Right now most of my team is decorating the church’s christmas tree as I am at home writing this blog. It is often hard to find the peace and quiet to think, especially in the place we are living because there is barely any furniture to absorb the sound. You can only imagine! Even though I won’t be home for Christmas this year, and I won’t receive any physical gifts, God has blessed with many gifts thus far, but more specifically this past month….
I received this gift on my birthday – December 12th. The big “2-5!” I’m halfway to 50! I wasn’t expecting much this birthday because, well, we are in a small village somewhere in Israel on a tight budget, but my teammates did a wonderful job in making me feel very special! I woke up to a hot cup of homemade Chai Tea (my new favorite drink thanks to Sarah in Turkey) and french toast (exactly what my mom would make me if I was home for my birthday), then they all prayed over me; I cried because I felt so loved! That night, we went to help out with the youth group and the kids all sang “happy birthday” in Arabic and surprised me with a cake. The birthday “activities” were not over. When we got home, my teammates surprised me with the coolest flower candle, lots of candy, and we made “no bake” cake balls. It was a birthday, I will never forget!
By the way, I know some of you probably wished me a happy birthday too (through facebook or email) and although I can’t read them because of our internet ban, I can’t wait to read them at the end of the month, so THANK YOU in advance!
The Gift of Laughter
Our team has the tendency to laugh at the things that normally would be so frustrating to someone! We even wake up to laughter. There have been many things that have caused us to laugh uncontrollably. It is this very gift that has allowed us not to cry.
A Few Funny Moments….
Wherever we are, people tend to ask us about the “Obama situation.”
Our village is shutting off the water this next week, which has caused us to fill every cup, bowl, and ziplock bag with water.
Andrea and I woke up with pen all over our faces due to a teenage sleepover party.
We learned that Arab people tend to offer you coffee when they want you to leave, it is not an invitation to stay longer.
We find ourselves on a bus full of gun-holding, military men. This is a normal site in Israel, but I still find myself cautiously sitting down next to one not making eye contact.
The Gift of Opportunity
I tend to not like to miss out on opportunities, so when one arises I go for it! We have had many opportunities to visit historical sites in Israel. In fact, our contact encourages us to visit these sites to gain an even deeper understanding of the Bible.
On Sunday, December 13th, we travelled to Jerusalem to go to Yad Veshem (the Holocaust Museum).The museum is so rich with history, I found myself amazed at how much I didn’t know about the Holocaust and how much pain and suffering the Jews went through during this time. I loved how the building was constructed and the symbolism the architect used in his design. I knew my old coworkers at Davis would totally appreciate it! After the tour, we rushed around Jerusalem to visit the Garden of Gethsemane, via Dolorosa, and the Holy Sepluchre.
The Gift of a Miracle
Please continue to pray for my Grandpa: the battle with his health is not over!
Your support and prayers are a gift to me! It really is a gift to have so many people coming alongside of me doing this journey with me. I keep reminding myself I am here because of YOU. Yes, I am here because God called me to do this, but He laid it on your hearts to give. You have given me over $12,000! During the time when our economy isn’t doing well, that is a testament of how God works through the body of Christ. I still have a little bit left to raise, so if you would like to contribute click on the Support Me! tab on the left side of my blog page.
