by Olivia Kelley
Day three began on Mount Tabor. We had to take a shuttle to the top of the mountain instead of our normal tour bus, because the path was so steep. At the top, we visited the Church of Transfiguration which is believed to be on the spot where Jesus was transfigured before his disciples. We then took a short hike down the mountain into the woods where our camera A crew shot some footage. The setting was beautiful with lush green trees and pretty flowers and soft grass. A few of us hiked down a little further and came across a small herd of cows grazing on the mountain with their calves. 
After collecting the rest of our footage, we packed up and moved onto the church of Annunciation in Nazareth — but not before stopping for a delicious schawarma lunch. The church of the Annunciation is located on the spot where the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would bear the son of God. We did not film here, but were able to sit in the sanctuary and view the icons that adorned the church. We were able to walk back into the church where the fresh stream of water from the well Mary drew from still runs.
Afterwards, we decided to take a short walk down the street to the Nazarene church in Nazareth. We had the opportunity to meet with pastor Nizar Touma and he sent us off with some delicious baklava for the road. We enjoyed the opportunity to hear Nizar’s story and pray with him, before heading to our last stop — Megiddo.
Megiddo was a city built by Solomon and is known for it’s innovative water system. While it’s not said that Jesus ever visited there, it is professed in revelations as the location of the final battle. Our camera B crew partnered with the A crew to get some b-roll of the ruins of Solomon’s stables. We also had the chance to walk down into the pit where the water system once resided. Even though it was a dry day, the mud on the bottom of the pit was still damp from the water that ran underneath it.
Once we finished up, we got on the bus and headed to our third and final hotel for the trip in Jerusalem. We cleaned up, ate dinner, and then several of us went out to explore the city. We walked all the way down to the wall surrounding the old city of Jerusalem. We were even able to go inside and do some shopping in the few stores that were still open so late before heading back to the hotel for bed.
