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May 15 Interview at the Tent of Nations

If you click on the above underlined link, you'll find some familiar faces (including ours!) and a very interesting story of the family and the land that we mentioned in our last blog update. We appear harvesting wheat around the 17 minute mark, but it's all worthwhile and very educational, as it prominently features Daoud Nassar, who is such a humble follower of Jesus and a living stone of the Body of Christ in this land.

Just a few days ago we had an incredible experience at the first ever joint Arab and Jew Global Day of Prayer here in Nazareth. We couldn't help feeling we were witnessing history in the making as Christian Arab pastors washed the feet of Messianic Church leaders from Israel. One Messianic leader, who had earlier publicly repented for slandering one of the Arab leaders, began to weep uncontrollably as this Arab leader who had forgiven him washed his feet. As soon as they finished and exchanged a long and tearful embrace, the Messianic leader insisted on washing the Arabs feet and wouldn't stop until he washed several more! We were all a mess of tears as we witnessed this miracle.

Another highlight was when a long line of people joined in a Jewish dance for worship as the Arabic worship team played on. (I have a hunch that the Arabs will lead worship a bit more than most in heaven :) Wow!) Such freedom to worship together in each other's different styles was also unprecedented until the other day.

The event ended with both the Messianic and Arab worship teams joining each other on the stage for a medley as those in attendance gave thanks and praise to God for the overwhelming success that had taken place and email addresses and phone numbers were exchanged between the groups.

Pray that the seeds sown yesterday would fall on fertile soil and a harvest would be reaped of deep and lasting relationships between the Arab and Jewish churches - Leaders and congregations included. Thank God, who alone was able to accomplish this victory and the many to come!

A few more highlights of our time in Nazareth: Going to (both) sites of the angel's annunciation to Mary, walking through the quite old city, having an excellent time of prayer within the site of the synagogue where Jesus opened the scroll of Isaiah 61 to announce his ministry(Wow!), going to the Mediterranean yesterday, where I did some great body surfing - who knew there were decent waves? I should've had my surfboard - and we also got some wicked sunburns, and this morning we led the chapel service at Israel's only registered evangelical school - Christy and I led worship and Mike shared a bible story, which we all did our best to act out, and Steffi from Germany gave a testimony.. The response from the 150 students was overwhelmingly positive.

Tomorrow we're going to Nazareth Village to volunteer for the day. It is a place where archaeologists uncovered a first century village and is now operated as a regular workplace where people dress, live and work (from 9-5) as people would've done during Jesus' time.

Thanks for taking the time.  :)
Many Blessings - Much Love, Joey and Christy

Wheat Harvest

The first thing I noticed when we arrived at the Tent of Nations was the phrase painted on a rock -
 "We Refuse to be Enemies." This is what we saw as a strong reality as we got to know the people in this family.
We spent 5 days at this piece of land in Palestine with the Nassar family- an Arab family who has been on this land since 1916 when their grand-father bought the land. They lived in caves for many years until recently...What an inspiring family - dedicated to peace in the middle of a crisis that is very real to them.

Settlements have been built up all around their land and have grown over the last 20 years. The picture above shows the village of Nahalin to the left of the blanket and everything to the right is the settlement. Israelis have tried to build roads through their property which they stopped from happening (since it is illegal). In reaction to this, the settlers uprooted 250 of the Nassar's olive trees. Their response was to replant more than were uprooted, not to react in bitterness or violence.

In spite of many challenges, and being in court for 20 years to keep their land, they continue to persevere: When their water was cut off they began digging cisterns. When they were refused permits to build, they built underground. They have installed solar panels for electricity and this is also how they heat water. They have welcomed internationals from all over the world to receive hospitality and volunteer on their land.

Daoud shared their story with us and his heart for peace and reconciliation. While we were there, they hosted 40 religious Jews and showed them around the property. This is Daoud's brother Daher who has been working on the farm full time since he as 18. Daher has a HUGE heart for peace and knowing the his neighbors on the 'other side of the wall'.

There are olive trees, grapes, figs, wheat and other vegetables to take care of in all seasons. We helped with the wheat harvest, digging a cistern and cultivating land to plant tomatoes. It was up to 95 degrees which was HOT for us, but we drank lots of water and made it through. Here's Joey loading wheat onto the tractor...

All of us slept in this tent in beds and valiantly fought off mice, lizards and large spiders. The joys of desert camping! It was a rewarding week - relationally- meeting brothers and sisters who are a living example of Christ's love for all, spiritually learning more of forgiveness and compassion and physically working hard on the land.

We have spent a day in Jerusalem to rest before we go to Nazareth...to work with youth.

Please keep this family in your prayers - www.tentofnations.org

Thanks for taking the time -
Love,
Joey and Christy

Today we're off to the Tent of the Nations in Palestine where we'll be farming for a week!

We might not be able to post anything while we're there -
Please keep us in your prayers, and have a lovely week!
Blessings,

J and C

Happy Mother's Day!!!!!

Huge Thanks and Love to our Amazing Moms today! We love you and miss you lots! 

And Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible moms we know! 

The last few days we have been helping out with a cool initiative here in Bethlehem - a place for youth to go. They already have a rock-climbing wall so we helped to run that, and they are opening a ropes course for youth and education center with an organic garden where they will employ local people. So yesterday was a lot of hard work in the desert sun, hauling rock and dirt and trying to get that place ready to open. It is a great idea for this area since people are not able to go outside the wall very often and don’t have many options of things to do (especially youth), and we are glad to be a part of helping get it started.

We wanted to include a picture of the delicious middle-eastern we've had a chance to enjoy here: hummus, pita, veggies, olives - Yum! 

And here’s a couple pictures from the market in Bethlehem - Christy enjoying a nice cup of Arabic coffee (dark coffee ground with cardamom pods with sugar), and the creatively displayed tomatoes. 

We are continuing to build relationships, ask lots of questions and pray with people when we can....and it has been good. 

Lots of love!

J & C

Here we are on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem with Manu - a wonderful Palestinian brother. He wants to start a home for widows and orphans in Bethlehem - it would be great if we could support him.

This day spent in Jerusalem was good. We went to listen to Salim talk about an initiative he started called Musalaha - it is incredible -  with a focus of reconciliation with Christian Arabs and Messianic Jews. One of the things they do is send groups of Israelis and Palestinians on camel treks in the desert together to get to know each other and do workshops on reconciliation!

www.musalaha.org

Blessings!

Joseph and Christy

Jerusalem's Old City

There is no where at all like the old city of Jerusalem. A walled city, walled streets, market stalls...It is divided into four quarters - the Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian quarters. We went to the Wailing Wall - a sacred place for Jewish people, where they believe the Presence of God dwells (we thank God for the Incarnation of Jesus, cementing the truth that the Spirit of God dwells in men made in His image - not in buildings, stones, or temples built with human hands). It is always intense...people write prayers on little pieces of paper and put them in the wall. Today there were hundreds of Israeli soldiers in front of the wall having a swearing in ceremony, pledging their lives to Israel. Most of them are 17 and 18 years old...

The photo of the gray dome is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is believed to house the stone that they laid Jesus on after He was crucified. 

The markets in the old city are incredible. This photo is of frankincense and myrrh being sold. There is everything you can imagine including delicious Arabic coffee. 

The most difficult part of the day was coming back into Bethlehem. The bus dropped us off at the checkpoint and we waited in line for a while behind many Palestinians on their way home from work. A soldier motioned to us to come ahead of everyone else and we said no. It was heart-wrenching to see how differently we were treated as visitors. The people who live in Bethlehem and work outside have to go through this every day - waiting. not knowing. 

We pray - for those who have been oppressed to find healing and forgiveness, for the broken families to be reunited, for the soldiers to know Truth and see the His image in those they have been given power over, and for the supernatural love and life of Jesus to flow and bring change - for healing in this land.

Leaning on Him,

Joey and Christy