Return to Rwanda

How blessed I was to spend one week in Rwanda with my YFC friends there.

Returning was a bit like ‘going home’. 

 Esther had been shopping for me and filled the kitchen with just what I love. 

It was wonderful to stay again in the same ‘dorm’ where Mal and I had spent those wonderful three months 8 years ago, and again with Sue in 2011. 

And again I enjoyed the view across the peaceful valley below each morning as I headed over to the YFC office.

Lots has changed in 8 years:

The school has grown and looks so much more established,

the office that we saw the foundations of in 2007 is completed and in full use,

the YFC property now has a quality fence and gates surrounding it 

with modern shops right next door.

  But the welcome, commitment and quality of the YFC staff hasn’t changed one bit. 

The ministry has grown and diversified and I was thrilled to see all of that.

And it was great to be there to celebrate Luc's birthday with them all.

I was also privileged to spend quality time with young people that Mal and I had had the privilege of helping in various ways,

 some now married and with children.

 

And also some quality young people sponsored by Aussies 

 through their university education. 
 

It was altogether a rich and precious time and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to spend time with my ‘family’ in Rwanda.

Galilee - where Jesus walked, taught, prayed, healed . . . .

After 10 fabulous days in and around Jerusalem we headed north through the harsh terrain of the Judean Hills to the very different Galilee region in the north of Israel.

We stayed three nights at Beit Bracha - House of Blessing - a quiet place of rest at Migdal on the north west coast of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret)

 

 while we toured the north of Israel at a leisurely pace.

 When I knew I was coming to Israel it was high on my agenda to come to the Sea of Galilee

 to see where Jesus spent a lot of His time,

called the fishermen,

walked with his closest companions,

calmed the storm,

taught on the mountainsides

and so much more.

It has been fabulous gaining perspective and some idea of what it might have been like 2000 years ago when He walked these hills.

This is my last Israel blog post. It has been a wonderful time of education and reflection for me and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to spend time here.

Thank you Don & Caroline for your warm and excellent hospitality.

Ein Gedi on the Dead Sea

After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 

1 Samuel 24:1

 

So interesting to see the terrain mentioned in the Bible.

It sure is a desert! 

But streams of beautiful, clear water gush out of the side of the mountains refreshing body and soul.

Presumably it's what refreshed David and his men as they hid from Saul

Christ Church Spring Fair

Each year Christ Church hosts a Spring Fair to raise funds for the poor in Jerusalem. It was last Saturday. What a bonus to be here for the Spring Fair.

CMJ began in England and so there is a distinctively English feel to the fair.

 

There was something for everyone:

 

Face painting and jumping castle for the littlies,

White elephant and bric-a-brac,

English Fish & Chips for lunch,

Second hand clothing in the dining room,

Coffee and cakes from Fran,

Lucky dip with Jane,

Boutique second hand (!!)

in the walled garden,

second hand books - SO many great books

and English folk tunes from John on the grand piano in the church. Fabulous!

Caroline and I were the bean counters and 'we' made well over 20,000 NIS (New Israeli Shekels) nearly AUS $7000. Pretty good effort!

Where was Jesus buried?

There is a tomb in Jerusalem where some say that Jesus was buried. This is The Garden Tomb.

This is a serene garden in the midst of the busy city where it is quite possible that Jesus was buried.

There are many reasons why this COULD be the burial place of Jesus, the garden does fit the details described in the gospel accounts, but there is no proof.

 It was really interesting to be able to walk right into the tomb, to get an idea of what the tombs looked like and where and how people were buried 2000 years ago in Jesus' time.

It was a great place to reflect on the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus, the women who came to annoint Him and the disciples who did not find Him in the tomb but were told by the angel: "'Don’t be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.'" Mark 16:6

 As the commentary we listened to at the garden said, it isn't so important exactly where Jesus was buried, but why and for whom. For us there is no dispute that: Jesus Christ was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead." Romans 1:4

And Jesus Himself said: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though He dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die." John 11:25,26

Communion in Jerusalem

On Sunday morning I attended the morning worship service at Christ Church in the old city of Jerusalem. 

The church was packed to overflowing with believers in Jesus from many nations speaking many languages.  

It was thrilling to be amongst a large congregation singing:

"Every tongue in heaven and earth, shall declare your glory
Every knee shall bow at your throne, in worship
You will be exalted Oh God, and your kingdom, shall not pass away,
Oh Ancient of Days"

Here we all were declaring God's glory, exalting Him, worshipping Him together IN JERUSALEM,

  and declaring:
"We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that He conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And He's comin' back again, we believe"

Awesome!

And then communion at the altar rail was a sacred moment for me. After visiting the Garden of Gethsemane a few days earlier and thinking of the struggle Jesus had with His impending death, it was easy to picture these events and the choice He made for me . . . and for all mankind. Here I was thanking Jesus for shedding His blood for me, right in the city where He hung on a cross, gave His life, shed His blood, paid my ransom, bought my freedom. It was within walking distance of where I was right then. Added a whole new depth to the meaning of His sacrifice for me and for all.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to be in Jerusalem, to walk these streets where Jesus walked, where He chose to die and where He rose to life again.

The Garden of Gethsemane

"When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it." 

John 18:1

Last week Rosie and I crossed the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem  

 and visited that very same garden!

In Matthew 26:39 we are told that "He fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" 

And in Matthew 26:42 "He went away a second time and prayed, 'My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.'"

 

It was very moving to be on the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane, knowing that Jesus had been here with His disciples, agonising with God, asking if it was possible for things to be different, but choosing to be obedient to His Father.

Thank you, Jesus.
I am forever thankful.

A Messianic celebration of Shabbat

We know it as the Sabbath, but in Hebrew the word is Shabbat 

Yesterday was Shabbat. It began at sundown on Friday night and ended at sundown last night.   All Israeli Jewish businesses and services stop on Shabbat, hence there is no public transport and the place is VERY quiet. We live on the train line (similar to our trams) that runs down the centre of the main street.

Shabbat is a day of rest, celebration and family and something the Jews look forward to with eager anticipation.

On Friday night we shared a Shabbat meal in Don & Caroline's home. We followed the traditional celebration, but because we are believers in Jesus a few of the words spoken were adjusted to reflect our faith in Jesus as Messiah.

As we proceeded through the meal, they shared some of the traditions of this life-giving celebration with us.

 

 Caroline lit the candles, as the mother usually does, to usher in the Shabbat.

 Don poured each of us a glass of wine, the fruit of the vine, and we shared Shabbat bread  to represent creation.

 We said some of the traditional prayers

and enjoyed our Shabbat meal together.

"Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe

who sanctifies us by the blood of Yeshua

and commands us to be a light to the nations"