Coming Home...

    For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. (Isaiah 14:1)


     So the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 51:11)


     I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. (Romans 11:1)


One of the greatest privileges Linda and I share while serving in Israel, is the knowledge that what we experience here, is truly God's promises being fulfilled right before our very eyes. We are granted the opportunity to help people who desire to return to the land of their forefathers.

The misrepresentation of history along with the political climate has made the issue of aliyah a much discussed and debated topic.  We won't focus on that - but rather believe that the promises described in the scriptures ultimately translate into real life people coming to a real life place.  We believe that is happening today, and we want to be a part.  


Aliyah (translated "ascent") is simply the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel.  In other words...coming home!


A great adventure for me is to drive in Israel as I am called upon to drive for various reasons such as helping assess a situation or for safety purposes.  The cities in Israel are not unlike many large cities as far as driving is concerned, other that the fact that the street signs are really designed for pedestrians.  In the "country", driving is much like the interstate systems in the states - except we can travel 110 here (kph that is).  The signage can still be a little unforgiving, so it's always a good idea to have a navigator until you get very familiar with the system.  

Intersection in Jerusalem. Can you find the street sign?  It's there...I think...

Highway driving!

I've been blessed quite a bit to drive our Project Teams to various places in order to meet with and serve the people of Israel who are in need of assistance during the aliyah process.  Their practical needs being met with His Love and encouragement, and along with the fact that we're experiencing God's promises by helping someone fulfill their heart's desire to return home, is amazing.  Many olim (newcomer making aliyah) are from extremely different backgrounds and cultures and need assistance assimilating into society.  Ethiopians for example come from a very simple lifestyle and modern conveniences and methods must be learned.  I've visited with many hard working, sincere, humble Ethiopian olim.  Recent trips to Haifa, Netanya and Lod have been a highlight for me.


On a recent particular trip, I was called upon to do a little plumbing repair - a VERY minor adjustment in the toilet tank, but got a great big hug out of the deal.  But a call to the plumber would have been very expensive, so I was glad to help.  Our next visit that day was with a woman who, although very ill, was so full of joy and her stories were never ending.  We were glad to hear them (yes, we had a translator with us).  She was speaking of her family with such pride.  She was sharing that the opportunities in Israel were so much better for her children than in Ethiopia (not that there aren't many challenges in Israel for olim).  She couldn't stop praising God for her being home.  She passed away a few days ago, but her family spoke of our recent visit and said how much they appreciated it.  Divine appointments...


We have also visited with small groups of Americans who have settled in the coastal city of Ashkelon.  I met a couple that was simply looking for advise on how to navigate the bureaucracy of the aliyah process. I enjoyed a great conversation with this friend from Kansas City who misses his Harley Davidson.  He and his wife, who is a pharmacist, are looking forward to starting their new life in Israel serving God and personally being real life participants in God's real life promise. 

Meeting our friends in Askelon

The extremes are evident, but the desire to come home is the same for all who are called...and this calling is irrevocable!  


Finally, I'll share about a gentleman from Argentina who settled in Israel just a few years ago.  He and his wife were professionals in the medical community and raising four children, but again the calling home became a reality for them.  The visit surrounded the need for short term assistance due to recent surgery that has caused the husband to be without work temporarily.  Food vouchers and help with school expenses will probably be a short term practical solution for this family, but the experience of sitting in the home of a Jewish oleh and his family from Argentina, along with a spanish translator from Peru, a Project Coordinator from Canada, and a "driver" from the States talking about the promises of God - is truly loving God with all of our heart...and our neighbor as ourself...I think this is what He had is mind for His people. 

Aliyah -  (Hebrew) 1. "Going Up;" refers to immigration to Israel or the holy land, a term in use since the dispersion or before, and referred to in the book of Ezra. 

Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem Day

Jerusalem - Yerushalayim

- mentioned in the Bible over 800 times

- one of the most contentious cities in the world

- place of convergence of 3 major world religions 

- the capital of historical, Biblical and modern Israel  

June 1st we celebrated Jerusalem Day - commemorating 44 years of Jerusalem being the united capital of Israel.   44 years since the six day war in 1967 when the newer part of Jerusalem was reunited with the Old City of Jerusalem, and Israelis were once again able to inhabit the inside of her walls, and worship at the Kotel (Western Wall).

To learn more about the six day war, please click here:   

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/67_War.html

Prophetically, Jerusalem shall be established!

I have posted watchman on your walls, Yerushalayim; they will never fall silent, neither by day nor by night.  You who call on Adonai, give yourselves no rest; and give him no rest till he restores Yerushalayim and makes it a praise on earth.  Isaiah 62:6-7 (CJB)

For Adonai has chosen Tziyon, he has wanted it as his home.  "This is my resting-place forever, I will live here because I so much want to.  I will bless it with plenty of meat, I will give its poor their fill of food.  Its cohanim I will clothe with salvation, and its faithful will shout for joy.  I will make a king sprout there from David's line and prepare a lamp for my anointed one.  His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him there will be a shining crown."  Psalm 132: 13- 18 (CJB) 

We hope that someday, if you haven't already, you'll come and experience Jerusalem for yourself - the Bible does truly "come alive" - past, present, and future.  The best way for us to share with each of you is with pictures.  Remember to click on each picture if you'd like to view it larger (then click the back button to return to the blog).

To celebrate this day, the city hosted a Flag parade in which people marched their way through the streets that ultimately ended at the Kotel - where about 40,000 people joined together to rejoice together in song and dance.

We started our evening by walking up Jaffa Road towards the Old City with the hopes of "catching" up with the parade marchers.  (In Jerusalem, to go to the Old City or to the Temple area, you always have to go UP).  The parade organizers - Am K’Lavia (Nation Like a Lion) - had hoped for the route to travel on Jaffa Road as it had done in the past, but due to the new light rail train (which is not yet running, but conducting daily tests), this route was denied.  So, although the parade route had changed, this didn't stop people from walking down the middle of the road on the way to the Kotel...

Jaffa Road

One major intersection became a favorite spot for rejoicing - with music and dancing and shofar blowing.  Somehow the traffic slowly continued to cross the road, but even a police car we noticed didn't attempt to make anyone get out of the road, (or blow their horn)...rejoicing takes precedence in Jerusalem...

In the intersection on Jaffa Road

The parade route officially had participants enter the Old City through the Damascus Gate on the North and the Dung Gate on the South.  Since the parade had already passed by, we chose to enter through Jaffa Gate on the West and walk through the Armenian and Jewish Quarters to arrive at the Kotel.  Plenty of others had the same idea as us :)

On the way to Jaffa Gate of the Old City

Walking through the narrow streets leading through the Jewish Quarter  we came upon this group of children selling RC Cola to passers by.  There were also many vendors selling popcorn and cotton candy as the festivities were many through the city.  We enjoyed several bands and street musicians on our way through the Old City, but this is fairly common during non-holidays as well.

"Lemon-aid" stand in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City 

So - our goal was to reach the Kotel Plaza, since this is where the parade was to end.  When we reached the stairs and looked over to where we could finally see the plaza (near the Golden Menorah) Jim said, "You want to go down there?" And of course Linda said, "Yes, right in the middle of it!"

Our first glimpse at the Kotel plaza on Jerusalem Day

We made our way down the stairs, through security and squeezed through the crowd.  For those who are unaware, when going to pray at the Kotel, men are on one side, and women are on the other.  To try and serve such a large crowd, they added additional barriers in the plaza, and young men and women (on their perspective sides) with yellow vests for crowd control,  attempted to maintain the segregation of male and female dancing.  We, however, wanted to stay together, so we went right smack in the middle (just like Linda wanted to do) where the men and women's sides met.  

Solidarity

There was a live band playing with singing over loudspeakers, and people dancing and singing and waving their flags all around us.  At one point, both the men's side and the women's side each had a large circle. As you see in the picture, on the women's side, an older women entered the center and began to dance with an Israeli flag, then the younger girls joined in and surrounded her.  It was beautiful!

Teaching the younger generations

And rejoicing with them!

Band in back center

This video we shot with our camera isn't the greatest, but it will give a small 30 second glimpse of what we experienced.

After a while, it seemed the party would never end, because as we mentioned before, Israelis are late night people!  We decided to make our way back up the stairs to find another view from an overlook.  We should have tried to take a picture of hundreds of people (including us...) trying to exit the security area where there is one single turnstile exit - quite an adventure :)  We did, however, take this picture after squeezing through this crowd on the stairs.  

Trying to make our way back up the stairs...

We wound our way around the many narrow "streets" to this very common overlook.  After waiting our turn, we were able to take this picture of the crowd we had just come out of.  Yes, it looked like they were still going to be there a while... :)

Just before exiting Jaffa Gate we saw this police vehicle, waving it's flag in celebration, too.

Really cool looking police vehicle

We have been so honored and blessed here in Jerusalem - to live and serve her people.  If you'd like to know how you can help us, so that we can continue serving and meeting the needs of the people in Israel, please contact us.

Pray for shalom in Yerushalayim; may those who love you prosper.  May shalom be within your ramparts, prosperity in your palaces.  Psalm 122:6-7 (CJB) 

         The LORD bless you out of Zion,

      And may you see the good of Jerusalem 

         All the days of your life.

Psalm 128:5