All the volunteer girls can’t live without chocolate. I think we’ll get along just fine.

20 January – Day Three:

I felt so good yesterday that I thought I had cheated jet lag somehow, but today I have been so tired that I realize it’s going to be awhile before I feel back to normal (which is usually tired, anyway, so I’m not sure how I’ll know I’ve recovered from jet lag – haha.). However this morning Gregory and I did walk to the fruit store in Abu Ghosh, and despite paying rather exorbitant prices, I am happy to have some fresh fruit in my room.

Yesterday was my first day of work. Because it is the off season, there are not so many guests as usual, so the work was fairly light in housekeeping, but there are always other odd jobs that need to be done. I find volunteering to be a completely different experience than IBEX so far. The cultural diversity is so awesome, and I think that I will end up improving my Spanish as much as my Hebrew. I love working around people from all these different countries; love that we can still communicate, and sit around after work and talk and laugh, though everyone has such a different path that has brought them here. There is one young man from Japan whose name is Yu – pronounced you. Of course this is always cause for some confusion and much mirth, for no one knows when someone is talking about Yu, or you. I am excited to build friendships with them all, and am looking forward to fun times with them, but also the serious ones too – it is wonderful to see the bond that everyone has in Yeshua. We pray together, for the people who will be coming to the moshav, for each other, for anything and everything, and that will bring us closer to each other than anything else.

Another big difference is that there is no homework to do in the evenings, like last time, and so when I am off at 3:30, unless I have an evening shift, I can do mostly as I please.

24 January – Day 7:

It never ceases to amaze me that you can feel like you’ve been somewhere forever, when it’s only been a few days. I’m starting to feel that way, and it is partly I think because the days seem long, since we do so much. This first weekend in Israel was wonderful. I had to work on Friday, but afterwards came a wonderful Shabbat dinner in the restaurant, and chapel with the IBEXers. Meno from the Jerusalem Assembly messianic congregation spoke. I remember him from last time, a very intelligent, fervent believer who spoke with an inner passion that was encouraging and inspiring. We went to his church the next morning. I hitched a ride in with the IBEX group. It is nice to have a connection to them, to save on bus fare if nothing else. : )

We spent the afternoon in the Old City; with work all last week I still hadn’t had a chance to go, and I can’t describe how it felt watching out the window of the bus as the Old City drew nearer, and all the familiar places rolled by – King David Hotel, the park by Jaffa gate, the Kidron Valley … and then to stop and step out in the warmth of a pale January sun, in Jerusalem again after two years. I felt relieved, almost, as if I had thought I might not make it back. Gregory and I didn’t go in right away – we went to the park and finished lunch. I sat remembering all the times I’d been there before, mostly with Chelsea and Cassandra, reading the Bible together and eating ice cream, lying in the sun, talking …

Jaffa Gate is under construction, for reasons unknown to me, and the street just inside is all blocked off. I don’t know what they are working on, but I was disappointed that Gregory cannot see the beauty of the gate, since it is completely covered. I’m sure he will yet, though.

It’s been so long that I have to relearn my way through the streets, for, excepting places I frequented often, much of it seems similar and unfamiliar. But the over all flavor and atmosphere is so wonderfully familiar that I could hardly stop smiling. Shabaan looked at me and tapped his head – “you have been here before, you look familiar,” he said, offering us drinks. Christ Church is unchanged and I almost ordered a mocha in honor of Molly, but bought a scarf instead – letting others use their superior bartering skills to get me good prices. I really am horrible at it. Some of the girls flirt and charm and get good prices. The boys are just stubborn enough to get the price they want. But I can do neither, and have decided that, though I will practice at it, it may be best to let Gregory get a good price for me.

I went back into Jerusalem with the volunteers that evening, to church. I love believers in Israel, and they are growing. Just the fact that I was able to go to two good-sized messianic congregations in one day testifies to that. There is something so special about the fact that they are here, and they have it right. And the passion they have for Israel and the salvation of the people here is incredible. We sang one song that said ‘I believe that all of Israel will be saved,’ and it was repeated over and over, the voices of the congregation swelling with emotion and honest belief. It made me feel alive and eager to do something, to help in someway, to show the lost Jews true meaning and life in Yeshua HaMashi’ach. Meno, who spoke this morning, made a wonderful connection with how God views Jerusalem to how He views us. How many verses there are that talk of the beauty of Jerusalem, the surpassing loveliness of its gates, and on and on. There are far more beautiful places than Jerusalem. But there is something special about it, because God is there, and He is viewing His Holy City as it will be … the eternal Jerusalem in the world to come; just as He views us as we will be … breathtakingly lovely and righteous. There is nothing that seems so very special about us at first glace; but by the love and mercy of the Heavenly Father, who sees the blood of His Son covering us, we are glorious to Him, bought at so great a price. Just as people look at Jerusalem and feel that it is made precious and wonderful because the Holy One has chosen to place His Name there, so when people look at us they should feel that there is something beautiful and different about us, because the Holy Spirit is dwelling within us, changing us, for He has placed His Name upon us, and called us to Himself.

“Your name has not been forgotten. Your name will be remembered forever and ever. Your holy name, Your precious name, has not been forgotten by Your people. It will stand forever. / The name Yeshua, we will speak Your name, Yeshua. In Israel and in Jerusalem. / Your name has not been forgotten. Your name is on our lips forever and ever. We will all be saved by this name. And we will tell of Your name in every nation and land. I believe that all Israel will be saved.” – Shimcha Lo Nishkach (Your Name Has Not Been Forgotten)

There are no more donkeys. Someone stole them.

18 January – Day 1:

The 25+/- hours of travel were worth it. Three different flights, all in the middle seat of the very back row of the plane; M. Night Shyamalan, or someone who looked just like him, working furiously, and rather loudly on a power point about synergism and pharmacology all of one flight … the med students who talked all one flight about sine and cosine functions for the MSAT … the 9 and a half hour flight from Newark to Tel Aviv feeling horrible for continuously knocking the seat in front of me while trying to stretch out my cramped legs … it was all worth it. I was able to get a ride with the new IBEX group, and as we sped through the Sharon Plain in the growing dusk, I felt like I was coming home after a long absence.  I sat by Becky, who remembered me from my semester, and who didn’t work here last semester – she was the only familiar person, besides Moshe the bus driver, for a new professor, Benj Foreman, was in charge, and I realized with a twinge of sadness that a lot would be changed from two years ago. But the main things would be unchanged, I comforted myself. Bill would be there to meet us. The moshav itself was still there. The walls of the Old City would still be there, strong and sturdy, when I was able to go. All that drew me to Israel, the people, the culture, the history and enormous biblical significance, it is still here.

The moshav has changed in little ways since last time. Ami does not run the kitchen anymore, and the tent behind the restaurant that they made us eat in so often is now a spacious room, with thin floor length windows for walls. We ate in the restaurant though, last night, and I smiled to see the IBEXers dishing up the strange food, and already sitting in little cliques, sticking to their friends from school in their nervousness. I am not worried about them. They will “gel” properly in time. 🙂 It was very interesting seeing this new group, and I didn’t quite know quite how I felt about it. I don’t wish my semester back anymore – am eager for this new adventure – but I know that everywhere I go will bring up some endearing, nostalgic memory in me, that was made with the people I was with, and it will be strange to see these new students living in “our” dorms, in our old rooms, doing the things we did, in their own way. It seems like a nice group (I have to say that because my brother is in it 😉 ) and I know that they will have as special a semester as I did – and I must be open minded about that and not think, as it is easy to, that my semester was the best. But all former students are partial to their own semester, I have found. 🙂

After dinner, Gregory, Cassia, Katrina, Kim, and I walked to Elvis in and back, to stretch our legs after the long flight. The night was still and fairly warm, and I took deep breaths, enjoying the familiar smell of Israel that I cannot describe. Cassia and Gregory and I explored the biblical gardens later that evening; even there has changed – for the better; it is very beautiful. But it was so dark and changed that I could not even find the donkeys (I hadn’t found out yet that in fact the donkeys had been stolen some time ago). I was excited to show them both the amphitheater, my favorite spot on the moshav, and so we wound our way down the little roads, and I proudly presented it to them. It was beautiful even in the dark. The stone benches built into the grassy hill shone out whitely, and the lawn in front of them was as thick as a carpet. And then the stage, wood on that same light stone. We lay on our backs on it, and it was very still and quiet, and almost breathless feeling, for a storm was coming. Lightning was already flashing, and every once in awhile a low deep rumble of thunder. The storm came a little before I went to bed, and I would wake periodically to the pounding of rain, and lightning that lit the room, and thunder that actually shook the room.

I was a little disappointed that this morning it was still raining hard, for I was planning on going in to Jerusalem. I was given this first day off, to sleep in (which I did gratefully) and adjust. I have met quite a few of the volunteers already. Rebecca, who is an American, met me last night, and showed me to my room. The other girls were all in the city, having a little party for one of the girls who is leaving tomorrow, but I met most of them today. It is a nicer room than I expected; I have my own cozy little space sectioned off with a curtain, with a bed, a little desk with two little shelves and a mirror above it, and a funny plastic and cloth closet with a couple shelves to put my clothes. And instead of sharing a shower with ten girls like last time, I now share with only one other! My roommate Heidi (pronounced Haidy) is Finnish, and wonderful. She has been showing me around all day, acquainting me with other volunteers, the moadon (the volunteer’s clubhouse), and different places I will be working. I know that I can choose two days off a week, that once a month we are given pocket money, and a day trip somewhere, and that I can have two extra days off a month, or save them up for a longer vacation later. Other than that, I really have no idea what to expect, or how the other volunteers will be, although so far those I have met have seemed very nice.

God has been so incredibly gracious to me in allowing me to come back. So have my parents. 🙂 And because this is not a study abroad program, my whole focus is going to be different, and I pray that in these three months I will be able to give. Besides volunteering, I want to give of myself, and my time, and whatever else I am called to do … I have spent so much of my life taking, and want to use this time to = allow God to soften my heart and grow my desire to give and love.

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Phil. 2:3-4

Benj was saying on the way from the airport that, though we all may have more specific, individual reasons too, we are all here because of the Bible. And I thought that that was very true. It was here that it all began; here was the life of our Savior, and His death that brought us to life. There is so much to learn from Israel, so many ways to use the experiences to grow closer to Him, and I pray earnestly, not only for me, but for everyone here this semester that a special and wonderful closeness to our Father will come of the experiences here, and that we all would guard against a very dark nation, and remember and cherish the incredible things that have happened here, and that we would remember that God has not abandoned Israel – and one day all of Israel will turn in repentance to the Messiah and King of Life.

“… yes indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection …”