That Moment When Reality Hits

I have been in Israel for 2 weeks now.  This hardly makes me an expert at living overseas, adjusting to a new culture or anything of that nature but I did have a moment when reality hit me this week.  You know how you know something but you really don't KNOW it because you have experienced it yet?  That's been my week.

Most of you know that I became an incubus of viral plague in the middle of the week with some type of stomach virus.  I can honestly say that I don't recall ever being as sick as I was with that stomach virus.  I was up for almost 48 hours straight and literally moved into the bathroom the second night.  In the middle of the night that second night as I was dealing with all this pain I was struck with a real sense of reality.  When it hit it sounded something like this in my head, "Oh crap, I'm sick and I'm in a foreign country."  This means there are no 24 hour Walmarts, CVS' or Walgreens to get an OTC medicine to help relieve symptoms.  Nope.  Just me, the porcelain throne, the bathtub serving as a temporary bed and lots of prayers (I was told there were some 300 people praying for me after the prayer request was sent out to Frank and Carol's prayer partners, the Kehilat here, my facebook posts, etc). 

In between the more intense stomach pains and the less intense stomach pains I started to gain a new appreciation for what many of my friends and FI family have already experienced when they moved to the country with which God burdened their hearts.  I've never thought that this would be an easy walk... especially being in Israel and all the added dynamics I've been told (or warned?) about.  But there was an element, you know, that whole lack of experience thing that kept me from fully understanding the sacrifice it takes to be obedient to God.  I know that I will have to pay my dues and I have a lot of learning ahead of me but I can safely say that I have had a reality check.

So... back to that reality check.  As I am trying to just make it through until the next morning when I could get some medicine or maybe call a doctor I start to think about all the other servants of God serving on the foreign field that have experienced this same thing.  The comforts and conveniences of America were left behind for strange languages, strange medicines, and well, everything foreign.  Who knows what kind of medicine I'm taking.  The box is in Hebrew, Arabic and Russian.  I'm 0 for 3 on those languages.  But at least it came in a box which is more than other people could say in other nations!  Then the thought came to me that thank God I have an indoor bathroom with working plumbing (and that this didn't start 1 day before when the water to the village was shut off for pipe work with that announcement being made for several days by a guy driving around with a megaphone but if you don't understand the language it's easy to miss that memo).  I could be dealing with nothing but a hole in the ground or the floor. 

Then I went a little further and I began to think about all those who are currently in a jail somewhere being persecuted for their faith.  These people won't get medical treatment if they are sick, they won't have anything that could help ease their pain.  All they have is the prayers of the saints.  Reality check.  All this has made me appreciate all those people that I know who gave up the comforts of their home country, all that was familiar to them to serve a people in another country.  The next time I hear of a prayer request from one of them I will pray harder because now I have a little taste of what it feels like.  Albeit tiny, but that was enough.

I even had a greater understanding when I recently read one new mother venting because she wasn't able to get the things she really wanted to make her daughters first birthday as special as she wanted.  This wasn't anything earth shattering or life threatening but another reminder of daily picking up your cross to follow Him.  It's daily dying to your own desires to love the people He has sent you to even when they don't love you back.  Dealing with the frustration of not being able to read street signs, or store signs, or know how much you just paid for something at a grocery store (that was a grocery store right?).  Dealing with driving habits, or lack there of, and attitudes and cultural nuances that seem insane (why are the light switches on the outside of a room and why is there no plug socket in the bathroom?!).  Trying to find a new normal when there is NOTHING normal around you.  And yet, we continue to do it because we are compelled by a Love that is greater than us and because there joy in the midst of obedience even when it's difficult.  It truly is an amazing phenomenon that God does in our hearts isn't it? 

So far this experience has shown me how weak I am and how much I need the Lord.  It's a scarier feeling that I thought it would be however when I'm weak that is when He is strong.  I'm still in a relative comfort zone.  I'm with people I know who have been wonderful hosts who can take me around, explain certain things, go with me to stores, etc.  About a week from now when I head to Jerusalem that may not be the case and I will be shoved "out of the nest" so to speak.  But I'm determined.  Determined to continue pressing on and knowing that I will experience MANY more of these reality checks especially when I move here.  His grace is sufficient and so on we go because turning back isn't an option.  Those bridges were burned long ago with that one simple answer to His call, "Yes."

Bathtub bed... one day I'll laugh about this experience... I hope!

Medicine given by the pharmacy

First Week in Israel

I've been here for a little over a week and thought I would give a few observations.  Israel is the most unique place on the the planet.  Although I've only visited a handful of other countries I don't think there is any other place that could change my mind.  If you've been here you will know what I mean.  You are surrounded by ancient ruins that are thousands of years old.  This whole country is practically a museum that there are so many historical sites I could probably spend my entire trip doing nothing but site seeing.  They have more museums per capita than any other nation.  At the same time you are looking at city ruins that are thousands of years old a modern city has built up all around it and even inside of some portions in the case of Jerusalem.  Considering how young Israel is a nation (established in 1948) they are on the cutting edge of the future in many areas.  Did you know that the cell phone was developed in Israel by Motorola?  So was voice mail technology and the technology for AOL instant messenger.  The first ingestible video camera was also developed here which helps doctors diagnose cancer and digestive disorders.  What other country can combine the past, present and future like Israel?  I would say no other nation can. 

The old city of Jerusalem in the foreground with the modern city in the background

 

 

The second aspect of Israel that has struck me once again is how much the Bible really does come alive.  It sounds cliche but it really is true.  I was reading Psalm 68 and 69 yesterday.  I'll share a few verses that jumped out in particular:

 

"May God arise, may His enemies be scattered; may His foes flee before Him. But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful." Psalm 68:1,3

"Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal." Psalm 69:4

 

As I read these words I could feel the truth of it with all the turmoil surrounding Israel.  Every country surrounding Israel and the other nations in this region of the world want to see Israel destroyed.  They blame Israel for their economic problems, their poverty, and just about any other problem.  The US would like to force Israel into land for peace deals that are not realistic, etc.  I've read these Psalms many times before but when I read them here in the Land it just has a different meaning.  I love to see the faith of the believers here as well.  They pray for situations and issues that we Americans can't imagine and with such faith that God will protect and prevail.  He always does and it has been proven in this nation over and over.  We tell stories in the pulpit of something that happened at Walmart... they tell stories of wearing gas masks in bomb shelters.  Definitely two different worlds!

 

The last thing that I thought might be interesting for you who have taken the time to read this far is that the laws here seem to be more like suggestions.  Want to park on the sidewalk, go right ahead.  Don't feel like opening up the lid to the dumpster to throw away your trash?  No worries, just throw it on the ground.  Adopt a highway definitely doesn't exist here!  I also have yet to see any type of speed limit signs. 

 

Can we say litter?

 

Parking on the sidewalk.  Why not?

 

 

So that concludes a glimpse at my first week in Israel.  This week will have a few new adventures.  I'll get to see the port in Haifa on the Mediterranean Sea, going to a Jewish wedding, a Shabbat dinner and a local children's home God willing.  Until next time!

 

Christina

 



Back in Israel!

So, after 3 1/2 years the wait is finally over!  I am indeed back in Israel! The journey to get here was long so I'll start there.  This might be a bit long so I will break this first blog up into 2 parts.  The first being the journey to get here and the second being my initial observations.

I depart from Charlotte where goodbyes are always a bit difficult.  Especially saying goodbye to my mom who had been with me that week and was also flying out.  Of course because I was on an international flight and hers was a domestic flight our gates were on opposite ends of the airport.  So we both pretended to be strong but after parting ways we both shed some tears!  I made a few last minutes calls and boarded the first plane to Toronto where I would catch my connecting flight to Tel Aviv.  I arrive in Toronto and figured that since I had navigated many airports before I would be able to find my next gate without too many problems.  Wrong.  For all my Canadian friends, sorry, but the Toronto airport is terrible!  It was so confusing!  I finally figured out that I had to catch a bus to a different terminal.  Once arriving at the new terminal I had to go through security all over again which wouldn't have been so bad if the line wasn't a mile long, I hadn't already spent 45 minutes trying to find this place and my next flight was going to start boarding in 25 minutes.  I make it through security and arrive at the gate as soon as boarding starts.  About that time I hear my name being paged by the airline saying I needed to come to the desk for a message.  Yeah, there was no message for me.  I was greeted by the airlines security where I was then taken through what turned out to be a 45 minute security screening complete with 101 questions about why I was going, where I was staying, where I worked, how did I get my job, am I meeting someone I met online, how much money do I make, how did I come up with all the money, and on and on.  Then I was asked to go into a room next to the gate where I went through a full pat down from my hair to the bottom of my feet.  I was then told that I could not carry on any of my electronic items (with the exception of my iPhone and my iPod) because "electronics mess with the plane," and I would have to check those items.  As annoyed as I was with being told a load of garbage I complied and remained pleasant.  After holding up the plane I was finally cleared to board and escorted to the plane.  What little I was allowed to carry on was in a duty free plastic bag.  Gee thanks guys.  I tried to settle in for the 11 hour flight to Tel Aviv.

Picture from the air

 

I've made the flight to Tel Aviv twice before and for some reason I don't remember it ever feeling quite as long as this one did. Perhaps because I was traveling alone, dealing with pain in my knees, couldn't sleep because of the pain in my knees and I was sitting between two men I obviously didn't know, and lastly I was trying not to stress about whether my electronics that would serve as my main form of communication would make it in one piece along with what awaited me at passport control. 

Snacks :-)

 

At last we landed and I made a quick dash towards passport control because I was going to be catching a train within the hour. God was surely with me in Toronto so I had to trust He would be with me now that I arrived in Israel. I was asked several questions but within a couple of minutes I was cleared through passport control and it was off to collect my luggage. I met my hosts for the first part of my summer and off we were to catch the train to Haifa. As soon as I had the opportunity I made sure that all my electronic items were still functional. I could finally put my mind at ease as the stress of traveling was over. I definitely encountered some tougher security than I anticipated but I could feel everyone's prayers and I can look back and chuckle a bit... but only a bit. :-)

 

Welcome to Israel!

Until Part 2...