After 21 hours of traveling, I made it to Israel Tuesday night! When my head hit the pillow that night, suddenly I realized I was in Israel and I was going to be here for 3 months. I have known this but my mind had been too busy preparing for the trip that I had not processed I was leaving the country. I began to miss everyone, my friends, my brothers and sisters in Christ. In that moment, as I laid in bed the only thing that brought me comfort was the sheets I was wrapped in, that a dear friend gave me before leaving. Those sheets were a piece from home I had with me and I was grateful for them. May seem silly but it was what I needed in that moment.
Missions Training Outside Of The Classroom
The few days that I have been here the Lord has been showing me things I have learned from being a missions student at Calvary Saving Grace. The first thing the Lord showed me was when I was taking the train to get to the house I was going to stay at; a Jewish girl sat next to me and one other student and began to talk to us and ask us what we were doing here. I began to look around and some men were staring at us as we discussed about bible school. I then remembered all that Pastor Rob has taught us on missions. He has said that we need to read the room, we need to see what people are doing, if people are quiet then we need to be quiet, whatever they are doing we need to do, so that we do not stand out as a foreigner, though we may look like one, we do not want to act like one. We need to be careful about what we talk about and what we share with others. The second thing the Lord showed me was, the difficulty it’s going to be, being away from family and friends and the dependency one has to have on the Lord. The third thing the Lord showed me was, compassion for those who are missionaries; what I am doing in Israel does not compare to the long term calling a missionary has but the Lord gave me a glimpse of how hard it can be doing it alone and not having people you know around you. He also showed me how important it is to have relationships with the missionaries my church has sent out and the importance in interceding for them. Lastly, language is crucial to know in order to minister to people.
My mindset through this all has been the mindset of a missionary. I am no longer in a classroom learning about it. I am now in the field, hands on learning and applying all that I have learned. I am in Israel not for vacation. I am here because I am in training. God continues to put me in places of preparation for long term missions and it can be uncomfortable but I find fulfillment that I am Gods vessel. I am His bondservant ready and available to be used by Him.
Getting prayed over before taking off to Israel
I am beyond grateful for Denise aka gramma for opening her home and housing me the past year. Her ministry is fostering babies and housing the girls who are in the missions training school at church. She is truly a blessing in my life.
JERUSALEM
On Thursday we took a trip to Jerusalem. We walked around and saw various locations. We will be back here to get the tourist side of it, which I am stoked about.
Going through The Eye of the Needle
Friday night service is hosted in the house we are staying at. The message is in Hebrew and is translated in English.
Praise Reports
- Praise God I made it safely to Israel
- Praise God for all that He is showing me and preparing me for long term missions
- Praise God for Calvary Saving Grace and the church body
Prayer Request
- Pray for the mission team I will be visiting after CBI Israel as they are facing heavy opposition from the enemy
- Pray for my brothers ex wife as she lost her dad Friday morning, that through this she would come into relationship with the Lord
- Pray that I would take any opportunity I get to serve, to take initiative and put myself out there as I tend to lean on being an introvert in new settings
