Monday Night Visitation

Recently, we ran some errands by taxi . We had the taxi take us to our office. My husband and the driver waited while I retrieved what I needed. When I returned to the car, the driver had given two tapes to my husband. The driver popped one into his cassette player to show us what he had gifted us with and it was the Koran being chanted, one verse at a time followed by the translation spoken in very clear English and we listened until we reached our place. We asked the driver to wait a moment. I ran in and got a full Arabic Bible from the apartment (the driver knew little to no English). We thanked him for his gift to us and we TRIED to tell him that we are followers of Jesus and that this is our Book. He did accept our gift.

We do not know if there is any connection between this event and the one we are about to share, but it is a possibility. As we drove from the office to our place, we passed a large mosque near our home. The driver mentioned to us about the Imam, (mosque leader) and we think he was saying that he and the Imam were friends. We told him that we knew him and his family and that we visited with them regularly.

The above event happened on a Friday night. On the following Monday evening, my husband left the office early because we had eight people for dinner that night. I rushed home as soon as I could to find J standing at the door smiling. I had just missed some very special visitors - a group of men -- the “Monday night visitation” committee of the nearby mosque. These men told him that they visited homes every Monday night.
We are thinking that possibly the Friday night event and our Monday night visitation are connected since we have lived in the same place for two years and the visitation committee just found us.

We are hopeful that they will return - maybe EVERY Monday evening - especially when we are both here. We want to give them refreshments AND the BEST REFRESHMENT - even if just a crumb or drop at the time.

Though this may sound a bit strange to some, we are excited about the potential of this group of men coming to our place. Won't you join with us in asking that this group of men will come again - and again and again and again? We don't believe they just happened our way - we believe HE has "directed their steps" and has a plan - we just KNOW they are seekers!

Posted by J&G who live in Jordan.

Reflections on My First Days #2

08/11/2006
I took a cab to meet my Arabic tutor for the first time. Unfortunately I was at the wrong place but my new friend came over by taxi to meet me. The good part about this was that my cell phone was still not working; God does work in strange ways, so I had to borrow a phone. I went over to a stand that sells snacks and drinks that is by the bus station. There a man let me use his phone to call my tutor. Another man who works there, whose name is Maher (meaning skillful or professional), speaks a little English. It is very important to know that first names here have a meaning and it is very important to the individual. While I was waiting for the tutor, I spoke to him and he mentioned if I had know of Toastmasters, again it is amazing how God works, and of course I told him I did. He said that he was had attended a few times and gave me the number so I could contact them. In addition, he gave me his cell number and told me to give him a call, which I plan to do. He is an answer to prayer as I was asking God to send someone to me that could show me around. I will pray that this relationship grows. I am also hoping to make some friends at toastmasters.


Several days later, L had these observations.
I went to my first Arabic church service tonight night. It was a wonderful experience even though I did not understand a word of it. I did understand the numbers to a degree for example when they said page numbers, verse numbers, or song numbers. They sang many songs last night and even had a young person there with a little guitar. I look forward to attending again next Wednesday and I met some very nice people. I could not remember their names but will have to work on that. I also look forward to becoming familiar with Arabic so that I could understand the service.
I have been exploring more the town and shopping in the stores. I found a good place to get Shawarma (a gyro type sandwich) down in town. A funny story, I saw some signs posted on poles around town. The signs are in Arabic so I could not read them. They look like yard sale signs so I ask some people here if they were yard sale signs. They said no they do not have yard sales here because most people sell in the bazaar, that they were signs for children to sign up for school. I was much relived to think that I might have finally escaped yard sales. A few days latter, I was speaking to some other people and they were telling me that they are now seeing signs for yard sales in the area. I guess they have followed me over the ocean. Next thing you know some one is going to ask me to help them with a yard sale. I guess I will have to buy a truck now.

Posted by LR

A FULL DAY

The old saying, “When it rains, it pours” is applicable no matter where my husband and I seem to live. Sometimes we visit with our neighbors or they visit us rather spasmodically; then sometimes we are showered with visits of one nature or the other. Yesterday was one of those “pouring” days and I don’t mean rain…but let me back up a day or two.

Late one evening while sitting at my computer desk on the second floor of our flat, I heard a voice outside my window which seemed rather close. In turning around to look, I saw a young man wobbly balancing on our window ledge trying to tie some streamers to our window grill. You can only imagine my surprise as I spoke with him regarding his intentions. In assessing the situation, I realized we were going to have a wedding a few doors down the street and our home was one of the designated ‘decorated’ ones.

Back to yesterday…it all began when a dear neighbor brought over a plate full of wara aynab (grape leaves stuffed with cooked seasoned rice and ground beef). They were still warm and absolutely delicious. After my husband and I indulged, I went outside to see what all the loud banging was about. That is when I witnessed the erection of a huge tent-like structure totally blocking our street and thus closing off traffic from both ends. Various lighting was hung in strategic places and chairs were placed around the parameter of the tent. This enormous structure was decorated with large beautiful red Persian like carpets which became the walls of the tent. This street tent was the designated area for the men’s wedding party that evening.

While outside, one of the neighbor girls invited me into their home for a visit. As we were visiting, the man of the house came in and invited my husband and me for lunch that afternoon around 3:30 p.m. Realizing that lunch here in our neighborhood is not at noon, but in the middle of the afternoon and supper/dinner is not served until around 10 p.m. Anyway, we made a cake and went for ‘lunch.’ As usual the food was absolutely delicious and way too much. We enjoyed roasted chicken, a special rice dish with nuts, and a cucumber/tomato salad with yogurt. Afterwards, tea was served along with my cake, followed by Arabic coffee and cookies. So much for dieting…. During our visit, the man of the house informed us we were to leave the decorations up until after Ramadan was over which we agreed to do. (Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting but it is also a celebration.)

But an interesting thing happened…while I was being invited to lunch by one neighbor, my husband was visiting with another neighbor and later we were both invited to lunch at his home on the same day. Of course, we had to regretfully decline and hope there will be a ‘rain-check.’

I would be amiss if I did not mention that my husband attended the wedding party for the men…a very festive and LOUD party with plenty of fireworks and dancing. You see, in this culture, the men have their party the evening before the bride has her party. So tonight, the groom will go and get his bride and take her to her party. The bride’s party is where she will wear her beautiful wedding gown, a multi-tired wedding cake will be cut with a very huge sword, and her groom will give her a large amount of gold jewelry. By the way, the groom is the only man allowed to come to the women’s party.

As you can see we had a rather full day, but I must admit, I loved every minute of it. These precious people really know how to enjoy food and celebrate a wedding!

Posted by a n a

Reflections on My First Days

We have a new team member who will be studying Arabic in Amman. Here are some of his experiences from his first days in the country.

08/05/2006
I arrived last night in Amman at 3 am local time or about 8 pm Eastern Time. It is a little strange but exciting at the same time being here in a different city and in a different culture. I went to Church tonight (Saturday) instead of Sunday because here Sunday is a regular workday for many believers so services are on Saturday night. The service I attended had almost every tongue, tribe, and nation represented. It was really a great experience to worship with so many different people from all over the world it reminded me of chapter five verse nine in the Book of Revelation.

It is strange to me to hear the call to prayer as there is a Mosque right down the road. They tell me that I will get used to it over time

A day or two later, he writes…
I have been quietly observing the people where I live, a very conservative town on the eastern side of Amman. It is a great place to live and learn the Arab language but also to learn the culture. The town is made up of predominantly Palestinian and Iraqi refugees, many who have been here for years. The people here celebrate weddings with a lot of shouting and fireworks. Some people back home would consider it very noisy here. They celebrate weddings with fireworks and walk the streets having conversations, meeting, and greeting each other. Because very few places have air-conditioning here, including my home, all the windows are open so you can hear all the conversations. Even though I do not understand them, I can tell that they are enjoying life during these celebrations.

Tomorrow I plan to go to the store myself, which should be interesting, but most all of the products have English and Arabic labels so shopping is not that hard. I feel less intimidated on going out by myself, I guess there was an advantage on being raised in New York and going to the City often. Living here reminds me a lot of New York. I remember visiting my family in the city and it was very much like here. Having grownup in an Italian culture, I see many similarities with Arab cultures.

Posted by RL

Greetings from the Beautiful Shores of Gaza

A few days ago, I received the following from an Egyptian-German friend living and working in Gaza. I hope his words touch you as they did me. P.L.

greetings from the beautiful shores of Gaza.

my times of isolation are not so much defined by a social isolation from others who know me, but rather by distance from people i can truly worship with. Some of the categories that are real in my mind mean little to others here. I seek to not only worship and pray as Jesus did but live a life that reflects his. I want to worship God, seek truth, serve the unserved and oppose the powers of deception, the powers of force. Jesus did all these things with a consuming humility to bring to light, to embody the kingdom of God. This is both the God i worship and the Jesus I seek to be.

at times it helps to understand this inner cry for companionship when I recognize the content of my differences with the community I live in. I realized this past week, as i was driving home in a rackety taxi from a volleyball game in Jabalya refugee camp and an afternoon visit with my atheist/agnostic professor friend, that very few people get to see what I see through the eyes of an outsider as I do. As warning messages are reported about the danger of foreigners in Gaza, I remain in part because I do not fear and I may just fit in enough. Along with this rare opportunity comes an isolation that shakes me. Trying to understand, to peer into a society that is unseen by so many, I also have become isolated from the outside world but unlike others around me, who belong here and are known by their own, I am isolated in the sense that I am so rarely understood by people whose exposure to the world has been so minimal. All this sounds elitist.

Gaza is a constant downward spiral, I will spare you the details this time. Suffice it to say I struggle at times knowing there is a kingdom of God made up of disciples that seek to walk the walk of Christ and yet a world such as this one still exists in this cage. i consider myself part of the cause of the hell of this place. i am not surrounded by lambs here, that only seek peace and love each other. I live in a community of broken and often selfish people, like any other place. Some who seek good and others who don't. I live among fishermen, resistance fighters, doctors, thieves and politicians. It is made up of exactly the kind of people that lived in the world that Jesus walked. What concerns me is how forgotten this place is. It is a sense you can get both in the church I attend here, forgotten by its fellow Christians, but much more so in the people all around, forgotten by their fellow humans. They are a marked people, their character has already been decided upon, accordingly, their fate has been determined.

Jesus never lived by pre-conceived notions, but acts rather naive at times towards the people he encounters. It is a trust he lived that knew no boundaries, even when he knew what human hearts were made of. Here I have been shocked by the hospitality and kindness from a people who have exceedingly little. And this has come predominantly from outside of the church. At times strangers, families in refugee camps, friends who live from aid agencies' distributions still invite me in for tea, juice or a meal. This is what Jesus came with, a drink, a meal. In the course of the love story we learn that the drink and meal was himself. and I learn that so much of my existence is about giving drinks and meals, work of my own hands, whether spiritual or physical there is little need to distinguish between these two synthetic spheres. It's the matter of giving that is at stake.

I choose to give rather than take, i find it hard.

Home Again

Thank you, faithful readers, for checking our blog. We have been away for several weeks and have not posted. We are back at home and will be posting again in a day or two.

A visit to Lebanon before the war

In May, a couple from our team and three volunteers went to Lebanon for a week. Our purpose was to pray for the 400,000+ Palestinians and search for ways that we might be able to minister to them in the future. We had named the trip “Fortress Gate.” Even before the war there was so much political division that it was very difficult to gain access to Palestinians. They were behind a wall--in a fortress. However, we were not discouraged because we knew that God had a gate.

The first morning one of our volunteers shared this verse: Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up of you ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in. Who is he, this King of Glory? The Lord Almighty - he is the King of Glory. (Ps 24:7 & 10)

About 60% of the Palestinians live in the 12 UN refugee camps around the country. Most of the other 40% live in the neighborhoods surrounding the camps. The camps are located from the north to the south of the country. Most of them are near the major cities of Tripoli, Beirut, Sidon and Tyre.

We stayed in Beirut and traveled from north to south. In Beirut we tried to follow up on contacts who were friends of friends, but didn’t have much success. We had prayed before and all during this trip that God would open the doors He wanted us to enter so we considered these closed doors an answer to prayer. Although it was difficult to be turned down again and again, we kept reminding ourselves that these rejections were God’s direction for us. Access to Palestinian areas is restricted and Lebanese can’t understand why anyone would want to try. “Why do you want to visit Palestinians?” seemed to be the question we were most often asked. Even Believers were wary of any involvement with Palestinians. It was a very difficult process we underwent as we slowly began to realize how reviled our people group is in that country. We experienced a tiny portion of the rejection that Palestinins in Lebanon experience on a daily basis. We were finally welcomed by an organization in one of the smaller camps that provided services for handicapped children. We were very impressed with the work they were doing and felt that we could partner with this group to help Palestinian children around the country.

As we travelled to the north and south we saw most of the tourist sites. (We were, after all, in the country as tourists.) That was an added bonus that we all enjoyed. While in Tripoli, we did convince our driver to take us through El Baddawi, the smaller of the two refugee camps in the area. We were thrilled to be so close to the Pals we so love. It was a wonderful blessing to be able to look at them as we slowly drove through the camp, praying as we went for each person that God so loves….

Another day we drove south to Sidon and Tyre. In Sidon, we were prevented from entering Ein el Helweh refugee camp by Lebanese military. We prayed anyway as we drove around the outside of the camp. In Tyre, the camp, El Buss, is next to the ancient ruins of the city. So, we stood on the ancient Roman road overlooking the camp and prayed for all the residents.

We had a very good "first trip". We knew in advance that breaking new ground would be a challenge. Palestinians living in Lebanon have limited opportunities for education and employment. They are politically isolated. As a result, most Palestinians live in dire poverty. Because of the history of political and ethnic division it is difficult to gain access to Palestinian areas. However, we are confident that God wants the best for these people. We hope to return to the area soon. In the mean time, we will be mobilizing people to pray.

One of our volunteers made the following comments:

I returned home with a big question mark... ????????????????????

The entire time we walked N,S,E and W... I sensed something. It was difficult to say what....it was different than what we were physically seeing on the surface. It seemed that there was so much hidden just beneath the surface. I had NO idea how true this turned out to be! [Br. Andrew helped me understand this. Upon my return I read his latest book, Light Force, and gasped at the similarities he sensed. He wrote what I sensed.] It was a sad affirmation that my discernment was accurate. I did not verbalize these deep struggles with the team. I did not want to "over spiritualize" things.

I felt no freedom in this land...perhaps because so many of our prayers needed to be spoken in secret silence. Strange. I have never had to be so verbally silent before! It tested my faith. My spirit felt kind of quenched. I had no access to my Bible...which is why the verses on those index cards were such a good idea! I regret that I had not understood this better at the time! I had kind of a dull spirit. Sorry about this. We were in the throes of unseen spiritual opposition and I felt it every step!

One of my distinct memories is standing on the world's largest rock in Baelbek, planting an imaginary banner of C. I celebrate the fact that I had the opportunity to proclaim "This territory belongs to HIM. He purchased on the day of Calvary." to the principalities, powers, and spiritual hosts of wickedness. I remember how our friend got kind of upset with me because of all the "eyes" around. His words surprised me. Even so, I was confident that praise words needed to be released into the air directly to the principalities of the air! His word will not return void! Hallelujah!

This is the brief version of my impressions of Lebanon. Surely, this is strategic work! Will the Lord ever allow for me to return with a powerful prayer team? Only He knows.
I want to thank you for allowing me to be part of this team. I am not over it, nor do I ever want it to be over!

A Dusty Day in Gaza

Gaza is never pretty in August. It hasn’t rained in months so everything is covered in dust. The heat makes everything look tired and dilapidated. People move slowly if at all. When I visited yesterday, everything seemed more forlorn than ever. However, the tension was not as palpable as it was last week.

I was able to arrive in time to worship with the small group who gathered. They seemed to be holding their own. The chaos has developed some predictability. They are without electricity 12-16 hours per day; if they have electricity during the day today, they will usually have it during the night tomorrow. Water remains a problem. Most people have pumps that push the water up to holding tanks on their roofs. Water is intermittent and electricity is intermittent. If the water doesn’t come when they have electricity, the water doesn’t reach the holding tanks. Most people use bottled gas for cooking like people in the U.S. use for gas grills. There is a shortage of gas and people can wait for days to get their bottles filled. I didn’t go into a grocery, but there seemed to be plenty of fruit and vegetables in the market. Of course, very few people have money to buy even basics.

Our food distribution project continues at full speed. We are really proud of our partners who are working very hard to minister to the needy people around them.

I talked with one friend who has been a surgeon for 30 years. He said that in the last few days they were seeing fewer injuries. In all his years of caring for victims of violence, he has never seen the kinds or degrees of injuries that they have treated recently. They have had to amputate many arms and legs because of the severity of the injuries.

I had planned to go with a friend to Deir al Bellah to visit a development project that we hope to jointly fund. My friend had a conflict and had to cancel. When the taxi picked me up to take me back to the border, the driver told me that Israeli tanks and bulldozers had just entered Deir al Bellah. Another example of God’s protection!

The war in the north has captured the attention of the media, but the ordinary people of Gaza continue to suffer. Please remember them in your prayers.

It Doesn't Get Much Better

I heard a great story today that I’d like to share:

Rita is Jewish and lives in a small town adjacent to Jerusalem. (I can’t say where, but you'd know what Biblical even happened there if I mentioned the name.) Rita is also a follower of Jesus. She has been having some remodeling done to her home. Almost all the builders in Israel are Arab. She’s been telling the men who are working in her house about Jesus. (in Hebrew) My friend and local co-worker, Jeries, got a call from Rita earlier this week – It was one of those friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend kind of things. Anyway, Rita wanted him to come out to her house and talk to these men. (in Arabic) One of them, Sa’ad, was very interested.

Jeries took Bibles to give to the men when he went to Rita’s house. Sa’ad told him that he was disillusioned with the faith of his fathers because it does not have the power to change a man from inside. They had a good talk and set a time that Jeries could visit him at home. He lives in a village not far from Bethlehem in the West Bank.

As I write this (Friday afternoon – our time) Jeries is at Sa’ad’s home. Please pray with us that Sa’ad can come to know the Power that can change his heart. We'll keep you posted.

Posted by PL

A Day in Gaza

We went to Gaza yesterday for the first time since the soldier was kidnapped from his post outside southern Gaza. It was a day filled with a lot of emotion. Crossing the border was easy. We zipped along in a taxi with a driver that we have known for a long time. We were chatting and catching up on Gaza news when all three of us realized at the same time that not another car was on the road. Bad sign. Abu Yosef slowed down. Just about that time we saw militiamen on the sides of the road....ready for whatever was going to happen next. Then we saw probably 100 men on the left side of the road almost in a line...were they hiding from the Israelis? Hard to know. Abu Yosef got us through that portion of the road and then pulled over to ask what was going on.
The Israeli army was inside the area just to our left. I read this a.m. that 23 people were killed in that area and in Jabaliya yesterday and last night. sigh.
Just past that neighborhood we turned off to the right and found life going as if nothing was happening just four or five blocks away. Right away I noticed friends greeting one another with big smiles. What a stark contrast to the deserted streets we had just driven through.

Abu Yosef dropped me at the Deaf School. Everyone there was doing well. They were having a big sale for the in house staff. I was welcomed to buy but things were being sold very cheaply and I thought it best to leave them for the Palestinians who otherwise don't make enough to purchase items from the Crafts Shop. I have always been struck by the fact that the men and women work so hard to create the crafts and are never able to purchase anything in the store because their paychecks are the only ones in their homes...and must go for other necessities instead. I saw many of our friends. One of our dearest friends had gone home. He is the father of 8 children. The incursion was very near his home and he left early to be with them. I discovered that Gerry Shawa, our friend and director of the school has taken a break and gone to America. She was one of about 85 Americans and Palestinian/Americans who got out recently when the American government help them all to leave at one time. We saw Suhad, one of our old Nursing students. I assured her that all of her old teachers were praying for her daily.

P went to the bank to conduct our business and then we headed for the compound. As we drove through the city, I thought Gaza looked as bad as I have ever seen it...at least in recent years. The garbage has won. It is always a challenge for the city to keep up with it...but it's apparent that it has now won --hands down. Those of you familiar with the area will remember that the garbage near the compound was always rank...but entrails were everywhere. My thought was how terribly unhealthy it was !! Many times during our visit there, I wondered how we lived there for eighteen years. I also wondered why I am not living there now. The need remains so very great.

Everyone was thrilled to see us. We were welcomed with open arms. Most asked why we didn't come before. Well... everyone who was NOT in Gaza is asking why we went this time !! We could hardly find out how everyone was coping because they were too busy asking about us ! NEVERMIND about us, we live where everyday is a vacation in Jerusalem. We wanted to know about them. We were reminded again of just how gracious and wonderful Palestinians are. They are so tenacious. Almost everyone was doing well, ilhumdulillah.
(praise God) A few admitted to being afraid "...but what can we do? " It's true. What CAN they do ? Nothing except try to find a bit of normalcy in their otherwise abnormal lives.

Death is a constant companion. One foreign friend who has just returned spoke of attending a wedding recently. During the wedding celebrations, five loud booms erupted. Nothing changed, no one stopped the celebrations. The next morning he heard that five people had been killed. He was struck with the complexity of celebration amid death. He is confused as to how to manage it all. It is completely a life of living out Scripture as he rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who are weeping....except that it is happening all at the same time. Admittedly, it is a lot to manage emotionally.

The food distribution program is moving on. P spent a long time working with the men who are managing the program now. We continue to encourage them to give out the food in a good way....with a visit and significant conversations.
It is a challenge just now to do that. Of course, the need is overwhelming and they could give out food all day long and not meet the needs of just the desperately poor. Our goal remains not to just distribute food, although that is a worthy goal, but to distribute food with Hope.

The Lighthouse School is preparing for the coming year. The new classrooms are almost ready. Teachers are being selected for the coming year for the two new classes. Volunteers are there leading a worshop for the teachers. That is pretty amazing !! Parents were at the school-- begging for a place for their children. Of course, classes are already filled. It is exciting to see that one bright spot in all of Gaza.

The Compound in general is okay. We have lost several windows due to the tremendously loud sonic booms. The Israelis have quit that for the moment. Thankfully. We are not bothering to replace the glass until this seems to be over. I asked was there any glass left in Gaza. They laughed and said "yes."

As we were leaving, we visited our friend Mahmoud. His continues to be one sad situation. Of the five brothers, he is the only one working. He is fortunate, he works twelve hours per week with the UN. Even teachers who use to consider themselves fortunate to have a constant job, have not been paid now in five months. Mahmoud's wife has literally gone crazy and is now with her family in the middle camps. Mahmoud is left with four great kids. I noticed that the children are all very thin now. That has not always been true. We will see about getting some food packets to them this week.

Finally, we drove to the Library and spoke to Isam. He and his family are doing well. What could we do except tell them that we are praying for them daily.
It is the most significant thing we can do...and yet seems not enough.
His response was that they could really tell we were praying for them. His eyes teared. My eyes teared. Neither of us dared.... If we started crying, we'd probably never stop.

Leaving Gaza was just about as scarey as entering. We eventually found a safe road to drive on and were able to skirt the problems. The frightening thing is that you don't know what you will find just around the next turn. We left with a lot of emotions. Joy in being able to walk through our fears with the One in whom we trust, Grief in seeing our friends struggle to live a tiny bit normal life.... Gratefulness to the Lord for His blessings to us personally.... Guilt that I am not there with my friends in Gaza sharing their burdens.

We feel all these things. Our friends who just left Lebanon and Syria feel all these things as well. Thank you for your interest in our lives and in His work among our people. We continue to covet your prayers for our adopted countries.

Posted by HL

Palestinian Christians gather in Jericho

We had the priviledge of spending the day in Jericho at a conference sponsored by the Palestinian Association of Evangelican Churches. We joined about 350 church members and their families. The was the first time in about 15 years that they've been able to have a conference like this. The conference has been a great blessing for many reasons. Like Believers everywhere, they are benefiting from this special time of worship and Bible study. It the midst of the turmoil and conflict going on around them, it was great for them to be able to leave that behind for a few days. The number of Evangelical Christians is relatively small and they often feel isolated. They are enjoying this opportunity to fellowship with others of similar belief.


The conference ends on Thrusday. Please pray for them as they return to their homes around the West Bank.

Worth Reading

Martin Accad, Academic Dean of the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary in Beirut, has published a thought provoking article in Christianity Today on the current crisis in Lebanon. Whether you agree or disagree, this heart wrenching article is worth reading.

Student Conference

Wow, this past weekend we had an amazing opportunity to build relationships and encourage Pal believers who are university students! Thursday night we spent time just getting to know the 20+ students by playing games, laughing, and staying up until the wee hours of the morning (some of them never went to bed). Despite the language barrier, we were able to enjoy our time and laugh at ourselves with our language mistakes. At 6:30 AM Friday morning, the group headed out on a short hike . We walked to an olive grove on a hillside and enjoyed a beautiful view. We also enjoyed a time of singing praise songs, a word of encouragement from one of the students, and traditional Pal breakfast foods. Friday afternoon the rest of the group enjoyed an outing to the pool, while we stayed behind and took a much needed nap. Friday evening was filled with more fellowship, sharing, games, and laughs. We hope that the students were as encouraged by us, as we were by them. Although everyone was exhausted by Saturday morning, it was worth every minute.

Posted by J&MM, volunteers from the USA

Gaza Homecoming

One of our partners returned to Gaza this past week. He was out of the country when the current conflict started. He sent us the following report which I have edited slightly to maintain his privacy.

"Homecoming is always sweet. My neighbor’s boys asked me all over again, trying to use the English they have learned in school, “what is your name,” “how are you,” “what is your favorite sport?”

This past month Gaza’s main power plant was bombed by Israel. Living on the fourteenth flour, as I do and having limited electricity supplies, complicates life a little, but in no tragic way as it does for many people in Gaza. Walking down the fourteen flights my first morning back, I had almost reached the bottom, when a boy that works in the electric appliances shop on the ground floor greeted me with a big smile and gave me a flower. I took it to work with me. The night I arrived, someone that I didn’t really recognize proclaimed, “welcome home.” The taxi driver that took me to work recalled driving me three months earlier and knew where to take me. In the next few days I will make the rounds in my little neighborhood, Mohamed the guard of the building, Saber the shop keeper, Mohamed the vegetable and fruit man, Abu Alaa my landlord, Wesam the internet guy, Ahmed the hairdresser. At the Arab sweats shop, where I bought desserts for my guests, they were using candles in order to invite customers in. It gave the place quite the rustic feel.

For most in the Gaza Strip the many incursions that followed the exploding of Gaza’s power plant, which ironically was bombed likely using U.S. weapons while being built and insured by the U.S., had more severe effects than climbing extra flights of stairs. With the start of another war on the Lebanon-Israel border the world’s eye has shifted away from Gaza, but the destruction has gone on there. Hikmat, his family and his son’s family will not so quickly forget the day their fig trees were uprooted, their front yard destroyed by Israeli army tanks, their walls smashed and what was left standing of the house riddled with holes. For days the family has been carrying drinking water in buckets to their home, while the sewage spews out the now broken pipes. Hikmat’s oldest daughters periodically peaked around corners of blown away walls while I talked to their mother and youngest brother, Mohamed. Hikmat’s grandson jumped out of the second floor window during the Israeli attack and was at the hospital with his father. Mohamed’s siblings played on the old water tank, now blown apart. Israeli troops, reportedly there to look for a kidnapped soldier, left behind them a path of destruction and death.

After seeing these scenes with my own eyes, warfare remains a mystery to me. How can the human mind, especially a ‘cultured’, ‘liberated’ Western mind of an Israeli soldier believe that such a weeding out of state enemies will bring about any positive change? I saw nothing but despair, frustration and renewed hatred in the ravaged scenes I witnessed today. Fields, most family’s only source of income were left behind with crops and equipment leveled underneath tracks of tanks, houses destroyed, a number of resistance fighters are left dead, and hundreds more, only six, seven or ten years of age are born.

I prayed with many families before handing them a box of food. One woman commented, "Hhow do the Americans that subsidize Israeli activities consider themselves Christians?" I remained speechless; every house I entered I saw a little clearer the compassion of Christ."

Posted by PL

A Neighbor with Hemophilia

Recently, a member from the Jordan Pal team had the opportunity to go to a National Hemophilia Conference which drew interested health care providers and persons experiencing this bleeding disorder from all over the country and surrounding areas. An invitation was extended by a local physician specializing in diseases that involve bleeding and clotting disorders. Since the team member had been working closely with some friends who have an eight year old boy with the same disorder, she was able to go to the conference with them. A guest physician and other team members from the Canadian Hemophilia Foundation spoke, and a visiting Canadian nurse held a mini workshop on intravenous training for parents to prepare them in how to handle bleeding emergencies. All persons experiencing bleeding disorders along with one or both parents had to have their blood drawn and examined. This event turned out to be quite a cultural experience. Now please know that the conference itself was very good, but as customary in this culture, there was too much going on at any one time which considerably increased the noise level in the room making it difficult to focus on and hear the speaker. For example…lab technicians were set up in the same room where the speaker was delivering his prepared message and in another corner of the room, a very loud puppet show was being presented all at the same time. You can only imagine the confusion which took place. Also the lab technician had a problem drawing our little boy’s blood as he was very loud and not very happy or cooperative. However, the physician would not let us leave without his blood being drawn, and of course he wanted the member of our team to do it. PTL, our Heavenly Father guided her needle without any problem. The evening concluded with a nice buffet supper where everyone tried to get their food at the same time with some pushing and shoving...again, quite cultural…even humorous. Please continue to remember this precious little boy and his family.
Posted by AF

A Family Picnic in Jordan

Yesterday we visited one of my husband’s friends and his family. C and S were invited as well. We started with coffee in their home and then drove to Jerash for a picnic. The women drove together in one car. This was the wife (L), T and S and the house helper. We had a very meaningful conversation. L opened the conversation and we talked of her views on life and afterward. Then we had the opportunity to share about what our book says about the same topics. We talked of why the cross was necessary. Of each person's individual choice. Of peace in our hearts we live with daily in spite of circumstances in the world. Of our daily reading and how we can know the author through his book. And of our assurance 100% of where we will spend eternity. We talked so much back and forth that her husband needed to tap on the window once we had stopped and tell us to continue talking on the way. We talked of our love for each other because we were loved first. After all that we were still eager to visit again and it was a really easy visit. We had a picnic and played basketball using a branch as our basket. We intended to walk through Jerash, but were having such a good picnic that we never made it in to Jerash after all. We felt very comfortable and are eager for visits on both sides. Our boys did so awesome and also had an easy visit due to the activity even though the children did not speak much English.

Posted by TM

A Volunteer Project in Jordan

Recently part of the Palestinian Team in Jordan had the privilege of having a volunteer group join us as we made our way to an outlying village for the purpose of having a free health screening clinic. Our team partnered with some national friends who acted as our interpreters as well as another team currently working in this village. Twelve of us set up five screening stations to include identification of problems related to eyes, blood pressure, diabetes, scoliosis, and upper body physical assessment. Our efforts were truly blessed in that approximately 70 people were screened. The villagers received us with open arms and even fed us breakfast and lunch. They were so gracious and kind and many relationships were formed. The villagers were encouraged to know that their identified health problems would be followed up by our partners currently working with them. One of the volunteers really enjoyed interacting with the children and they seem to flock to him like he was the 'pied piper.' Another volunteer, our optometrist, was able to identify many eye problems which afforded her counseling several patients and giving some great advice about eye care. One man and his wife had such bad lungs we had to speak very strongly to him about giving up smoking as it was affecting his entire family. Smoking is so much a part of this culture that it will be difficult for him if he chooses to be compliant. Many referrals were made to local physicians... however, the problem may be a lack of money for them to be able to go. It was so rewarding to see how receptive everyone was and to observe our volunteers as they realized that they did not have to speak the language for the village people to know how much they cared and loved them.

Posted by af


Our Volunteer Team

Em Ehab in Nileen

I helped today with food distribution in Nileen, a village of maybe 10,000 in the West Bank. In the first home we visited we found the husband at home. He has a job as a pharmaceutical distributor, but all the chaos has disrupted his business. We sat together in a room that he said was about 350 years old. His grandfather and father were village elders and they used the room in the past to meet with people for village business. (The walls were about 1.5 meters thick.) In the older part of the house was his sons’ bedroom complete with computer. (350 years old was the new part; he claimed the older part was 1700 years old; maybe not, but it was obviously ancient) The new within the old was a striking picture.

We were welcomed enthusiastically in the next home we visited. Our hostess loves Americans… all except George Bush. She was glad that we came because she’d been thinking she’d like to meet someone who could talk to him about the problems we have in the Middle East…

In the next home we met Em (mother of ) Ehab. Abu (father of) Ehab works as a fruit seller and makes about $200/month. They have five children ranging in age from 17 down to 2 years old; 2 boys – twins almost 16 and 3 daughters. Em Ehab measures her life by wars – she was born during the 6 day war; she was engaged a week before the first uprising started, the twins were born around the time of the first Gulf War and so on. She told us that she used to have big dreams for her children. They would be married and build a house; their lives would be better than hers had been. Now it is hard for her to imagine them ever getting big. She goes to bed at night and thinks: Maybe they won’t wake up in the morning or maybe a bomb will hit our house in the night. She hears about the children being killed in Gaza and thinks: They were like a flower that bloomed and was quickly gone. As we left we gave Em Ehab a sack of food. A volunteer was with us and she gave Em Ehab a scented candle. Without a doubt she is showing her neighbors the gift that her new American friend gave her. Please pray with us for Em Ehad. May that candle be symbolic of the witness we left behind. Ask that the light of that witness grow stranger and stronger.

Posted by P.L.

Overcoming

"You, dear children are from God and have overcome them (false teachers), because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." (I John 4:4)

We were struck by this verse the past few weeks as we encountered many situations that could have discouraged us. Our volunteer teams arrived from the US in the middle of June and it seemed that there were events around us that sought to derail or distract us from the task ahead of us. We faced issues of transportation, computer failure, no hot water for almost a week, problems with plane tickets, and a leaky bathroom ceiling!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers...of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God..." (Eph. 6:10-13)

While we don't want to attribute everything to the work of the prince of this world, we want to acknowledge that he seeks to distract, demoralize and discourage us and keep us from focusing on what is important. We are thankful for strength to face these trials and the faith to remain committed to the task. We continue to marvel and be thankful for God's faithful provision. In each of these situations, we have seen God at work.

Posted by G&TM

Gaza Crisis: Day 14

After being gone for a week and only getting bits of news about the crisis in Gaza, I had the distinct impression that I needed to go to Gaza to pray for all of the people there. We knew we wouldn't be able enter Gaza but wanted to go anyway. We picked up our volunteers and drove south to the border. Prayer Walking has been described as "praying on site with insight". We hoped that being there would help us to know better how to pray. We parked in the lot and were there less than five minutes when we heard the first boom. I have to admit that it gave me a bit of a start. I'm sure our volunteers got even more of a shock. I noticed that they looked at me for a reaction. We were safe ...my stress came from knowing where that shell went and for the people that it threatened. We prayed for a long time, stopping only occasionally when we actually saw where the tank shells landed as red dust rose out of the desert in plumes. It was difficult to realize that we actually knew people who live very near to that place. It was a bittersweet experience to sit there and listen to shell after shell being shot. Bitter because it was difficult to hear and feel them. I can't imagine what it has been like for those living in and near the border towns who listen to it non stop. Sweet because it isn't likely that I will forget to pray as those booms and vibrations are imprinted in me.

As we sat there and prayed, four Israeli soldiers walked by laden down with their backpacks and guns. Tied on the back of one soldier's pack were a pair of tennis shoes. We were all struck by the youth of those fighting this battle...both inside and out. It was privilege to pray for those Israeli soldiers going to fight our adopted people group. We explained to our volunteers that very few people here can understand that we love both peoples and pray for the Best for both of them.

Our prayer for the Believers in Gaza ran along the lines of 2 Cor 1:3-4. Please join us in asking the God of all comfort to comfort them in all of their troubles SO THAT they may in turn comfort those around them who do not know the Lord. Pray that God's strength and overcoming power will shine like a light in their lives.

post by hsl

A Plea from Inside Gaza

The situation in Gaza remains tense and conditions inside are much worse. A friend forwarded the following article to us today. We wanted to share it with you.

Dr. Hanna Massad pastors Gaza Baptist Church - the only evangelical church in the Gaza Strip - while his wife, Suhad, runs the Palestinian Bible Society Bookstore. The church is located in the heart of several terrorist group headquarters as it carries out its Christian Mission to Gaza. Via ASSIST News Service, Pastor Massad sends an urgent message: “Many people in Gaza are without water and electricity. The food supply is limited, and there is no gas... This time we are going through is a very tough time. It is one of the worst times we have had in Gaza. We continue to hear the noise of bombing almost 24 hours a day... This has caused damage in many homes. Even the ceiling inside our church fell down. We are very concerned about our children. It is causing psychological problems, not only for children but for many adults as well. Sometimes, we are not able to meet, and we have to cancel our meetings, especially the children’s ministry. The last few days have been very difficult for me, where I felt the spirit of fear and desperation. But yesterday and today, I felt more of the presence of God in the midst of darkness. I need more and more of His presence and power in order to minister to my people the message of hope and peace. We have only one way. We chose to live for Him and reflect his love to the Palestinian people."

Posted by PL

Friends in Gaza

I spoke today with several Christian friends in Gaza city. Life is hard. They only have electricity for a few hours per day. Water comes every other day, but they have to have electricity to pump the water to holding tanks on the roofs. Water and electricity do not always come at the same time. One friend said there was food in the markets, but it was not plentiful and only those who have cash on hand can buy it. .

They haven’t been able to sleep much. All night, the Israeli planes fly overhead low to the ground. They often break the sound barrier causing houses to shake and windows to break. And certainly the sonic booms awaken everyone !

Even with the hardships and impending danger, I was surprised at how upbeat they all sounded. They are so resilient. They are truly amazing people. There may be several reasons. Life is always hard; this is only a little bit harder. They have been at this point before – many times. The friends I talked to do not live in the refugee camps or poorer neighborhoods where people are without food and the danger is more imminent. Most of all, they have their faith to sustain them….and friends like you who are faithful to pray.
Ask God to continue to sustain them with a Peace that passes all understanding during this difficult time. Praise Him that they have been able to implement His strength into their lives.

Please continue to pray for these and other friends in Gaza – both Christian and Muslim. Ask God to keep them safe. May a peaceful solution be found to this crisis without further bloodshed.



The picture is typical of may homes in refugee
camps in Gaza.

A Break from Gaza

Most of you have heard about the current crisis in Gaza. We've been on the edge of disaster many times, but never closer than we are today. This has consequences far beyond the immediate situation. Please be in prayer that a peaceful solution can be found and that the kidnapped soldier will be returned unharmed. Israel’s arrest today of the Hamas leaders only raises the stakes.

In the midst of the crisis, we’d like to tell you about a miracle:

Y & S are friends from Gaza. Y is originally from Gaza; S from Nazareth. They and their four children all have Israeli citizenship. They had permission to enter Gaza, but have not left in 7 years. (It is difficult to explain, but this is a big problem!) They have been on the front line of the conflict in Gaza, but have felt called to be ministering there. Y directs a relief project that has helped several thousand families over the last few years. All are active members of the church in Gaza. So they've stayed when they might have left. Their oldest child, just finished high school. They have planned to leave this Thursday for a couple of months to visit S's family, get their oldest son started in college and just take a break. They NEED this break! This already big problem has been immeasurably complicated by the current situation. The border has been closed since Sunday. NO ONE has been allowed to enter or leave.

The Israeli soldier in charge of Erez (the crossing into Gaza) told them on Tuesday to call him every day. Maybe they could leave on Thursday. Well, they called on Wednesday around 3 PM and he told them to "come right now". They had not expected that so they threw things in a suitcase and were on the way by 4PM. We were on stand-by to pick them up at Erez so they called us. We got there at 5:30. We could see them across the security area having their luggage inspected, but could only wave. Then they were taken inside. Finally, around 8 PM they came out, but that wasn't the end. They had to go with the police to Sederot (about 5 miles away) to answer questions about why they had been in Gaza for so long. We followed with the children and luggage. Finally, at 9 PM, they were released and we headed to Nazareth. We feel like this is really a miracle! God answered many prayers! The situation is worse today because of the killing of the settler in the West Bank and the arrest of the Hamas leaders. If it hadn't happened "unexpectedly" yesterday, it may not have happened!

It was such a privilege for us to be with them for this first excursion out in so long. We went through the drive-in window at McDonald's. The youngest, who is 7, said, "Thank you, you have a nice place." and the older kids thanked us a dozen times for the McDonald's. The kids could not have been more excited at Disney World. "Look at that factory" (which was all lit up), "Look at that bus" (which was very big) JOY! WONDER!

We arrived in Nazareth about midnight. S's parent's hadn't seen the youngest since he was 3 months old. So, it was a joyous reunion. We had planned to come on back to Jerusalem, but they insisted we spend the night. (It didn't take much to convince me I was so tired.)

Please continue to pray for our other friends in Gaza and the West Bank. The situation remains very tense. Women were now coming to the compound begging and crying for food. We haven't seen that in a while. They also told us that an Israeli missile hit a car in front of one of the church member's homes on Monday. Our friends were not hurt, but it was a horrendous experience. (I'll spare you the details)

Please continue to pray for Y & S and their 4 children. Ask God to use this time to heal and renew them. They also need guidance for what's next in their lives.

Posted by PL

An Important Principle

The other day at my work I was reminded of an important principle. I have been preparing for the arrival of two teams of volunteers to assist us with summer camps. I was in a hurry and had many things to do. I quickly walked past one of the offices without greeting or even acknowledging one of the Arab staff members. I was focused on my task. I finished my task and then returned to the office area. The man I failed to greet was surprised and questioned what was so important. At that point I realized my error: my task (job) at that moment was more important than the relationship. For us westerners, we live by the task and are satisfied by its accomplishment. But in this part of the world, relationship is more supercedes the task and people find fulfillment through their interaction with and enjoyment of people. The task still gets done (usually), but not at the expense of investing time in relationship.

The principle I was reminded of is this: people are more important than the task. Building relationships is more important than accomplishing stuff. I am thankful for this timely reminder because over the next few weeks our task is to host camps for kids and teachers all over the county. It would be easy for me to become consumed with the details of getting these camps working but I don't want to lose sight of investing time in the lives of people. Please ask for clarity of thought and sensitivity to opportunities as they arise.

Posted by GM

Tennessee Volunteers # 10

We just got back froom the airport. The Tennessee Volunteers will be flying in another couple of hours (11:30 local time, 3:30 Central Time)

We had a very good last day. Most of the group went down to the Dead Sea. We were blessed to see a herd of Ibex near Ein Geddi (David's Spring - across the road from the Deas Sea)before a quick dip. One the way back to Jerusalem we stopped by Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Very interesting place.

Over supper we had a time of sharing highlights about our project. We made one last stop in Jerusalem to pray together over the city before departing to take the group to the airport. (Below) That is the Dome of the Rock over David's left shoulder.



The team sacrificed much to join us for this project and their efforts were greatly appreciated. We firmly believe that God will build on the foundation that they've help to lay. We also realize that family, friends and co-workers have also sacrificed to allow the team to come and prayed fervently for them and us before and during their stay. You have been an integral part of this project as well. Thank you; we couldn't have done it without you!

Posted by PL

Tennessee Volunteers # 9

We had a great day on Thursday, the last day of camp. The girls have been SO eager and appreciative of everything we've done. We delayed the program for one hour so they could pick up their report cards for school (10 "til 1 rather than 9 - 12). After the girls left we had "tea" with the staff at the center. They gave the team a beautiful memento of Palestine and the team gave each of them a small gift.

We did not get to visit in the homes of our students as we had hoped. The violence that errupted there on Tuesday evening was still simmering and the staff at the center did not think it would be appropriate for families in the refugee camp to be having foreign guests in their homes. Before we left, they did invite us back to have a camp next summer.

After we left the center we went to a village about a 30 minute drive away for lunch. We ate out in a garden. It was a beautiful setting and we ate a great lunch. After lunch we prayer-walked through the village. This is a small village of about 700. It has always been a Christian village, but now about 100 Muslims live there as well. In recent years there has been some friction and persecution for the Muslims villages near-by. Although there are a number of newer homes, this village dates back to Biblical times. In the late afternoon we visited a festival in the village and bought some locally produced olive oil and olive oil soap. (OK, we had some ice cream, too.)

We cut the festival short and went back to the closest city in the West Bank for some last minute shopping. We didn't get back to Jerusalem until after 9 PM.

Posted by PL

Tennessee Volunteers # 8

We are very pleased with the Camp. The girls are a delight to work with. They are so eager to learn and appreciative of everything we do. They have surprised us with their English ability. On Tuesday we started to teach them the “Head and Shoulders, Knees & Toes” Song. They already knew it and the motions. Chris taught them another song with silly motions; they loved it and wanted to sing it over and over.

Yesterday we stay in the West Bank until about 5:30 painting an apartment that will be used for volunteers in the future. H. had taco salad prepared for us when we got back to Jerusalem.

Today we left the West Bank immediately after the Camp. A man was killed yesterday evening in the neighborhood where we are having the camp and there were violent reactions. His funeral was being held near the facility we are using and we felt it would be best to leave immediately. We had to be careful throughout the day not to make much noise out of respect for the man’s family and friends.

We hade planned to eat at a restaurant in the area and visit some homes. Instead we went back to Jerusalem, had lunch in a nice restaurant and did some more shopping and site seeing in the Old City.

Tomorrow is the last day of camp. Today one of the girls said, “Tomorrow is the last day, isn’t it?” When she was told yes, she said, “That will make us sad” Well, it will make us sad, too. Please pray for this last day. We would love to visit in some of the homes of the girls. Pray for peace in their area and throughout the Palestinian areas.


This last picture is painted on the wall seperating the West Bank and Israel.

Posted by PL

Tennessee Volunteers # 7

Our First day of Day Camp went great. We decided to call the week “Joy Club”. We had 32 beautiful Palestinian girls aged 8 – 12. We all met together for songs and a story led and told by our team members. We divided the girls into three teams and they rotated between English classes, crafts and games and refreshments. We were assisted by the women who work in the center. They were so gracious and kind. Everyone had a great time and seemed excited about coming back tomorrow. God is filling our hearts with His love for the Palestinian people.

Posted by David.

Tennessee Volunteers # 6

Sunday morning worship was such a blessing with a church in the West Bank! They graciously provided an interpreter for the message… for the songs, we were on our own. The Holy Spirit was present there.

Later in the day our team had worship in our apartment at the same time that our church family back home worshiped. What a special time for us to give God the glory for what He had done already and to turn the upcoming camp over to Him once again. We are praying that He will speak through us and use us as only He can.

Posted by Jennifer.

Tennessee Volunteers # 5

Today was a wonderful day of service for the Lord. We picked up a 27 year old Palestinian man who is a follower of Christ, and with his guidance took food to distribute to people in villages outside Ramallah in the West Bank. We met a beautiful family and met the grandmother, doughter and sons and grandchildren. We visited with the family for about an hour and got to know each other. The love and Spirit of our Lord was upon the visit. Christian literature was left for them.

Please pray for this family to come to know Jesus. Please pray for the Palestinian people. There needs are many. In the afternoon we discussed our work for the next week.

We love you all. Please keep us in your prayers, too.

Posted by Tom

For more pictures click here.

Tennessee Volunteers # 4

On Friday we traveled to the Galilee Area. We went east to Jericho and then north to Tiberias. On the way we stopped in the desert and rode a camel. Great fun!

We stopped in Tiberias and experienced the opportunity to put our feet in the Jordan River.

We continued on our journey and arrived in Capernaum. This was the home of Peter and the city in which Jesus taught in the synagogue and healed the sick. We also went to the site tradition says Jesus restored Peter after Peter’s denial of Jesus on the night of Jesus’ trial.

We also went to the Mount of Beatitudes where tradition says Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount. We also visited the city of Nazareth; the city of Jesus’ boyhood home. We also visited the Church of the Annunciation; the site tradition says was the place where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary God’s plan for her to be the mother of Jesus.

We completed the days’ activities by seeing olivewood carvings done by craftsmen from Bethlehem.

Posted by Dennis

Tennessee Volunteers # 3

Here are a couple of pictures of the team. For more pictures, click here. We'll keep adding.

Tennessee Volunteers # 2

Greetings to all!

Day two is winding down for us and everybody is having a great time. So far we have been touring around the Jerusalem area. We got to walk around within the Old City today. It is really neat to see structures that have been around since before Columbus discovered America, and it is extremely helpful in getting a mental picture while reading the bible.

Tomorrow we will be traveling to some of the destination a little farther away.

Please pray for us to get used to the time differences. Most of us are getting along fine, but some of the women are losing energy quickly. We definitely needing to get past this by the time we start working with the kid.

Have to run for now, but we’ll send more tomorrow.

Posted by Chris.

Tennessee Volunteers

We welcomed 7 volunteers on Wednesday morning from Tennessee. They'll be helping with a project in one of the refugee camps. They arrived with all their luggage at 9:30 AM feeling good, but tired. After getting the settled in Jerusalem and having a light lunch, we went to Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity. It was nearly 3:00 by the time we got back to Jerusalem. The ladies decided to take a nap, but the men pushed on to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane.

Everyone was feeling better by supper time. On Thursay, we'll being the Old City of Jerusalem.

Fun with Students in Northern Jordan

Students just left - we have had a great time this afternoon and tonight. We did various things using our English skills. One young man was listening to one of our Christian CDs using earphones and then would repeat the words out loud and we could all hear. After a while, he stopped listening and began to ask questions about the words: "walking with Him", "loving us so much"; "loving Him so much"; "the sacrifice", etc. PTL - as naturally as breathing, there we were sharing what that sacrifice meant to us. What a blessing! We just never know what instrument is "the one" HE will use - nor when.

We enjoyed so much one of our favorite things today -- recording the students' voices. We used scripted conversations between students and let them HEAR themselves speaking English -- some had never done this. Each time we use this, it is a huge HIT. The last time I did this at the center, I didn't tell the class and then just played it back. What fun for them! MOST have never heard their own voices!

Some commented as they were leaving: "I didn't know I sounded like that. Everybody else sounds normal, but I don't"; "I have more confidence in how well I speak English"; "thank you isn't enough for what you do for us". Now, we are not "bragging" here; more importantly, pointing to the students: seems like all that the center stands for was being projected in their comments: good grammar, good social skills, understanding enough of our English culture to share expressions such as this; more confidence in their skills. We were very encouraged by their comments and especially happy that we are seeing sheer joy within as they are with each other and us. Just being together seems to be enough for them. PTL for today!

We've had a hard week so we needed a POSITIVE in our lives! HE brought us this exactly when it was needed.

Posted by GA

Refrigerator Trouble

Our refrigerator has been making a terrible noise for the past few days. It is about 12 years old and has had a rough life. So for months we've been preparing ourselves mentally for the inevitable. But this is NOT a good time to have it go out. Next week my sister-in-law and niece are coming and then a volunteer group which includes my brother. We just don't have time right now to have it repaired nor time to shop for a new one. Sometimes the electricity in the area is around 160 volts instead of 220 like it should be. I thouhgt - hoped - that that might be the problem. Our friend and neighbor up the road has a voltmeter. She was coming by this morning so I asked her to bring it. It read 235 volts so that wasn't the problem. When we explained the problem she started looking around and found that the broom was leaning against the fridge back in the back. She move the broom and -- ta da -- the terrible noise stopped.

I hope the big problems you face today are as easily solved! I also hope you have a friend and that don't have to call the repairman to move the broom.

Gaza Today

I was in Gaza on Monday. The situation was quiet, but I did see both Palestinian Army (loyal to Fatah) and Hamas milita on the street. The Army wears regular army fatigues; the milita wore black T-shirts with army pants; all carry machine guns and look mean. Their presence certainly contributed to my feeling of unease. Friends told me that there were fewer milita on the streets than before and in fewer places. I asked a friend if the situation was better than it had been a week before when their was open conflict in the street -- 11 were wounded and a Jordanian diplomat was killed. He didn't really answer, but said that most people see the future as black. When I called him last week, he and his family (and neighbors, I'm sure) had been up most of the previous night because of shelling by Israel. The last few nights have been quieter. We did visit our friend who had been shot in that conflict. He lives in the Shati Refugee Camp and had just gotten out of the hospital the day before. He was standing near a window talking on the phone. when he was hit The bullet entered his back, but did not penetrate his lung. He is progressing slowly, but steadily.

The bright spot of my trip was a visit to the new Christian school. They are just completing their first year. God has really blessed them. The school is a haven for both students and staff. In spite of the conflict around them the school has been able to stay on course. They need some new staff next year. So, please pray for the leaders as they search for qualified Christians.

Another bright spot was Matouk's, my favorite restaurant. It hasn't changed although I was the only foreigner there.

I take a taxi from the border into Gaza city. The drivers take turns, but most of the time it seems we get the same driver. We've had some great conversations. Yesterday he asked, "Is there no hope for our situation?" I was able to share that indeed there was Hope. Please pray for K.

What's Cooking?

In the fall of 2004, I was inspired to think of some way to get ladies into our home and each time it was thought about, cooking was what came to mind. We had a friend in the U.S. send us some old cookbooks that she had stored. Even though we haven't forgotten the cooking class, the idea has just now come to fruition NOT by us, but by HIM - a very obvious affirmation since HE let one of the students re-kindle the thought. Our first cooking class just met yesterday and was absolutely more exciting than we imagined it would be, beginning with luncheon, doing the specific cooking we came together for, and ending with cleaning the kitchen. During our "wait" periods for the cooking times, conversation was abundant and my heart quickened when one of the Jordanian ladies asked another lady, "Are you a Christian?" The response was "no". Talk about surprise! Just as usual, we humans THINK we KNOW how to do "it" and then HE takes over and DOES IT! From there, HE simply took over and I was able to share the Good News as it related to my own personal life more freely than before with these women. It came so naturally and in such a relaxed atmosphere that there was no doubt who was in control of the cooking class. We DID use the cookbooks intended for this purpose so many months (and miles) ago. What a happy, long afternoon! These times are so precious; very encouraging when there have been "dry" days when you cannot share as you would like.

After the ladies left, three young men who always include us in their "together" times for tea on University Street came over, had supper, stayed for fellowship and cards, and finally left well after midnight. These young men tell us "everything" and we do mean everything. They really "dumped" on us last night and we had lengthy conversations on several sensitive topics. Interestingly, things which perhaps would be taboo in other conversation groups seem to come up quite easily whenever they are with us and they appear to value our responses to their questions or comments with no embarrassment nor shock. These are professional men; one a medical doctor. They listen very intently to us and get both male/female perspectives. A friend recently gave us a Christian book and it was lying on the coffee table. One of the men had already looked it over carefully as we put the food on the table and later, one asked us if he could take that book with him to read stating that the English was not too difficult for him. Of course, the book went with him and we are now realizing more how important it is to have the right materials lying around as our students and friends come by to visit us.

Posted by GA in Jordan

Fortress Gate #4

We are back at home. We had a very good "first trip". We knew in advance that this would be a a challenge. There are over 400,000 Palestinians living in Lebanon. The vast majority is Muslim. Their opportunities for education and employment are severely restricted. They are politically isolated. As a result, most Palestinians live in dire poverty. Because of the history of political and ethnic division it is difficult to gain access to Palestinian areas. However, we are confident that God wants the best for these people. We hope to return to the area soon. In the mean time we will be mobilizing people to pray.

Fortress Gate #3

A lot has happened since I posted last. We had a meeting on Monday morning that we hoped would be furitful. However, it was a big dead-end. We've been asking for direction and we took that as an answer to prayer. We did visit a refugee camp on the edge of Beirut to see another contact. This organization is working with special needs kids and doing a great job. They were more open to having our help in the future. PTL! Another answer.

On Tuesday we travelled to Sideon and Tyre. There are two camps in Sideon; both very near the center of the city. Lebanese army guards prevented us from entering, but we were able to pray for the Palestinians inside as we drove around the camp.

In Tyre, we visited an archeological site next to a camp. el Buss; again we could not enter, but we were able to pray.

Today we went to Baelbak; the is an archeolgical site in the Beqa Valley. There is also a Palestinian Camp near the site. We had a great day of touring and praying as we travelled.

Fortress Gate # 2

We had a good day on Sunday. After joining a local congregation for their Sunday morning worship we set off for Tripoli, a city in the north of Lebanon. We did the tourist thing; stopping in Juneh to ride the cable car to the top of the mountain to see the statue of the Virgin Mary. The view from the top was breathtaking. A bonus was a few Cedars around the statue. There are relatively few of them left and they only grow at high elevations. The way down was problematic because the line was so long to get on the cable car.

Because of the time, we scrapped our other plans and went directly to Tripoli. We toured an old castle and prayed over the city of Tripoli. Then we went down to the market. We were so late that most of the shops were closed. However, there was one soap shop open. Triopli is very proud that soap was first imported to Europe from Triopli and families have been the soap making business for generations. We had a delightful visit with a brother and sister at the one shop we found open. We realized that if we had carried out our time table we would not had the quality visit that we had.

Our real purpose in going to Tripoli was to visit the two Palestinian camps. Our driver said an Emphatic "NO" when we asked him to go there, but in the end agreed to drive us through El Baddawi, the smaller of the two camps. One interesting thing we noted: At the entrance to the camp there is a huge monument with the word "ALLAH". Our prayer is that it would truely be a place where God is honored.

We finally got home after 9 PM. Exhausted!

Fortress Gate #1

We arrived in Lebanon yesterday with a group of 5. Our purpose here is to find out about the Palestinians living here and how we can work among them. It seems that it is difficult to find out much about them and even more difficult to gain access. So we named the project "Fortress Gate"; it is like the Palestinians are in a frotress, but God has a gate.

We just met two Palestinian brothers, Jamal and Ridda, from Sabra aged 14 and 16. They roam the street in West Beirut and shine shoes. We talked to them as they shined our shoes -- they are from a family of 10; 4 boys and 4 girls; neither had ever been to school; their father is unable to find work.

We have a meeting this afternoon with a friend that we hope will help us make contacts. We will also several contacts whom we will try to call to set up our schedule for the rest of the week.

One of our team shared this Bible vers this morning: Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up of you ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in. Who is he, this King of Glory? The lord Almighty - he is the King of Glory. (Ps 24:7 & 10)

Posted by PL

Gaza Humor

We had a great weekend in Gaza. We were able to accomplish several tasks on our to-do list and visited several old friends. One of our favorite Palestinian foods is waraq dawali or stuffed grape leaves. Our friends made it for us with the first leaves of the spring. Mmmmm!

When we entered Gaza Strip, Israel shooting missiles into the area. It is hard to describe; not only is there a loud boom in the distance, but the air shakes. Even though we knew the missiles weren’t aimed at populated areas, it was a bit disconcerting. Otherwise we did not feel any danger.

Our friends relate stories of ever worsening conditions. We visited in one home where the father had been in the hospital the week before. He said there were no medicines in the hospital. His doctor wrote a prescription and his son went to the pharmacy to buy the drugs for him to take while in the hospital. There did not seem to be a shortage of food on the shelves; just most people don’t have any money to buy. It has been two months since government workers were paid and they are the lucky ones – they have a job and some hope of eventually being paid.

We have to take a taxi from Erez, the crossing point from Israel, into Gaza. Our driver told us this joke:
Israel dropped a bomb on the main road in Gaza that made a big crater. Over the next few weeks cars kept driving into it and many people were injured. There were several deaths. So, those who were in charge of public safety had a meeting. There was a heated argument over what was the best solution. Some wanted to post an ambulance next to the crater so that injured people could be taken to the hospital immediately. In the end, it was decided that the crater would be moved next to the hospital so injuries could be treated even more quickly.

Sometimes you have to laugh so that you don’t cry.

Posted by PL

A Father's Hands

Today my husband and I were walking along a beautiful Promenade. Israelis and Palestinians alike use this area. We often see people of both races there on our daily strolls. Today, it was delightful to see a precious Palestinian father walking along with his three sons. Two of his sons were older but there was one that was quite young. He was unsure on his feet. The father happily ran along behind him...a bit awkwardly...but joyfully keeping stride with his toddler. He was smiling as he chased the wee one along...with one hand in front of him to catch him from falling. It reminded me of our Heavenly Father...joyfully keeping up with us as we barrel along...ready to keep us from falling if we will allow Him. Pray for this Palestinian man, that he would come to know our Heavenly Father who is ready to keep us from falling...and able to right us when we do.

Posted by HL

Samaritan Passover Sacrifice

We joined the Samaritan people yesterday for the sacrifice to begin Passover. There are only about 650 Samaritans left. Some of them live south of Tel Aviv in Holon and the rest still live on Mt Gerizim above Nabalus in the northern West Bank.

On the top of the mountain there are extensive ruins of a temple dating from the 6th century BC. It offers a beautiful view of Nabalus and surrounding area. We could just make out the area around the well where Jesus met the Samaritan woman.

Around 6pm we gathered to watch the preparations for the sacrifice. Inside a fenced area the Samaritans gathered. Men in white; women in red. All the men had their heads covered – many wore a fez, many others wore baseball caps. We watched from bleachers; others crowded around the fence.

Most of the men gathered around a trench where the sheep were waiting. To one side were the elders; some of them dressed in bright robes. To the other side were the women although they mingled in with the men on occasion. When the ceremony started there was a welcoming of special guests in both Hebrew and Arabic. Then the men chanted for a long time – the two groups of men never quite together. It sounded a bit like Hebrew, but it may have been Aramaic. As the men chanted, the women talked. The louder the men chanted, the louder the women talked. (To be fair there were many of the men talking, too.)

Right at sunset, one of the elders chanted something (a prayer?) and the sheep were slaughtered. We couldn’t actually see that because of the crowd. As the blood drained into the trench, the men greeted each other with a kiss. One group in the corner kept up the chanting. Then they started butchering the sheep. Some of the men had poles about 4 meters long and they prepared to skewer the sheep. There were several pits in which fires had been built. The sheep were roasted on the poles in the pits. We left at 8 pm just as they were putting the sheep in the fires. We understood they would be eaten immediately.





One observation that I made was that the sacrifice did not seem to be a high and holy moment. It was more of a carnival atmosphere. Of course, more that a thousand on-lookers didn’t help, but this was a large family gathering and they were glad to be together. This was a joyous occasion, but there did not seem to be much reflection on the meaning of the sacrifice.



Lord, may this people come to know the Lamb that was slain for all.

Jesus said to the woman “An hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers. God is spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24.

I found additional information about Samaritan on the web.

PL: Palm Sunday

I had the privilege of worshiping with a church in Bethlehem on Palm Sunday. It is always a joy to be with this congregation; their worship is so energetic and genuine. The pastor preached from Mark 11 – the event know as the Triumphal Entry.

Verse 13: Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf. He went over to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it: “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”

Figs ripen in late summer. (And the figs in Jerusalem are delicious!) It always seemed unreasonable that Jesus expected to find fruit in the spring. The pastor asked the congregation what Jesus should have found on the tree. “Dafur” was the unanimous answer. It seemed like everybody knew about dafur but me. I learned later that dafur is a special Arabic word that means unripe or new figs. The dafur comes first and then the green leaves. Over the course of the summer, the dafur ripen into those delicious figs. According to the pastor, dafur taste even better than ripe figs. So even though it was early for ripe figs, there should have been dafur on the tree that Jesus and his disciples found in Jerusalem.

Of course, we want to have full-grown spiritual fruit in our lives. The time from green fruit to ripe can take longer than we’d like and it can’t be rushed. If we aren’t being the person that makes the green fruit possible and aren’t doing the things that allow it to ripen, we’ll never experience the ripe fruit. We shouldn’t worry about the fruit; it is the dafur that should concern us. If we are being and doing as God’s Word instructs us, the Holy Spirit will ripen our fruit. When it ripens it will be a pleasing fragrance and delicious just like the Jerusalem figs.

HL: A visit to Omri Camp

Today was a great example of using the resources available to our team. Our team on the West side of the Jordan River is small. We wrote an email to all the workers in our area asking if anyone would like to join us in a once a month project. We were pleased to get several who want to help the Pal team sporadically. We are so blessed ! Today we had four women who took a craft project into a women's center.
The ladies were already gathered for a lesson in the Kor'an. One of the ladies noted that the spirit seemed heavy when we entered. Her Arabic is very good and she noticed a few of the women quoting sayings (Kor'anic) that we don't normally hear on a daily basis. But the women were all very welcoming and delightful. Although we weren't able to verbally share our hearts. YOU know how many prayers were said during our time with them. We did a craft project that turned out really well and ate cake and drak juice together. We visited for a long while. We were invited to their homes. Palestinians are so loving and welcoming!!! We look forward to future visits in months to come. We especially look forward to when we can visit in their homes where we can actually share in a more natural setting.

PL: A mounment to the Lord

We were privileged to worship with the Gaza Baptist Church today. A guest read from Isaiah 19:19-25. This passage describes the “King’s Highway” It is worth a reading if you aren’t familiar with it. Verse 25 says, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria my handiwork and Israel my inheritance”. It was verse 19, though that caught our attention:
“In that day, there will be an alter to the Lord in the heart of Egypt and a Monument to the Lord at its border.” Gaza sits on the border between Egypt and Israel. Even in the midst of turmoil, it is exciting to see what God is doing in the lives of Believers in Gaza. There truly is a Monument to the Lord on the Egyptian border in the lives of these dear Brothers and sisters.

Outside the church it is hard to find any good news in Gaza. One friend said the people he talks to only see black before them. There have been some food shortages – flour and bread especially, but the border was opened a few days ago for food to enter. We were told that out of the last 70 days the border for goods had only been open for 10. No exports are allowed. We bought 6 kg of strawberries for 10 sequels; that translates to 16 cents/pound. Our good fortune means misfortune for the strawberry farmers who can’t export their crops. While we were there we heard at least 10 “booms”. Our friend said this was shelling from Israeli tanks. It is done in retaliation for rockets fired by Palestinians. There are very few foreigners in Gaza these days. It isn’t unusual for me to be asked where I’m from, but today it seemed that everyone I met asked me. They all welcomed me heartily. Our relief project continues. The food the team delivers is more needed and more appreciated than ever before.

The Christian Bookstore remains closed, but they hope to reopen this week. So continue to remember them in your prayers. The authorities have done some investigating, but are no closer to knowing who has made the threats.

Food Distribution in Shoukba

On Thursday I went with our Palestinian partner to distribute food in Shoukba, a village of about 4500 near Ramallah. Like many of the villages in the area, it is set on a hillside. Our little car would hardly make it up the steep inclines. T
At the first house we stopped by there were three young men working on a car - all three unemployed. One many was 32 years old with four children. He had worked in Israel before the closure. The other two were in their early 20s and still single. They wanted to get married, but with the situation who could think of taking a wife. The next house up the hill we found a young man still asleep at 11 A.M.. He was a barber, but only opened his shop in the evenings; not enough business to bother opening the shop in the morning. One mother told us that when her children went to school that morning she had nothing to feed them. Without exception the residents were hospitable and gracious.

PL: Jerusalem Spring

It is definitely springtime in Jerusalem. Just 10 days ago it was cold and rainy and we may yet have some more winter. But spring is on the way. The brown hills have turned green. Almond trees are blooming. Poppies and cyclaman dot the hillsides. These lambs were outside my backdoor this afternoon. They belong to a neighbor, Abu Ala'. There were 7 lambs and about 10 adult sheep. The lambs range in age from a week to month. The smaller ones in the picture are a week old and are part of a set of triplets. All doing well. As I approached to take this picture, they shyed away and started to climb the hill. Abu Ala' stated making a clicking sound and they stopped, turned around and, in spite of the danger (me), they came back down the hill. Even at just a week old. They knew his click.

Wow. I've heard all my life the verse, "My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me" (John 10:27) Now, I've seen it in action.

May we all be as obedient to our Shepherd.