As I walked the streets of Israel I wondered where these people all came from. Many are new immigrants. I heard stats years ago that there are Jews coming home to Israel from something like 80 some nations speaking 112 different languages. Somehow they all are repatriated and they become Israelis. Almost everyone attends "Ulpan" which is Hebrew language school when they move here. How could you run a country if everyone didn't speak the same language? Others are here because their grandparents or parents came.and so they've been here for a few generations. It's an amazing country especially for being so young.
I'm living with my friends, Alyosha and Jody who some of you know from when you heard Alyosha's magnificent piano rhapsodies. Living with this kind of music off and on as he practices is just wonderful. A friend named Ann has come a few times to practice with him. Her soprano operatic voice singing Hebrew worship songs in quite stirring. They are practicing together now as I write for a concert they will be doing for a travel group from South Florida that is coming to Tiberias where we'll meet with them on Tuesday. It so happens that our family knows the rabbi and his family of that Messianic group - old family friends who are leading the tour so I'll be glad to see them.
The town Jody and Alyosha live in is one of the oldest towns in the country. It was a settlement of pioneers who came in the 1880's to begin reclaiming the land. It was desolate at the time and had malaria swamps as well as unproductive desert lands. But the town today has a charming European look of a few streets lined with colorful artsy shops and outdoor cafes and restaurants. Its more like a village than a town. The streets may in fact be original as they are of very unbalanced cobblestones. No cars are allowed, and the streets are too narrow anyway. People walk up and down leisurely, shopping or just being social. It is usual for people to come out after Shabbat is over, so Saturday nights is filled with people. The local ice cream shop is a favorite. I can boast of the strawberry Sorbet but the whiskey and dark chocolate ice cream -OMGosh.
We stopped to visit David in his pottery shop. Alyosha and Jody are amazingly loving as they make the people they have come to know in the town feel appreciated just for the people they are. These are all Jews, of course, Daniel believes in God but wants to know why people hurt one another and even kill one another in wars. Where's God? He knows they are believers but there is no hard sell to try and get him to "make a commitment." With David and numerous others, they are developing friendships and trust, so Daniel feels he can be open about his God thoughts. He in fact started the conversation. They assure him that God cares about him, and that God is looking out for him and he can trust Him. Its a gentle conversation. David seems soothed. He is by no means ready to accept the Lord. This will take a while but Jody and Alyosha will be there, letting him know he's important and precious to God because he's important to them. He hugged them goodbye like he didn't want to let go of them. They will see him again soon.
Hanna owns the bakery. She speaks as little English as Jody speaks Hebrew but Jody looked up what her name means and had Alyosha write it out in Hebrew, as he is fluent. Then the Lord gave her a word of knowledge for her. Again, she had Alyosha write it out and when she gave it to her, Hanna cried, deeply touched. No one had ever known what she was feeling, but God did. They were able enough to communicate that God is with her. The note changed Hanna's life. They still can't talk much but Hanna hugs Jody each week when she comes for a Shabbat Challah bread. The door is now open for Alyosha to be able to speak more to her about Yeshua. It all happens slowly, slowly, in Hebrew liat, liat.
Today Talya came for a Bible study. She's been saved a few weeks. She works in one of the shops in the town where they had come to know her. One day recently she came to them and said "Tell me about Yeshua." As they had never mentioned Him or said anything about being a believer, how did she know? She said, "I knew the minute I met you, the way you are. I could see it in your faces." So they began to share with her and she came to the Lord. Now she comes for bible studies with them in Hebrew and she can't get enough of reading her bible. They tell me that her countenance has changed and they can see how she's changing. The marvel of Messiah!
A & J have a small fellowship group that consists of several couples, and a few singles who meet together weekly for worship and sharing the Word. But basically they just kind of live life together, having lunch or dinner together once or twice a week, or running errands together, helping one another. There aren't a lot of them, but they are devoted to one another. One has the distinct feeling that this must have been what it was like for the first century believers who met "house to house" pretty much daily. Jody is constantly turning out meals for whoever comes as their house which seems to be the primary meeting place since it houses Alyosha's piano. I think we've had at least one, sometimes two meals with friends almost every day since I've been here.
Shabbat was especially lovely. A couple who moved here from England, who were pastors at one time, but love this life here now came for brunch, then later we ate again as they were here till late in the afternoon. How the time went by. We talked about so many issues and aspects of the Lord and life in Him. It was such a wonderful day. I feel like I've known those folks for a long time. It's what I remember Shabbat being like at other times in my life. It's what it should be - a day off to rest in the Lord and share it with others who love Him. We ended the day with taking a walk and watching the sun set over the Mediteranean Sea. Glorious!
So far my time here has largely been how Jody and Alyosha live. He and I have been working together on writing a book on "Thinking Hebraically" he's been wanting to write based on his "Hebrew Nuggets" teachings. Alyosha's quite a Hebrew scholar and I must say being the scribe for this book, editing as we go, is a great honor. You're going to love this book when it comes out. Fascinating stuff!
Seeing the Word of God from a Hebrew perspective is wholly enlightening. One day Jody and I went to an organic farm for veggies somewhere in the hills. Oh yes, I almost forgot On the first day we took a tour of Beth El which is a German kibbutz but which has an enormous production of various kinds of technological wonders that are produced for the country. These devoted and Lord-loving German people began with the prayers of two women in 1958 who came to Israel to pray they the people so that somehow their prayers in some way could make up to the Jewish people for what had happened during WWII with the Nazis.
Today there are some nine hundred Christian Germans and their families living here in four communities in Israel to just be a blessing to the country, to love them, to let them know they care. They are here on visas that do not allow them to share the Lord, but they are a great blessing to the country. Hundreds of Israeli's work there and the products are enormously beneficial to Israel, including some of the apparatus that Israel uses for medical emergencies as First Responders to crises in the world which are produced by these godly people. The countenances on the faces of these folks is a sure testimony to the Lord. They have a choir that is part of the factory. Imagine, a factory choir. They came and sang hymns to us during our factory tour. Quite an extraordinary experience.
Well, by now I'm sure you're tired of reading, for those of you still here. I will write every few days to share with you what's going on here.
Good night for now from Israel.
Lonnie
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