Anticipating America...

Summer camp this week was amazing, and for the first time I have a moment to post the promised blog about what I'm looking forward to about home. During this coming week I also plan to share some great summer camp pictures and hopefully a post about the things I'm sad to leave... things which are starting to invade my brain. Thankfully, over the last few weeks of being really really excited to go home I have noted some of the random things I am really looking forward to about my time in the States. I'll make some notes about why as well:

I'm looking forward to... BAKING
As I have mentioned previously on here and as any of you who have met me know, I love baking. It is my favorite thing to do to relax and also a way I love to share with others. I haven't had an oven here, and tools and ingredients have been hard to come by. Once, out of desperation, I steamed a cake on the stove. I can't wait to get into a fully-stocked kitchen and to pump out some good old favorites! (Get hungry, Mom and Dad!)

I'm looking forward to... driving
Thanks to my amazingly generous friend Tamara, I have been able to drive some here. But I look forward to getting around on my own, not being sooo worried about using gas (maybe 4x more expensive here), and just the lovely roads we have in the States.

I'm looking forward to... seeing my clothes
I know, this is petty. But I do, I look forward to changing out my wardrobe, wearing more than plain long-sleeved shirts and less than attractive pants every day. The wardrobe I've had has worked great and suited its purpose... but it'll be nice to have a little diversity!

I'm looking forward to... seeing some babies
I need to meet a few good friends' new babies, and see a few who have probably doubled in size since Christmastime. I can't wait to hold them!

I'm looking forward to... going to TNBS
TNBS stands for Tuesday Night Bible Study... as in the best Bible study I've ever been a part of and the group of people I consider my closest church home. I love being intimate enough to be called out on stuff, challenged to go deeper in my walk with Christ, trusted, prayed for, encouraged, and in turn doing the same for others. I know it'll have changed but I can't wait anyway!

I'm looking forward to... vacuuming???
Yeah, this one is really random. Although I am very impressed by the Arab cleaning style, I can't keep up with all the sweeping and mopping. I constantly feel like my house is a mess. So yes, I look forward to vacuuming (or at least being able to)!

I'm looking forward to... Starbucks and Trader Joe's
This is so embarrassingly American, but these are just a few places I enjoy enough that just going there changes my mood!

I'm looking forward to... Costco with Mom
Related, but I have so many memories from my childhood shopping with my mom and thinking of meals to prepare and parties to plan. Maybe my favorite part was when she'd let me get a huge ice cream for $1. For whatever reason, I still look forward to these trips!

Most of all, I look forward to seeing friends and family and spending time with them. It is my hope that this time in the States will serve to refresh and allow me to refocus before taking the next steps in my journey! I hope also that I can be an encouragement.

Palestinian-Israeli Camp

Today I'm going with about 40 other leaders for a two-day training prior to our Israeli-Palestinian summer camp. Through this camp, we intend to encourage relationships between young believers and expect the relationships to change the trajectory of their perspectives on the "other" in this conflict.

On Monday, we'll be joined by 73 8-12 year-olds for the five day camp. Since I won't likely be able to blog during the camp I'll be keeping pictures and stories to share with you after the camp.

This camp marks the beginning of my last two weeks here. I'll have a final week in the office and then be off toward home. Check in next week to see some posts about what I'm looking forward to about being home. I'll only be home for a month, so will need to pack a lot in. Maybe having a record of what I want to do ahead of time will help me remember when I actually have the opportunity at home! I hope they'll be fun to read, too:-).

"The Real Musalaha"

Saturday I attended the weeding of some friends of mine in Bethlehem. I sat across from an Israeli and a Palestinian friend. They were getting along great. I kept hearing, "I love you sister!"

Eventually, the conversation turned to Musalaha, where they concluded together: "This is the real Musalaha." Sitting at a table, doing life together, enjoying each other.

My beautiful friends.

I'm thankful that the work we do is laying the groundwork for these relationships to begin. May more continue beyond our programs and into normal life.

It is my hope that someday these friends will not have to wait for permits and special events to see each other.

Chivalry in the Middle East

I've been meaning to write this for a long time. One thing I appreciate about Arab culture is that, when I get on a bus, a man often gives his seat up for me (or any other woman who gets on-board). This is especially nice because the buses are small and standing is very uncomfortable.

So here's a shout-out to Arab gentlemen. I know you guys often get a bad rap, and I want you to know that I appreciate your kindnesses!

I was with my photojournalist friend when he took this picture of our bus driver right by the checkpoint.
Photo credit: Barry Rodriguez, www.worldnextdoor.org.

A Visit Home

I'll be in the States for the month of August, and am working to schedule my time there. I'll be in Maryland for the first half of the month and then in Washington State for the second half. If you'd like to get together, shoot me an email so we can schedule some time, please!

For now, keep tracking with me. This last month is proving to be exciting with another camp next week and many other things going on!

Hebron Camp Day 6

Our final day of camp was the most fun for me. Instead of staying in a small classroom, I got to run around with the kids outside as they participated in competitions. The kids were split into four teams during the week, and this was their opportunity to show their team unity. I took lots of pictures. Enjoy!

  TUG OF WAR!

Pull!!!

WATER BALLOONS

Lots of water balloons made for a fun game of the kids running and the adults throwing balloons at them:-)

PASS THE WET SPONGE

THREE LEGGED RACE

  

AND POSE FOR SOME PICTURES:-)

Our camp was a spectator sport! These kids sat on the wall of the school watching what we did.

Hebron Camp Day 5

Day five was the last day of crafts at the Hebron Camp. The kids made decopauge journals, which was very fun!

Half-way through the day, when the kids had a break for snack, my partner Maria and I tidied the tables and then were working on a project the the supplies which we hoped to use as gifts. Kids kept coming in and out of the room, always eager to hang out and look at our supplies. We looked up at one point and noticed several girls who had come in with a broom, and were very efficiently sweeping our room. They worked at it for about 15 minutes, leaving the room very clean. I was so impressed. No one had told them to do it, they just saw a need and got to work.

Here is a picture from the day:

Brittany, one of the other camp leaders, found a cool place to rest after the day was over.