Below is the same tree with my old apt building in the background.
For several years, CFI has used a muslim gentleman and his sons for various odd jobs which include moving. They were due at 9:00am and I thought I would stand on the street to help locate them. Soon a taxi driver pulled up with two other young men. He rolled down the window and said "CFI?". So the taxi driver and his brothers were to be my movers.
When he got out of the taxi, I said, "You are going to need a bigger truck!" Saying that I was actually borrowing the line from the movie Jaws, "You are going to need a bigger boat!" However, I did get a laugh out of him. Then he proceded to tell me that the truck would be here shortly. So step #1 in moving in the middle east is to sit all the furniture out on the street before the truck gets here. At least it was a pretty day and not raining.
Step #2 in middle east moving is to not bring any two wheelers or dollys to help move the appliances. Just pick them up and start walking.
Step #3 the Lord provides just the right size truck.
Step #4 - if the stabilizing bar does not quite close, just have 4 young, strong men push the bar until it does fit. Force the cargo to shift into place.
Step #5 - when you get to the destination apt, be sure and unload the truck completely before taking anything inside. This way the driver can go on to another job. Step #4a should have been to get into the truck cab with 4 muslims and the driver's son who was about 9 or 10. I believe 3 of them were named Mohammed. When we arrived in The German Colony, we needed to take a left on Rachel Immenu Street. Another work truck, with a Jew driving, accidentally pulled into the intersection and could not go forward because of the light. We had to wait for a second green light. But my driver, who had hardly said anything, started "yelling and shouting" at the top of his lungs, "waving his arms", etc. etc. I'm sure he was saying "Why did you pull into the intersection" in Arabic. It was either that or he decided now was the time to ask "Why did your ancestors steal my ancestors birthright for a bowl of stew?" Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. Genesis 25:29-34
Below is a photo of the old church where my congregation meets. At our last meeting, we did have a baptismal service. You will find the baptismal water in the center of the pulpit. What a unique idea they had 100 years ago to put it there. It could also serve as a podium for the pastor. The young man on the far right of the platform is the one to be baptized. In the middle is our pastor speaking Hebrew with the English translator on the left. Notice the high wooden ceilings. At least once or twice every week during praise and worship, the congregation will go "acapella" and just let the praise echo off the ceiling. I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples,
And I will sing praises to You among the nations. Psalm 108:3.
The sanctuary is actually upstairs. Then there is an additional stairwell like this one to a balcony. No OSHA requirements here. We do have one lady in a wheelchair. Every week four young men lift her and the chair and walk up the stairs.
We had a tour group from the Chicago area visit the congregation this evening. They were staying at the Prima Kings Hotel which is a decent walk from the congregation. I visited with them as I walked home. Their hotel was about one third of the way to The German Colony. It was a beautiful evening to walk with a full moon. Below is a picture of a street sign that the Lord Jesus must really like. Shalom Aleichem means "Peace Be Unto You" or "Peace Be With You". It was one of the Lord Jesus's favorite greetings. Luke 24:36; John 20:19; John 20:21; John 20:26. Someone's address in Jerusalem could be 1414 Peace Be Unto You Street.
White daisies in the apt courtyard.
Purple ones too.
Resurrection Sunday coincided with the Jews Feast of Purim this year. After attending Sunrise Services, I went by the office for a little while. At noon, my supervisor and I walked over to Ben Yehudah Street because we heard the music. My goodness was a festival taking place as commanded. And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, .... to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy... Esther 9:20-22
This looked like an old time vaudeville act to me. The guy in the middle is alive, the other four are dummies. He gets to dancing and moving all of the arms and legs at once like a chorus line. He was getting the laughs.
Last week I took a picture of Ben Yehudah Street on Shabbat when no one was there. Now on one of the feast days of Purim, you can hardly get by. Hizbullah threats in the north. Hamas in the southeast. Iran wants to nuke Israel. No one was paying attention to that today.
This is my supervisor, Vesco, accepting a dance with the lady on stilts.
The dance begins.
Vesco knows how to move. Vesco is in a very critical position at CFI as Accounting Supervisor and Coordinator. He is originally from Bulgaria. He speaks Hebrew, Russian, Bulgarian, English, and Japanese. The Lord blesses CFI with several multi-lingual volunteers. Not being able to speak Hebrew is easily the biggest challenge that I face.
Looks like the continent of Africa is represented.
There was even a Chinese Dragon.
This gentleman poised for me in front of our schwarma shop.
Many little children dressed up too. However it is not like the hideous holiday of Halloween with witches, spooks, and devils. What a horrible holiday that is. Purim is a Biblical holiday that Jews are supposed to remember because "they were not annihilated." Do not fear, O Jacob My servant,” says the LORD, “For I am with you; For I will make a complete end of all the nations To which I have driven you, But I will not make a complete end of you. I will rightly correct you, For I will not leave you wholly unpunished.” Jeremiah 46:28
Wisteria tree behind by apt.
Wisteria up close. I conducted my second conversation this week with a victim of Sderot. He was a true hero. I will try to write more about the interviews in the future. Next Tuesday will be another meeting with a family whose home was directly hit by a kassam rocket. Perhaps in mid-April I will make another trip to Sderot with the Under His Wings Project Team.
