by several military installations. Soon we were passing army trucks driven by 20 year-old male and female soldiers. Some of the trucks were stopped so soldiers could perch on the roofs and peer at nearby Lebanon and Syria (we were right at the borders) through binoculars while holding machine guns. This seemed to make Leroy nervous. We finally had to stop and ask some soldiers for directions.At "Banias," a beautiful park with natural springs and waterfalls at the base of Mount Hermon, we remembered Jesus's words to Simon Peter: "You are Peter" (the rock) "and upon this rock I will build my church." The location was known as Ceasarea Philippi back then. Mount Hermon is also believed by some to be the site of the transfiguration of Christ.
We have great plans for tomorrow, too. Hopefully we'll get back early enough to enjoy the beach at the kibbutz. The weather has warmed up nicely, and it should be in the 80s tomorrow and up to 90 by the time we reach Tel Aviv this weekend.
