Photos Credit: Thomas Terry
The Adamawa State Christian Pilgrims, who arrived in Jordan on Saturday, began visiting Holy Sites in Jordan on Sunday, as the pilgrims shared their experiences after the visits.
The Pilgrims, who, after conducting a Sunday Service at the Conference Hall, Grand Palace Hotel, where they are accommodated in Amman, began the visit with Machaerus, the hilltop stronghold of Herod the King.
The pilgrims from Adamawa State, who number 180, were taken to Machaerus top hill, where John the Baptist was imprisoned for publicly reproving Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee under the Romans, for divorcing his first wife and unlawfully taking his brother's wife as his second wife, Herodias.
It was also at Machaerus hilltop that John the Baptist was beheaded after Salome's fateful dance. The pilgrims then proceeded to Mount Nebo, where Moses ascended to view the Promised Land of Canaan, which God said he would not enter.
Speaking after the visit, the Head of the Government delegation of Adamawa Christian Pilgrims, Murum Mbula HRM Bwaltam Bentley Biyapo, described the Day One visit as successful. He thanked Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for the support and sponsorship of the Adamawa pilgrims to the Holy Land of Israel and Jordan. He said the pilgrims in the Holy Land would be praying for the Governor, as well as the state and the nation, for peace and progress to reign.
On his part, the Chairman of the Adamawa State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bishop Theophilus Shadrach, said the journey from Adamawa to Jordan and visits to the Holy Sites in Jordan were successful.
The Executive Secretary of the state pilgrims board, Mr Geoffrey Garba, appreciated the visits to the Holy Sites, expressing optimism that the visit to the Holy Sites would change the lives of the pilgrims positively.
While speaking on the health of the pilgrims, the Head of the Medical Team, Dr Elijah Gargah, a Consultant Physician with Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital Yola, said that of the 180 pilgrims from Adamawa State, no one had exhibited any concerning health challenges. He said the complaints his team received were knee and joint pains related to age.He said that his team was well prepared for any eventuality.
The Doctor disclosed that they had sizeable medical consumables, which were provided by the Governor Fintiri-led administration, and the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Welfare Commission had provided some.
Sharing their experiences on their visit to Mount Nebo and Machaerus, the Member representing Uba-Gaya in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Adum John Alaba, Chairman of the Adamawa State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Hon. Emmanuel Fashe, former ECWA Gongola DCC Chairman, Rev. Fidelis Soul, and CAN Chairman Yola South LGA, Rev. Meshach Richard Kodeke, thanked Governor Fintiri for sponsoring a considerable number of Adamawa Christians to the pilgrimage, saying that the pilgrimage would bring spiritual rejuvenation to the lives of the pilgrims.
The pilgrims will continue the journey with visits to the remaining Holy Sites in Jordan and then proceed to Israel for the pilgrimage.
