One Month Down!

How can I even begin? It has been about a month since I said my goodbyes and I've hardly had enough time to soak everything in. To start off with, I still don't really feel as if I am actually in Israel. The whole experience is so surreal. I can't believe God has sent me HERE. Not only to Israel, but to Jerusalem! We've started to get into a routine finally. We've been doing "prayer watches" where at every hour of the night someone is up praying over the country and the team. It so awesome to know our whole trip is always covered in prayer.

Ministry has finally kicked off and we've been making weekly commitments to different organizations,ministries,congregations etc. There are two things that have been really incredible for me to be apart of and I absolutely LOVE. The first is working at a soup kitchen every thursday in Tel Aviv. I've always had a heart for homeless ministry and it gives me a little piece of back home with the Povertees gang. One day I was serving this table and sat down to talk with them a while only to find out their names were Abraham,Esther, and Jeremiah! I was sitting with major biblical figures! Well, not literally but how awesome is that!? The homeless in Tel Aviv are so different from the people in Downtown Los Angeles. In L.A., I was usually nervous of getting harassed,yelled at, stolen from,grabbed etc. Here in Tel Aviv, I am more nervous of how I will be received as a foreigner. Frankly, its a little intimidating when a table of 7 guys known to be part of the Russian Mafia are all staring at you. Aside from the mafia crew, the people I've gotten to know are so intelligent, welcoming, and not to mention hilarious!

The second ministry we've become a part of is a children's hospital called Shevet Achim. Based here in Jerusalem, they go into Iraq and pick up children with life-threatening heart issues. Iraq has a very poor medical system and many children with heart problems are turned away at hospitals, left to die with no options. This team of believers reaches out and brings these children and their mothers into Israel for quality treatment. They have saved hundreds of lives and have blessed the Iraqis so much. As a team, we go to the hospital to play with the children, lead worship, help renovate, etc. I am absolutely in love with these kids! Even despite their state of health, they are determined to live like happy, active, normal kids. We will be working with them every Tuesday, all day. I wish I could spend even more time there a week!

It's been soooo sick being here but really terrifying and challenging at the same time. Ashley and Beto are constantly challenging me to lead worship (which I feel I'm not good enough yet) and will tell me to go on stage behind the microphone at any given moment. No preparation, no warning, just to go play. That literally happened on Thursday. I was serving food at the soup kitchen and Ashley handed me a guitar and told me to play some worship on stage. It's been hard but I've been doing it. Maybe it'll make me better, I trust they know what they are doing. Another thing that's been challenging has been walking in boldness. I'm a pretty shy, socially awkward person when I am around new people, ESPECIALLY people my own age. So, I usually avoid meeting newbies unless I have a wingman. Here, thats really not an option. It is against the law for any one over the age of 18 to evangelize to people 18 years and younger. SO, since I am the only 18 year old on the team, it's kind of up to me. That is the hardest thing for me, so prayer would be awesome :)

I really miss you all so much! I look at all of your pictures and it makes me wish I could be in two places at once. Please let me know what is going on in your lives so I know what to pray for!