The first batch of Christian intending pilgrims to the State of Israel would be airlifted on Monday December 3, even as they have been charged to be upright in their religious observance. The second batch would be airlifted on Friday December 7, 2012.

The chairman, Kwara State Christian Pilgrimage Board, Bishop Israel Afolabi Amao, disclosed this in a statement made available to The Herald yesterday in Ilorin.

The statement charged the pilgrims to live up to expectation by doing the right thing always while in the Holy Land.

It said that Pastor Moses Rahaman Popoola of the New Testament Christian Mission, in his presentation during a one-day seminar organized for the intending pilgrims in the state, challenged them to recognize the fact that pilgrimage is not a pleasure trip to obtain the title 'JP', but to consider the trip as a spiritual exercise aimed at bringing Christ alive.

The pastor urged them to ensure that pilgrimage experience leads to spiritual rebirth, revival and transformation which will positively affect not only their personal lives but also the entire society.

The Assistant Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Kwara State chapter, Mr. Olusegun Adeyemi (JP) also advised the intending pilgrims to represent Nigeria well while in Israel.

He also charged them to comply with the immigration laws, advisg them to shun all forms of vices and to demonstrate high sense of humility and tolerance for one another.

Also, the comptroller of Immigration Services, Kwara State Command, Mr. James Temilola Esan, admonished them to be good ambassadors of Nigeria.

He charged them to be highly patriotic, advising them to eschew smuggling, trafficking of prohibited items, prostitution and other acts of delinquency.

He also warned them against abscondment motive, charging them to uphold Godly virtues as ambassadors of Christian faith.