USF Trip to Israel

By: Sebastian Pares

This Interim, the University of Sioux Falls traveled to four different nations, which is an opportunity that many other universities throughout the country don’t provide. Eleven students traveled to Israel on a 9-day expedition under the direction of Dr. John Hiigel. The goal of the tour was to obtain knowledge of the Bible, worship God while physically present at various biblical sites, and develop an awareness of and empathy for the cultural distinctions between contemporary Palestinians, Arabs, and Israeli Jews. Dr. Hiigel said, “Many (students) were baptized in the Jordan River, which was quite important.” 

Impact is a major word for this trip. On their nine days abroad, they visited 20+ different locations, including the Holocaust Museum, a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, a tour of Nazareth, swimming in the Dead Sea, and hiking Mt. Nebo. Aria Webster, a sophomore at USF, spoke about her excitement for the Israel trip this year. “I was most looking forward to really seeing the Bible come to life. We hear about Jesus’ Life in Scripture and where his miracles took place, but to actually stand and see where these events happened was absolutely incredible!”

This trip is for you if you’re a student who wants to deepen your understanding of the Bible or advance in your faith by walking where Jesus walked, died, and rose again. Please get in touch with Dr. Hiigel at his USF email if you want further details regarding upcoming travels.