Last March, I met a man who experienced a small miracle here in  the Holy Land. Today I was incredibly saddened to learn about his passing.

On February 15, 2010 my connection with Robert Buchan began with a simple email exchange. On the recommendation of some friends, he wanted to bring his wife, Anne, and himself on a private 8 day guided tour of the Holy Land. He asked for George Said, the same Catholic guide that we hired to guide the Buchan's friends in a similar  tour a couple months earlier. From that point began an exchange of emails that lasted approximately a month, until he arrived in Israel on March 13, 2010 with wife, Anne.  Robert was very involved with the particulars of his itinerary. He wanted to ensure that the program that we designed would  include major Catholic sites of interest because his wife, unlike him, was a practicing and baptised Catholic. It was critical that they journey to the holy sites and experience the rituals  and services that were important to her. For instance, he wanted to  make sure that they went to the Jordan at some point along their tour. We made sure that they were able to attend mass at appropriate holy sites during their tour as well.  But beyond that, he really made it sound as if he was kind of going along for her sak

By Jinny McCabe, Crosswalk

Now more than ever, many Christians believe there is much to pray about in America on May 6, the National Day of Prayer. At the same time they gather to pray, they will stand firm and remember the rich heritage of prayer in the United States. 

That feeling is especially strong after April 15, when Senior U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb's struck down the federal statute that sets a day for the National Day of Prayer. 

In a Twitter message sent shortly after Crabb's ruling, the Obama administration said it intends to recognize this year's National Day of Prayer on May 6, as it recognized the day in 2009. President Barack Obama has also said that his administration will appeal the ruling.

"I think what the judge has done is that she has brought the National Day of Prayer to the forefront. Nobody was talking about the National Day of Prayer until this judge said it's unconstitutional," said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse. Graham also serves as honorary chairman of this year's National Day of Prayer Task Force (NDPTF).

"Now all of the sudden, people are thinking about it, talking about it and they see this as another erosion of our religious freedoms. In some ways, I'm very grateful for

A 128-person delegation comprised of leaders from the Pentecostal Church of God proclaimed their support for Israel and an undivided Jerusalem with a signed declaration of prayer presented to the Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on Sunday.

Bishop Charles Scott (left) and Mayor Nir Barkat

At a time when replacement theology and apathy are pervasive in the American church, "understanding the theology of the situation is paramount," Charles Scott, general bishop of the Pentecostal Church of God told Travelujah, the only Christian social network focused on travel to the Holy Land.

Scott said the declaration and the group's visit is not simply symbolic of its support for Israel, but is going to be felt through action.

"We intend this to be a juggernaut," he said.

Scott estimates that the ripple effect of this visit will reach a quarter million of the church's constituents. The goal, Scott said, is education about Israel through literature and media, and ultimately, tourism to Israel.

This is apparently the first time a denomination itself has made a public stand with I

There is a chill in the air as a winter rain sets in over the Jordan Valley. However, for Suheila, a 40 year old Christian from Tel Aviv/Jaffa and her four year old daughter Naala, it's well worth it for a chance at attending a joyous and spiritually uplifting ceremony. Suheila and Naala were two of the estimated 10,000 faithful who turned out for the Feast of Epiphany celebrations on January 18 this year along the banks of the River Jordan.

"It makes us feel holier and closer to Jesus," Suheila explains as Naala shyly turns away, wondering what all the fuss is about. "We used to go into the water to be baptized," she told Travelujah, the only Christian social network focused on travel to the Holy Land.. However, given the crowds that came for the festival, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism, citing safety concerns had instead set up vats of water from the river where people could bathe themselves or simply wash their hands and feet.

"Pilgrims visiting on other days are allowed into the water," Lydia Weitzman, the Foreign Press Adviser for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism assured us. "The Ministry has invested millions of shekels to build a deck and to make the water safe for baptism," she continued.

On the Jordanian side of the river, a smaller area has been erected and some of the faithful there, dressed in white did brave the frigid waters for a chance to be bapt