Friday, June 14, 2013

Day 3: Yesterday

Distribution Center

Atta girl!
 Well I guess you've figured it out by now, I'm a slacker. I'm sorry I neglected the blog last night. So let's have a little fun and pretend that today is actually yesterday and I tell you a tale about sweet Israel (who doesn't love cheesy rhymes?)

After an exhausting day of airplane adventures, the team was finally ready to get to work for the land we flew 11 hours for. You know God has done a work in your heart when you wake up giddy simply thinking of cleaning (not sure if I'll feel the same when I have to clean my room at home). For the next 5 hours I pulled stubborn desert weeds, scrubbed floor tiles, and watched a humble team clean every nook and cranny with the biggest smiles on their faces. What made this experience even more rewarding was the story of the building that received our care.

Nestled by a soon-to-be apartment complex and train station sits Tents of Mercy. Definitely a building, not a tent! This is place that distributes clothes and food to the needy in the community. Not only does this organization provide physical needs, but it meets spiritual needs. Tents of Mercy is run by Messianic believers who never stop loving and growing in their ministry with messianic services held in the very building. They even have plans to open a coffee shop around the same time as the new train station. God perfectly planted this building in a place only He could know would be bustling with people someday. It's crazy to see how everything fits together, especially since the current location was not the original location. The original location was firebombed in the early 90s. Everything but a parcel notice was destroyed, which meant the ministry had to be relocated. That was when God opened the doors for the current place to be used. The ministry can now serve and love more simply because they own a building in a location superior to the other. The leader of the ministry said they prayed for God's fire to fall upon them and they were blessed even if it was in the literal sense. Being a hand in such a great organization is an incomparable blessing when you realize as you serve the Jews your are really serving the King of the Jews. And that makes every dirt stain and sore muscle worth the while.

After all the action the team gave blood at the Magen David Adom (similar to the Red Cross). Well those who weren't unqualified or squeamish. Yeah, I was definitely not in that bunch. As the blood was  flowin another group including myself took a tour of MDA. During this time I ran into a MDA volunteer who also works with Christian Friends of Israel (the organization I volunteered with last summer in Israel). I also ran into another godly woman I had met at MDA last year who keeps me updated with all the latest in MDA emails. And to top it all of I had a great encounter with a girl the same age as me who volunteers with MDA. She was beyond excited to praise all the wonderful things MDA does and she even got this girl, a girl who faints when finger pricked, interested in summer course especially for young adults that allows them to work on call with medics. Those who were able to give blood help to meet a tremendous need. Israel needs a new blood donation every seven seconds. Even though I couldn't assist in this area, God still used the people only He could put on my path whisper something beautiful. He is always with Israel and he is alive in the people who sacrifice so much all throughout the land.

We wrapped up the evening with a special time of worship and prayer on Mt.Carmel. I wish the pictures I took could actually capture the beauty of every inch of the mountain lit up at night, but maybe you'll just have to go to Israel to experience that! One thing that really stood out at  prayer time were words softly spoken by sweet Vinu; to pray that the truth of God will come upon the city of Haifa and shine brighter than every light on that hillside.

-Mads

Prayer: Continue to pray for Tents of Mercy & volunteers at MDA as they continue to serve and sacrice
Praise: God gave us the financial means to bless Tents of Mercy


Hard at work!

Not afraid to get dirty

Paintin

Valeria from MDA

Subway


Worship on Mt.Carmel