Today was difficult and remarkable. We went to Bethlehem again delivering food and meeting people. I think the best word we have to describe where we were is “scarred”. Hearts scarred by unnecessary violence and suffering, buildings scarred and ruined by wars with guns. And the wall. We can see it everywhere. It is hard to understand why the persecutions are allowed, but we serve a sovereign God and we know He hears our cries to heal this land. We don’t want you to think it’s all bad though. We have met such wonderful people, full of joy and love for each other, for Jesus and even for “the foreigners” (that would be us!). They’re fun to listen to when they talk with each other, very expressive as the talking (simultaneously, of course) gets louder and louder. It can go on for minutes and then our translator will tell us what they said and we get an explanation that’s maybe five or six words. We’ve figured out that it’s not always WHAT is said; sometimes it’s just the pleasure of saying it! They are very sociable and always help each other out.
We did experience an honest miracle today. We travelled in two cars today and were on two completely different routes with one group leaving Bethlehem a littler earlier than the other. One member of the second group accidently left their passport in the other vehicle. That’s a real problem here because you go through several check points to get in and out of the West Bank. P prayed before we started driving. When we came to the most critical check point it got a bit tense because the guards were pulling everyone over. Every single vehicle. When we got up to the line, if any of the guards looked at us at all, they just turned away. EVERY OTHER CAR was motioned over into a right lane to be checked again which left the lane in front of us open and clear. So we just drove through. We barely even slowed down! We did try to show them the passports we had but the guards literally turned away from us! We laughed as we drove through and understood first-hand how Paul felt when he walked through the prison doors unnoticed! It will not be difficult to remember the joyful feeling we experienced at that moment but it will be difficult to describe. We serve a mighty God!
Remember those in prison as if you were fellow prisioners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourself were suffering.
Hebrews 13:3
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