Testimonials
From Past Groups The hotels were better than expected. The food was fine and we never went hungry. Both of us really enjoyed the local diner where we had authentic Turkish food. Thank you so much. The trip was an excellent value for the money and the people were terrific. We would appreciate staying on your e-mail list. F.R., Turkey 2003 Just to let you know that I was very pleased with the trip to Turkey . I hope to be able to take another trip with Emmaus in the future! I'm sending a picture of Steve Notley talking to the group about Acts 19 while in the theatre in Ephesus . The trip was well organized on both sides of the Atlantic . Dr. Notley was great, our guide and driver were very friendly. I was pleased with the schedule, even though I normally like more time to explore on my own time, I thought this was a good mix and did provide me with some flexibility. Based on my experience, I would definitely like to return to Turkey , and would definitely be interested in another Emmaus trip. R.W, Turkey 2003 First of all, the trip was wonderful. I realize more and
more how much of a gift it was since arriving home. It was a true
blessing to have someone of the caliber of Dr. Steve Notley leading it.
I know more now about the land of Jesus , the terrain and distances involved. It
has made my Bible study come more alive as I can now place all of the
locations. That takes sort of the "logical" mystery out
of the Bible for me, and I can better focus on the spiritual side. The
mere act of such a travel experience -- I had never gone any farther
than Mexico -- combined with the Bible history lesson broadened my mind
and soul. The trip continues to grow on me since arriving home. In
a few years, I hope to take my wife and would not hesitate -- in fact
would seek out -- an Emmaus trip. Thanks and God Bless. The Israel trip was my first outside of the U.S. (not counting Mexico and Canada ). It is hard to imagine a higher quality experience than the one you and Steve put together for us. I feel deeply grateful for the effort you and Steve put into the whole program. Talk about an easy trip ... I didn't have to do anything logistically. This fact made it very relaxing and allowed me to reflect and be inquisitive which is how I learn best. Steve's knowledge, discussions, and speculations made the experience rich for all of us on the trip. An element of the program that I particularly enjoyed was the flexibility of schedule. Several diversions were well worth the time. The accommodations were incredible – especially in light of the trip cost. T.F, Israel 2004 Can't thank you enough for your input in putting together our Israel adventure! Phil and I were absolutely amazed how beautifully the whole experience went. The schedule was full, but not overwhelming. Steve was incredibly flexible about tucking in extra sites as time allowed and interest was shown. He is an absolute treasure when it comes to guiding a group. Every site added to the richness of my understanding. I would hate to have missed any of them. Some of my sweetest memories where I was most touched were when we got our first glimpse of Jerusalem at sunset, with the driver playing the song " Jerusalem " on the bus. I was also incredibly moved to touch the Western Wall and have a chance to pray there. I hadn't expected such emotional responses in those places! One of the best parts of our trip was the timing. The Land was green and lush, with wild flowers growing everywhere. I think it really helped our group that Phil had us meet weekly before the trip and go over basic knowledge of the Land. That way we felt engaged before we even got there. The booklet you folks put together was also a great resource. To sum it all up, this was the trip of a lifetime for me! I was totally blessed by the experience and am sensing such new richness when I read the scriptures. Thank you for making it all possible. I know we will all be recommending the trip to our church family!! L.A.O., Israel 2004 What a wonderful time we all had in Israel . Steve cannot be beat, as you well know. Seeing unplanned sites and doing impromptu excursions was icing on the cake; this can only happen with people like Steve and Slava who know the areas and care about the interests of the group. Both are people with servant-hearts. I learned a great deal more than I had expected, and have a much better understanding of the setting for Christ's birth and the circumstances/environment of his death. I enjoyed the hikes and we were blessed with perfect weather. Size of the group was a bonus; enjoyed lasting fellowship; never felt like I couldn't get close enough to hear what Steve was saying. Steve deserves many kudos for his spiritual insights, his kindness, knowledge, flexibility, sense of humor, and all-round positive attitude. Thank You! C.J., Israel 2004 I enjoyed the program tremendously!!! I cannot think of any ways to improve it at this point. I think Steve did an outstanding job in many respects. He was extremely knowledgeable, but what I enjoyed even more than that was the faith that shown through in all his presentations. Dr. Notley was very hospitable in seeking to satisfy all, and adaptable to the varying needs of our group. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone having a bit of curiosity. I'm sure I will be reaping benefits from this indefinitely as I now have a much greater background for my daily walk. I'm sure each time I read the bible my ability to place myself in the setting to understand will be much improved. I wish the two of you extreme success with your programs...and I hope to be venturing with you again in a couple of years! P.N., Israel 2004 Rarely a day passes when I don't think of something we did while on that wonderful trip. During the past year I have received many invitations from churches, Bible study groups, men’s breakfast groups as well as secular organizations to share of my experiences in Israel . God is sure using our time together in Israel as means of sharing his word in ways I would otherwise have never had the opportunity to do. Interest in Israel here in my community is so high at present. I use a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate my message. Many of the photos I use come from the collection you so kindly gave us after our departure - again, thank you. One of your opening remarks I remember was that while we would be introduced to much while in Israel during the two weeks of the tour, we would probably spend a lifetime unpacking the experience in our Christian walk. I think of that often and I want to let you know that your words are proving to be so true. I look forward to one day accompanying you (Wink) and Steve on another tour, perhaps back to Israel or even to Greece and Turkey. I am praying for your ministry and thank God for your work, may He continually richly bless you. M.T., Israel 2004 Traveling in the "Footsteps of Paul" in Turkey made this tour feel like a fresh Christian blood transfusion. I realize how important it is to take time to explore Old World roots; to visit places were Jesus (in Israel) or the Apostles shared the Good News. The Paul Turkey trip was a natural follow-up to my visit to Israel. The success of this tour for me came from the mix of people who bonded well, and the curiosity and questions shared. Matching this was the superb biblical scholarship of three PHD leaders who seemed to enjoy exploring our questions. D.H., Turkey 2005 I highly recommend this tour to Israel to anyone interested in learning more about our Judeo-Christian roots with opportunity for physical fitness activities. For me, it was a Biblical Pilgrimage. V.W., Israel 2005 My trip to Israel in May was one of the highlights of my life. To see the immensity of the stones of the walls of Jerusalem, to pray at the Wailing Wall, and to imagine the crowds that pressed in to Jesus made me want to press even closer to Him myself! The wonderful teaching offered by our leaders, (Steve, Marc, Wink) brought much more than just knowledge for its own sake. Their teaching brought the Life and Love of our Lord Jesus into a clear focus. Because of their vibrant teaching and the many glorious places we visited that were often "off the beaten path", such as the Emmaus Road, I didn't just visit Israel...I EXPERIENCED Israel! N.R., Israel 2005 I enjoyed the teaching, the sites and all accommodations. The expertise of a noted scholar and author, such as Dr. Notley, made the country “come alive.” The geographical knowledge of historical sites verses the traditional biblical sites was much appreciated. I particularly enjoyed meeting individuals from both the Jewish and Palestinian communities and having different viewpoints on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Thank you all for a trip never to be forgotten. Well done. D.R., Israel 2006
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