Ramadan, Elul, and Insight

Shalom from Israel!

Hi everyone!  Seems like it’s been ages since I’ve written an update from Israel, didn’t know 5 months could feel that long.  I have now been back for three weeks, thank you for being patient with me as I re-adjusted to life over here.  Two weeks ago the youngest sister of the woman I live with got married.  It was a beautiful outdoor wedding.  The ceremony took place under an arbor of amazing looking grapes, and yes they were real because we fed some of them to the kids to keep them occupied!  So needless to say, the first week I was here was crammed full of all kinds of wedding preparations.

I finally made it into Jerusalem on Wednesday morning the 11th (first day of Ramadan) for a few days of sets.  The plan was to run some errands and then participate in sets on Thursday and Friday.  For those of you who don’t know, I fell on the stairs on my way to the apartment and cut my elbow open.  So I spent Wednesday with a friend trying to figure out my insurance and which clinic to go to for my stitches.  The clinic was very nice and they took great care of me.  Praise the Lord I still had my insurance!  I’ve found, over the last week, that there are a number of everyday things that are quite impossible to do without both of your elbows.  Even brushing my hair is more challenging (I’ve pulled out more than normal in the process!).  Sometimes it’s good to allow people to help you, and not feel you have to be completely capable of everything all on your own.  After all, we are to be a body with many parts.  But at times it’s hard to ask for help with things, and it can be a bit intrusive on our personal space.  Maybe we think people will make fun of us if they see we can’t do things ourselves.  I’ve found that most people are more than happy to help and not with smug – I’m laughing at you on the inside –faces.   

So, to apply this to the REAL world…we don’t have to have our entire walk with God completely together at all times.  Nor should we expect our brothers and sisters to either.  We are all in need of one another, and we shouldn’t look down on someone who is struggling, nor should we feel second class to our friends if we are in a tough spot.  God created us to help one another. 

Ok, enough of that. Just had to share a bit of what I’ve been thinking about the last few days!  On to what’s going on over here.  Right now we are in a very interesting season.  The Muslims are celebrating Ramadan and the Jewish people are in the month of Elul.  So, what does that mean?  

I will start with Ramadan.  During the month long celebration of Ramadan, Muslims fast food and water from sunrise to sunset.  Once the sun has set they are able to feast all they want. They also have wake-up calls before sunrise to give them a last chance to eat before the day begins.  Each evening they flood the Temple Mount for intense times of prayer.  They see this time as preparation for an increase of power (due to their prayers) for Allah, which means more success in their pursuit of taking over the world.  They take Ramadan very seriously over here.  This year it began on August 11^th and will end on September 10^th.   A number of people said that they noticed a heaviness in the atmosphere that started the day Ramadan began (one didn’t know it was Ramadan either).  It does affect people in the area more than we realize.  It seems that the police are on higher alert right now as well.  I’ve noticed a number of places along the roads leading into East Jerusalem that are now blocked on Fridays with police stationed there.  

Now on to the month of Elul.  This month leads up to Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and The Feast of Succot (Tabernacles).  It is a time of building a “place” of safety and dwelling.  Each day is begun with the blowing of the shofar.  I find it interesting that the word Elul if used as an acronym, stands for the phrase in Song of Solomon – Ani le dodi, ve dodi li – I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine.   This is a month of God drawing them (symbolized by the shofar call just before dawn)!  The call of the Bridegroom is an invitation to habitation.  So, in this month the building of the “place” is to be completed so that it can be used, or inhabited by God. 

It was at this time that Nehemiah completed the building of the wall around Jerusalem.  So it has to do with completing the preparations for you protection as well as preparing your heart for Him.  During our times of prayer for the Temple Mount we have been blowing the shofar (recorded on a cell phone) over and over.  He’s calling to His people, yearning for them to hear His voice.  For the last week it seems like every time I’m in a set something touches me in a way that brings me to tears.  I’m not one who cries very often, so I keep thinking, what’s wrong with me?  I think it is that I can sense His yearning for His people, and that is what has been on His heart and it’s an emotional thing.  I have personally felt a more intense drawing of my own heart over the last week.  I’m just so fascinated by how God ordained the times and seasons on His calendar in such a way to be always speaking to us. 

Another interesting thing that is done during the month of Elul is the daily reading of Psalm 27.  Below are a few key verses :

Vs1. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?  - speaking to the preparation in relation to protection, the completing of the walls, filling in the gaps, He surrounds us.

Vs4. One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. – speaking of the drawing of our hearts to Him!

I personally love reading it on a daily basis!  I would think after a month of that you should have the chapter memorized, and it’s quite a good one for that!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1.       For continued protection as I travel around the city and back and forth to the desert. 

2.       Increased ability to see and hear.

3.       That eyes would be opened in this season of searching (for both Arab and Jew)!

4.       For the finances needed for me to stay.

Blessings to you all!

~Lydia

Photos!

The twins way of saying “Welcome back Lila!”

Some of the grapes at the wedding

The stitches!

Back in Israel

I have been here since Tuesday morning.  After quite a bit of traveling I arrived safe and sound and with all of my luggage!  The family I live with is in the middle of lots of preparation for the mother's youngest sister's wedding! The wedding is on Tuesday (which I've been informed is a popular day to get married, Moses says something about marriages taking place on the 3rd day of the week).  Because of all of the extra preparations and overall craziness of this last week I have not been able to make it into town yet (also the house I will be living in when in town is currently housing wedding guests, no room in the inn!).  So I guess you finally get a truly short update as I haven't been to any sets yet or even had much contact with the locals.

About all I have at the moment is in regards to the little skirmish on the northern boarder.  The Lebanese opened fire on the Israeli soldiers who had permission to do some clean-up along their side of the boarder.  They had gone through the correct authorities to get permission (from an organization called UNIFIL, who is in charge of the section of ground between the Israeli side of the boarder and the Lebanon side of the boarder) to do this clean-up.  However, this organization had to inform Lebanon officials that Israel would be doing this and had permission to do so.  It was after all of this that the Lebanese soldiers opened fire (unprovoked) on the Israeli soldiers.  UNIFIL officials had to be present during this clean-up and have verified that Israel did not provoke the attack and was only doing the clean-up they are allowed to do.  However, Lebanon had members of the media ready with cameras to make a story and report it as Israel's fault.  They have mostly been reporting that Israel fired shots first. Yes, they did open fire in retaliation, and made a bit of a mess, but they did not start it.  Over and over the media has done it's best to mark Israel as the bad guy.  Be careful what you believe. 

Also, a while back I sent a link for a video of the new mall in Gaza.  Later I found out that the video on that link had changed, and that many of you weren't able to see the footage of the mall. I'm am including a link for an article with photos of the opening day celebrations at the new Gaza mall.  Why do they need aid ships? Click here.

Also this week, there was a large explosion in Gaza killing a number of locals and destroying several homes.  What caused it? The PA has said Israel did it, they flew over and dropped a bomb in the middle of the night. Israeli authorities say that they didn't have any planes anywhere near the area at that time.  If you ask the locals though, they can and will tell you the truth.  The explosion came from a building where terrorists have been keeping all sorts of military equipment, guns, bombs, grenades, ammunition etc.  They choose to store it in the middle of a well populated neighborhood rather than in the middle of nowhere, because they know the Israeli military will think twice before destroying it - aware it would cause civilian casualties.  However, the terrorist organizations don't care if they kill their own people.  Locals have spoken out saying they knew what the building was being used for and they didn't like it.  Shortly after the explosion they have said that Hamas vans arrived and collected all evidence that would prove to anyone who would want to investigate, that it was just an ordinary building, and therefore Israel must have done it. 

We must continue to pray for God's protection of Israel, and for the U.S. to stand with Israel.  Pray for eyes to be opened, eyes to see and ears to hear!

Thank you so much for all of your support, and your prayers.  Please continue to stand with me and believe for the rest of the Lord's provision so I will be able to stay as long as He is desiring for me to stay.  Blessings from Israel and much love to you all! I will include photos in my next update, haven't gotten that organized just yet!