How to Prepare

Passport: Make sure you have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the end-date of the trip.

Physical Preparation for HIKING trips:  Exercise and physical conditioning is crucial.  We will often hike 5 to 10 miles a day, and much of that up hills or mountains, at a fairly significant pace, and in constant direct sunlight of up to 115 degrees.  The more you are prepared, the more you will be able to benefit.  If you are physically exhausted you won’t have the mental alertness needed to absorb the spiritual and intellectual components of the trip.  Furthermore, how much we can do each day, is to a large extent, determined by how efficiently the group moves together.  If we can keep up the pace during our hikes, we can sometimes add another site at the end of the day.

If you have any hills where you live, you need to start hiking up them, several miles a day, in your hiking boots, carrying 2 quarts of water in a day pack or fanny pack.  GTI will provide you with a nice fanny pack and water bottles, but that won’t come until shortly before the trip, so you’ll need to find another way to add weight as you condition yourself.  Hike up the hills, walking at a fast pace, without stopping more than once every 30 minutes.  Aim at improving your stamina.  If you don’t have hills, climb up stairs instead, without using the handrails.  If you have a treadmill, set it on maximum incline, and walk in your hiking boots with your water and pack at about 3.5 mph for 30 minutes without resting.  Supplement this with other exercises such as squats and thrusts to build the upper and lower leg muscles you will need for hiking and climbing steep slopes.

Physical Preparation for WALKING trips:  Even for walking trips, exercise and physical conditioning is very important.  We will often walk 3 to 4 miles a day, and some of that will uphill on rocky and steep terrain.  You should invest in good hiking boots with a super-stiff sole for walking on sharp rocks.  Temperatures usually vary from 85-95 degrees but can be as hot as 100 degrees or more, with limited shade.  The pace is of the walking trip is significantly slower than that of the hiking trips, however all participants should be prepared for a physically challenging experience.  Often our greatest spiritual lessons come as a result of our experiencing physical challenges. 

If you have any hills where you live, you need to start walking up them, several miles a day, in your hiking boots, carrying 1 quart of water in a day pack or fanny pack.  GTI will provide you with a nice fanny pack and water bottles, but that won’t come until shortly before the trip, so you’ll need to find another way to add weight as you condition yourself.   Walking at a fast pace, without stopping more than once every 15 minutes.  Aim at improving your stamina.  If you don’t have hills, walk up and down stairs instead, without using the handrails.  If you have a treadmill, set it on maximum incline, and walk in your hiking boots with your water and pack at about 2 mph for 15 minutes at a time without resting.  Supplement this with squats and other exercises to strengthen your leg muscles for the many steep steps you will be walking.

Spiritual Preparation: Two things are important:  Prayer and Scripture.
1. Start praying now!  Begin today, praying daily that God would be preparing your heart for what He wants to show you.  And if you would, please pray for me too, that God would be shaping His thoughts and lessons within me, and that I would be effective in communicating His Word to you.
2. Ask others to pray.  I encourage you to find five people who will commit to pray specifically for you, not only as you prepare for the trip, but also for each day that you are on the trip.  Not only will this be a blessing for you, but as you report back to these people, I believe God will also use your trip in their lives as well.
3. Read Scripture.  As much as possible, immerse yourself in the Text.  Just read it.  And keep reading it.  Focus on the big picture, rather than getting bogged down in the details.  In the New Testament, read through each of the Gospels.  In the Old Testament, read Genesis, Deuteronomy, and I & II Samuel to start with.  If you have more time, read I & II Kings, Joshua, and Judges.

The Shema

“Shema” is the Hebrew word for “hear, listen, obey”.  This is the first word of Deut 6:4, the most recited passage of Scripture, at least from the Jewish perspective.  If you are Jewish, the Shema is the first thing you say when you get up in the morning, and last thing you say when you go to bed at night.  It is the first thing you want to teach your children as they learn to talk.  And if at all possible, it is to be the last thing you say before your death.  The Shema will be a theme of our trip – verses that we will recite together every day.  The specific passages include Deut 6:4-5 and Lev 19:18.  Jesus also emphasized the importance of the Shema in his teachings, as quoted in Mark 12:29-31.
In preparation for the trip, please memorize the Shema, in both Hebrew and English, as shown below.  If you want some help with the Hebrew pronunciation, you can listen to the recording on the right.

Memorize this:

Here is the recording for help with pronunciation:

Download the Shema:
The Shema.zip (0.2 mb)

What to Pack

Make sure and carefully review the packing suggestions in the download section of the appropriate study tour.

Men: You must have 1 pair of long pants and a hat (for modesty reasons) to get into some of the sights.
Women: You must have shoulders covered at all times, and at least 1 long skirt or 1 pair of long pants to get into some of the sights.

Pack Light!

A few weeks prior to the tour, GTI will send you:

A hiking fanny pack with water bottles
A carry-on duffle bag
Luggage tags
NIV Bible and Tour map

The fanny packs are very nice, but if you prefer, you are welcome to use your own day pack instead.  Remember that you will be hiking in extremely hot weather, in direct sunlight, carrying 2 or more quarts of water.  Some people find Camelbacks and other day packs cause their backs to become very hot and sweaty.