Our Shabbat

Today is the Sabbath "Shabbat" day in Israel and it was such a neat day.  We started the morning by all sleeping in a little which was much needed.  We went to the Narkis Congregation which is a church in the area.  We attended a class before worship that was taught by David Bivin.  He is an author of several books from what I am told.  We went to worship and celebrated and worshipped with people from all over the world...including Finland, South Africa, Iraq and Germany.  Worship was indeed sweet.  We then went to our work sight and ate lunch "schwarmas" and then began our ministry work.  Most of the girls started painting the prayer house and the men worked out in the yard gardening.  We got alot accomplished and enjoyed the fellowship while we worked.  For dinner we walked to an Arab restaurant that was delicious.  Jay and I ate the best lamb we have ever had!  After a wonderful day we are now back at our apartment and many are playing "farkle," the game of the trip.  It is pretty eventful and fun!

A really cool story about the prayer center we are working at...Horatio Spafford in 1871 lost a son and then soon after suffered financial ruin in a fire (he was a successful lawyer).  Two years  later he sent his family ahead of him on a ship across the Atlantic for a vacation and was going to meet up with them after he finished some business.  The ship collided and all 4 of his daughters drown.  His wife survived and sent him a telegram that simply stated, "saved alone."  He then wrote "It Is Well With My Soul."  What an incredible testimony.  Then he later had 3 more children (one who later died) and one of his daughters (Bertha Spafford Vester) came to Jerusalem as part of the American Colony.  She purchased what is now the JERUSALEM PRAYER HOUSE that we are working in this week.  How cool is that!  Click on the links to get the full story...it is really neat! We are off to bed and will update again tomorrow night after a full day of ministry.  Please continue to pray for open doors for us.