Tuesday, October 28

Things are hopping around the Shevet house. Yesterday Shanaw and Kale both had good echocardiograms so the doctors have released them to go home. Tonight there will be a big celebration dinner at the Pettett's apartment so everyone is excited. All the guests, staff, and volunteers have been invited so it will be a big crowd. There is also the possibility that Sara will get out of the hospital today.

Nancy and I have been busy doing a wide range of tasks which have included walking to the supermarket to buy groceries for the families to cook and updating the non-USA mailing list by comparing two LONG lists. We like to stay busy.

Please pray that Nancy gets a seat on the flight tomorrow night from Tel Aviv to Atlanta. She is flying on a "buddy pass" so she will not know if she has a seat until just before the departure time. My return flight is Thursday night and leaves Tel Aviv at 10:25. It arrives in Atlanta on Friday morning at 6:05 AM and takes almost 15 hours. We are both looking forward to going home since three weeks is plenty of time to get the "total experience"!!!

Friday evening, October 24

Guess what? It's Shabbat again - but it's the last one we'll have on this trip. Nancy and I braved public transportation today and made our way to one of the hospitals in Tel Aviv. We visited Ala'a in ICU and found out that she'll have a second heart surgery on Sunday. Her mother now recognizes us as familiar faces who care about her and her daughter. Then we went to check on 10-month-old Rasan. It was a surprise to find out that the orthopedic doctor had put casts on Rasan's club feet. He'll have the casts for 3 weeks. He will not be able to have surgery to correct his cleft palate until he is atleast one year old.



Our roommate Katrina Logan from New Zealand left today, and she'll be replaced by Esther from Germany. Also, Hevi and her mom Sheilan began their journey back home at noon today.

Pictured are Hank Dannecker and his daughter AbbyRose, Hevi (with a blanket made by a group from Hank's church), and Sheilan.

Thursday, 10/23

Hey, everybody. We just returned from a day long retreat at Alex and Jamie Pettett's apartment outside Jerusalem. It was a wonderful peaceful day for the whole group to reflect, pray, and have quiet time with the Lord. On the way home, we found out that Hevi and her mother are leaving in the morning to return to Jordan on the way to Iraq. Hevi's parents have decided that they do not want to go forward with her surgery. She has been in Israel since July. Love to each of you.

Kale

Here is picture of 8-year-old Kale from Iraq. She reminds me of Gracie in that she's smart, very observant, and remembers everything she sees us do! Her surgery was a week ago, and she's doing well. Please pray that the fluid around her heart goes away by her next ultrasound tomorrow.

All the girls love singing "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes" and saying, "Eeney, Meeney, Miney, Moe". They are like sponges soaking up new English words every day.

Monday, October 20

Here are a couple of pictures of the Iraqi girls who are here at the Shevet House. Last night a couple of American students spent an hour with the girls and painted their fingernails. What a hit! To the left are Hevi (awaiting surgery), Dawn (the student volunteer), and Shanaw (two weeks past surgery).

God answered your prayers for healing of my sore throat. Today I feel so much better and am able to go with Nancy to visit patients at two hospitals in Tel Aviv. Since the water pump in the Shevet van is out of commission, we have to find our way there and back using public transportation. The drivers of the sheroots and taxis know that we are Americans and try to up their prices, but we are learning the ropes!

Sunday, October 19

I need your prayers! Last night my throat started getting really sore, and today has been much of the same. My roommates prayed for me this morning so I believe I will fight this off with the Lord's help. My guess is that I am having an allergic reaction to the dust, mold, and mildew all around the house. The open windows allow dust from the construction site next door to settle over everything. I want to feel better so that I can visit the children in the hospital and take part in all that God has in store. Sunday here is just like any weekday so we've spent the day catching up on laundry. Tonight is the final night of the Feast of Tabernacles activities so Donna and Nancy will be there until 11 PM. Hope you've had a restful Sabbath.

Shabbat - again!

As of sundown today, we've been in Israel one week. And already we are beginning the third Shabbat since we've been here. The Sabbath, as we call it, begins at sundown on a holiday or Friday and ends at the next sundown. During this time, almost everything shuts down. The rest will be welcome to everyone at the Shevet Achim house since this week has been filled with long days. My "activities" as a volunteer have included such things as working a shift at the booth at the Feast of Tabernacles, helping with housecleaning, buying fruits and vegetables at the Arab market, and sorting through children's clothes. But what I've enjoyed most has been getting to know the little girls and their mothers. In the evenings after supper, we usually end up in their bedroom, and a couple of nights ago one of the girls starting playing Kirdish music on her cell phone. With arms linked together, we began to dance in a circle and act really silly. I haven't been able to live my antics down yet! The girls get a kick out of the highlights in my hair, and use the vocabulary they have learned so far to say that my hair is "brown, blue, yellow, white, pink..." We can't speak each other's language, but the eyes say it all.

This adventure is a continual reminder of just how "spoiled" I am. Sharing a bathroom with lots of folks and sleeping in a barracks style set-up is a real challenge for me. I am drawing on the Lord's grace to help me remain "workable clay" in His hands. I miss my friends and family so much, but know that God has ordered my steps so that I can spend these days in the Land. Lots of love to each of you.