~ Home Sweet Home ~

Shalom! As we are ending our 10th year in Jerusalem, we realized that we have never really shown you our home(s).  We say homes, because the apartment we are currently living in is our 4th since we arrived back in December 2010.  And we are happy to say it is also our favorite!  

Our first apartment was on the other side of town from where we live now.  It actually would be closer to our headquarters now that our offices are in the Central Bus Station.  But we only lived there for less than a year, then moved to the neighborhood where most of the other volunteer apartments are.  When we moved to our 2nd apartment we lived through a one month renovation/demolition, as some of you may remember.  We liked that apartment, but after being there for about 1 1/2 years, we moved to our 3rd apartment.  We lived in our 3rd apartment for the next 6 years.  We really liked it there a lot.  We lived on the 4th floor (top floor) and had an elevator.  We also had a large closed in balcony, 1 1/2 baths, and a really nice kitchen.  However, while we had great bus options, the building was on a 6 lane busy road and was very noisy.  We began to experience a few challenges there, and the owners were once again raising the rent, so the decision was made to release the apartment, and we then moved to our 4th and present apartment in May 2019.  The great thing is that this new apartment is actually cheaper than our last apartment!

Since our last move, our lives have become even more challenging and time consumed than we ever imagined - how can that even be possible?? But we're certain that God knew what was heading our way, and He provided this apartment as a peace haven for us to retreat to, for rest and restoration.  

We are now back on the same street as our 2nd apartment, but across the street.  We are on the 4th floor, just as our last apartment - but no elevator.  That's 6 flights of 11 steps each -- 66 steps of exercise each day. We are also quite close to the neighboring Arab village, which means we hear the muslim call to prayer (loudly) several times a day, including about 4am.  We only have one bathroom now, which we've had to adjust to, but it's bigger and we like it very much.  The kitchen also is not a separate room as we have been accustom, but it is also very nice, and we now love the open arrangement of the space.  Our landlord left much of the furniture, and the rest belongs to CFI, so we are truly blessed that we have not had to invest in too much of the furnishings.  Also, this is the first time since we've lived here that we've had air conditioning!  Yay! And the best part - we have a large open balcony full of roses and plants, with a table & chairs and a grill that was gifted to Jim for Father's Day/Birthday.  While we can't use the balcony so much during the cold & rainy months, it is truly our favorite space, especially on warm summer nights.  

Linda has joined a ladies group (called in short, "Rosebuds"), and they shared videos of their homes each week.  They're a bit detailed, but we thought it might be nice to share them with you.  We hope you enjoy these videos of our place of respite in Jerusalem, our ~ Home Sweet Home.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers.  We love you!!

Foyer / Entryway

Living Room

Kitchen #1

Kitchen #2

Dining Room - note the dove that flies to the window :)

Master Bedroom, Bathroom, 2nd Bedroom

 

Give Thanks to the Lord For He is Good

For even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom,

and no fruit is on the vines,

even if the olive tree fails to produce,

and the fields yield no food at all,

even if the sheep vanish from the sheep pen,

and there are no cows in the stalls;

18 

still, I will rejoice in Adonai,

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

19 

Elohim Adonai is my strength!

He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deer

and enables me to stride over my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

We could write this blog about the current events of 2020 taking place around the world, however, we know you have heard enough about that at every turn.  It will suffice to say that we too, in Israel have had our share of mandated restrictions disrupting the "normality" of our daily lives.  

For several weeks, from around Purim to around Jerusalem Day (mid-March to mid-May), our CFI offices were closed, and we worked as best as we could from home.  The two of us went to the office at least once a week as needed.  In May we slowly increased the staff back to the offices until we were all there back at our normal business hours.  We are following what the government has termed "purple badge" requirements - which includes (but is not limited to): no one is allowed to enter with a temperature of 38C (100.4 F) or more, logging our temperature daily, wearing masks, no meetings over 8 people, strict hygiene, etc... Similar restrictions apply for public transportation (which is common in Israel, especially Jerusalem), supermarkets, restaurants, etc.  Much the same as the rest of the world - we are grateful that in Israel we have had a "low" number of deaths from the virus (currently 315). 

Since being back at the offices, we are working hard to make up for the lost time while we were closed, having many meetings by Zoom, training new volunteers (who arrived not long before the shutdown), and meeting the needs of those whom we serve.  We are also paying close attention to the Jewish-Christian relationships we have been forming, as they are becoming more and more transparent as we have been able to speak openly with each other, sharing our thoughts and feelings about shared topics.  It is an honor to be trusted to even have these conversations, as the history (and sometimes the present) between our two groups has made it difficult to overcome.

Normally our ministry sends out a quarterly magazine, however, during this "time of corona", it was deemed necessary to send the May edition electronically by email instead.  If you did not receive the email, we have attached the link, as it includes updates pertaining to us (Jim & Linda) specifically.  Last year it was announced in our magazine that the Directors of CFI moved back to the United States to be with family, and a possible new director was being considered.  CFI did not ultimately move in that direction, and for the time being have formed a leadership team (including us both) continuing the work and vision of CFI that has impacted many lives and relationships over the past 35 years.  Presently Jim and Sharon are co-directing the ministry with Jim leading in Operations and Sharon leading in Development.  

2nd Quarter For Zion's Sake magazine link:

https://8fa4931a-5b04-4f8d-a4e9-072a154a4742.filesusr.com/ugd/d3a9e0_025200bbef924f97a3b7d28d17c17d2f.pdf

To read any of our previous magazines, you can do so on our website (click on Publications):

https://www.cfijerusalem.org/ 

Please be advised that donations made directly to Israel are not tax deductible in your country.  In the United States we have two representative offices that both have 501c3 non-profit status:

CFI USA  https://cfi-usa.org/

CFI America  https://www.cfiamerica.org/

For personal updates.... we were scheduled to travel to the United States at the beginning of June (We would have been there right now!), however, for several reasons we were unable to come. Firstly, our flight was cancelled - we were going to be flying to the States via Germany.  Also, Israel's borders have been closed for some time to anyone arriving other than citizens.  This means if we leave, we are not able to return until Israel allows non-citizens into the country again.  As of right now, they have set a date for August 1st to open the borders, but they have continually moved that date back, and we would need to be certain of our return.  Another snag in the plans is that our visa officially expired in April.  While the government has extended our visa date in their computer system (to the end of June), we would need to have a valid visa in our passports in order to avoid travel complications.  Needless to say, we aren't going anywhere anytime soon!  We will be celebrating our anniversary at the end of July, so we hope to go somewhere in Israel for a few days to relax (assuming restrictions allow).

We have now lived in our new apartment for one year!  Time has gone so fast.  It is in a neighborhood instead of on a busy street like our last apartment (we lived there for 6 years!).  We are still on the 4th floor, but without an elevator now - which promotes mandatory exercise. 😃 We do have a very nice balcony, where we are able to sit, relax and have fresh air (especially appreciated when we were in lockdown from the virus).  Sometimes we eat dinner outside, and many nights we sit out and look up at the stars and the moon and reflect on God's perspective of of things.  Our landlord surrounded the balcony with small rose bushes, so we have been learning the art of growing roses.  There's a lot to be learned from knowing when to prune and how much to water - and even the maintenance of the vessel that is holding the roses, cracks or leaks.  We are very grateful for the gift of a peaceful home, and we spend many weekends just resting.

Wish  you could smell this!!

Since we are unable to travel for a while, we decided it's time to take care of ourselves a bit.  In the 9 1/2 years we have been here, we have been on the go non-stop - including, to our detriment, personal maintenance. It's amazing what one will put up with instead of just getting it fixed.  In our case it's our dental needs that we have not been tending to, so beginning with Linda, we are rectifying that.  She went for a thorough evaluation, and has begun treatments over the next few months to get her dental needs taken care of.  Next will be Jim, if we can slow him down a bit to do so....

Sometimes, when we do take time to step back and to look up, we can't help but to continue to wonder, "Why us?" We didn't do anything to deserve to get to be in Jerusalem.  We don't have any special skills or abilities. Many days it is very difficult here, and the desire to give up is strong, but somehow we keep going.  It can only be The Lord.  Somehow just being a willing vessel for Him to work through is enough - by His strength, and your prayers & encouragement.  Please continue to pray for us - God will let you know when and for what.  It's certainly not fun and games all the time, and it's hard work - but we are blessed, and hopefully He is molding us into His image, that we can represent Him well.  We are humbled to be a participant.

During it all.... in spite of it all.... may we all....

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.   Psalm 136:1


Please join us as we give thanks in song along with Rabbi Shlomo Katz ~

It's been a while...

Shalom dear friends....

It has been a long while since we have published a post.  This update will be a few of the many pictures we've taken this year amidst the nonstop life of living in Israel.  It is certainly NEVER boring here, that is for sure.  So here is a glimpse into part of our year.

With the many tasks that Jim has around the office with his administrative duties, he relishes every opportunity to spend time with our brave defenders.

Iron Dome air defense system located in the north of Israel. This photo is from earlier in the year on Mount Hermon where they do have snow sometimes until spring.

When traveling in northern Israel, you will often see tanks being moved from place to place.

We had the opportunity to go on a tour of Samaria (north of Jerusalem) and learn more about the amazing communities there.  If you come to Israel, we highly recommend finding time to visit Judea & Samaria during your visit.  Most people hit the usual sites, but the Biblical heartland of this region should not to be missed.

Daily life troubles.....

Paying utility bills online.

Lights shining on the Jerusalem Old City walls.

We were invited to attend a Pesach (Passover) Seder this year with friends.  

Linda made her favorite - matzah ball soup!

Special foods for Pesach.

Garlic is in season and VERY popular at Pesach.

There is a very popular tv series call Shteisel (available on Netflix) that is about the ultra-religious Jewish community.  The show is in Hebrew, but has English subtitles.  It gives an inside view to a world many are unfamiliar with.  While the name of the show is the name of the family in the series, its origin is from a restaurant in Jerusalem near the iconic Mea Shearim neighborhood.  Linda went with a friend one day to try their food - which was like eating straight from a Jewish momma's kitchen.  AMAZING!!!

A friend learning to make challah (traditional Sabbath bread) and doing great at it!

If you come to Israel, and have never visited Magdala, it is a must-see.  Just a few years ago the archeological site opened to visitors.  It is the original city of Migdal that Mary "Magdalene" (meaning "from Migdal") was from.  The city is still in the process of being excavated, and is proven to be 2,000 years old.  The synagogue (where Yeshua - Jesus - would have taught) has also been uncovered.  The above picture is the "pulpit" in the congregation built on the site - outside, in the background, is the Sea of Galilee.

This amazing artwork - representing the woman who was healed when touching Yeshua's garment -  is in the basement of the church.

The original synagogue in Migdal dated 2,000 years ago.

The beautiful Sea of Galilee - "HaKinneret" in Hebrew.

Many of the vineyards in Israel grow in the natural rocky soil.  

The more difficult the soil conditions are for the vines, the better the grapes.  

Interesting....

There are many, many signs like this throughout Israel.  

This is a park just south of the Galilee called "Gangaroo" - a kangaroo park.  Linda had been wanting to visit for years, so when some good friends were in Israel, we took the opportunity to check it out.

We also went to "Monkey Forest" west of the Galilee.

Needless to say, Linda was happy, happy, happy at these two wildlife reserves!!

We don't eat out very often, but another must visit place is this restaurant on the Jordan River just south of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).  It is at the baptismal site that everyone is familiar with, but is only open in the evening (when the baptismal site is closed).  We highly recommend it, and the food is delicious (a reservation is suggested) and they are open on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Our table was right by the water.

If you have never been to Israel, be sure to try the local "street food" - falafels and shawarma - at least once.  The style is somewhat like Subway where you can tell them what you want on your sandwich.

Another opportunity we were able to take part in was a visit to an Israeli innovative company called Mobileye.  They are inventing a driverless car.  It was extremely interesting to hear the thought process behind some of the issues they deal with in this concept.

Group photo of our tour.

Most people who have been to Israel at least twice realize how quickly everything changes around here.  Jerusalem is in the midst of a HUGE project just outside our headquarter's office.  If you are familiar with the "String Bridge", also known as the "David's Harp Bridge", this entire area is undergoing a complete overhaul with several high-rise buildings going up, a high speed train to the airport, the convention center is expanding (it will be the largest in the Middle East), and the main road coming into the city will go underground through a tunnel to decrease traffic congestion.  It is a site to behold!  We are on the 6th floor of the Central Bus Station, so we get a bird's eye view of this amazing transformation.

And in the midst of all this construction, we enjoy the beautiful blue skies in Jerusalem.  From spring until autumn, we have no rain.  Yes - NO RAIN.  It's lovely.  For basically 5-6 months, you never need to check the weather report, it's the same every day.  And then, in the fall, we pray for rain, and every drop we receive is a blessing from Above.

One of our favorite juices.

Loveliness of erev Shabbat....

Border Police at the bottom of Ben Yehuda Street & Jaffa Street - Zion Square.

Way in the north of Israel near the Lebanon border is Tel Dan National Park.  In this park is an ancient gate.  So ancient, that Abraham would have come through this gate on his journey to Canaan!

Celebrating Jim's birthday this year.

Every year (since forever...) Linda makes a homemade carrot cake.

As a surprise this birthday, we went to a shelter in northern Jerusalem and helped to walk the dogs.

Notification from an app to learn Hebrew... sometimes life just gets too busy...

We attend a home Bible fellowship each month.  One of the couples that have attended is our friends Merv & Merla Watson.  If you've ever heard the song Jehovah Jireh, then you know their work.  In their 80s now, they have written and sung hundreds of songs.  This rendition is the original melody...

Israel Independence Day!

We were invited to join the Lone Soldier Center for their Independence Day 

celebrations at this park in Jerusalem.

Sacher Park - BBQ - Israeli style!

We were honored to visit a base in the north this year where Jim had the opportunity to speak to reserve commanders who were meeting for training and strategies.  While we aren't able to show you the pictures we took, we got a glimpse of new improved tanks recently put into service in the IDF.  Technology has improved even the way tanks are designed.  The picture above, is an old out of use tank outside the gate of the base.

    

This year we learned of an amazing organization in Jerusalem called Shalva.  They work with all kinds of children with life challenging disabilities, from being blind, to having down's syndrome and everything in between.  We heard their center had a cafe, and decided to visit.  If you are spending time in Jerusalem, we also highly recommend checking this place out.  We will definitely go again.

The center is not far from the Shalom Hotel.

The food was delicious! Prices are in Israeli Shekels, and are quite comparable to most restaurants - but you also know it's going to an unbelievable organization.

We're going to end this update with the same picture we began with.  It was also taken at Shalva.  May we all be encouraged to take a big step back and gain a new perspective in life - God's perspective.  Let us choose to live in hope in all our circumstances - and express God's Hope to all those around us.