Happy New Year

Happy New Year! This last week was Rosh Shanna. This is the Jewish New Year. Tuesday morning myself and a few of my friends went to a Messianic Synagogue. We arrived around 9am and left around 12:30 and the service was still going on. We probably would have stayed, but the school was not close for the holiday so many of us still had classes. It was a neat experience. The entire service was in Hebrew. There was a translator, but he didn’t do a very good job. He was having a hard time following along. But with the little bit of Hebrew that I have in my vocabulary and the little bit of synagogue I have in my past I was able to follow along and understand quite a bit. My favorite part was when the Torah scrolls were removed from the ark. There is such a great respect for the word of God. I felt very convicted about the way I treat my Bible. I often just toss it around like any other book, but it is the inspired word of God!
Usually we have Vespers on Friday night, but this weekend many people were going away, so it was held on Thursday night instead. (It is the first weekend where we haven’t had a field study). Alex Pettett came and spoke about his ministry here in Jerusalem. He is the head coordinator of Shevet Achim. Shevet Achim literally means Uniting Brothers based out of Psalm 133. The ministry of Shevet Achim is to help non-Israeli children receive life-saving medical care from Israel. The ministry focuses on children with heart defects. They have all the children who are in need on their web site in hope that people will sponsor these children in some way to receive these needed surgeries. Then they make arrangements for one parent and the child to come to Israel and wait for their surgery. While in Israel, they stay in the Sevet Achim home in Jerusalem, and the staff takes care of them and brings them back and forth from doctor appointments. I was so moved by this ministry. Not only are they saving physical lives, but they are living the gospel out in the open. They do not push Jesus down anyone’s throat, but the live a life of total love to these people. The ministry has seen several parents and children come into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The next day I had the opportunity to go and visit the Shevet Achim home and play with the children. You would never know that there was anything wrong with these children. They laughed and played just as much as any other children I have been with. They loved to be loved on. It was a special treat to be a part of their lives in a little way. There was a language barrier. Three of the children spoke very little English and the other little girl spoke no English, but that didn’t stop the hugs or the laughs. While we were all playing together the parents ended up coming in and taking pictures. I know that we impacted not only the children but also the parents by simply showing love to these children. A visit with children was just what I needed to pick up my spirits. I am hoping to spend a few afternoons a week with the children.
To all the children and teens at Free Christian Church I miss you all soooo much! I hope that you are having a great new school year and that you are seeing Jesus in your life. I love you!
If you would like to check out the ministry of Shevet Achim the web address is: www.shevet.org
The internet is not working well today. I will post pictures of the children when the internet will allow me to.