Welcome to a tale of unwavering faith and adventurous spirit.

Meet Betty Schulz, an 84-year-old believer whose journey through the Holy Land questions the limits of age and pilgrimage. She visited the Holy Land from Australia on a tour we organized led by Graeme Lienert and Gale Mashiach.

Betty’s words offer a glimpse into her extraordinary experience. From the streets of Jerusalem to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, her story exemplifies the power of faith. Join us in celebrating Betty’s awe-inspiring journey as she shares the profound impact of embracing the Holy Land at a stage in life that many might consider a pause.

Her words are a testament to the enriching possibilities that await those who embark on a pilgrimage with an open heart and curiosity. We hope her testimony inspires you too:

I wondered about that as I planned to embark on Graeme Lienert’s Holy Land Pilgrimage. I was just about 84 years old.

With God nothing is impossible. With Graeme’s constant vigilance, my 73-year-old baby sister in tow, and a wonderful group of fellow Christians on tour, I was able to keep up with most of the full and exciting itinerary.

Our young driver, Mohammad, endeared himself to all of us as he swung that huge comfortable bus around in the tightest of corners.
We had four full days trailing the sites of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection in Jerusalem, also Bethlehem and three days around Galilee,
Nazareth, Capernaum and Cana.
The trip in the ‘Jesus boat’ on the Sea of Galilee was never to be forgotten – humbling and hilarious. Prior to this, a group of us prepared a devotion around the 1950s song “The Stranger of Galilee” – a guitar borrowed from the hotel closet to accompany the singers. More hilarious was my float in the Dead Sea (with a lot of help from Graeme and others).

Betty floating on the Dead Sea with help from Graeme Lienert

I’ll never forget the peace I experienced in the Garden Tomb; on the Mount of Beatitudes; at John the Baptist’s baptismal site on the Jordan River. So many unexpected surprises! The sad, but moving visit to the Holocaust Museum; the Kibbutz visit where we collected fresh eggs and prepared  our own delicious lunch with organic local produce; meeting Little Solomon, the camel with one hundred wives (and children!); the wonderful farewell dinner at the Kibbutz La Terra Promessa (Land of Promise) with gifts and emotional goodbyes.

I have to mention our amazing guide, Gale. Anyone with access to the Lutheran Women magazine, December 2018, may read her dinner presentation in Sydney at the LWA Convention that year. Inspiring stuff. So…Go…Immanuel…God with you, plus Graeme and Gale. Never too old for the trip of a lifetime with that trusty trio, maybe better do it before 84!

Holy Land Tour Group

Thank you for sharing your journey, Betty!

If you are not sure whether a Holy Land Tour could be possible for you, don’t hesitate to consult our team!

This article that was also published in the Lutheran Women of Australia Magazine.