Questions, questions, questions.

Of all the questions I am asked surrounding my trip to Israel, the one I hear most is of course, “Aren't you scared?”

Am I scared? Not exactly. Well...no, no I'm not scared. That doesn't mean that I'm oblivious to the conflict, or the regional neighbors, or the intent of many of those neighbors to destroy Israel, I am not scared, but I am aware. Life happens, and I happen to be going to a place in the world where particularly dangerous things are happening and we're all watching. I'm not scared, but I'm not foolhardy and interestingly I got the same question when I went to Detroit and Chicago.

I don't mean to dismiss the concerns of my many dear friends and family who see the news and hear about the violence and thankfully, because that's what friends do, they worry. I know there will be potential danger and yet these words from Gary Haugen, the founder of International Justice Mission challenge me. “Here is one choice that our Father wants us to understand as Christians, and I believe this is the choice of our age: Do we want to be brave or safe? Gently, lovingly, our heavenly Father wants us to know that we simply can't be both.”

And these words from Joshua encourage me, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Am I scared? Not yet.

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Just Courage: God's Great Expedition for the Restless Christian, Gary A Haugen, Inter-Varsity Press/2008

http://www.handinhandk12.org/news/hand-hand-continues-respond-ongoing-violence-continual-updates

An open invitation

The State of Israel, more or less as we know it today, is just a little older than I am. We grew up together, thousands of miles apart. From the time I was old enough to remember, Israel has been a part of my life in one way or another. I felt a particular kinship and a spiritual connection as a Christian with my Jewish brothers and sisters. I heard the stories of the Old Testament as my own, after all, it is the foundation of our faith.

While my life path didn't go quite as I'd expected, my love for Israel never faded and for the next year, thanks to a group of precious, forward thinking proactive individuals in Houston, I'll be fulfilling part of a promise I made to myself go to Israel and work with children. Not just Jewish children. Jewish and Arab, Muslim and Christian children from Jewish and Arab families who see the future of their country as one of two people but one peace.

I hear the word Peacemaking bounced around so much, often I think, inappropriately. Like any word used too often to cover too much, it loses it's power, much like salt that is mixed or diluted. This opportunity to me is real peacemaking; hip deep, boots on the ground, not just bringing people together to see that they really are people with value, that they have so much in common, but facilitating the desire already present in those people to come together. Letting kids be kids before grownups can teach them to hate people they don't know and encouraging parents who want a world of peace for their children by connecting with people the world would tell them are their enemies.

I'm not going as a missionary. I'm going as the hands and feet, the smile and heart, and the love of the Savior who first loved me. I'm going to spend a year doing the real work, not throwing money at a problem or making symbolic gestures.

Recently I posted a video of the song “Do Something” by Matthew West. In it he admits “So, I shook my fist at Heaven, said, “God, why don't You do something?” He said, “I did, I created you”.
He goes on to sing, “If not us, then who. If not me and you right now, it's time for us to do something. If not now, then when will we see an end to all this pain. It's not enough to do nothing, it's time for us to do something.”

What's your something?

Come with me as I travel to the Middle East and work at the Hand In Hand School in Jerusalem.

http://www.handinhandk12.org/ Let me share this adventure with you in these pages.

This is my something.



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“Do Something” West, Matthew, published by Lyrics©Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.