Sorry ahead of time for the weird punctuation... I can't figure out how get the punctuation to stay where they belong at the end of the sentence!!!
I don't even know where to begin with this update. So much has happened since the last time that I've blogged! I have been keeping a diligent journal and sometimes forget that I am the only person who can read what I have written thus far. So here is a brief synopsis of what has gone on. Once I get back to the states, I will write new posts that are more in depth and have some photos with them.
So what in the world have I been up to? Well, I am staying with a host family in Beit Sahour, which is right on the outskirts of Bethlehem. I am with Bridgett Brunea (for those of you who might know her) who is a great roommate. We've had some really good conversations about the situation in Palestine and Israel as well as simply how we are dealing with all the information, and what we are struggling with, or trying to figure out. It's so hard to be in Palestine with a family that I have come to love and not pick sides. We haven't heard much about the Israeli side outside of a short conversation with an American Jew, Mordecai, who walked us down a street in Hebron that has become famous for once being Palestinian, but now Palestinians who live on the street can no longer walk out their front door, since the road is now Israeli territory. Hebron has by far been the hardest place we have been. Israeli setters seem to do everything in their power to make life difficult for Palestinians. They built houses literally on top of the Palestinian homes, and throw eggs down on their neighbors, urinate out their windows, and some have even gone as far as to drill a hole in their floor to pour acid on the family below them. I really don’t like the word “injustice” because I feel like everyone uses the word for everything. It has lost some of its original meaning in my opinion. So I don’t really know what to classify this as, but I know that it’s not loving, and it’s plain wrong. I’m sure that Palestinians have their fair share of foul play, so I am trying to keep an open mind and love everyone I come in contact with.
It’s hard too, seeing the 8 meter concrete wall, which American politicians call a fence, separating families, and men from their work. It’s hard knowing that farmers have olive trees farms that they can’t get to to plant, or harvest. I never really understood why foreigners come to Palestine to plant olive trees, but now I get it. As an American, I can access the land they rightfully own, but they cannot.
I don’t want it to sound like I’m experiencing nothing but hatred in the Middle East, because it is far from that. I am with a wonderful family who is more than willing to help us with our struggling Arabic without laughing too much. I met one of the shop keeper’s husbands who I struck up a conversation with. He offered to show me his shop, which was a metal window and fence welding shop. He thought it was so nice that an American girl cared enough to see what he did for a living. Nearly everyone who I have come in contact with on the street gives a smile. Shop keepers love having anyone come into their shops, even if they don’t buy anything, just for the conversation. People are very quick to share their thoughts, views, and insights on anything, always in a loving way.
Another cool person I have had the opportunity to meet is Joel. He is staying with Bridgett and I. He hails for San Francisco and is doing an awesome project called Stories from the Checkpoint. (http://storiesfromthecheckpoint.com/) He is doing a project of the stories that he hears through music. I think that it’s going to be awesome, so you should probably check it out!
We have also done some rather touristy things, such as visiting the field the angels appeared to the shepherds. It’s crazy that the angels spoke of peace to the shepherds, because it was something the Middle East was not experiencing then, and it’s not something they’re experiencing now either. We also visited the supposed place of the birth of Jesus. To me, these sights meant close to nothing. Everything was so overdone with icons everywhere. It had no meaning to me. So far, the most meaningful thing we’ve done in Beit Sahour was hiking to Jericho. This land is virtually untouched since Jesus’ time. There is even an aqueduct that King Herod put in place that is still in use today. It is generally accepted that this is the land that David talks about in Psalm 23. I especially love the first three verses.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
This land is rocky and barren, apart from a stream which the aqueduct comes from. We reached a pool of still water with a small waterfall and patches of grass surrounding it. It’s amazing how experiencing a place will change your perception of certain verses. I had always imagined a huge field of wildflowers and tall grass as “green pastures” but now, I realize that these patches of grass are pastures. It was awesome too, because we were all wading in the water when a little boy came with 25 goats or so, leading them to the still waters. This was by far the easiest place for animals to access water during the whole hike, and I’m sure it’s a popular spot for shepherds to take their flocks. Shepherds know all the “sweet spots” and are always looking after and taking care of their animals. How much more will God take care of us? I am also learning to step more outside of my comfort zone than I thought I would here. We had the option of walking down into the valley and back up the next mountain, or we could trust Herod’s architects and have our feet on either side of the aqueduct and balance our way across the “bridge” for a lack of a better word. I kept telling myself, “If you start to fall, fall in the water…” Well, I guess I told myself that a lot when walking along the aqueducts with water on one side, and a cliff on the other. Thankfully, we all returned more or less unscathed :)
Last cool thing that has consistently been happening on the trip… I’m reading John MacArthur’s 12 Extraordinary Women of the Bible and as I have been reading, we’ve been visiting those sights. It starts off with Eve, and of course, we don’t know where the Garden of Eden is, but we do know about Sarah and Abraham’s travels, which we visited many of those places, and even her tomb. I then learned a lot more about Rahab then I ever knew, and soon after, we visited Jericho, where her life was turned completely around. I just finished reading about Ruth who met Boaz in none other than Bethlehem, which is within sight of Beit Sahour. Next on the list is Hannah. We’ll see if she echoes this theme I’m beginning to pick up!
All in all, I am loving this trip. I have an awesome group to be traveling with, and two amazing leaders. And I know that some of you would be shocked to know that I even love the food here! There’s nothing much better than four fresh and hot pieces of hobez (bread) for 1 shekel (about a $.25)! Also, the fresh oranges and grapefruit are amazing as well!
Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I love and miss you guys! Just wanted to let you know that I am doing well and having a great time!
--Janelle
So what in the world have I been up to? Well, I am staying with a host family in Beit Sahour, which is right on the outskirts of Bethlehem. I am with Bridgett Brunea (for those of you who might know her) who is a great roommate. We've had some really good conversations about the situation in Palestine and Israel as well as simply how we are dealing with all the information, and what we are struggling with, or trying to figure out. It's so hard to be in Palestine with a family that I have come to love and not pick sides. We haven't heard much about the Israeli side outside of a short conversation with an American Jew, Mordecai, who walked us down a street in Hebron that has become famous for once being Palestinian, but now Palestinians who live on the street can no longer walk out their front door, since the road is now Israeli territory. Hebron has by far been the hardest place we have been. Israeli setters seem to do everything in their power to make life difficult for Palestinians. They built houses literally on top of the Palestinian homes, and throw eggs down on their neighbors, urinate out their windows, and some have even gone as far as to drill a hole in their floor to pour acid on the family below them. I really don’t like the word “injustice” because I feel like everyone uses the word for everything. It has lost some of its original meaning in my opinion. So I don’t really know what to classify this as, but I know that it’s not loving, and it’s plain wrong. I’m sure that Palestinians have their fair share of foul play, so I am trying to keep an open mind and love everyone I come in contact with.
It’s hard too, seeing the 8 meter concrete wall, which American politicians call a fence, separating families, and men from their work. It’s hard knowing that farmers have olive trees farms that they can’t get to to plant, or harvest. I never really understood why foreigners come to Palestine to plant olive trees, but now I get it. As an American, I can access the land they rightfully own, but they cannot.
I don’t want it to sound like I’m experiencing nothing but hatred in the Middle East, because it is far from that. I am with a wonderful family who is more than willing to help us with our struggling Arabic without laughing too much. I met one of the shop keeper’s husbands who I struck up a conversation with. He offered to show me his shop, which was a metal window and fence welding shop. He thought it was so nice that an American girl cared enough to see what he did for a living. Nearly everyone who I have come in contact with on the street gives a smile. Shop keepers love having anyone come into their shops, even if they don’t buy anything, just for the conversation. People are very quick to share their thoughts, views, and insights on anything, always in a loving way.
Another cool person I have had the opportunity to meet is Joel. He is staying with Bridgett and I. He hails for San Francisco and is doing an awesome project called Stories from the Checkpoint. (http://storiesfromthecheckpoint.com/) He is doing a project of the stories that he hears through music. I think that it’s going to be awesome, so you should probably check it out!
We have also done some rather touristy things, such as visiting the field the angels appeared to the shepherds. It’s crazy that the angels spoke of peace to the shepherds, because it was something the Middle East was not experiencing then, and it’s not something they’re experiencing now either. We also visited the supposed place of the birth of Jesus. To me, these sights meant close to nothing. Everything was so overdone with icons everywhere. It had no meaning to me. So far, the most meaningful thing we’ve done in Beit Sahour was hiking to Jericho. This land is virtually untouched since Jesus’ time. There is even an aqueduct that King Herod put in place that is still in use today. It is generally accepted that this is the land that David talks about in Psalm 23. I especially love the first three verses.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
This land is rocky and barren, apart from a stream which the aqueduct comes from. We reached a pool of still water with a small waterfall and patches of grass surrounding it. It’s amazing how experiencing a place will change your perception of certain verses. I had always imagined a huge field of wildflowers and tall grass as “green pastures” but now, I realize that these patches of grass are pastures. It was awesome too, because we were all wading in the water when a little boy came with 25 goats or so, leading them to the still waters. This was by far the easiest place for animals to access water during the whole hike, and I’m sure it’s a popular spot for shepherds to take their flocks. Shepherds know all the “sweet spots” and are always looking after and taking care of their animals. How much more will God take care of us? I am also learning to step more outside of my comfort zone than I thought I would here. We had the option of walking down into the valley and back up the next mountain, or we could trust Herod’s architects and have our feet on either side of the aqueduct and balance our way across the “bridge” for a lack of a better word. I kept telling myself, “If you start to fall, fall in the water…” Well, I guess I told myself that a lot when walking along the aqueducts with water on one side, and a cliff on the other. Thankfully, we all returned more or less unscathed :)
Last cool thing that has consistently been happening on the trip… I’m reading John MacArthur’s 12 Extraordinary Women of the Bible and as I have been reading, we’ve been visiting those sights. It starts off with Eve, and of course, we don’t know where the Garden of Eden is, but we do know about Sarah and Abraham’s travels, which we visited many of those places, and even her tomb. I then learned a lot more about Rahab then I ever knew, and soon after, we visited Jericho, where her life was turned completely around. I just finished reading about Ruth who met Boaz in none other than Bethlehem, which is within sight of Beit Sahour. Next on the list is Hannah. We’ll see if she echoes this theme I’m beginning to pick up!
All in all, I am loving this trip. I have an awesome group to be traveling with, and two amazing leaders. And I know that some of you would be shocked to know that I even love the food here! There’s nothing much better than four fresh and hot pieces of hobez (bread) for 1 shekel (about a $.25)! Also, the fresh oranges and grapefruit are amazing as well!
Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I love and miss you guys! Just wanted to let you know that I am doing well and having a great time!
--Janelle
Wow! Thanks for sharing Janelle. It is great to hear how God is deepening your understanding and appreciation of so many things. Kudos to you for being open to new insight. Praying for you and love you bunches <3 Beth Jarrett
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