The popularity of the Harding University in Greece program made the semester available each fall, spring and summer. A trip to Mount Sinai was a staple of the program, but due to violence and robberies around the mountain, the summer HUG group was unable to go, and visited the Red Sea instead. The trip to the Red Sea was prefaced by a challenging trip through the desert during a heat wave. The group began each day around 3 or 4 a.m. to escape the high temperatures, which reached up to 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Egypt also experienced political unrest, so parts of the country were unsafe, but the group felt safe with its guide, Khaled Osman. "We knew the government was unstable, but we had an excellent tour guide who took great care of us and kept us safe," senior Caroline Wallace said. "We certainly felt uncomfortable at times in the Egyptian culture, but ... I loved being exposed to such a vastly different culture." After days of heat, Osman arranged a day on the sea in a yacht. The group traveled to Hurghada, Egypt, a popular vacation destination. Wallace attributed their opportunity to visit the Red Sea to the small size of the group, which consisted of 15 students and their chaperones, Assistant Professor of Accounting Bob Churchman and his wife Sherry. During their day there, the students relaxed, enjoyed each other's company, snorkeled and observed local wildlife. "The Red Sea was very beautiful," senior Eric Bontempo said. "The water was so blue, and the aquatic life was like nothing I've ever seen. Some dolphins decided to put on a show for us, and a pretty big flock of sea gulls decided to follow us as we tossed bread at them while on the yacht." Seeing the Red Sea gave students a new perspective of the story of the Israelites' liberation and helped them understand God's greatness and deepen their relationships with Him. "I always pictured the Red Sea being like the Tennessee River, where you can see the other side from one bank," Wallace said. "It's an actual sea, and you cannot see the other side. When God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross, they took a huge leap of faith and walked through it." Junior Micah Woods also learned from the day at the Red Sea. "Seeing that there is no limit to God with my very own eyes made me see that there is no limit in my personal relationship with God," Woods said. "I will be forever grateful for the impact [this experience] made in my life." Mandy Valentine/Mallory Pratt "HUG expanded my worldview greater than anything I could ever imagine." Junior Dayton Hendricks
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