Tim Wildmon
AFA president
May 1999 – My dad served as pastor of several United Methodist churches from the mid-’60s until 1977 when he founded what is today called American Family Association. During that time he also began to lead tour groups to Israel – the Holy Land. His first “group” consisted of four people. Not very impressive to the Israeli Department of Tourism. But they did have plenty of space to stretch out on the bus. Since that time he has led 23 groups of American Christian pilgrims to the little country which sits at the crossroads of three continents – Europe, Africa, and Asia – and is holy ground to three major world religions – Islam, Judaism and, of course, Christianity.
I remember when Dad would get home from those 10-12 day trips how he would tell of the sights, sounds, and people of the Holy Land. Mount Carmel, Nazareth, or a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. He would talk of Jericho, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane and how he baptized someone in the Jordan River. And he would talk of Calvary and the empty Garden Tomb. Then when I was 12 years old, Dad took me along. The most vivid memory I have of that 1975 journey was actually walking on the stone path Jesus would have walked on the night he was arrested in Gethsemane and taken to the house of Caiaphas. You can still walk that path today in Jerusalem. You can visualize the angry mob.
Well, in 1998 Dad told my brother Mark and me he had made his last trip to Israel and if we wanted to continue the family tradition of leading tour groups it would be up to us. So, in March Mark and I left New York City with 49 other Americans whom we were personally responsible for. It’s a daunting feeling knowing that for those going with you, this trip is unlike any other they will ever take. This isn’t Hawaii. This isn’t a cruise. This isn’t England. This is the place where Jesus lived. Where Christ walked. Where He taught. Where He fished. Where He helped his dad build tables, chairs and – perhaps – wooden mangers. This is where followers of Jesus go to experience joy and solitude, sorrow and happiness. This isn’t just any trip. This is a pilgrimage. I love to travel.
I love to see new places and experience different cultures. Except for the food. I like American food. To be more specific I like country cookin’. Aside from my family that’s the one thing I miss most while traveling in other countries. Instead of ham and eggs for breakfast, in Israel I have tuna fish and scrambled eggs. When I tell people that they look at me like I’m sick. Well, I never thought I would do it either. But, you adapt. To a point. I don’t put ketchup on the tuna, for example, like some sick people do here in America. But the Holy Land is the only place I’ve been in the world – and I’ve traveled quite a bit – where I feel like I am somewhat at home while being a great sea, one ocean and many thousands of miles from my beloved Mississippi. It’s a spiritual sense of being home I suppose. Knowing that of all the places in the world Jesus could have been born and raised, and conducted His ministry this is the place He decided on. And some 2,000 years later I have the privilege of seeing and experiencing these same places.
When I returned home from this latest pilgrimage, our church passion play began the very next night. I played Peter once again. This is a musical drama so I am intentionally left out of any speaking/singing roles. Wasted talent, I know. But no one else sees it. The signature of our church is this annual pageant. We usually draw over 4,000 people to our auditorium during the seven performances. This time we had over 50 people decide to give their hearts to Jesus after seeing the life of Christ depicted in dramatic form and hearing the clear gospel presented. Many more renewed their vows to the Lord. During the pageant, I thought how ironic that I had been seeing the real Jerusalem just a few days earlier, and now I was on a stage playing as if I were in Jerusalem. How awesome, that the message of the love of God for mankind – which began in a small stable in Bethlehem – continues to be proclaimed today on a small stage in Tupelo, Mississippi, USA. And God still moves on the hearts of people through the power of His Holy Spirit. Wow!
Maybe you too have had the great joy of traveling to the Holy Land. If not, it is my desire that one day you will be able to.
Note: Tim and Mark Wildmon will be going to the Holy Land again in March of 2000. If you would like a free brochure sent to you please write Tim at P.O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo, MS 38803 and request one. Or you may e-mail him at twildmon@afa.net. Tim says if you don’t wish to see him eat tuna fish with his eggs you may sit at another table. 
