Half way!

So, another month down! I am so terrible at posting these things. It is just hard when I have so much to say that I can’t even begin to relay it all to you. It is a beautiful thing though, that I get to share some of my journey with you. When I look back at the moment I decided to come on this trip, I realize how the Lord has begun to change me. I’ll be honest, I had some good motives and bad motives to come. Knowing that the Lord was calling me to go, it fueled my desire to “get away.” But God has really been moving me in ways I didn’t even expect and it’s so awesome to be able to share it with people I care about.

The ministry here is taking on a completely different face than any of us had imagined. Tuesdays and Thursdays are routine. We help at an Iraqi children’s hospital (Shevet.org) on Tuesdays and serve at a soup kitchen/coffee shop on Thursdays. But our toughest ministry has taken place right in our own apartment. God has been bringing us drug addicts, prostitutes, runaways, and surprisingly, even a couple Orthodox Jews that don’t exactly fit the pattern listed. It feels like the size of our team has been growing by the week. We came with seven, and recently there has been twelve sleeping in our tiny apartment. It seems we are running a soup kitchen, church, and homeless shelter right out of our own home. It’s challenging, but awesome. Let me tell you about some of our friends.

Jennifer: A twenty-one year old girl from Louisiana who has found herself to be, in her words, “stuck here” for the last several years. While we have been here she has ran away from her abusive muslim boyfriend, quit heroin, relapsed, went back into prostitution, went back to her boyfriend, and most recently, ran away from him again. It is so hard to see the hard life she lives. She so badly desires to finally be free from everything but says she just can’t do it. Jennifer always talks about her mom and two little sisters and how one day she’ll fly back to the states to be with them again.

Alex: her story is really hard, and she really needs some prayer. For a number of reasons I can’t tell you about her. If you would like to know, just skype me.

Aviv: A twenty-three year old who believes in Yeshua (Jesus) but his walk with the Lord is really fickle. He is homeless, an alcoholic, and might be facing 3 years in prison for shooting a cop. Yah, he’s pretty intense. We all love him and he is a riot to be around.

Arron: A strong believer who grew up in Guatemala and upon discovering he was Jewish, moved to Israel. I admire him so much for what he has been doing here in Israel. He has been homeless for nearly 3 years and his faith now is stronger than ever. When we first met him, he had an eye patch and was all cut up. It wasnt until recently he finally told the story of what happened to him. He was walking one day when two of his former friends came up and offered him drugs. When he declined he told them about how Yeshua saved his life and that he loves them and wants to save theirs too. They instantly became furious and began beating him. Not swinging back he got of on his feet and said “Yeshua loves you” and they beat him again. And again he rose and said “Yeshua loves you” and this repeated for several more times and the final time he rose and said, “Yeshua loves you, and God is my Justice.” The next day his “friends” ran up to him weeping and apologizing saying they wanted to know more about this Yeshua.

Goel: A 19 year old Orthodox Jew who has come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah only a month or so ago. He ran away from home because he was tired of being in a controlling religious household and he wanted to know what the truth was. He is still struggling daily with the line between following the Law and following Jesus.

Pastor Matthew: A 7-foot tall Sudanese Pastor in Tel Aviv who led 2,500 refugees BY FOOT into Israel. They were fleeing from all the war that has overcome that area in Africa. People are still dying in the hands of the L.R.A. and radical muslims now are holding Christian’s at gunpoint forcing them to convert or die. When this modern day Moses and his people reached Egypt on their journey, the Egyptian government opened fire on them because they did not want them in their country. Many of them died that day, but they marched on with the land of milk and honey as their destination. Here they have found refuge until this last year the Israeli government has been forcing them to go home to their war-torn country. My heart has always been in Sudan and Uganda. After talking to him and hearing his incredible story, God has added even more fuel to my fire. I look forward to the day in which I can finally go.

I am learning more and more about dying to myself and sacrificing all of my energy to this cause. Our team is making it a point to be known: We are not here to force anyone to come to our faith. But we have all been changed radically by the way Jesus has worked in us, how he has given us peace and joy that we cannot produce ourselves. It would be selfish of us to keep that gift to ourselves. I praise God because as He uses me to try and bring His healing love to His people, he has been healing me as well. Its hard to believe our trip is almost halfway over and I feel we are just getting started! For those of you who have been praying for us, I thank you so much. Prayer is our first weapon and you all are on the front lines for us. Please continue to pray! Here are some prayer requests/needs:

For Our Team:

-God will strengthen us through persecution

-We become even more united as God adds to our number

-We all keep focused on the task at hand

-To give us and especially our leaders wisdom and discernment.

For the Nation:

-For open hearts and eyes

-To receive what we have without offense

-For Arab-Jewish conflict to cease in Jerusalem

For me:

-focus

-a sacrificial servanthood

-boldness in the face of persecution

-Finances! (I only have enough money to stay until the end of October)

Thank you all so much for showing interest in the work that is being done here. God is moving! If you would like to donate you can send it to 4052 Alto Street Oceanside, Ca 92056. If check, it is tax-deductable and can be made out to Send Ministries with Alaina Henderson on the memo line. If cash, attach a note with my name :) Also, you can donate online at http://sendministries.com.s52753.gridserver.com/ I can never thank you all enough for the support you have already given me. Through prayer, encouragment, or finances, you have all sent me! Shalom and Shana tova!