Hello dear readers and welcome to Elida’s own website for Pilgrim 2023 and our first post about our journey to the Holy Land.
The following travelogue is from our dear friend Philip Holmberg, who sailed with us from Sweden all the way to Gibraltar. Philip is one of the leaders of an international Christian organization called Ebenezer Operation Exodus, which prays for and works for the return of the Jews to Israel. Throughout the voyage to Israel, we have prayer teams from Ebenezer sailing with us, people who come from all corners of the world, whose main task on board is to pray for our journey to Israel and for Ebenezer’s work for the Jewish people
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Philip Holmberg
Below, Philip Holmbergs describes his journey with us in his own words. This is the first of seven parts that Philip has written and collected images for.
A warm welcome,
ELIDA
Prayer journey for Aliyah – Part 1
I have stepped off the train from Kolmården and am walking the short distance from Stockholm Central to the parliament building on Helgeandsholmen. A group of parliamentarians have invited me to an event in honour of Israel’s 75th anniversary. I ask a guard at one of the entrances and am told to go to the other side of the building.
There is a group of people waiting to enter the parliament building. I recognize some of them, from Friends of Israel, Keren Hayesod and Keren Kayemeth. To my delight, I also see the Elida skipper Stefan Abrahamsson there. As soon as I get the chance, I greet him and ask if Elida will be sailing to Israel this year or next year?
The Swedish Parliament
”We made a decision in the Elida board this weekend that we will sail in August this year!” Stefan replies. Immediately I ask: ”Can we turn the voyage into a prayer trip for the Aliyah routes by sea, with intercessors from Ebenezer Operation Exodus? With international prayer teams of four–five people on each leg of the journey?”
There is a fine program in the parliament, with lectures and greetings from former prime minister Göran Persson and former party leader Alf Svensson. A number of pro-Israel organizations also make presentations. How encouraging and positive!
Göran Persson, Mikael Oscarsson and Alf Svensson
Captain Stefan presenting the voyage Pilgrim 2023
And yet, what occupies my mind on the train back home is the possibility of inviting intercessors to pray for Aliyah (the return of the Jewish people to Israel) on the Pilgrim 2023 voyage with Elida from Sweden to Israel. The next morning, I call Stefan and we talk further. I receive a YES!
Philip Holmberg
Ebenezer Operation Exodus
If you want to continue reading, you can go directly to Part 2 here: Part 2
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