ADC Trip to Israel

Today's student guest post is by Ben Grosvenor.  He is in the third year of the Mdiv program. Ben lives in Stewiacke, NS.

It was early February 2012. I had absolutely no idea that a mere two and a half months later I would be making a trip of a lifetime. I had just taken a seat by myself in the Langley room with my bowl of soup. It was Wednesday afternoon at ADC, and the room was quickly filling with hungry students and staff who were taking advantage of the very reasonably priced community lunch. It was just moments after I had began sipping my soup that Dr. Glenn Wooden
had taken a seat right next to me. I did not know Glenn very well at the time so I was quite intimidated at his presence. My mind raced as I struggled to think of a topic of conversation. Out of desperation I managed to recall seeing a poster promoting the ADC trip to Israel that Glenn himself was leading. I asked him to explain the trip to me. He proceeded to explain in detail the nature of the trip, including the many places that would be visited. The conversation certainly sparked my interest. Israel was always #1 on my bucket list of places to visit. However finances and other factors had always made me quickly dismiss the thought of making the trip in the near future.

Approximately two weeks had passed by since my conversation with Glenn. Israel was still pressing on my mind. All I could think about was what an amazing opportunity it would be to tour the Holy Land, to walk the very same places where Jesus walked, and have a professional tour guide and credible scholars walking along side of me. I realized that this was an opportunity that I could not let pass. Even though I did not quite have the finances lined up yet, I knew it was the Lord who had laid this trip on my heart and wanted me to go. Two weeks after my conversation with Glenn I approached his office and asked him to sign me up. Fast-forward approximately two months and I was on a plane (for the first time in my life!) heading for Israel and a journey of a lifetime!

I had some people ask me whether the trip was worth the price I paid. I responded every time, without hesitation that the trip was worth every dime I paid. What made the trip worth it for me was the simple fact that I got to walk the very same land that is the setting for a great portion of the scriptures. Being able to read large portions of scripture and visualizing the surroundings of where a particular story takes place gives me a renewed appreciation for the Scriptures. Seeing those places the Bible talks about from your own eyes really does make the stories come alive!


I easily could write a chapter book on how fulfilling and meaningful the trip was for me. However I will simply close by encouraging anybody who reads this blog to consider making their own journey to Israel. The pictures, videos, and memories alone make the trip absolutely worth it. The ability to read the Scriptures through a brand new lens makes the trip invaluable.

For more information on the 2014 trip visit ADC in Israel and Palestine