Wednesday and Thursday

November 12, 2008

Salam! What an awesome day!! We saw God do some amazing things today!

First, we went to Bethlehem (yes, “the” Bethlehem – something we had to keep telling ourselves, too) and met with a man and his wife (I and A). He runs a store from his home and is a brand new Believer (his wife is not). While she loves her husband, there is much confusion and embarrassment (to a degree) over his new found belief. She is very uncomfortable with his conversations about Christ and both fear he will be removed from the family if discovered.
P talked with “I” and encouraged him and all of us talked with and prayed with both he and his wife (though not interested in his faith, she was willing to pray with us). Both were VERY sweet and great to visit with. Pray that someone who speaks Arabic and is able to access Bethlehem (something we will explain when we return) can disciple “I” and for his wife (the team here is great friends with her and has many opportunities to share with her).

After that visit we went to the Church of the Nativity (built around the time of Constantine, I believe) that is directly on top of one of the traditional sight where they believed Christ was born (it is not a fact that it is the sight, but centuries of tradition place it there). While it was a very unique place to visit (especially the church), much of the power of the sight is stripped away from it due to the tourism and the church. The cave (where it is traditionally believed that Christ was born, as they typically served as stables) was elaborately decorated and contained many iconic works of art, candles and such in it. To be honest, you had to look very hard to even tell it was a cave. In the very place where they believed Christ was born, they placed a star on the ground with a hole in the center. Many people lined up to worship on the circle (often times kissing it and placing their hands and belongings in the hole). Despite the overtly “religious tourism” (using religion and icon worship as a way of collecting money), it was still pretty powerful to know that somewhere within the vicinity of where we stood, the Savior of the world was born to save mankind. One particularly awesome sight was the field where “the shepherds watched their flocks by night”… it was a valley and hillside that is very rocky (this whole country is very rocky) and rugged. P also tried to share with our tour guide, F, but he was not very receptive (very nice, but not receptive).

In the evening we returned to our city and held our much anticipated church event. The church here, from what we were told, typically has 15-25 people attend a regular Sunday morning service. On Sunday there was approximately 35-40+ people, and tonight 45+! That is huge! The team here was just praying some people would show up as the members are not accustomed to midweek events. It was a great evening. We got to share our testimonies and stories with them, C played “Amazing Grace” (in which they all joined in and sang with him – in English!) and, the best part, some of their men and women shared their stories with us and their church (breaking typical cultural patterns of NOT sharing life stories publicly). Following that we served them dinner and walked around and met many of the members. We heard so many unique stories from them of their struggles here, struggles in their faith, joyous times, God’s blessing and more. RD had a woman approach him telling him that she could relate to his testimony as her own husband is dealing with what he shared. Just another way of showing how God can take our weaknesses and shortcomings, clean them up, heal us and use them/us later for His glory! C met a young woman whose husband is separated from her (I think – or they are stuck together in our area… it was hard to understand) and trying to obtain the proper paperwork to fix the situation. Problem is, this could take a very long time due to the struggles between the two nations and one nation’s unwillingness to help her people at all (more on this at home). So C prayed with her, their children and her mother.

Tonight was simply amazing! Far beyond anyone’s expectations!! God is great!!! Tomorrow we are heading back to Jerusalem and going into the city this time. We will go to the Temple Mount, Western Wall (of the Old Temple), the traditional place of Christ’s crucifixion and more. We will also spend some time there praying over the country and Land for healing.

How to Pray:

For workers (they are very few here)

For the new friends we’ve met here that are not saved: A (and family), I’s wife and children, Q, F, people of the Christian tradition here (including in the church) but are not saved

Wisdom for the church leaders as they cast vision together and look to be that Light here in this city

Gentleness of heart for persecutors (especially those who are “Christians” – this we have to explain when we get home)

Peace in this Land (though we know all that goes with that request)… so many have been and are being hurt.

Church founder (Cy) who is ailing from MS and Alzheimer’s and her husband (J) who is caring for her (a man deeply in love with his precious wife!)

November 13, 2008

Salam, our friends and family.

Today is our last day in our downtown apartment. We will head out tomorrow to another location for one night, then wake up VERY early Saturday to fly home. We will miss the apartment, its view of downtown (the traffic, the people and the praying from our “perch”).

Today was an absolutely amazing day (I know, I’ve said that every day on this trip, but the days here have been unbelievable). Today we returned to Jerusalem to see the sights and to pray. As before, there are far too many stories and details about what we saw so I will limit it to another list: Mt. Moriah, the Western Wall, the Garden Tomb (where we took communion together!), several churches/basilicas/chapels (which have been constructed on top of many of the sights), Antonia Fortress, the Church of Holy Seplica, Via Dolorosa (stations of the path that Christ walked as He was being led to be crucified), the Pool of Bethesda, several of the Gates of Jerusalem (Stephen’s Gate/Lion’s Gate, New Gate, etc.) and more. We touched and walked a road that dates back to the time of Christ (maybe earlier), prayed for many of our family and friends and other things on our hearts at the Western Wall and the Pool of Bethesda, and savored the time had in this amazing city.

While there, C struck up a conversation with a shop owner in the Christian Quarter of the city who is a “nonreligious” man. He shared with us that he sees all religions (Christianity, Islam, Greek/Russian Orthodox, Jewish, etc.) teach one thing and live another, “especially in this Land.” C encouraged him not to let the few “bad apples” draw him away from the One True God who seeks to bring hope to his life. P shared with him as well and left him something to read. He also allowed us to pray for and with him before leaving… it was a very encouraging visit and the team here look forward to returning to talk with him more.

On the way back to our side of the Land, traffic was insane (as it usually is), but this time more than usual. Our bus refused to enter the checkpoint, so we had to get off the bus and cross on foot. The reason for the unbelievable traffic was that cars were so tired of waiting in line to get through the checkpoint they started driving down the wrong side of the road, completely cutting off in coming traffic. Fortunately, we were able to get to the other side and catch a cab and are now back safely in our city.

Tomorrow we will travel to Galilee for sight seeing and to debrief with the team leaders.


HOW TO PRAY:

Same as yesterday… PLUS…

Our return home (while there shouldn’t be any problems, exiting the country is a fairly detailed and difficult process)

For our contact today (M) as he continues to pursue God in looking for answers