We chose to go to the Western Wall for the first time on the Sabbath so that it would not be so crowded and overwhelming. The boys went on the mens side with Scott. Ryan spent awhile praying for friends and family - he had a list in his head prepared ahead of time. Kylen walked right up and kissed the wall. He looked up at his dad and said "It's hot." Scott asked if he kissed the wall and Kylen did it again - thats when Scott managed to capture the moment. Precious. I already know it will be my favorite picture from this trip. He's wearing a little yarmulke out of respect for other worshippers.
Emily and I went to the girls side with shawls wrapped over our heads. She was wide-eyed and quietly absorbed all the people around her. Second-thinking it, I want the kids to see the masses praying so fervently there. Its moving to watch the intensity with which people pray and read the scriptures.
Picts not allowed on the Sabbath but will post some more when we return. We also made it to the Church of the Holy Seplecher. This is believed to be the spot where Christ was crucified and ressurected. Emily had a pretty emotional reaction realizing where we were. Look at the Tiny Clips on our website to see part of her reaction where she asks if she can take off her shoes. Caught us both off guard. What a beautiful response. www.inruins.org
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Emma arrived today! Hooray! She took a Sherut (minivan-taxi) from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem by herself. We told her what major intersection we were near and she was going to call us when she arrived. Well, her phone didn't have service so there was no way to contact us! Emma boldly started walking with her two bags behind her searching for people almost completely unknown in our neighborhood. Almost... I'm upstairs with the windows open and I hear my only new friend Rachel say, "Are you looking for Cathi?" She's of course speaking to Emma! How crazy is that?! Emma stumbles upon the one person in all of Jerusalem that knows me and where I live! Love that! Thank you God for watching over her and her trip there!
Emma was ready to hit the ground running, so we made our way to the Tower of David. It is a museum within one of Herod's ancient fortresses. Amazing. Even more amazing is how concisely they laid out the history of Jerusalem in a short movie form and through an exhibit that took about 2 hrs to walk through. We all learned much and walked away with a better understanding our Israeli friends as a people that have miraculously persevered. No doubt that attributes to the cultural assertiveness we are experiencing.
As I look back over our first week here, I have a few big realizations. The most profound is yet another lesson on community. Scott preaches it all the time, but sometimes we can start to take it for granted - until we don't have it.
Since Scott and I were married, every move we have made has culminated with a welcoming reception from a church. From our move as newlyweds to Garland, TX, to AHUMC, to Riverside, we have always had people take care of us. Helping us move, bringing us a meal, helping us unpack. This move to Jerusalem, we have been alone. And it felt scary, lonely and sad. For days I've even been unreasonably mad at our landlord for deserting us here. Of course, he had no responsibility to us other than handing us a key, but I sensed the difference and its taken me this long to sort it all out.
Lesson learned - we need others. The prayers our friends, family and community have prayed for us has carried us through so in no way were we truly alone, but on the ground, in the middle of a foreign speaking country, we felt the absence of community in a profound way.
So guess what we did today?! We looked into worshipping communities and found one near by. Services started at 5pm so we were worshipping at the same time as Riverside this am! I wanted to cry walking into this place. Filled with English speaking believers worshipping Yeshua in English and Hebrew. It was beautiful, comforting and spirit-filled. Loved it! The church is called King of Kings Community and their mission "to be a compelling, Messiah-centered, Spirit-empowered, disciple-making community that reveals the true face of Yeshua (Jesus) to Israel and to the nations." How incredible is that?!
And yes - we did make it to the Western Wall yesterday! Story and picts tomorrow.
It is Saturday morning here and we just finished a late breakfast of little Israeli sweet rolls. Scott and I smile sleepily at each other over our mug of instant Nescafe coffee - with what we believe to be cream added : )
That green gate behind Ryan leads to the courtyard of our apartment.
The kids have been amazingly resilient. I am so proud of them. Yesterday we loaded up the strollers and made our way to the Old City - a little over a mile from the house. Everyday has been cloudless, sunny and breezy - perfect! Highs right now in mid-80's.
We arrived at the Jaffa Gate to realize Scott's normal route down David's Street towards the Western Wall involves steps every 5-6 feet. We were re-grouping with a picnic under an olive tree for shade when we actually heard someone shout, "Scott!" It was Scott's old friend Marshall. They had travelled together to Turkey years ago and Marshall was just finishing up his 3 week course at the JUC - where Scott starts on the 11th.
Marshall walked us over to the JUC - very near the Jaffa Gate and just outside the Old City. The JUC is housed in a beautiful building, built in 1853. I can tell it's going to be so much fun for Scott to meet people from all over the world while studying. Now that we know we can get there, we can go meet daddy for a picnic lunch sometimes.
We acquired some Sabbath candles in a funny little way. While walking yesterday a Jewish woman was handing out candles and literature for the Lubavich. (A portion of the Lubavich believe that a Rabbi named Schneerson is the Messiah. So she was trying to convert Jews to follow when she stumbled into us.) I told her we would take some and she looked at me and said, "You aren't Jewish. You don't have to celebrate Sabbath." I told her we chose to celebrate Sabbath, that as Christians we were here to learn about and celebrate our Jewish roots including sabbath. She said, "Roots, what roots?" We talked longer and in the end she held up her hands in resignation and handed me two little candles! Scott was proud of me for hanging in there with her. I'm pretty good at this fighting thing - something normally suppressed in Western culture is an everyday expression here. Which is healthier I wonder?
Inside the JUC. Em wasn't feeling great.
So our day shifted and we didn't quite make it all the way into the Old City, but believe God directed our day. We finished the day by purchasing our Challah bread for Sabbath, and stocking up on supplies since all is shut down today.
Hi my name is Emily Jo and I am the only girl [ besides my mom ] in the Heare family. That means I'm used to being around boys but the planes uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuoi I don't know how I survived. I'm just glad we're here,
Sincerly,
Emily Jo.
P.S. I'm just happy we're here.
Hello my family! So today me, my Dad, and my mom tried one of Israel exotic foods.... It was called Fallafel. It is some pita bread with things that look like hush puppies and are sort of spicy. It also includes a veggie combo of lettuce,tomato,and cucumbers. It is topped with a ranch like sauce. Needless to say I loved it. But even besides the great food Israel has been outstanding! I have already met some new friends who love soccer and basketball and one of them lives right downstairs. I miss you all.
-Ryan
We are taking the kids to the Old City in the morning for the first time. Promise to take along the camera. Also will take a quick video of our apartment and neighborhood soon for those who have been asking. It will be our first Sabbath here starting at sundown tomorrow. Everything is said to close down for 24 hours - should be interesting. Good night friends.
The concensus among the kids was that today would be a pajama and relax kind of day. We did just that. Think reality is setting in a bit and a little sadness as well. Kids are missing home. Ethan flat out screamed at dinner time, "I want to go back home to Texas!" (He didn't like what was on his plate - again.) Looks different, so he doesn't even try it. And sweet Kylen, who has never sucked his thumb, started sucking his thumb today. My poor babies!
I did break out of the house for a bit. Joined my new friend Rachel and went back to the Shuk. She explained so much to me and even introduced me to her favorite butcher, cheese man, etc. You can buy everything there from home goods, dry goods to fresh fish, baked items, produce - everything. There are plastic bags hanging from metal wires. You grab a bag, load up and assertively push it in their face to show you are ready to buy, then they weigh the item and you pay. If you see me shaking my arms at the butcher in a few months over at HEB, gently remind me I'm back home. You kind of have to get pushy to make your way to the front and to get their attention. Interesting business as they help customers and shout out the prices for a kilo of cherries or a whole chicken. Promise to have picts tomorrow.
Scott also managed a quick trip into the Old City. He went by the JUC to check-in and get a feel for walk he'll be taking each morning. We are about 10-15 minutes uphill from the Old City. We enter through the Joffa Gate, the Tower of David, in case anyone has been here and remembers. He is doing some preparatory map work for class and getting all excited.
Made some pasta for dinner tonight. Ended up having some fresh cucumbers on the side in lieu of the zuchinni I thought I purchased - Ha! Ryan wants to know when we are going to actually eat some Israeli food. There is a Falafel stand very near us and certain times of the day the smell can be pretty inviting!
So everyone felt much brighter after sleeping well.
So grateful! Having not slept hardly at all on the plane and feeling very dizzy, I was the first to crash. Kids followed shortly and slept about 10 hours straight! Love me some good sleep!!
So with clearer minds and optimism re-established, we set two goals for the day. One - find food to eat for lunch. Two - find food to put in house to feed family. I'm really not obsessed with food, but I have 6 hungry tummies to contend with - and it was our priority of the day after complaints about my late night choice of Raisin Bran!
We ventured out to explore again and finally came across a burger bar that had a menu in both Hebrew and English. Scotts burger was half lamb, half beef. No cheese of course : ) I opted for grilled chicken salad - served with as much tomatoes and cucumber as lettuce. Hit the spot. Kylen slept through all of lunch - lull of stroller going across cobble-stones on warm day was more than he could handle.
The grocery store was an experience - once we finally found it that is. First - Jerusalem doesn't really have "grocery stores" like we think of them. There are small convenience stores everywhere. Most people shop at an open-air market called the Shuk. We passed through the Shuk but were bedazeled by all the activity and people. Israeli people are loud and agressive sounding. They aren't upset necessarily, but sure come across that way. We didn't have any shekels anyway and it was just all too much so we baled there. Second - when you ask for directions to the grocery store, Israeli's have no idea what you are talking about. When they do offer directions, it is "down the road". So quite literally, we prayed and God somehow landed us at a place called the City Cellar. It was the size of a Walgreens, but did have hand soap, dish soap, milk, bread, etc. Ryan went in with me and kept me focused. "Just the basics, Mom" he kept saying to keep me from getting overwhelmed at all the Hebrew.
We managed honey, eggs, turkey, cheese, chips, pasta and a few veggies. Found some instant coffee too and what I thought might be creamer turned out to be buttermilk. Thanks sweetie for trying that one first for me! And this is our first official meal in our home. Velveeta Shells and Cheese snuck in from USA and left-over salad. Sweet!
God has been extremely gracious to us today. Gave us everything we needed, just when we needed it. When we moved to England, a friend named Tina Johnson took me under her wing and showed us the ropes. It made all the difference. So these last few months I have been praying again for friends for all of us.
We were down in our courtyard playing ball with two non-speaking Jewish little boys late this afternoon when a woman and her gaggle of kids pours out of the apartment below us. They are a Jewish family with 8 children and Rachel is the mom. She is originally from Houston, Texas!!! but has lived in Jerusalem the last 18 years. Thank you God!!! Of course, some of her 8 match up with my 4. They played in the courtyard together and Ryan even went to the basketball courts - away from us - with two of her boys for about an hour to shoot hoops! I asked if I could follow her around the Shuk tomorrow since she goes daily and she loved the idea. She even asked if we knew John Haggee - Ha!
Love and miss you all. Thank you for the prayers. They are carrying us! And Happy Birthday sweet Falon!!!
We are coming to the end of our first full day here. Wow - what a difference even a day makes.
First - the flight over. Six bags, six back-packs, 4 kids, 2 adults, 2 computer bags, 2 strollers and 2 car seats - and we all made it!!! Whoo-hoo!
The kids did amazingly well. My parents had great insight to take us to eat at The Alamo Cafe on the way to the airport at 11am and good thing we did. We were so busy hopping planes that we did not eat again until the El Al flight at 10pm. We ate, put the boys pajamas on them and we all crashed. They were all asleep from about midnight until 6am! Woke up for a breakfast again on the plane just in time before landing where it was 3:30pm in Israel.
A van met us at the airport and drove us from Tel Aviv into Jerusalem. That is about the time that it truly hit me that we were indeed in Israel with our kiddos - I'm slow sometimes. Never in a million years would we have found our apartment. It is off a busy road, off an cobbled-road street, off a narrow alley. We are in Na'Chalot - a coveted place to live where people of all culture and religions blend well with acceptance and respect. We may be some of the first actual Christians people have met.
Last night grabbed some pizza from a street cafe and wandered. There is a 24hr convenience store near the house. We went in for some breakfast items for today - found milk in plastic bags and a box of raisin bran.
Overall, yesterday was a lot to take in. I was grateful to have jet-lag and culture shock memories of our year in England. It all can feel very overwhelming at first and can be easy to panic if you don't purposefully take deep breaths and remind yourself that the next day will be better. You haven't slept or eaten regularly. You can't read anything around you - all in Hebrew. Everything looks and smells differently. You can't think clearly and this time around we had the kids looking at us for reassurance and answers to their multitude of questions. But after a good nights sleep, you begin to see at least a little more clearly. To be continued . . .
