From Time to Time.

It seems as if time has been our enemy,

but bending it is a learned art. 

Our days are filled to the brim, 

and there are moments where I feel suffocated, 

but as Matt emphasizes- our circumstances are circumstances that God has given, and thus we must rely on Him for strength, hand in hand, day by day.

This week has been eventful, not only in schedule and time, but in politics and news. It is frightening to see how extreme these cultures are. For the first time, I am an American not being integrated into the cultures and welcomed warmly, but consistently aware that I am a foreigner and treated as so. 

Matt and I have had the grand opportunity, privilage and blessing, to be spending the past two weeks under the teaching of John Stewart, a lawyer with a PhD in Theology, and his wife, Lori Stewart, with a law degree and thorough studies of Biblical Peacemaking. Both are an inspiring couple to us, who have been through a lot to be where they are today, as they travel the world and consider Africa their second home, relentlessly teaching the Bible and Gospel worldwide. We have been able to bring them to dinner, have numerous conversations regarding present day politics, advice for the future, and have been reduced to tears over God's blessings in their lives. 

John has lead the class in teaching church history and inter-testament history, and ended with a Master's Graduate degree test (which I failed and Matt got the second to highest score in the class). They have both given us background information on Palestine's history and have helped all of us understand the present day situation better so that we can communicate better with these cultures. We have seen Hamas' declaration of the "day of wrath" to cause Israeli Defense Forces to fly planes over the city, ten officers at every street corner, Palestinians feel betrayed by Obama and show it, men walking around with hands clutched to their guns, Jews not revealing themselves in the streets as tourists replace them, and the school taking extra precautions of sleeping next to packed backpacks and practicing our escape route to the bomb shelters.

Matt and I feel as if we are here at a significant point in International Relations, 

and I do not know what to think.

But I will say and declare that the Lord is good,

and will have confidence in His sovereignty.

The children here grow in hostility;

I have witnessed10 year old boys hit, kick, and threaten the girls with scissors,

as the boys assert authority to each other by violence,

and our walks to school pass through children threatening to stab each other with sticks and stones.

It is rare to receive a smile from a child.

instead, we are given untrusted glares.

"Jerusalem- built as a city

that is bound firmly together,

to which the tribes go up,

the tribes of the LORD,

as was decreed for Israel, 

to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

There thrones for judgement were set, 

the trones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

May they be secure who love you!

Peace be within your walls

and security within your towers"

For my brothers and companions' sake

I will say, "peace be within you!"

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

I will seek your good."

-Psalm 122: 3-9