Filling In the Gap

I'm not sure how to summarize an eight month span, especially when it includes many goodbyes, a relocation back to the States and an announcement of a new addition to our family. But I'm going to attempt it.

The start of this blog came from wanting to share the work God is doing at my previous school. That is why I titled it 'A Changing Heart.' It was one of my students who wrote on his homework that his stick figured drawing was changing because of reading and memorizing God's Word. That was why Mike and I packed our bags and traveled to spend two years in Palestine. That is why any believer in Jesus Christ lives, no matter where we are located.

It was tough packing up my classroom and saying goodbye to so many that we had grown to love, invest and learn from. But, we stepped forward knowing that God has the future planned, even if it's not visible to us.

One of the greatest little souvenirs that we brought back with us was a "Made in Palestine" baby! Well, he is more like a work in progress. While in Bethlehem we found out that God was going to bless us with a child. In a way, this baby helped sooth our hearts as we left Palestine. Now we are just a week away from the expected due date!

As for my former students, I pray that their hearts continue to change and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. My job as a teacher in Bethlehem is completed. The seeds have been planted, and they are being tended to by their current teachers. One day, those hearts will change into women and men of God and prayerfully they will make changes in the hearts of others. This is the good news that Jesus teaches us.

So this is my last update as a second grade teacher in Palestine (who really left way back in June), and I am going to start blogging about our growing family, the new direction God is leading us and just little tid bits that I feel like blogging about.

Boys of the Neighborhood

I can't blog about my school without recognizing the 'shababs' that venture into our back lot for a game a football (soccer). About 3:30 these boys begin playing one of the most entertaining games I've ever seen. I find myself distracted from cleaning, grading, lesson planning all the activities that keep me tied to school when I just want to put my feet up. I can't help but observe the deep friendships that these kids have with one another. Last year, one of the goalies was a boy who played from an electric wheelchair. There seemed to be no difference between him and the other boys. This year, I've noticed the same boy, slowly defending his position in the middle of the field, exercising the ability to use his legs. Our back lot is really an embarrassment of a football field, but its a world of deep friendship that I can't help enjoying watching.

Yohanna's Story

I wanted to share a short story from a Palestinian man that I met last night.

Yohanna hadn't always been a believer in Jesus. Even though he was born into a Christian family, he became an active atheist, trying to conform Muslim and Christian university students. But God met him one night in his apartment and changed his heart and mind.

Palestinian people live under a different set of rules and many struggle with feeling inferior to Israelis.I've been discovering that this feeling is embedded into the lives of the people. One past rule stated that Israeli Defense soldiers had the right to shoot at the feet of any Palestinian that they thought were endangering their lives or were trying to flee.

One night, as Yohanna rushed through Damascus Gate in the old city of Jerusalem, he prayed for protection as he neared some soldiers. He had just finished printing Arabic bulletins and was in a hurry to get to his destination. One of the soldiers motioned for him to approach the soldiers. He knew that things would turn out bad for him if he didn't obey the command. So he turned, quickly headed towards the soldiers, unzipping his jacket and placed his hands inside. Both parties were startled when the scene turned to soldiers with guns pointed at Yohanna's head. With his hands placed on his heart, Yohanna said to the soldiers, "I love you." Surprised, the soldiers stated that they wished all Palestinians were like him. Yohanna responded that he wished all soldiers were like himself as well. Yohanna then had the opportunity to share the love of Christ to these men.

One story of so many.....

Boxes Full of Love

Valentine's Day was a special event in second grade. I find so much joy in watching children excited about simple things. But according to second grade, Valentine's Day was no simple event this year.

Before the morning bell rang, second grade poured into the classroom proudly carrying their decorated boxes. Hearts were cut out of the tops of the sealed boxes, wrapped in decorative wrapping paper or stuck with stickers. Here was a new way to initiate creativity from my students! Each one carefully stacked their boxes behind my desk, admired their peers' handiwork, and tried to peek at the Valentine notes.

The love chapter was the focus of our Bible lesson. The boys pointed out what love isn't as we read through 1 Corinthians 13. They all thought is was funny that we could be like a 'noisy bell' if we didn't have God's love, even though they've made great accomplishments, like speaking the different languages of men. Verse 3 taught the students that if they give all they have to the poor or needy but don't have love, they gain nothing. Giving is huge in this culture influenced by Islam. One of the core beliefs of entering heaven is giving of alms to the poor, but the lesson showed us that it's useless unless our hearts have the true love of Jesus. The girls then noted that love is patient, kind, isn't boastful, proud or envy, nor keeps anger against one another. There is never a time where we don't talk about how much Jesus loves these students...and that his love never fails them.

By the end of the day, the party of the year had begun! Students excitedly gave away their homemade notes and candy trying to get their job done while returning to their desk to peek in their boxes as they filled with love. Issa would pull out about half of his notes and with much excitement bring them for me to see. The girls giggled as Maher addressed 'Sweet' before their names on the notes, and the boys dug into their boxes searching for candy and notes from their buddies. Each child left the class with a box full of love, kindness and the remembrance of a past Bible verse, "It is better to give than to receive."

So another fun and special Valentine's Day came and went, and I started to prepare for the next day. But one of my second graders caught me eye. Mohamad, the last to go home, stood across the courtyard waiting for his taxi to arrive. He would periodically stoop down, check the contents of his box, replace the lid and then recheck the kind notes again. Despite his rough exterior he tends to show towards his classmates, he took home notes and a box full of God's love. Somehow, I know he'll keep those notes.

An Aged Church and a Child's Request

There is one church in this region that has captured me. I'm not sure what actually draws me to this building. Is it the rich history that is contained in it's very structure, the paintings along the walls, the worshipers both local and foreign or the events that have and continue to unfold around it's compound?

One morning, Michael and I wandered through the stone-walled allies of Bethlehem. Upon nearing Manger Square, the allies change from front door entrances to small shops strewn with souvenirs, mixed with convenience stores of spices and fabrics for the locals. Manger Square is rather large. On opposite sides stand two challenging buildings. A rather tall minaret towers above a dominate mosque. In fact, the minaret is the tallest structure in the square, leaving one with a subordinate feeling. Directly across  the mosque, on the other side of the square, stands the aged old Church of the Nativity.

To enter the church, one must pass through the Door of Humility, which was added on during the Ottoman rule. Once inside I'm always taken back by the simplicity and raw remains of this church. Pillars display Saints painted by the Crusaders. Old light fixtures hang from wooden rafters and an opening in the floor allows visitors to see the original tiling. Visitors fall into a silence as they progress through the cool naive and up to the alters.

The church was rather empty that morning, so we joined a small group of tourist descending below the alters into the Grotto of  the Nativity. I personally don't believe Jesus was born in that exact spot, but I wanted to revisit the sight of excitement for many pilgrims. After a few moments of silence and a snapshot of my own, I ascended back into the church.

I had noticed that I was now with a group of Muslim tourists from Indonesia. One little voice caught my attention. Sitting next to his mother, a child gazed around casually taking in the sight of the church. His mother was explaining the significance of the church to Christianity and who Jesus was. It was obvious that the mother was more into the lesson than her son, for he just swung his legs and very innocently interrupted her and said, "Wouldn't you have liked to have met Isa?" The mother continued on with her education. "I would have liked to have meet him," he replied again.

The spoken words remain in my ears, a young boy probably back home in Indonesia, an earnest statement made and a heart that God is seeking to reveal himself to. I wish I had taken this boy and told him that he will see Isa if he just asks. My prayers covered this child, commit him into God's hands and petitioned that God would indeed reveal himself.

How many others pass beneath the ancient rafters of the silent church of old and question themselves about meeting Isa?

Lesson 170

With my refilled cup of hot chocolate, a small heater and a classroom devoid of students, I spread open my lesson plan book and curriculum folders to prepare for upcoming February. As much as I enjoy my students, I also enjoy the quiet moments where I get to reorganize and prep for the upcoming school days.

Upon concluding the month's Arithmetic lessons, I realized that I would be needing to use the lessons that I had separated into the third and final folder. Lesson 170 was still in the front of this final curriculum folder, right where I left it at the end of last year. Lesson 170, the last lesson of the school year. My heart dropped a little, somehow wanting to delay the fact that the end of the year comes closer everyday. I know that lots of teachers look forward to sending their students forward to a new adventure in third grade and receive a fresh new group of students, but I wont be one of those teachers this year. I'll receive an exit stamp on my expiring visa and leave behind part of my heart that belongs to a people group that I have grown to love.

I know that I've got about 90 wonderful lessons ahead of me, and I'm excited to partake in them with my students. However, it's those small reminders of my due date to trust in God for a new direction that causes me to want to say, "But my Lord and Master, I do want to stay here." Lesson 170 will be a review lesson for my students, but for me it will be a learning lesson that I've committed to following  God, who has drawn me into his kingdom and asks me to be faithful unto him.

A Changing Heart

There is a clipping of one of my student's homework assignment that hangs on my bedroom mirror. It is a constant reminder of why I get up early and head down to a small school inside of the West Bank, Palestine. In fact, I may always keep this piece of paper with me.

We've been learning about hiding God's Word in our heart. I've even "warned" my students about opening the Bible. They know that if they open this special book and read the words, they wont be the same. It's fun to see the excitement these kids have on their faces, so eager to get a hold of a Bible.

To illustrate hiding God's Word in our heart, we've been watering our water pearls daily. Each student has a container holding small water beads. After our Bible lesson and morning prayer students carefully open their container and pour water over the pearls, symbolizing their hearts. Students are thrilled to see the hard beads enlarge into soft pearls. Once lids are screwed on, students sing "read you Bible and pray every day and you'll grow, grow, grow" song.

It's cute to see their little bodies crouched on the ground growing tall as they sing their songs, but it's that one piece of paper hanging on my mirror that encourages my heart the greatest. This particular Muslim student copied his Bible verse of the week, Psalm 119:11, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Underneath he illustrated the verse with a stick figured character with outstretched hands and a smile on its face. Next to the figure are the words..."his heart is changing."