There are moments in life when all you can do is stand in awe of what you are experiencing, grateful for the divine spectacle before you.

Such was the case for me when I traveled with 33 pilgrims from the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church in September to visit Turkey and Greece as we journeyed in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul.

My husband and I were fortunate to have been a part of the team that visited cities where the Apostle Paul preached, organized churches and visited places where he wrote his epistles — letters that make up much of the New Testament of the Bible — as well as places the Apostle John mentions in the book of Revelation.

What captivated me about this trip is that I stood where the Apostle Paul stood. I saw things the Apostle Paul saw. I traveled to countries and cities where Paul preached and started churches. I saw the archaeological remains of cities who were recipients of his letters.

The first destination of the trip was the bejeweled Turkish city of Istanbul with a population of 20 million. It sits between two continents (Europe and Asia Minor) and is home to 450 mosques.

We visited the Hagia Sophia, which was breathtaking and was the largest in Christendom for 1,000 years. In 1453 Istanbul — then called Constantinople — was invaded by the Ottoman Turks and Constantinople (Istanbul) became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The great Christian city was transformed into a great Muslim city, as it remains today.

From Istanbul we flew to Asia Minor. In the Book of Revelation, John writes to seven churches he challenges to remain faithful during a time of persecution. Each church is promised that everyone who conquers will be rewarded by Christ. It was tremendous to be able to visit the archaeological remains of five of these cities — Ephesus, Smyrna, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.

We visited the great city of Ephesus on the peaceful blue Aegean Sea with all its complex historical architectural structures. It was to the Christians here that Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, which urges early Christians simply to get along with each other.

We also were able to walk among the ruins of Corinth and it was to the churches here that Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that the followers of Jesus are held to a standard of integrity as they seek to represent his new way of life, while in 2 Corinthians, Paul encourages believers to embrace and follow the way of Jesus.

From Izmir we flew to Athens, Greece, where Paul preached to its educated and sophisticated citizens. Modern Greece is struggling with severe economic problems, which was evident.

Our time in Athens included a lengthy and challenging climb up dozens of steps, which took us to the famous Acropolis, a citadel intended to protect the city. We were rewarded at the top of the summit with the amazing Parthenon, a magnificent marble wonder.

Team members were of all ages and included three family members from three generations. The Rev. Dr. Ivy Smith, 56, pastor of the Canfield United Methodist Church invited her mother, Sharon Kirtdoll, 78, from Mingo Junction to join her along with her 16-year-old daughter, Lydia.

Rev. Smith said, “Turkey reveals such a vivid picture of the way of life for the New Testament people — the water cisterns, aqueducts, living chambers for the commoners and ruling figures, shops, farmland and of course worship sites. It is simply eye opening. I wouldn’t want to see all of this without them.”

Smith’s mother wasn’t sure if going on this trip was the right thing. Sharon said, “I told my daughter that’s a great opportunity for you, not for me. I’m too old.”

Sharon also thought she wouldn’t be accepted as she thought the trip was exclusively for clergy, which was not the case. After explaining this to her mother, Ivy was able to calm her mother’s fears and she agreed to go. Sharon told me that when she mentioned the trip to her family doctor, he told her to “live while you’re alive,” which settled the matter.

Lydia is a junior at Canfield High School and studies with Allied Health at the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center. She had to miss some classes to go on the trip but checked it out with her instructors beforehand and they were on board.

“I was worried that people might be rude to foreigners, but I found out that most people were very nice,” Lydia said.

She added, “In Turkey, you need to be prepared for hot weather and wear lighter clothing. You also need to dress more conservatively than we do in the U.S. It’s important to understand that people do things differently. You must respect their culture.”

In reflecting on the trip, Smith said, “I feel God has a plan to use this experience in my life to help me become better in my ministry.”

Her mother said, “During this holy experience, I have had some high spiritual moments. The United Methodist Church is struggling right now — churches are dying and people are not returning to church after COVID. But when I think about all the people who have been on these trips to Turkey and Greece, I see that Christianity is alive and well; Christianity is strong.”

Smith said, “I feel as if I’ve followed the eyes of Paul rather than his footsteps. Paul wrote to all these churches with a vision so that we could carry on his ministry.”

Many people wondered how we would be treated in Turkey as a group of Christians visiting a Muslim country. The Muslim people we encountered — other travelers, Turkish citizens, shop owners, hotel staff — were tremendously receptive and friendly. The Turkey I experienced was filled with a diverse group of people — different religions, languages, customs, dress — and yet that diversity was much more than tolerated, it was welcome and celebrated.

The Rev. Dan Drew, a retired United Methodist pastor from Cleveland Heights who also serves a church part time, was on our team. Drew is director of Travel Ministry for Educational Opportunities in the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Drew said that Educational Opportunities, whose motto is “Travel with a Purpose,” offers many chances for travel around the world to many religious denominations. The most common trip done by EO is the trip to the Holy Land, which my husband and I had the opportunity to go on several years ago.

Dan told me that EO “0ffers a great ministry through travel and I love doing it. These trips have changed my whole preaching style because every time I participate in a trip, I learn so much.” He told me that Educational Opportunities was created by a Methodist minister and that these trips “create memories for a lifetime.”

On the last night of the trip, Bishop Tracy Malone spoke to the group. Reflecting on the trip, she said, “I have been renewed and transformed in my ministry by taking part in this trip, I hope you have as well.”

I was truly able to walk in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. I view Paul and his writings differently now — because of this trip they have come alive; because of this trip I have a new perspective on the early days of the Christian Church; because of this trip when I preach on the letters of Paul I can say, “I WAS THERE!”