A glimpse of God

On Tuesday I went to the Azack refugee camp with four other Americans that did not know Arabic and one translator. We walked into a very poor home in the refugee camp with the intention of handing them some food, but God had other plans. It was about 11:00AM when we arrived at the rows of cinder block houses. The wind blew through our clothes till it felt like our bones were actually getting frozen. We slowly stepped up the stairs and reached a small room in one of the tiny homes. The room was plain, it had an old tile floor that was peeling up and then hidden by a rug. The chairs were plastic lawn chairs that were surely showing their age. There were kids everywhere, in this small house lived two families equaling seventeen people and one on the way. The kids quickly moved off their chairs and had us sit down, within minutes a full meal was before us and there were thirty-four eyes watching us to see if we would receive their hospitality by taking the food. Being the only person there besides the busy translator that spoke Arabic, I took my small Arabic knowledge and started talking to some of the kids. As a tiny baby fell asleep in my arms a young man was telling me how he wanted to know more about Jesus. As he spoke in the background I heard the Muslim prayer echo through Bethlehem. Our conversation moved on and headed to music and dancing, he then proceeded to show me his break dancing but had to stop because of shortness of breath. As he gasped for air he allowed me to lay hands on him and just pray. That story is just a glimpse of how God is already working in the homes here.

Rainy Days at House of Hope

A rainy afternoon keeps everyone inside. The kids at House of Hope spend the day coloring, watching Tom & Jerry and clowning for the camera.

Jordan River

First of all, I want to thank all of you who are reading these posts. It is such an awesome feeling to know that people are interested to know what our team has been doing and praying for us.

On Friday, I had the opportunity to go to Jericho with the media department of the Bible College to a special Mass at the Jordan River to celebrate the last Christmas (Armenian Christmas). There were thousands of people flocking to the river on a long dirt road. I couldn't help but hum the song "We're Marching to Zion". The scenery was large rolling hills and swirling dust that was kicked up by all the tour buses. The only plant life in sight was the weeds on either side of the Jordan River. As we made our way down to the river, the crowd was bunched together, and it was impossible to get even a glimpse of the river. Luckily, I was with the media department who convinced the soldiers to allow us to get closer to the water to film some of the action. We saw the patriarch and many priests who came to the water's edge to have a mass with the people on the other side of the river (The Jordanians). It was a beautiful celebration in the spot where they believe Jesus was baptized by John the baptist! When the were finished, they released two white doves. It was breathtaking. It was hard to fathom that the very events we read about as bible "stories" are factual events that even have historical landmarks where it all took place. I looked up at the sky, trying to picture the heavens opening up and the very voice of God exclaiming "This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased". How awesome that would have been to see! Praise God for the amazing opportunities that our team has been able to experience!

Pray for Rain

When you think of the temperature in the Middle East, your first thoughts might be hot or humid weather. Unfortunately, the Holy Land has had some of the coldest weather in all of history, this year. The stone-made homes are almost impossible to heat because they lack insulation and sufficient heaters. People scurry from one place to another because it is so cold. The skies have been completely clear, leaving all to wonder if it will be a dry, waterless summer. A fear that trembles in their hearts that there will be even more limits on water. Please pray for rain!

The Bible College and House of Hope (HoH) started up this week after a month break or holiday. The first day was filled with plenty of to-do lists and paperwork. The students seemed excited about starting a new semester and seeing old friends. The YES Team got back into their normal roles. Adam continued to volunteer at Holy Land Trust. Andrew fell into his role of manager in the gift shop. Melody, Audrey, and I welcomed a new girl to HoH. Jared was busy with random tasks and learning the ropes at HoH. It was a pretty good start to a new year of surprises.

One surprise was the pipes freezing at the Bible College, leaving the college to be waterless for a few hours. The first time I went to turn on the water and nothing came out, I immediately thought this could be how summer will be. It scared me to think about not having any water for weeks on end. Although the water came back on, I still have an internalized fear, just like many other locals already have: there will be no water in the summer if it doesn't rain now. Please pray for rain!

--Hannah--

To Jericho and back

On Saturday the team went to Jericho. We loaded a bus at 7:30am and started on the bumpy beautiful ride. After many twists and turns I looked out the window and was blown away by the view, sandy mountains everywhere.


The first thing we did in Jericho was hike up to Temptation mount the mountain where Jesus was tempted by Satan. And on the way we made a stop to see the sycamore tree that Zacchaeus climbed to see Jesus. It was another breath taking day.


Later as we climbed, walked, and fell down steep hills, we came to the ledge of a cliff and shouted and waited to hear the echo. Then suddenly instead of an echo there was a reply from another person. We went down a rocky path to find two Palestinians camped out. We quickly made friends with the little Arabic we knew.



On the bus ride home we also made some more friends. I was able to get to know a local from Bethlehem. Which we met up with them again yesterday for tea. It has been great getting to know more locals. The people here are so willing to talk and are very hospitable.

Temple Mount (Jared)

Audrey, Adam, and I had the chance to visit the Temple Mount on Thursday. If you're not familiar with this place's significance, I'll bring you up to speed. Located in the Jerusalem's Old City, this was the site of the Jewish temple before it was destroyed in the first century. All that remains of the temple now is the Western (or Wailing) Wall—a few foundation stones that form the holiest site in Judaism. The Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa mosque now occupy the area just above the Western Wall. This is in turn an incredibly sacred site for Muslims. It's pretty reasonable to consider this place a symbolic center of Israel/Palestine.

I've been to the Western Wall a few times before but this was my first ascent to the mount itself—the authorities only allow non-Muslims to approach the site occasionally. I was blown away by the experience. I found myself drawn not to the religious significance of the area but to the sheer beauty of the place. The Temple Mount is expansive—way bigger than what I had imagined. Stone courtyards, archways, and cupolas in every direction. All of this is dwarfed by the dome with its gold and striking blue tile mosaics. From that vantage point, you can see the surrounding hills, the Mt. of Olives and much of the Old City. But the best part of the view is the sky. Pure and blue and seamless. It seems the Father's handiwork outshines everything that man has built there. Further, the place was full of all sorts of visitors but to me their voices and their presence seemed to dissipate into the sky and into the stones and into the bigness of the place.

Jews call the Western Wall the place where 'God's presence never leaves.' I enjoyed the solitude and beauty I found that morning on the Temple Mount but I can't say that I had a deep spiritual experience there. The presence of God was no deeper there than when God allows me to stumble over Him in the most ordinary of places. I don't say this to take away from the spiritual significance of the Temple Mount. I say it because I want to draw attention away from the cold, dead stones that people have fought over for so long and put their hopes in, and I want to turn that attention to the living stones of the land—the people—and to the One who sustains them and transforms them into something new.

"As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--you also, like living stones are being built into a spiritual house." 1 Pet. 2:4-5