Christian pilgrims return with spiritual, tourism lessons
Six Christians who went on pilgrimage to Israel have said, apart from strengthening their spiritual life, the journey has taught them a lesson on how Israelites are valuing their historical places and economically gaining through tourism.
The pilgrims went to Israel under the Bon Voyage Tours pilgrimage programme on November 4 and returned to Malawi on Sunday.
The leader of delegation, Bishop Charles Tsukuluza of the Revival Life Church, said the journey has helped them to grow spiritually and physically.
While encouraging other Christians to make an effort to take part in such tours, Tsukuluza said one of the things people in Israel cherish is tourism and said Malawi should emulate the same.
“They are very developed. It is a small country with a population of about eight million people. One of the things they have majored in is tourism. They sell just about everything. You heard one of our members saying they are selling even mud from the Dead Sea. They are very vibrant in terms of tourism. I wish we could do the same here,” Tsukuluza said.
A member of the group a church elder and a member of Women Guild at Lingadzi CCAP in Lilongwe, Nipher Chuka, said the baptism in the river Jordan where Jesus Christ was baptised will remain in her mind forever.
“And we have certificates to show to the world that we were baptised in the River Jordan. Apart from that, we went even to the tomb of Jesus Christ. We went inside and saw where Jesus was laid and where his body was prepared. We went to different places that have changed our lives,” Chuka said.
Bon Voyage Tours Managing Director, Ken Banda, who thought about Christian pilgrimages after visiting Israel, said the company would continue organising such tours to enable many Christians visit historical places.
“It is a call that we are encouraging people and raising awareness for Christians to visit Israel. This came about after I had visited Israel and I was deeply touched by the spiritual impact. I thought about the number of people who visited Israel and thought it was time to give an opportunity to Malawians to visit such places,” Banda said.
He said Bon Voyage Tours will continue organising the tours and there are two groups that are expected to visit Israel in June and November 2018.
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