Ambrose University College welcomed home their, "Summer School in Two Holy Lands," students this past week.

‘Summer School in the Holy Lands' is one of the many trips run through the Down Ancient Paths Study Program at Ambrose University College. The program began at  this campus in 2000. Over the past eight years Charles Nienkirchen has developed a successful, government award winning program, which integrates faith, travel and study.

This year ‘Summer School in the two Holy Lands,' took 30 participants to Israel and Ethiopia. Eighteen of the over 30 participants were students, making this the largest student based trip to date. The group traveled Addis Ababa, Lake Tana, Laibelle, Axum, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and numerous other places of interest including a weekend of biblical sites in the Jordan.

 "It was as though we had been mystically transported back through millennia from the familiar world of modernity to a lost, remote region of antiquity" Charles Nienkirchen, Director of ‘Down Ancient Paths' travel and study program said." As we traversed the country by bus, plane and boat, our imagination was seized by darkened cave churches with mysterious Maltese crosses, brilliantly illuminated, saint-filled, manuscripts, barely buoyant, papyrus boats plying the waters near island monasteries, monks praying for hours supported by prayer sticks and rhythmically choreographed, priestly dances on the threshold of ecstasy, stirred by musical instruments dating to Pharonic times."

The students found the trip to be life changing, giving them new perspectives on the Scriptures, early Christian history and their own spiritual journeys.

"I read the Bible with a whole new understanding and perspective," Laura MacGregor said. "Experiencing the environment helped me to understand the life Jesus lived."

One of the other 12 non student participants was Doug Koop, Editorial Director at Christian Week, a national christian newspaper. He kept a day to day blog of the journey which can be read at: http://pilgrimagetounderstanding.blogspot.com

Down Ancient Paths had a very successful year, and looks forward to continual growth in the program. The next trip, that will take place January, 2009 is called. INCREDIBLE INDIA. ‘The Quest for Ancient Christians in Tropical South India'.

Contact: Charles Nienkirchen
Phone: 403.410.2000 ext. 5905
Email: cnienkirchen@ambrose.edu
www.downancientpaths.com