There are almost no words to describe our time there, but I’ll do my best.
Apart from awesome views, beautiful shops, friendly, and very persistent, shopkeepers, it was an absolute honor to walk where the Gospel itself came through and where Paul became an Apostle.
The shops (known as a Bizzare Market) offered a variety of goods and souvenirs. Ranging from traditional scarves, dresses, shirts and pants. Not to mention a plethora of local-made trinkets and dishes; cups, bowls, and coffee pots.
The shopkeepers that I met were the nicest people I have ever met, and they had a TON, no exaggeration, of love for J (our fieldworker). They made this very clear as they described him as their “brother” and told us how long they knew him. I, along with everyone else, was able to receive discounts and gifts based on my connection with J.
Despite the discounts received, many of us took full advantage of bargaining to get a better price. My only regret from this day is not partaking in a supposedly exciting experience.
Going back to the roads where the Gospel came through; apart from the reality that I honestly have no words for, the kiosks had very beautiful jewelry and stones that sparkled in the sunlight. I think one of my other highlights is being able to attempt an Irish jig while a local musician played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.
Overall, it was a wonderful time that we will all remember for the rest of our lives.
After many of us stayed up late last night for team bonding and another trip to McDonalds, we had a nice and early 7am start for the book sale. We spent a couple of hours finishing preparing for crafts and setting up books which included organizing several hundred by author.
In the afternoon, Jess created tissue paper art of turtles, owls, and fish with families, Macey ran a friendship bracelet making station, I ran a mandala drawing and coloring station, and Caleb ran the book sale and became familiarized with the local currency while everyone else assisted in greeting and keeping the books organized. As the craft portion was winding down, Macey, Josh and I attempted to make balloon animals but struggled with popping balloons and difficult pumps.
Overall, it was a huge success. We sold over 500 books by the end of the sale and the library gained a few new family memberships! We loved having the opportunity to talk with some of the local families and discuss their favorite parts of living in the area and got a few recommendations for restaurants and places to visit. The kids were all extremely bright and everyone we met warmly welcomed us into their community.
After the book sale, Rose, Zoe and Jess blessed us with a wonderful home cooked meal that not just anyone could have made.
Today was day 5 of our adventure out in the Middle East. Let me just start this day off by saying that it has been such a blessing to be out here and be a part of this team. We woke up to a rainy morning here with many of us running up to the roof to see, feel, and smell the lovely rain that is uncommon during this time of year. After our excitement about the rain it was time for us to prepare for our day.
In the Middle East, Friday is the day of sabbath, so Books and More was closed and we were able to go to a Baptist church and experience a sermon in the book of Ruth both in English and in Arabic. The time of worship that we were able to share together was unlike any other. We were able to experience both English worship songs as well as Arabic songs. The energy was amazing and you could feel the power and the passion that the worship team had. We were all greatly encouraged and uplifted by our time in worship and communion and felt ready to tackle the rest of the day.
After church we were able to run back to Books and More, grab our bags that we had packed the night before, and prepare to embark on our first journey of this trip. We piled into two different vans and set out for the Dead Sea.
Let me preface by saying that going into this excursion we all had the impression that we were going to be able to take showers. When I say showers I mean LONG showers with HOT water and us not having to worry about RUNNING OUT of water. So we all packet a backpack with clean clothes and shampoo, conditioner and soap. We were very much looking forward to this, but we will come back to that.
The drive to the Dead Sea was quick and easy. It took us about 35 minutes to drive down to the sea, which some of you may know is 427 meters below sea level! We were warned ahead of time that driving down, we were going to feel heavier and the air was going to be more dense. This was a very accurate statement. Just like traveling to higher elevations where the air is thinner and you feel a bit light headed at times we all felt a similar shift as we descended into a lower elevation than any of us are used to.
Once we reached our destination, the first thing that we noticed as we crawled out of the vans, was that WOW it was so much hotter down there than it was where we had just been. We had got to a resort that we had to go through in order to make it down to the Dead Sea, we made our way through the resort and to a delicious buffet that we were able to eat lunch at before we made it to our final destination. The food was incredible and by the time we had finished eating we were all stuffed. After we had finished lunch we made our way down to the Dead sea.
The Dead Sea was probably the most amazing part of our trip so far. A lot of times people say things that aren’t quite true, or that are extremely exaggerated. When people say that they just float in the Dead Sea, they legitimately mean that you can not stand. Once you get to a certain point in the water you no longer can stand. Your body literally just floats. You don’t have to tread water or even try to swim, you just sit there, float, and exist. We spent the next hour and a half to two hours floating, soaking in a clay/mud mask that you were able to lather on before getting in, and just genuinely enjoying life in that moment.
Now let’s go back to back to the part of the post where I mentioned the showering. After being in the Dead Sea your skin feels oily and salty all at the same time. There is a slight burn to your skin and you definitely feel in need of a shower. However, there were no showers to be found, and the heat was sweltering… We ended up not being able to shower because there was none other than the rinse-off showers which were, let’s just say, not the best. We ended up piling back into the vans, driving back to Books and More and showering there. Day 5 was a success and full of so many fun times, laughter and many memories that will last us a lifetime. We are missing all our friends and family back home, but we are excited to see how God is going to use us here and the adventures that we are going to embark on throughout the rest of this trip.
-Macey
Some Prayer Requests for our team:
Continued safety throughout our trip.
Health, and for everyone to stay healthy.
Peace and comfort for those who are experiencing any homesickness.
Wisdom and discernment for us and how we carry ourselves and portray ourselves to the community.
Rest and energy for those who are still struggling with the time differences.
While I wish that I could say I hit the ground running here at the library, by the time I rolled over and checked the time on my phone, it was already 3 p.m.. The majority of us were incredibly thankful to sleep in a bed and to recharge our batteries.
Despite the late start to the day we were able to have a solid planning meeting and get started on various projects for the library. This included preparing crafts and a story time for a school visit, cleaning tables, organizing books and lots of coffee drinking.
To end off our night we took a trek down to McDonalds, while some might think that we are just simple Americans, it was hands down some of the best McNuggets I have ever had, and the sprite was extra crispy. Many of the team got adventurous and tried some menu items that are exclusive here, it was fun to see the variety of options that were available.
June 9th – Thursday
Thursday morning had a much smoother start and we were able to wake up early and enjoy a nice breakfast before preparing for our school visit. I have learned that any morning in the library cannot be complete without being asked if you would like a cup of coffee or tea. It is comforting to smell coffee constantly and being surrounded by books.
Macey read a story about a fish to the kids, some of the students only spoke Arabic and it was amazing to hear their teacher translate the story to the students on the spot. The students loved the story and asked lots of questions about fish and tadpoles.
Following the story, the team was able to help Kylie with a fish and snake craft. Craft time was by far my favorite part of the visit, as we got to see the students’ personalities. They were very excited to see that famous YouTube star and former Disney channel actor “Jake Paul” joined us on our trip. We have decided that from now on the only way we will address Nathan is by Jake Paul, or Ohio, which was another one of the kids favorite jokes.
We were able to share lunch with the children and enjoyed pizza, bananas and even more laughs. It was so encouraging to see how much our presence impacted the students. As they pulled away they shouted goodbyes and waved, it felt like such encouragement. They were a rowdy group that kept us on our toes and they have already brought us many laughs looking back.
After the school visit, we started getting ready for a book sale this weekend, this included setting up shelving outside, moving tile and even more craft prep. It was such a nice afternoon that it helped the tasks go by quickly even when they got to be a little frustrating. We had a busy afternoon of prep and we finished off our night by having a full spread of Mediterranean food. It was amazing and so fun to sit down with the whole team and just relax for the evening.
We ended both nights by spending time as a team and talking about our days. Despite many of us being very tired throughout the day, these times of reflection have been my favorite and it’s one of the few times that we are all together and able to check-in and see how we are doing. In just a few short days, I have seen our team grow and bound. I am so excited to see how God continues to work through us throughout the rest of our time here.
Praise God! After many hours of travel and a couple layovers, the team has arrived safely in the Middle East and has made it to their ministry base. Pray that the team is able to get some rest and has a smooth transition into life in the Middle East. We are praying for fresh energy and excitement to jump into the ministry and culture!
Take a look at their travel journey so far!
A few hours in the airport in Canada. We had time to grab a bite to eat and explore the aquarium before our flight left. We noticed we had the chance to fly on a two-story airplane!
This flight to Germany was overnight, and many of us only slept a little. We had a few hours to explore Frankfurt and enjoyed seeing and tasting part of the German culture. After troubleshooting how to store our luggage in the lockers at the train station, we got a bite of German culture.
U-Bahn Train from Frankfurt Germany Airport into the city of FrankfurtLuggage Locker ShenanigansAuthentic German Bratwurst – Street Vendor Authentic German Pastries – Local Bakery (Walnusswecken & Dinkel-Mohnschnecke)We loaded up our luggage and traveled 30 min to our ministry base.
Day 3 of trip: Landing in our final destination in the Middle East – 2:20 AM
We had the opportunity to fly over Israel and they have some unique local requirements when flying over this air space.
We got off the plane from both the front and the back. Walked to the busses on the outside and entered the international terminal. First, we had to go through a prescreen to get visas. Next, we traveled to Immigration and had to state our name and the address of the location we were staying. Next, we went to the baggage claim, where one of our bags was missing. The bag was flagged after an inquiry about it, and we had to have an open bag inspection. After the large dominos and brads were cleared in the suitcase, we exited through customs. They flagged the same bag, and we had to do another open bag inspection. Exiting the airport, our fieldworker had two drivers there to greet us.
4:00 AM – Arrived at our ministry base
When we arrived, our fieldworker gave us a tour and shared with us the next-day plan. We took some photos and prepared for bed.
Now it is time to get some rest!
Journal Entry Reflections:
What are we Grateful for?
All travelers were helpful, positive, and responsible
No significant issues hindered our travel
The food worked out well (opportunities and in-flight options)
The in-flight service was wonderful
What were some challenges?
Long layover in Germany (~10 hours)
Where did God show up?
Travel Protection
Inter-team relationships
Kind and generous international travelers. Many on our team interacted and communicated with other travelers, and it opened our eyes to God’s wonderful creation
Jessup’s first Global Outreach team of the summer is now at the airport and getting ready to depart for their trip! Join us in praying for them as they embark on their first flight and very long travel journey (about 35 hours before they reach their destination). Pray for their health, safety, unity, and that God would continue to work in them and through them as they go to serve for the next two weeks.
We will update again when the team arrives and gets settled in the Middle East!
Curious to learn more about Jessup’s ministry partner in the Caribbean?
Students International is focused on meeting the holistic needs of people in vulnerable communities in Latin America. Their full-time staff lead ministry sites to serve those in need year-round. Students (or Short-Term teams) serve alongside SI missionaries and make a real difference in the lives of the people they serve. Short-term missions, long-term impact.” Students International offers opportunities to serve in the following countries:
It’s important to help without hurting. Students International missionaries know the people, culture, and specific needs of the local community, and they’re connected to the local church where their ministry site is located. Students International offers many types of ministry sites, and they vary by country. Medical Missions, sports ministry, pre-schools, social work, microfinance, and agriculture are just a few examples of where a student can work. Trips are typically 9 days or 13 days. But they also have longer options like summer staff, internships, study abroad and semester programs, and Global Bridge. We are proud supporters of Students International and we are so excited to send our second Jessup team to work with them this summer! If you want to find out more information about them, you can visit their website at www.stint.com.
Team Middle East’s final wrap up from leaders, Rose and Eva:
We’re headed home at the end of a long, long day. Though visiting the Dead Sea was not part of our original trip plan, there was a free afternoon between church and our flight that became available for us to take one last big excursion out. This addition to the schedule not only required coordination, but an uncertain amount of energy. Against a relaxed afternoon at the apartment or a little exploring of downtown, traveling to the Dead Sea sounded the most depleting before a big day of travel. Despite these risks, Rose, Kayla, Alina, Eliza, and myself tenuously agreed to take on the adventure while the rest of the group had a familiar meal and saw some local sites after church.
It takes about an hour to get to this side of the Dead Sea and in many ways it was like taking a trip to Lake Tahoe; the drive was beautiful, the lake is famous and not overrated, and it helps to have some insider info for the best experience. We found ourselves at a Holiday Inn unlike any other. Our driver negotiated our way into the best buffet lunch we could have imagined, then we were escorted to the changing rooms and then found our way past the multiple pools down to the access-point-beach-type-thing for the Dead Sea.
Amazing is an understatement. We were delighted by our buoyancy, we were enamored by the hazy desert beauty around us, we were smitten with the amount of luxury 20 JD got us at the Holiday Inn. Though the joy abounded, we all really missed our friends and wished they were there with us.
The camaraderie on this trip has truly been a highlight. Pretty much everyone arrived two weeks ago barely knowing one another. It had been a significant concern of mine that we missed the full group bonding experience through the semester, but as usual, my worries were blown away by the goodness of God.
Our friendship with one another is just one of the ways that my expectations were proven inadequately humble. I witnessed students not only open up to, but embrace a culture that none of them originally signed on to visit. I witnessed them expand their own talents as they hosted summer camp in spite of their own exhaustion. I witnessed their encouragement for each other and their enthusiasm for trying new things and meeting new people. For some, it was the first or second time out of the US, but all behaved like seasoned travelers, asking great questions, recording their own reflections with diligence, and caring for others with various tonics and medicines (I personally benefited from each of their savvy packing).
So, visiting the Dead Sea was the perfect way to wrap up this life changing trip in my opinion. It perfectly captured for me all that I have gained in traveling with these students.
Thank you for your generosity in prayer. It was evident everyday that we are cared for by our gracious God. Please continue to pray for the library, its small but mighty staff, and the many lives that they touch through their willingness to serve. Pray for their health, the health of their families, and for a restful season of Eid al-Adha. Continue to pray for the students as they process their experiences. If you can, meet with them, I know they would love to tell you every detail!
Much love, Eva.
Missing this group so much! This was at church with the library’s business manager B, and his wife.Video of us having the time of our lives floating in the Dead Sea.Just floating in the sun.The other group exploring downtown AmmanEmmalee, our selfie expert, captures our final 0.5 group pic at SMF after many hours of travel.
Hi everyone,
Marhaba! مرحبا
Rose here. We are finally back in the USA (with all of our luggage) after 36ish hours of travel, and I am above all things so deeply grateful for this group and opportunity. Our group did the lion’s share of hustling through airports, and everyone had a fantastic attitude! Go team!
One of the most rewarding things about this trip on the whole has been seeing each student grow in massive ways over the two weeks we were together 24/7. Each student brought a separate and beautiful presence to the group, and I’m grateful for each one. The politics of this region are extremely complex, and talking through the complexities with the students was a highlight of the trip for me. Cultural differences in this region of the world can come across very harshly to a group of almost all women, and the treatment of women was very difficult for many of us Westerners; approximately 97% of the country is Muslim with approximately 1.8% of the population Christian. This means people have a different way of interacting with each other. Every student on this trip behaved with consideration and kindness to everyone they met, and I was proud to see them take initiative both while working in the library and outside of it. Every day of this trip brought new joys to me, and the biggest low many of us had was leaving. Returning home from this place was difficult as I felt as though everything I had set out to do was unfinished, and the new connections were hard to leave; I know many of the team cannot wait to return.
I love the vibrancy and electricity of the atmosphere in the Middle East; seeing the students absorb this and engage with the culture in their own ways was very rewarding to me. I love how many of the world’s largest religions and different people groups with incredibly rich heritage can all interact with each other in one small space—it makes for the most wildly alive place I have yet to visit, and sharing my passion, experience, and understanding for this region with our group was amazing. The phrase “Middle East” can sometimes come with an unfortunate unspoken stigma that conveys terrorism and violence, and I am looking forward to seeing these students return to their own social contexts with a new understanding of what life looks like in this city as a Christian and a new voice to advocate for our Middle Eastern neighbors. If you can, please sit down with them and ask to hear their experience! I’m also happy to speak with anyone about it.
At this NGO, there is a careful balance of grand hospitality amid stringent limitations: this seems to be the way of the Middle Eastern people in this country. Kindness amid political and religious landmines, discussing topics of faith while maintaining strict adherence to the laws against evangelism, offers of showers and washing machines amid unforgiving water conservation, invitations to stay at homes that may or may not be able to host us. Balance is everything. The people who inhabit this country are very hospitable, and this NGO is a direct reflection of that amidst the community. There is seemingly an infinite number of connections they could make to other resource sharing institutions in the region and around the world, and this all takes time and trust. This area of the world is very relationship centric, and those working in this NGO are seeking to build long-term relationships to support and grow this community in a nation filled with many people who have lived lives of hardship, poverty, and sometimes the atrocities of war. In this NGO in this city, there are more opportunities than there are people able to execute, and this fuels my (and some students’) desire to return. I know I will be back here (inshaAllah).
Team Middle East landed safely in California on Monday night right around midnight, and even got to see some firework shows from the plane! Thank you to everyone who has prayed for this team before, during, and now after their trip. The Lord was clearly using this team for his glory and work in the Middle East.
Please continue to be praying for the Middle East team as they recover from jet lag and may experience reverse culture shock as they come back to their lives in the US. Pray that the team would lean into God as they process their time spent there and that they would be encouraged by how God is continuing to work in their lives here and in the lives of people they met in the Middle East.
Make sure to ask your team member about their experience and how you can be praying for them and supporting them specifically! We thank you all!
Team Central America landed safely in California on Saturday afternoon! Thank you to everyone who has prayed for this team throughout their trip. God is good and it is clear he was working in and through the team on this trip.
Please continue to be praying for the Central America team as they re-enter the US and experience reverse culture shock. Pray that they would be encouraged by their time in Central America and that God would continue to work in and through them as they adjust to their lives in the states again.
Make sure to ask your team member about their experience and how you can be praying for them and supporting them specifically! We thank you all!
