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Supplies we brought across the border into Jordan...

More of the Beautiful Syrian Children

Home

Yes, we have returned home. Home to a comfortable place where our loved ones are and our animals are excited to see us.

But I want to talk about home in a different way right now. Home is where you are peaceful. Home is where you know you are secure. Home is where everything around you is familiar and comfortable.

We just loved on a group of people who cannot say that, or feel that. And they do not know when they will, if ever, feel that way again. We know that our brief time with them tending to their medical needs, their dental needs, and playing with the children did not bring them that sense of home. But we do know that the expression of love that we gave, showed them that there is a real place called Home. Home where God dwells and where we as believers will one day live, forever!

We went bearing that news, showing that evidence in our touch and in our smiles and in our laughter. Yes, we even were able to see the children laugh and the men and women smile! These people looked at us as if we were God Himself. We, of course, are not, nor pretend to be. But what we were, were a people who believe His Spirit dwells within us as we have received that free gift from God. We believe we were imitators of that Love.

As we said our good byes, it was quite emotional for me. I will not be the same. I will not think the same when I hear about Syrian refugees. What I witnessed was a group of people who long for their “home” again. What could I tell them? I have no idea what that particular future looks like for them. Some say it could be 10 years before peace comes to Syria, if ever. But what I do know is this one thing. That there is a Home after this one, and it lasts forever. We are promised that there will be no more sadness, crying or pain. There will be joy, peace and never ending Love. Forever. This is the Home that we told them about. I hope to see them there!

In One Day...

These are just a sample of the stories that we are hearing in just one day.

9 year old girl saw 5 of her classmates killed by a bomb while at school. In running home, she saw another plane over her house. Fearing the death of her mother, she ran as fast as she could run screaming and crying. Arrived at her home to find out that her mother had gone out to the store to buy something and was safe.

Now she suffers from daily night terrors and flashbacks..

26 year old man refused to join the Syrian forces and fled. He was captured and tortured and his family was killed. He fled to Jordan where he cannot get a job because it is illegal for Syrians to work in Jordan. What can he do?

Young mother comes in stoic with her 13 year old son. When asked how we can help her, she breaks. She breaks into uncontrollable sobs while her 13 year old son’s eyes fill with tears. They cannot find her husband, his father when they had to flee the war.

12-year old boy has an obvious tremor with odd eye movements. A handsome, polite boy who wants to be a doctor. Favorite subject is Science, when he went to school.  He clearly has PTSD from bombing in his neighborhood. Fled to Jordan, now what?

3 year old boy cried hysterically when he dropped his sucker and it broke. I thought who knows what this little one has experienced and went and scooped him up in my arms. I was determined to find him another sucker as he was uncontrollable. He clung to my neck while I went into the clinic. Who had one? My dear husband. I did not care that he was seeing other patients, I needed to get this little boy the one thing I knew would make him happy, if only for a short time. I sat down and rocked him while he sucked on his sucker and clung to my neck…

All in one day, a life changing one at that.

When you think you have it rough, reread these stories and then multiply them by 1 million. That is the plight of the poor people who fled a war torn country.

Abdullah

A handsome young boy was hanging around the area where we worked with the children. His hair was combed like Bruno Mars. He had cool clothes on and he was about 12 years old. Handsome boy~

When I walked by him and smiled he said “hello”! I answered him back and went on my way.

Awhile later I went out and a man told me that he wanted some hot tea that had been laid out where we were. This is not something you normally do, but I felt drawn to him. I went and snuck him a cup and he said in English “thank you”..

As the morning went on, he came all the way in the room where we had the little ones. Coloring away. He clearly wanted to engage with us but we were not sure how much to include him as he was the oldest one there.

With my translator I asked him his name, Abdullah he told me. I said I was happy to meet him. Then in trying to make conversation I noticed he started to stammer. The more he talked, the more it increased. He then just stopped and left the room. Ashamed.

He wandered back in and my translator engaged him once again regarding a salvation bracelet that we were all wearing. He listened intently, but when it got to the part about making a decision for Jesus he said “I have to go but will come back tomorrow”. We looked at each other and shrugged, knowing we would not see him again.

After lunch, here he came. My translator took him aside personally and told her all about the man named God who sent His one and only son Jesus to die for him, Abdullah. He said he wanted that so much. He wanted this God to heal his voice. You see, he had bombs drop in his neighborhood and ever since then, he cannot speak without a horrible stammer. My translator and I promised we would pray to God to heal his voice. He certainly is suffering from PTSD. We believe that God can heal him with a touch of His hand, and heal him He will.

One of many sad stories that the kids wanted to tell someone, and I was a willing listener.

City of Refuge

Jordan is not new to being a place where people who have to flee their homes and country are welcome. The Palestinians fled there. The Iraqi’s fled there. Now, the Syrians are pouring across the border fleeing civil war.

Many are fleeing with only the clothes on their backs. Ignorantly, I was picturing that these people were the lowly of the lows. I was corrected yesterday by the “man” whose phone receives a text daily with the number of new refugees arriving.  Today alone, 1,000! He also told us that these are professionals, doctors, lawyers, and the common, average everyday citizen. Suddenly, my mindset was changed, forever.

Imagine how these people feel. Imagine how they desire to be treated. Once having held a high rank position in their field of expertise, they are now completely dependant on a country, and a people, to provide all their needs. Immediately, I began to cry. What these people need is not disdain, judgment, or even anything less than respect. They are the ones we are serving. They will be treated with highest regard and personal value. They will receive great honor and dignity from us, just as you or I would desire if we were in this position.

I also learned that it has been 1400 years since the name of Jesus has been spoken to the majority of these. Is it any wonder that they are a people who find themselves in such a depraved country.

We will bring the name of Jesus to them in our actions. We will value them with our behavior and touch. The children I understand express themselves and their lives in pictures they draw. Pictures of hangings, pictures of stabbings, pictures of their own rapes, pictures of guns and knives. Only with the help of God will I be able to not break when I see this. You see, I want to introduce them to a loving Person. A person who has a plan for them, if not in this lifetime, the most important one, the eternal one. I will love on them like crazy! I will do my best to make them smile, laugh and even have fun! And yes, I will tell them about Isa, the name above all names. The Shepherd who leaves the 99 to search for the missing 1.  I will tell them that He has found the 1, it is them.

I pray their future drawings will be of a people who came to love them and tell them the Good News…

Exhausted and Lacking Peace

The city bustles with many, many people just trying to go about their daily activities.

With exhaustion evident on their faces, they just get things done. The language itself is harsh and it always sounds like everyone is fighting, who knows, maybe they are speaking kind words. It is hard to tell.

The other obvious thing is there is no peace in their eyes, the windows of their souls. There is no doubt as to why. Throughout the day, a call to prayer goes out over loudspeakers across their land. Forcing allegiance or else. I am sitting here writing this at 4:30 am having been awakened by it. I start singing in my heart “Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty early in the morning our song shall rise to thee”. Then it strikes me, no wonder they look worn. They are awakened by this forced demand to pray to someone who is not Holy.

So I begin to pray now. I pray to a Holy God. The great I Am. The One who gives us a choice, accept Him or deny Him. No matter your choice, He still will love you. It says in His Book “where the Spirit of the Lord is there is FREEDOM!”

Now I know why 13 strangers are gathering together playing four square, cutting out lambs and making wool out of cotton balls, giggling and high fiving each other with happiness in their eyes, because our souls are filled with the One who gives us freedom to love Him, and love Him we do.

Exhausted? Yes we are..Lacking Peace? Not us!

Beauty and Confusion

A Country of Beauty and Confusion

We have spent the last two days in Israel before we cross the border tomorrow into Jordan.

There are many beautiful things about this country. The people, the food, the landscape and, of course, the places where Jesus walked and taught. The Garden of Gethsemane is very somber while beautiful at the same time. The garden itself is beautifully landscaped and still has the olive trees that were there when Jesus went to pray to his Father the night before he was crucified. That is where it is not so beautiful. Yet, had this historical event not happened, we would not have what we hold so close to our heart today, our faith!

As we strolled through the Garden, we could hear the call to prayer from the mosque just across from the place where Jesus called to prayer to His Father, God. Confusion with the beauty…

On Fridays, there is no meat served in our hotel as it is a Catholic hotel. There are no shops open in the Arab Quarter because it is a holy holiday, and Passover week for the Jewish people! Wow, a lot to try to figure out.. Glad that we have the Freedom from the law because of the Veil that was torn many years ago!

Watch as the next couple of days a blood moon will be rising low in the horizon. It should be spectacular and should point to the fact that the same person who put the moon in the sky, also heard His son in the Garden, crying out the night before He died. The same One who raised Him from the grave on the third day.

Beauty and Confusion…..

At the Sea

Many, many years ago, a man named Jesus gathered his “team” together along the Sea of Galilee. His purpose was to use them to help share His truth and to love the poor, the homeless, the abused, the broken hearted, the widows and the orphans. The men he selected were nothing special. They all had their faults, their “baggage” and were not perfect. They were just the men He could use for the Purpose. He knew no one would be perfect but He knew they would be willing. They followed Him willingly and with great humility. They felt honored that He had called them to go along…

Here we are in the same place. We have come from different parts of the United States. We fit the same description of the team that was assembled years ago in this area of the world. You see, we heard the “call” to come. Come and love on the Syrian Refugees who have been abused, homeless, broken hearted, are widows and orphans. Same work, different time and place. We are humbled that he called us. We know that we will bond together to do His work because we have the same Spirit within us. We no longer have the person Jesus to watch and imitate but we have studied the book about Him and with the help of this Spirit that lives in each of us, we will imitate Him.

So, thank you for caring about the work ahead that we are privileged to be a part of. Pray for us if you think of it, and more importantly, pray for the dear ones we will have the chance to touch. Bless you..

We love you!

Hello!
 We are  ready and raring to go. When you plan and plan, it is just time to get on that plane and get there. That is where we are at today.

We had a lovely church service today and then spent some time with loving family. Our bags are soo stuffed they may pop any time now. 

Now we spend the next 24 hours resting. Focusing on what is before us. Preparing ourselves for what we will see and experience. Praying we will do what we are being called to do. Be the reflection of Jesus to these dear hurting people.

We often are asked "why do you have to go all the way over here when there are hurting people just around the corner:?" Good question and all I can say is that this time, we feel called to go and love on the Syrian refugees. We would like to think that during our everyday activities we are loving and caring as well. I know we fall short, but that is what is beautiful about grace. We just try again and pray we get it right the next time.

So, off we go! Thank you for following us. If possible, leave a comment so I know that there are people reading this..

Shalom and Salaam