Immersion Learning

 A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

I will have an immersion trip in Jordan learning about the history, culture, religion, faith and natural resources of Jordan.   I hope you travel with me via this blog and your prayers.

 

Amman		Azraq & Shawmari		Jordan Valley & The Dead Sea
Karak		Petra		Wadi Rum
Aqaba		Jerash		Ajlun
Irbid		As-Salt		Madaba
Umm Qays		Bethany Beyond the Jordan		Pella
Hammamat Ma’in / Ma’in Hot Springs		Umm Al-Jimal		Desert Castles
Iraq Al-Amir

MY OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE

I am heading back to school after 40 some years.  Praising God for the opportunity to be a teacher assistant in Mafraq, Jordan.  The school is for Syrian refugee children and is operated by the National Christian Missionary Alliance Church.  My start date at this school is January 17, 2014.

Your prayers and financial help are needed. 

Donations to help refugees may be made through the United Methodist Advance. 

Contributions are tax deductible.  One hundred percent of the donation goes to the named project.  The United Methodist Church pays the administrative costs.   Make donations on line at www.umcmission.org. or make check out to Advance, include Project Number and mail to Advance GCF, PO Box 9068 GPO, New York, NY 10087 9068

Your gift to International Disaster Response, UMCOR Advance # 982450, will help families fleeing the violence in Syria and the communities that host them.

 

God Is in the Details

I got to enjoy at least one blizzard this winter, the one we had last weekend in Traverse City until next June.  
What a joy it has been being in Michigan.  See seeing the beauty God provided right from my deck.

 

~

I also traveled to a Christians for Biblical Equality conference in PA (www.cbeinternational.org.) and a Sabeel Conference in Chicago (www.fosna.org) where I represented EAPPI (www.eappi-us.org).  I get to travel across the USA in the month of December and the first part of  January with stops to visit friends and family in five different states, MI-FL-GA-MS-WA-OR.

I have had a sign hanging in my kitchen for some time, "Be Realistic, Expect a Miracle" yet when miracles are revealed I am surprised.  Or is it that we often are blind to all God is doing in our circumstances.  
My "Yes" to being an Individual Volunteer in Mission showed me how much God still has to do in my life!  It has been filled with on the job training opportunities.  With more to come I am sure.  

God is in the details of my life and I am loved!!!  I am praising God as connections are made that only God could have orchestrated. 

Caring for my Home While I am Away

 A friend from my Arabic class, Elizabeth, and her husband, Younes, have moved into my house.  They are both going to Northwest Michigan College.  It was total joy having them living with me since classes started in the fall.  They are WONDERFUL cooks and my house has seemed a lot more like a home having Elizabeth and Younes living with me.

The bus trip down to my family was the start of a seven month travel required luggage to be transferred nine time. 

I was blessed to have my sister in law, Janet, meet me in Kalamazoo.  She took me out to dinner helping me have joy during a four hour layover.

I was allowed to be God's hands and feet during my bus ride.  Another rider, Janice, had trouble walking into McDonalds through the swirling show when the bus stopped for lunch.  She could not see the curbs of the traffic islands we had to walk over.   I was able to be here eyes to get her into the building.  In Grand Rapids the bus was late and I sat by an elderly lady for conversation.  Unfortunately she did not speak English.  After sitting together and exchanging smiles she made a phone call then handed the phone to me.  I was able, in English, to tell the person on the phone about the delay and what our estimated arrival time would be.  I was also able to give assurance to the person on the phone who asked, "Would you see that grandma gets on the bus to Kalamazoo?"  I made sure "Grandma" got safely into the terminal before Janet and I went to dinner.

Finally, I arrived at the Ann Arbor where my son, Ed and his wife, Gale came to pick me up.  It was after midnight by the time we got to their house near Howell, ending my 13.5 hour journey.

 

The next morning Ed and Gale took me to lunch where we met up with Pat.  Pat was a prior EA, having been to the West Bank multiple times.  Her latest adventure was picking olives there just a few days ago.

 

 

 

 

THE GEEK SQUAD and ME

I purchased a tablet prior to leaving Traverse City.

Yes I purchased the Geek Squad 24/7.

Yes I spent hours on the phone with them.  Yes I was back in the store for lessons.

No, I did not know all I needed to know. 

My daughter in law Gale kindly spent all day Wednesday bring me up to speed on my Tablet.  I praise God for having a patient daughter in law.  I am not a good learner.  I am too quick to touch the screen, which on Windows 8.1 would get us to places I was not ready for .

LIGHTENING THE LOAD

After 13 hour bus ride I decided to lighten my load.

UPS to the rescue.

 

 THANKSGIVING

 Turkey hunting is not like Grandpa used to do. 

Now it is done at a farm and with a cooler to carry the turkey home.

We had a delicious meal even though the main course started out looking like this.





 

 

 

TO ORLANDO

Full of Thanksgiving memories and food, I had an early morning ride to the Detroit airport.  After being singled out for further inspection, I was allowed to board the plane for Orlando.  

 

The Joy of the Lord filled my soul as I walked toward the baggage claim.

 

God is in the details, the music being played was Handel's Messiah!

 

 

 



Handel's Messiah

allelujah (Aleluya)

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

For the lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

For the lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

For the lord God omnipotent reigneth

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

(For the lord God omnipotent reigneth)

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

For the lord God omnipotent reigneth

(Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah)

Hallelujah

The kingdom of this world;

is become

the kingdom of our Lord,

and of His Christ

and of His Christ

And He shall reign for ever and ever

And he shall reign forever and ever

And he shall reign forever and ever

And he shall reign forever and ever

King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

and lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

and lord of lords forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

King of kings forever and ever hallelujah hallelujah

and lord of lords

King of kings and lord of lords

And he shall reign

And he shall reign

And he shall reign

He shall reign

And he shall reign forever and ever

King of kings forever and ever

and lord of lords hallelujah hallelujah

And he shall reign forever and ever

King of kings and lord of lords

King of kings and lord of lords

And he shall reign forever and ever

Forever and ever and ever and ever

(King of kings and lord of lords)

Hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah

Hallelujah



 





Action Required

ON THE HOME FRONT

I have already been home for three very busy months.  I continue to make presentations about EAPPI (www.eappi-us.org) and my mission ministry as an Individual Volunteer in Missions (IVIM) with the General Board of Global Ministries (www.umcmission.org). 

ON THE GROUND IN PALESTINE

Palestinians, Christians and Muslims, continue to suffer from the occupation. 

Freedom of movement is denied as Palestinians face checkpoints every morning on their way to work.

Palestinian lands are being confiscated for the separation barrier, settlements and Israeli only roads.

 Palestinian roads are blocked, causing added travel time. 

           Villages continue to be destroyed, 9/ 16/13

 

Palestinian Christians collaborated in 2009, in writing Kairos Palestine a Moment Of Truth, Faith, Hope and Love - a Confession of Faith and Call to Action from Palestinian Christians.  

A lot more information can be obtained from Kairos Palestine offices in Bethlehem, (http://www.kairospalestine.ps/)

Sabeel is Arabic for “the way” and is an organization in Jerusalem for the voice of the Palestinian Christians.  A copy of the Kairos Palestine document can be ordered through a US chapter, Friends of Sabeel North America at www.fosna.org. 

A link to the Kairos Palestine document is available through the United Methodist response at www.kairosresponse.org.

BOYCOTT DIVESTMENT SANCTION (BDS)

A movement similar to the one that launched South African’s freedom from apartheid has been launched around the world. 

BDS is “big news” around the world, even as its coverage might have not been part of our reading here. 

In July the news in Europe reported: “The European Union will take a tougher stance against Israel beginning Friday, enforcing new guidelines that direct the bloc’s 28 member nations not to award any funding, grants, scholarships or prizes to entities in Jewish settlements in the Golan Heights, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to a communique released Tuesday.”

The Palestinian Christians state in their document (section 4.2.6 in part), “…We understand this (BDS) to integrate the logic of peaceful resistance. … is not revenge but rather to put an end to the existing evil, liberating both the perpetrators and victims of injustice.. The aim is to free both peoples..bringing both to justice and reconciliation.”

More information is available at the three web sites in the prior section.  Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your call to action. 

MY TRAVEL PRIOR TO NEXT ASSIGNMENT

Prior to leaving on my next assignment, I am having the joy of visiting friends and family.  My journey includes, MI, IN, GA, FL, and WA.  Then after Christmas, I have the hope of flying to my next assignment. 

NEXT ASSIGNMENT

Prayers of discernment are needed for the United Methodist Missionaries, Liaisons to the Holy Land, as my next IVIM placement is being facilitated.  In God’s will, I anticipate being out of country January through May 2014.  God has blessed me with a couple to live in and care for my house until I return next June.

CONTINUING OUR MISSION TOGETHER

I ask you to consider an alternative giving this Christmas for the Children in Bethlehem, The children in the town of the first Christmas.  I have attached a list of United Methodist Advance Projects that you might want to consider.  I have also attached a listing of web sites that I have found helpful for understanding the Middle East, from different perspectives.

Through our prayers and this blog, we will stay connected as we serve together. 

Pray for a JUST peace in the Middle East