We have been in Israel for one week now and what can I say other then I can’t believe I’m here! The backyard of where we’re staying is literally miles and miles of beautiful desert. One morning we even woke up to a herd of camels passing through. It was so cool!
There is so much depth in Israel, so much history. Jesus walked here. He died here and He rose here. Everything that I believe in, everything I have built my life on started here in this tiny nation. It’s epic.
I haven’t really blogged in a while, so this one is more of just an update of what’s been going on.
Throughout the entire month of December, our squad is on a “technology ban.” Our leaders have instituted this in order to get us more focused on our ministry here and team unity. It’s all about abandonment. Abandoning our life back home in order to be effective here. Abandoning our need to escape into our iPod world or slip into “The Office.” It hasn’t been easy. But I’m seeing the benefits ten fold. I’m spending more time in The Word, my thoughts are more focused on God, and our team is much more united because of it, and it’s only been a week.
My favorite ministry we’ve been doing here has been working at a soup kitchen five nights a week. Most of the people we serve do not speak English but we get along through nonverbal communication (my degree is paying off! Yeah!)
In addition to the soup kitchen, my team is helping with media production and web design for our contact. In the next coming days, we will also be involved in clothing distribution for the organization we are connected with.
Our main contact here is a Messianic Jew (A Jew who follows Jesus) and he is absolutely brilliant. About three times week we have class where he teaches us how to study the bible and Jewish culture among many other things. Friday night he invited our whole squad to his house for a traditional Jewish Shabaat dinner. It was completely awesome!
Some sweet places we’ve visited so far:
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We waded through Hezekiah’s Tunnel (built by King Hezekiah to make sure Jerusalem had water during a siege).
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The Old city of David.
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Mount Moriah/Dome of the Rock. (This is believed to be where Abraham nearly sacrificed his son, as well as where Solomon built the temple. It is now a Muslim shrine.)
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The Dead Sea. (I am incredibly buoyant here! The sea is 25% salt and separates Israel and Jordan. It is the lowest spot on earth and is beautiful.)
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Masada. (an old fortress on top of an 820 foot mesa near the Dead Sea. 900 Jews committed suicide here in AD 73 rather than surrender to the Roman Army that was nearing in on their city.)
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En Gedi (a beautiful Oasis near the Dead Sea with boulders, waterfalls, palm tress and desert plants and animals. It is where David hid from King Saul in 1 Samuel 24:1. It is also mentioned in Song of Solomon 1:14.)
I want to see and know everything there is to see in Israel but time goes by too quickly lately. Until next time….
