What do Israel, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Colombia, Faroe Islands, Thailand and Russia have in common? They all have locations in their country which claim to be the "Navel of the World."
It's fair to say that scarcely any place on our planet is more off the beaten track than Easter Island. Located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, more than 2,100 miles west of Chile, its nearest inhabited neighbor is Pitcairn Island, almost 1,300 miles farther west. Two thousand one hundred miles. That's precisely the distance between Chicago and San Francisco. If you left Chicago on Monday morning, and drove 10 hours a day, at an average speed of 70 mph, you'd drive three days before arriving in San Fran Wednesday evening. That gives you an idea of the expanse of ocean between Chile and this island out in the South Pacific. At just over 63 square miles, Easter Island is little more than a tiny dot in a very large ocean. It's often described as the most remote inhabited island in the world.
Thus, travel writer Paul Theroux was a bit surprised when, on a visit there, an Easter Islander told him that the location was Te Pito te Henua -- the "Navel of the World." Following that lead,...
Start today. Cancel any time.
Act now and, for just $7.99 a month or $69.95 a year, you’ll receive a full year of this valuable sermon preparation resource.
Our convenient, continuous-subscription program ensures you'll never miss out on the inspiration you need, when you need it.
You’re never obligated to continue. Naturally, you may cancel at any time for any reason, no questions asked.