"FAREWELL" PRAYERS

It’s the evening of June 12, the night before my last day with Bridges For Peace--and nearly the end of my sabbatical experience. Today was my “farewell” (the day I have been dreading for over a month!) and it was a very sad, emotional time for me, and for many of my BFP friends and co-workers. The words of thanks, the many kind and supportive remarks about my part in the life and ministry of our BFP team, and the desire of so many for me to “come back soon!” were too much for my aching heart to bear. I have truly found a new home here: the beautiful city of Jerusalem, the meaningful work that I am blessed to do each day, my buddies on the home repair team, the privilege of sharing my faith through my witness to the Jewish people, the opportunities to experience the Holy Land daily--this place and daily routine “suits me,” and so I am already grieving the separation that is coming soon. Please keep me in your prayers; that I can transition back into my other home in Hilmar, and to my life and ministry there.

The good thing is that 44 from my congregation are arriving on Wednesday for a 10 day tour of Israel! So I will have the opportunity to reconnect with everyone from home, enjoy a special experience with them--and still be right here in Israel! I trust that this is God’s way of gently helping me release all of the powerful emotions and feelings that are hurting and stirring inside of me now and to set my sights on the future, and on the new things that lie ahead for me as I return home to Hilmar.

This will probably be my last blog post until the tour is over. We are going to be so busy for the 10 days that we will be traveling here that I don’t think I’ll have the time or energy to put together anything for you to see and read until after I arrive home.

This last post is a compilation of pictures and descriptions of what I’ve done these last two weeks of my time with Bridges since I got back from Egypt. I hope you enjoy them!

And for one last time: SHALOM from Jerusalem!





Just another day in home repair!