Who's Who on the Holy Land Holiday

           I write again beseeching your forgiveness. In trying to be reliable in everything going on this summer, I have become increasingly unreliable. I have been struggling for some time now with a complete lack of inspiration. I want to share experiences from my trip to the Holy Land, and yet I find it hard to think of things I’d like to write about. Even more difficult is deciding what you’d like to read about. With that in mind, I remembered the wisdom I picked up somewhere or another that everyone likes to talk about themselves. Unfortunately, you were not on my trip to Israel (unless, of course, you were in which case I say Hello!). I think that the next best thing would be a few short stories about those who accompanied me in Israel.  I’ve decided to start off with a little ‘Name that Professor’.

        

          Our first contestant could hardly be discussed without mentioning his lovely wife. In her sun-conscious hat, she kept us students like little ducklings, safely near her. Mr. Professor was easy to find, as long as you kept your ears open. It seems there is a hymn for everything, particularly in the morning. This Man may give you a hard time, but he is always ready to teach, to laugh, and to have fun with his students. Hey teach, you the Man!

           You’ll have to hurry to catch up with our next contestant, he’s probably catching his next plane. Careful observation revealed that this teacher rubs his head approximately every 45 seconds, perhaps to restrict hair re-growth.  This professor opened our eyes to the people around us, the lost, oppressed, and down-trodden who are easy to lose in the shadows of the monuments.  He Shaw is a good’un (even if certain young members of his family do refuse to take much needed baths).

                Who’s the raddest grandparent in Israel? Yeah, she rode a camel. Yeah, she slept in a tent. Yeah, she talked down market prices like a pro. Can’t say I disagree with her statement that “Israeli boys are hot!” Jokes aside, this professor has a way of explaining the truth of the bible in a way that is practical, accessible, and just plain brilliant.

                There were several other great professors among our Israel travelers, not to mention a wonderful group of students. It was a joy to have each of them (and their terrific wives). I want to make sure that everyone knows that Erasmus is dead and that if she doesn’t eat with me then she doesn’t eat at all. I hope you were able to guess the professors, but I also hope you know how much I admire them all. I love my school and the professors of Wayland Baptist University help make it a great place to get an education. Thank you all for being so very knowledgeable, but even more for caring so much about your students.