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Israel

Welcome :)
I wanted a way to let everyone know what was going on in Israel and this seemed like the easiest way to do it! But....I may keep it up after the trip is over!
So, first of all let me say that I am enjoying my time here.....but I have only had 2 days here! We have done so much already, and my mind is reeling with trying to remember everything we've done. Luckily I think I'll have some time tomorrow to write everything down -- and get some pictures up somewhere :)
We're staying in the Jerusalem Hostel, which is right in the middle of the city. The building is across from Zion square, and we're literally within walking distance of everything. Having never stayed in a hostel before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It is more fun than staying in a hotel ever could have been! The mix of people here is wonderful -- people of all ages and from so many different places. The first night here, we were sitting in the lobby and we met several people, whom we now call friends :) It is not boring around here, with people always in and out -- there are always new stories to hear and friends to meet.
Our first full day here was yesterday, and it certainly was a full day. We finally got our phone working and were able to get in touch with people -- it felt much better to know we could reach someone! We went to the congregation we'll be working with and I met several of the people who work there. The congregation has a prayer tower on the top floor of the building and you can see almost all of Jerusalem -- it is a pretty incredible view. They haven't really put us to work yet, although we did make some goody bags for them. When we left the church, we came back to the hostel and rested for a little bit -- a 13 hour flight is a tad taxing :)
We went to the market, which is called the Shuc (not sure that is spelled right!) to buy food so we can cook dinner tomorrow night. There is a holiday in Jerusalem tonight and tomorrow, so everything will be closed. The shuc is a chaotic, crowded place where people buy all kinds of fresh food -- vegetables, fruit, meat, spices -- everything. You're at a bit of a disadvantage when you don't speak or read Hebrew. Luckily, a couple of the guys we met at the hostel went up there with us and helped us out. I will say I am so glad that Lindsay has been here before, because I would be quite lost without her!
Last night, we met up with a friend of Lindsay's from last year and his roommate for coffee. They are amazing guys and we're glad that we are able to have friends our own age here! They showed us all around the city, showing us places that tourists don't really ever see or go. That's what I love about traveling to places for a good amount of time -- you really get to see the place and interact with the people. I feel like Lindsey and I are really going to be able to experience so much of the culture here simple because we're here for so long and have friends who live here. We've already experienced a lot of the culture and personality of the place (we spent the whole day in Bethlehem with a family -- so much to write about!).
God has already taken care of us in so many ways, from the very beginning. We've met so many people who are friendly, and simply put, amazing. Before we even got on the plane we were able to meet a family from Chicago that was traveling here to visit family. They were so sweet. As Lindsey and I were getting off the plane, the mother of the family made an effort to say goodbye and wish us a wonderful trip. We've been helped and cared for all along the way from many people. I know that encountering so many people who are so welcoming and friendly has been encouraging to me. I was pretty nervous about coming to Israel, but God has encouraged us and taken care of us. We've also had so many opportunities to meet and interact with people, which is wonderful, and there are so many more opportunities ahead. God is amazing and I know He will continue to teach us, love on us and open doors for us.
I promise I'll write more later!

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