Psalm 105:7-15 "He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant forever the word which he hath commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Issac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When you were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm."

Dear Friends,

Things here in Jerusalem have been anything but quiet and at times the fast pace can be quite overwhelming.


Zealous8:2 Discovery Group work project

The very first day of July, I had the Bridges for Peace young adult group called "Zealous8:2" to lead on a work project at a day care center here in Jerusalem. Now the work project is only for two days but the work put in to make it all happen takes weeks!
So last month I was already working on setting up the project.









With over 25 young adults in the group I had to find a project that would be big enough so that I would not have to send them to do many small projects around Jerusalem, which would have been a logistical nightmare for me. I found the project through a contact of mine and I met with the manager of the center and explained who Bridges for Peace is and about the work we are doing in Israel and how we wanted to bring a team of young adult volunteers to Jerusalem to do a work project.
Always when I meet with a new contact for the first time I do not know what kind of response I will get when I explain that we are a Christian organization which was established to educate the Christian world about Israel and also to stand with and support Israel through practical ways, such as our Adoption Program and our many other volunteer programs and departments.
Needless to say, the manager was already aware of all this from my contact who had told him that we do a good job and that he had referred us to him; so our reputation went before us this time. The project was then sorted out and on July 1st and 2nd the young adult group started on the project.












We sanded and painted a metal fence that went around the playground area and we planted a new garden next to the picnic area and we also painted one of the classrooms. The staff of the day care center was amazed at the quality and amount of work that the group did in those two days and on the last day they presented each of us with a certificate of appreciation.



July 3rd.

Only one day after the work project, my house mate and I went to a friend's place for a Shabbat dinner and while we were there our apartment was broke into. The thief had apparently been watching our apartment for some time and saw that we left the apartment together and were dressed up to go out somewhere.
My room was turned upside down, the clothes were pulled off of the shelves in my closet and were all over the floor and my files were dumped out onto the floor as well. Both our laptops were stolen; even my mattress was turned over! I had a few bottles of cologne on my book shelf and they were stolen too. When I went into my room all I was looking for was my passport which I had left on my bookshelf and I found it after picking up some of my things that were covering the floor! Praise the Lord!!!
When the police detective arrived and looked at the finger prints he shook his head, looked at us and said, "They used gloves".
So we were given no hope of getting the things back but we believe somehow there will be restoration. My then house-mate Josh and I were planning a 4th. Of July party to be held at our place and we decided to go ahead and host it because we did not want to let our joy be stolen along with the material things.


Move to new/old apt:

The next week I was informed that my old apartment which I lived in before I moved to Karmi'el had become available because the volunteer that was living there had left the country. So I started packing again. (I had only moved into where I was six months ago) And on the 14th of July I was moved into the apartment where I am living now. It is in a lot better condition than the one where I was staying and I am now able to host guests comfortably. So now you have an open invitation to visit me here in Jerusalem. (Just let me know in advance)





July 15th. Meting in Sderot:


The next day after I moved apartments I had a meeting in Sderot with a contact for a work project there.
After the meeting one of their staff took me around the city of Sderot and showed me the places where the rockets fell; some even on resident's homes! I was also able to see the new bomb shelters that are being built onto every private home.
It is so sad that the people of this city have to live with this kind of security threat every day. Many of them do not wear their seat belts while driving so that they will be able to flee their cars when they hear the warning siren.


July 22-23rd. Latest Discovery Group project

Last week I led a group of teenagers doing a work project in the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens.
There was a stream that was full of over-grown plants and weeds and the gardener had given us the task of clearing out all the plants that were growing in the stream.



Let me tell you that it was not an easy task but these kids went at it with all their hearts and by the end of the two days the place was cleaned out! The group also did weeding in several flower gardens.
The staff of the Botanical gardens had never seen such a group of teenagers. They never complained of being tired, hot or anything. At the end of the work project,

the Garden's staff gave the group a certificate of thanks, gave them a tour of the Gardens on the "train" and we even saw the new Butterfly House.