Middle East

On our last night in the city, we met with X, our field worker, for dinner at a meat place, and we navigated through the CHAOTIC streets one more time on our way to the store. Sometimes the streets of the city feel like a fever dream with the amount of vibrant activity constantly. The team got some snacks for the plane (a real morale boost), and headed home to leave for the airport.

Earlier that day we had cleaned the entire apartment complex on the upstairs of the building where we stayed to finish our service there strong. This meant hanging up decorations with power tools, cleaning everything from ceiling to floor, repairing things we saw needing fixing, and rearranging and reorganizing furniture and appliances to better plan for future groups. Being able to accomplish projects that I wanted to finish last year was extremely fulfilling to me personally. A few of us spent a full day cleaning and reorganizing an office space, and this was a project I left last year wanting to complete. 

(the before picture of the office organization)

(The after pictures of the office organization)

I took stock of some projects for next year’s groups, and the team sat in a circle to thank X for their hospitality, guidance, and care while we were sick. The team prayed over the ministry and the staff there in one last goodbye before we set off for the airport.

Our travel began by being dropped off at the airport by two drivers who were racing each other to prove who was the fastest. This did not necessarily aid in the nausea the team was feeling as a remnant of some kind of virus we caught from food poisoning or elsewhere. When we opened the doors to the vans a deafening noise of celebration greeted us, and there was a huge party with live music and dancing happening in the parking garage of the airport; it sounded like we were in a stadium at a sports game. (See video below)

The length of the flights was certainly a struggle with about half the group feeling unwell, and anti-nausea medicine was helpful. Our other team leader, Nate, surprised us by writing awards for everyone with qualities he noticed about everyone, and that was a morale boost as we were waiting. When we landed in Germany, we learned that our next 2 hour layover in Washington, USA, was going to be cut in half due to a delayed flight. This meant we had less than an hour to go through customs, security, and recheck our bags before our flight to Sacramento left. We all agreed to book it through the airport, and after literally running through the airport in groups, the last student made it on the plane with less than a minute left before they closed the plane for boarding. 

(Nate giving awards)

Reflecting on the trip left me with a sense of gratitude and pride in our students who had all made an effort not only to work hard, but to work hard and be present even when not feeling well as well as to encourage and take care of their teammates when they were sick. The group worked well together, and I was grateful for how well the group got along throughout the entire trip. While it certainly was unfortunate that so many of us got sick, we landed in Sacramento with hearts full of gratitude (for catching our flight and) for the country and people of the Middle East. I left feeling confident that we had engaged with the people, daily rhythms and customs, and foods of the Middle East in a way that changes perspectives on who God is and how he works in other cultures just the same as he works in ways that are familiar to us at home in the USA.

You as readers can be praying for the team’s reverse culture shock, for rest and wellness for everyone, and for good communication to answer all the questions others will have for them back home. You can also be praying for the support, wellbeing, and encouragement for the organization we left.

Here’s to another return back to the Middle East soon!! <3 

-Rose

Team Middle East landed safely in Sacramento on Monday night around 9pm. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for this team before, during, and now after their trip. The Lord clearly had plans to reveal himself to this team in unique ways as they served and experienced so many parts of the Holy Land.

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 their relationship with God as they process their time these past two weeks 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!

After a few more days of ministry in the library, today was such a spirit-filled day. We got the opportunity to see many different biblically significant sites. One of the coolest places we got to go to was definitely Mount Nebo. For those who don’t know, Mount Nebo is the place of Moses’s death. It was truly such a surreal experience to be on the top of Mount Nebo overlooking parts of the Holy Land.

The drive to Mount Nebo was gorgeous! As we started making our way to the top of the mountain, I looked out the window and saw hills and mountains of desert terrain. It looked as if God had combined the Napa hills with the deserts of Nevada and Utah. Needless to say, it was beautiful! The roads became very windy the closer we got to the top which gave me a better view of the mountains. Reaching the top of the mountain felt like such a surreal experience.

We quickly loaded out of the van and started making our way over to the entrance of Mount Nebo. Before I even made it to the gate, I had to take a minute to snap a picture of the gorgeous views. It was truly breathtaking. I was immediately awestruck by God’s beautiful creation. 

We entered the gates and followed a short path to the very top of the mountain. As we were walking the trail, our tour guide explained that the land below Mount Nebo would have been considered the land of Moab which is where Ruth and Naomi walked. I truly couldn’t believe what I was hearing! Before coming on this trip I had done a study on the book of Ruth which made it very fresh in my mind. The book of Ruth is now probably one of my favorite books in the Bible. I took a brief moment to soak in this experience and imagine both Ruth and Naomi traveling this land. 

We continued following the trail and made it to the point where Moses died. The view was indescribable and pictures do not do it justice. Moses died overlooking the Dead Sea, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, etc. He was so close to entering into the Promised Land, but it was not God’s will for Him. How hard that must have been to know that you had almost made it to your final destination, but God said “no.” After leading the Israelites out of Egypt and wandering in the wilderness with them for years, Moses didn’t get to experience the reward. As I stood on the top of Mount Nebo amazed by God’s creation, I also chose to reflect upon how Moses might have felt at that time. There are so many times in our lives where we put forth a lot of hardwork and effort, but we sometimes never get to see the fruits of our labor. We have to have faith and remember that God’s ways are always higher than ours even when we are unable to see a happy ending. My prayer is that I will continue running the good race all the way until the end, while remaining faithful and always putting my trust in God’s plans for my life. 

Next, we entered the Greek Orthodox church next to the overlook on Mount Nebo. The mosaics were so pretty and there was a sense of peace when you entered the room. The team took a moment to sit on the benches and simply just be with God. There were three stained glass windows facing the benches. The window in the middle depicted a picture of Moses and Jesus which reminded me of the sweet love of Jesus. His love never fails us despite our mistakes and His love leads the way for our lives. 

We made our way down the trail back to the vans and stopped at a cool museum along the way which housed several ancient artifacts. As we piled in the vans and made our way to our next destination, I was filled with a sense of gratitude. So many people will never get to see these biblically significant sites, but God has given me such an amazing opportunity to see the Bible come to life. I have been so blessed by this experience and have been given a completely new perspective when reading the Bible. 

As this trip soon comes to an end, I ask that you continue to pray for good health and a complete sense of peace for the team. I also ask that you pray for each one of us to apply everything that we have learned on this trip and not just walk away without letting God first work in our hearts. Thank you so much for all of your prayers! We cannot wait to see our friends and family soon! 

-Zoe

June 12th – Monday

Hey guys! It’s Jess. Today was the day we took on P3tr@! 

We had a long night of planning prior to our expedition, and most of us woke up around 5:30 am to be fed and ready to leave in the car by 6 am. After some tough decisions, tummy aches, and even a pair of pants being split, we hit the road at about 6:15 for a 3-hour car ride. Getting inside this historical site was a feat in its own, as we had to split up into groups to get through the gate! 

Eventually, though, we were in the park successfully and were able to begin our journey through a huge canyon down to the treasury. There were a ton of amazing carvings and architecture along the way. We learned about ancient Roman waterways and civilizations, while also turning down many bold barters who were trying to sell us donkey ride after donkey ride. 

After a few miles of walking, we finally reached the treasury. It was incredible! This wonder of the world was hand carved into the side of the mountain. Some of us bought a camel ride and took some photos, while others just basked in all its beauty. What a once in a lifetime experience. 

After we took a look at the treasury, we continued down the trail as we made our way to the monastery. We walked past so many tombs and trails that we wanted to go down but couldn’t for time’s sake. The hike started to get a little more difficult as the sun was beating down on us, and our feet were beginning to fatigue. 

Eventually, we made it to the base of the trail to the monastery. Little did we know it would take us up 83 flights of stairs. It was honestly really difficult! We took breaks here and there to catch our breath, and we were solicited by the Bedouin people, which was a unique and equally heartbreaking experience. So many young children desperately tried to sell us donkey rides or bottles of water. I even saw one family with a shop huddled over a small fire, cooking just a pot of beans for their meal. The amount of poverty and desperation that we walked through definitely made the trip bittersweet, but we also know that the Lord is showing us these truths to continue to propel us into a greater passion for His ministry and plan for our lives. 

After those 83 flights of stairs, we finally made it to the monastery! It was incredible. The amount of detail and craftsmanship of the ancient people is almost unbelievable. We took a ton of photos and met some other tourists from Nevada. It was a great time! 

After that, we went up to the top of the mountain to get an amazing view. It was so rewarding after a long journey to the top. Here, we could look to one side and see the massive trails and sights of this historical site, and on the other side, we could see the border of Israel. We shared some snacks, reminisced about our journey, hydrated, and then ventured down.

This is where the heat began to really settle in. Some of us had to take frequent breaks, while others just wanted to book it to the end, and finally rest our throbbing feet and legs. After a total hike of 9.5 miles, we made it back to the cars safely, regrouped, and then began a drive to dinner! 

It took about two minutes to get to our restaurant, and we had some delicious food. It was buffet-style, featuring dishes like rice, chicken, noodles, the BEST pita bread and hummus, and a wide variety of local desserts. We all got huge bottles of water to drink and then returned to the library for the night! 

We all got about an hour of free time to shower, rest up, and relax before the team debrief at 8, where we shared our highs and lows of the day, cracked jokes, and then our team leaders surprised us with ice cream bars! Woohoo! It really is the little things. So many of our members have expressed how grateful we are for our team. We work so well together, appreciate one another, and have some of the craziest and funniest moments. It is an honor to be led by such incredible leaders while being alongside such a funny, heartfelt, and truly, truly, caring team. Everyone has a great attitude and looks out for each other, which is one of the biggest blessings.

And that brings us to now as I write this (6/12/23, 11:51 AM PDT)!  Everyone is settling down for the night, as we finally get to sleep in a little bit and don’t have to be ready to go until 10 am! Tomorrow and basically the rest of this week, we will do tons of library projects. We are all eager to get our hands dirty and continue serving. 

As you continue to support us, we ask that you pray for the kid’s camp we are hosting on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. We pray that we will be able to connect with the kids and impact their lives with the hope of shining the light of Christ through our actions. We also ask for continued prayers of health and safety, as some of us have had tummy aches from food sensitivities, headaches, or even homesickness. 

Thank you so much again for your gracious support. We are so thankful to have this opportunity, and we pray it will be a blessing to you as you sow seeds into our lives and individual walks with Christ! 

Signing off! 

-Jess 🙂

June 11th – Sunday

Hello friends!

Today is an update on our trip to J3r@sh.

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.

Prayer requests:

• Health
• Homesickness
• Continued safety
• Perseverance
• Rest and recovery

Thank you for reading!

-Josh

June 10th – Saturday

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.

-Kylie

June 9th – Friday 

Hello friends, family, and loved ones,

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. 

June 8th (Continued) – Wednesday

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.

-Julia

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!

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.

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.  

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!