Why this South African is walking to Israel carrying a cross
A South African man has called his trek from Cape Town to Israel, while carrying a cross, a “spiritual mission of faith”…
Evangelist Reini Coetzee has sparked both awe and curiosity as he embarks on a spiritual mission, walking from Cape Town to Israel while carrying a life-size cross.
His pilgrimage, which he shares on TikTok and Instagram, began just before the Easter weekend and has drawn mixed reactions online.
Evangelist walks to Israel on foot with giant cross?
In a video that has gone viral online, the man – now identified as evangelist Reini Coetzee – is seen pushing a life-sized cross on wheels along the side of the road.
The video was taken by a passing driver who questioned the man’s plan.
Based on updates from his Cross Walk Africa social media pages, Coetzee set off from Cape Town on 14 March. His goal is to reach the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel.
In a recent weekend post, he shared that he’s now making his way through the Central Karoo, having logged over 300 hours on foot in just three weeks.
A JOURNEY OF FAITH
Evangelist Reini Coetzee has described his trip to Israel as being “a journey of faith.”
A video of the man walking says: “One man, one cross, one mission. But he is not walking alone. God has called him to carry the cro.ss
The man is hoping to “share the gospel, pray for the broken, and remind the world of the greatest sacrifice ever made.”
DISTANCE AND HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THERE
A simple Google search reveals that walking from Cape Town to Israel would take over 2,000 continuous hours, covering an enormous distance of nearly 10,000 km.
The route would span several African countries, including Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, and Egypt, before reaching Israel in the Middle East or West Asia.
While there’s no direct walking route, driving would cut the journey to roughly 145 hours, and flying remains the fastest option from Cape Town. Town International to the country’s capital, Tel Aviv, could be completed in as little as 12 hours.