Politics

So I was digging a grave the other day here in Jerusalem and was talking with Remise the maintenance man and our right hand man on the job site. He was telling us about his work days, "I always try to leave my house a half hour early, you know just in case the roads get closed because of a bomb or in case I get questioned by the police for a while on my bike ride to work." The three of us kinda looked at each other with one of those "is this guy serious?" looks but after a few days in Israel it all seems to make perfect sense. Everywhere in Israel we see signs that say "pray for the peace of Israel" and I have to admit I always think to myself, "fat chance" the turmoil in this country is really surprising and incredibly accurate to the image that the world has on Israel. Politics in Israel is like a continuous passive civil war. Here is a land where 2 very strong and distinct people groups have their claim of history and culture. Two very different cultures trying to co-exist in a country of incredible beauty and history. Well co-exist they do but co-operate they do not. Every day I seem to hear more stories of how oppressed the Arabs are by the Jewish government, how they cannot travel or even take a picture without being harassed by police. And then on the news we hear of another bombing in a Jewish neighborhood somewhere. And so the conflict continues, It really is heartbreaking to see a land so beautiful so torn apart. So though I feel the pain of Israel and fail to see the resolve I say this, "Please pray for the peace of Israel. "

The last few days we have been beyond the great concrete wall into what the locals call Palestine. It is here in this land of 100 percent Muslims we share the good news the best way that we know how, we pick up a paintbrush. Together with Richard we restored and gave life through color to a small kinder garden room in a small village in the middle of Palestine. We had many little visitors with lots to say unfortunately none of it in English but we show them love in a way they have never seen. It is a cultural assumption in these parts that you only help your own people group out, those of your religion and family but we are 4 white guys painting and fixing a classroom asking nothing in return. That my friends is the gospel to a closed nation the true good news of Christ.

Being in Israel is everything I hoped for and more. Having a taste of home working with the Christian Alliance church has been nothing less than exciting. Scot and Carrie Dresler and their 4 awesome kids have been like a family to us. Most evening we sit in their living room holding a child on our lap...OK I'm usually in the toy room playing cars or something rad. But they are great. As we see families like this who leave everything behind I am humbled to think of what I can possibly do to serve my God around this little place we call the world.

Daniel