Airport.

Thanks to Ben Gurion wifi, I am able to update you all! Not that there is much to update on, only that I woke up super early this morning, even before my 3am alarm. The sherut was on time and I got to the airport by 4:50, 10min early! (ridiculously early, actually) The part that I was most apprehensive about is over, I am through security and sitting in front of my gate. Praise be to God! Please continue to pray as I board this flight and slowly but surely make my way to Canada. Also pray for Dara and Chiantelle as they fly to London at 4pm today (6am for all you Canadians). Matt and Dave are spending a few days in Tel Aviv before flying to Europe on Tuesday, and Stephen is spending two more weeks in Israel.
Blessings,
Carly

This is it.

I'm coming home. I said good-bye to my host family this morning, to Dara and Chiantelle a few hours ago, and now I am chillin' in the Old City of Jerusalem until I can check into my hostel. Goodbyes are really hard, but I am excited to say hello in a short time. A good thing about most of the hard goodbyes is that they are also see-you-soons.
Please pray for safety and safe travels for me as I am now on my own without my team. Also pray that I would be able to wake up tomorrow morning at 3am to catch my ride to the airport. Pray that the security people would not give me a hard time at the airport (as they often do), but that the whole trip home would go smoothly.
Thank-you, family and friends, for your continued support over the last six weeks. I can't believe it is coming to an end, but I will see you soon!
Much love and blessings,
Carly

Stories

As I begin to process the last six weeks, a thousand stories run through my head. Stories of joy, stories of hope, and stories of peace. Stories of hurt, stories of injustice, and stories of violence. These stories are not from books or from media, but from real people whom I have talked to and spent time with. There are faces and emotions behind these stories, as well as cultural and historical influences. How will I share these when I return to Canada? How can I honor and respect the people I have met and speak the truth? When people ask, "How was your trip?" how can I answer in a way that conveys the depth of the time I have spent here? These are tough questions, but ones that must find adequate answers. I am praying and trusting that God will provide direction and guidance for me as well as the rest of my team.

Final Days

We have been working through our debrief material. Colin leaves tonight. I am figuring out arrangements to get to the airport in Tel Aviv by 5am Sunday morning. Each minute brings us closer to the time that we have to leave this holy place and transition back to our lives in Canada. It is amazing how much we have done, seen, and heard in the last five and a half weeks, and it is crazy how fast the time has flown.
How can you pray for us as our time here comes to an end? I'm glad you asked:

1. That we would finish our time here well. That we would take to heart all that we have learned and heard in order that we may be able to share with others when we return home. Also that God would not let us remember anything that we do not need to, any frustration or negative thing that would hinder our growth.

2. That our team would be able to say goodbye well. Living with these people has been a great blessing, but it has also been a lesson in patience and grace. Pray that we would be able to let each other know how much we appreciated each other and that we would feel blessed by the time we spent together.

3. Pray that God would work in our hearts and make the transition home a smooth one. He has blessed us in the transition from Nazareth to Bethlehem, but just the thought of leaving this country and these people makes my heart ache and my stomach churn. Leaving behind new friends, relationships and those who have spoken into and impacted our lives will be heartbreaking, but I have faith that God can soften the blow and bless us as we fly away from here and return to Canada, some of us sooner than others.

I cannot express enough thankfulness for those who have beening reading my blog and praying for us in this time. This trip would not have been possible without God's provision, blessing, and your support. Thank-you for journeying with us, and I look forward to seeing you in person soon!
Blessings,
Carly

Snapshots

I walk into the kitchen and on the table is an amazing spread of meat, cheese, olive oil, za'atar, halva, eggs, and apricot jam. The smell of fresh warm pita bread invites me to sit down at the table. "Saba halhair!" It is a good morning indeed. The sun is shining and the view of Beit Sahour through the kitchen window is beautiful. Grandma comes up from where she lives downstairs and sits with us for a while. I listen to her and mama chat away in Arabic and try to understand words here and there. 

Walking through the Old City of Jerusalem we are beckoned by a shop keeper to come look at what he is selling. "No charge for looking!" Ooh, I spot some pretty jewelry, so Dara and I step into the tiny shop. "From where you are?" "Canada." "Ah, beautiful country." I try to calculate in my head how many times I have been asked that exact question... Too many times to count. We spot a pair of matching rings that fit us. "How much?" "140 shekels." A quick calculation in my head determines that is just less tham $50. I laugh and put my bartering face on. After a few back and forth exchanges, I am still not happy with the price and motion Dara to follow me out of the shop. The shopkeeper, realizing that he is about to lose us as customers, calls after us with a lower price, "Two for 90!" "La" (No... still too high). "Two for 80!" We keep walking. "Two for 70!" Dara and I look at each other... yes. We walk back in and make our purchase. A ring for $10? Not bad. We walk away with smiles on our faces and new rings on our fingers.

We hear that we are going to visit a refugee camp this afternoon. At first I do not understand who lives in this camp or what we will do there. As soon as we arrive I begin to understand. The inhabitants of the camp are Palestinians who were displaced when Israeli forces took over their homes and their land in 1948. My heart is heavy and I feel sick as I listen to numbers, statistics, and stories of injustice from a young man who was born in the camp. As we walk around the camp the wall looms over us and I see a lot of graffiti, some of which I understand, others which has a deeper meaning that I don't understand. I am overwhelmed by the situation. How can people be refugees in their homeland for over 50 years, and I have never heard of this before? Am I so ignorant and uneducated? "We Will Return" "Don't Give Up The Fight, Bring The Truth To Light #unoccupy" These words stir my soul, but I am at a loss. I don't know what to do or what to say.

Language.

I'm sure you're all wondering how to speak Arabic, so here are a few phrases to get you started... Spelled phonetically of course. We'll save reading Arabic for another day.

Marhaba: Hello
Kiif hallek: How are you?
Mabsout/Mabsouta: Good (male/female response)
Caca: Cake (hehe)
Shu: What
Mumtaz: Excellent
Shukran: Thank-you
Afoin: You're welcome
Feesh: Why
When: Where
Shwai: Small/Little
Yalla: Let's go
Yalla yalla: Hurry up
Hallas: Stop/Finished
Tiebe: Fine/OK
Mish mish: Apricot
Tatli: Jam
T'ali: Come here
Tefal: Apple
Hummus: Gift from God
Insh'allah: God willing
Il humdelallah: Praise be to God

I expect you all to be able to.converse with me when I return home! ;)

Family

I come from a small family. Very small in fact. Two ladies and a cat. But now, I'm happy to say that my family has grown much bigger in the last month. I have two sisters who I have lived with for the last month (Dara and Chiantelle), plus four great brothers who always look out for us. I have parents from England who currently live in Israel. I have Palestinian parents as well as four sisters (including twins) and a brother. I also have three American sisters from California.
I didn't know it was possible to be welcomed into so many families and for me to have room to love so many people. But God is good, and I pray daily that I may love as Christ loved.

Bethlehem

We have arrived in Bethlehem! Dara and I are staying with a very nice family who don't know very much English, but their three younger daughters are very cute and already love us. Wherever we go they are holding our hands.

We went to Jerusalem yesterday and saw quite a few sites, walked around the Old City. Today we went to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. It was a Greek Orthodox service, which was interesting, but I didn't understand any of it. Their singing voices are beautiful, but it all seemed very solemn.

We start our placements tomorrow. Dara, Chiantelle, and I will be volunteering in a centre for mentally and physically disabled children and adults.

It is definitely different being in the West Bank. It is strange that we are able to go to checkpoints into Israel without any problems, but most of the time the people living here cannot go into Jerusalem. As one man put it : "You have more rights in my country than I do. That is not fair." I hope that we can learn a lot from these people so that we can tell their stories when we come back to Canada and can know how to better pray for these people and this country. One of the families that a couple of the boys are staying with have said that we will be their ambassadors when we go back to Canada. I pray that we can do this well.

Bits and Pieces: Part 2

- I will miss the food here. If you've never had a good falafel or shawarma, you're missing out big time.

- I don't even really like swimming, but I am so proud to say that I have swum in the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River, and the Mediterranean Sea.

- Heat rashes are not fun at all. But the tan is worth it.

- One of my new life goals is to become fluent in as many languages as I can. The top two on my to-learn list right now are French and Hebrew.

- There's a good chance that if you pass me on the road when I'm back in Canada I will be the one cutting people off and honking at everybody because I'm getting very comfortable with the way of driving here.

- It has become apparent to me that my valiant efforts to pack light have really only resulted in me not having enough clothes here. Oops.

- You wouldn't believe how many stray cats there are around here. Most of them are so cute! But don't worry, I don't touch them. I only coo at them from afar.

- As much as I appreciate my modern appliances back home, I think I will miss the simplicity of hanging my clothes out to dry on the clothes line.

God Listens.

Hey family and friends,

I am so blessed that people read this blog. Even though I am not able to write about everything that happens here, it is so important to me to be able to share little parts of it. There are a million stories here that need to be shared.

Want to know how to pray for us?

1. This is our last week in Nazareth before moving on to Bethlehem. Please pray that we will be able to shine with Christ's love and light in our last days here so that we may make a lasting impression on the people we have met, just as they have left impressions on our hearts.

2. Pray that God will make leaving here and the transition to Bethlehem go smoothly. Spending four weeks here means that we have made wonderful friendships and we feel at home, but it also means that even the thought of leaving is incredibly painful. Pray that we will be excited for what God has in store for us in the next few weeks and that we will not be hindered by sadness for leaving this amazing place.

3. Pray for the people we have met, spent time with, and have worked with in the last four weeks, that those who are Christians will be encouraged and strengthened in their faith and those who do not yet know Jesus will be affected by our conversations and our example and will seek to know the true God.

Thank-you for your continued support, it is such a blessing.

Carly

Culture.

Some of the best days are also the hardest days.

Wednesday and Thursday last week I had the opportunity to switch my placement a bit and volunteer on the Maternity ward. If you know me at all, you know that caring for babies all day is one of my favourite things to do.

The best parts of the day were dressing the babies after their baths, syringe feeding some of the smallest ones, and picking them up to cuddle them when they cried. There are few feelings that match the ones when a tiny baby cuddles into your chest and falls asleep.

Unlike hospitals in Canada, most of the babies here are kept in one room - the nursery. The mothers come in various times in the day to take their babies to their rooms and feed them and spend time with them. The method of care is simply different.

The cultural differences between Israel and Canada surround me constantly. How people drive. The food. The music. The noise, including church bells, the Muslim call to prayer five times a day, wedding music, fireworks, and car horns. The way I feel walking down the street. The underlying tensions between religions and between people groups. These are all present all the time, but none of them affected me the way that the differences on the Maternity floor affected me.

Before we left for this trip we talked about being "learners." We discussed the fact that the purpose and goal for our trip is not to come in and try to fix problems and teach people the Western way to do it, even if it seems like a good way and it works for us. We came with the expectation of learning from the people here and listening to their stories and their experiences. This week, it became very clear to me how I needed to humble myself and be a learner while in my placement. Some of the things that I observed seemed very strange and at first assessment wrong in my opinion, but I quickly checked myself and realized that how I was assessing the situation was wrong. I was not there to compare Canadian and Israeli medical systems or to fix what I saw as problems. My purpose was to help where I was needed, learn what I could from the nurses, and pray at all times.

In the end I was very glad that I got to spend two days caring for, cuddling, and praying over tiny newborn babies. How blessed am I!? I am thankful to God for these amazing opportunities.

Bits and Pieces

 - Hummus here is unreal. Nothing like we have in Canada. My favourite meal here is pita with hummus and olive oil.

 - I now know how to say "thank-you" in quite a few different languages, which comes in handy because I don't think I've ever said it more in my life than I have here.

 - There is a rat living in our kitchen. As I type this, the boys and Dara are trying to catch and kill it.

 - It is amazing how much I feel at home here, which makes the thought of leaving so incredibly painful. I have never encountered more kind and hospitable people.

 - It is really difficult to not speak Arabic or Hebrew (except for "thank-you" and a couple other phrases). I feel like I can only build relationships with people to a certain point before language becomes a major barrier and communication breaks down. I have been praying that God would work in my heart and in the people I come in contact with to allow me to express the love of Christ even without words.

Answered Prayers.

Today we prayed that God would keep us safe and hear our cry for help when our van died on the side of the highway on the way to Haifa/Caesarea.

Today an older gentleman named Sam prayed that God would make him a blessing to someone, that he would make something of his life so that he wouldn't feel lazy or useless.

God is forever faithful and orchestrated the crossing of our paths. We spent the day exploring incredible old ruins, swimming in the Mediterranean, and singing hymns with our new friend Sam.

Friends, God is good. All the time.

Adventures.

And it's been a week again since I have let all of you lovely people know about the wonderful things that we are doing here in Israel. My sincere apologies, however I think I have had no trouble with embracing this "hot climate" culture and am content to focus on relationships over tasks, and that is what we have been doing this week.

Last week was a full week of our placements here at the hospital and in the community. I was on the medical floor Monday and Tuesday, and Dave and I got to meet and spend some time talking to the charge nurse Nassim. I was so blessed and nearly brought to tears by how he talked about his life and his country. The more time I spend here I realize how little I really know of the situation and the conflict between Arabs and Jews, but I am also realizing how much more complicated it is than that. There are tensions between so many different groups and I can only listen to people's stories and pray that God brings peace to this holy but hurting land.
Wednesday and Thursday were spent at CEF with Colin, where we served where we could and hung out with our Irish friends. We had to say good-bye to them on Thursday, and once again I am reminded of how life is made up of seasons, even though this is a season that I don't want to end.

Friday we did some group work on the campus, and then tackled the Jesus Trail from Nazareth to Cana. Five hours, a few wrong turns, and many steps later, we arrived in Cana, where we ate, then missed the bus, got a ride home (such a blessing, thank-you Jesus!) with a man who invited us to his wife's cousin's wedding at the end of the month!

Yesterday we borrowed a beautiful blue and white VW van named Betty White and traveled to the Sea of Galilee. Many adventures followed, including climbing up to a fortress that is built into the cliff side of Mt. Arbel, visiting Caperneum, a boat ride on the Sea, eating St. Peter's fish, reading the Matthew 5 on the Mount of Beatitudes, swimming in the Jordan River AND the Sea of Galilee, and stumbling across a night market in Tiberias. It was a very long and very busy day, but it was wonderful.

And today we're off to Caesarea to see ruins and lie on the beach of the Mediterranean Sea. Praise be to God!

Blessings,
Carly

Marhaba.

Welcome to my home.

Hope this gives you a small taste of what I've been doing in the last week or so!

Blessings,
Carly

Get to Know Dara.

Want to know my team members better? Then you're in the right place! Today I talked to Dara-bear:

Carly: How are you feeling today Dara? 

Dara: Awesome! I just had baklava, so that makes me feel great. 

C: What did you do today? 

D: This morning I went and sang in the Italian hospital and I prayed for people. Then we came back and played with some kids in the pediatric ward. After that we went and talked with nursing students in the nursing school, went and visited you, and hung around in the old city. Every time I go to the nursing school I get really excited to talk to them, they're very energetic. 

C: What is one thing you're really looking forward to in the next few days? 

D: I'm really excited to go and talk to people again in chaplaincy tomorrow. Whether they speak English or not I really like talking to them. Also whatever we do on Saturday will be very fun. Do we know what we're doing yet? I don't know. It will be fun. 

C: What has God been teaching you during our time here? 

D: Definitely how to hear his voice and how to be bold when I ask on it. How to be more sensitive to his "nudges" and then acting on it. Like today there was an old man in the Italian hospital, his face was so wrinkled I could hardly tell what his facial expressions were. Then I felt a nudge telling me to pray for him even though I didn't know if he was a Christian or not. So I asked him, and he said "ok" so I prayed for him. 

C: I don't know what else to ask you, I'm pretty tired.

D: Well then, I just want to tell you how wonderful you are and how much I love you. I feel like we get to know each other better every single day, and the more I know you, the more I appreciate you. We get along so well, and that makes me very happy. Love you friend!

And that's part of why I love Dara and I love living with her. God knew what he was doing when he placed both of us on this team. 

Blessings, 

Carly

Overflowing.

Well, that time has come. The time where I am five days behind on blogging and there is so much that has happened, I can't even begin to write or explain it all.

But know this: We have been blessed beyond belief. I am overflowing with the goodness of God. We came here to learn and to serve others, but we have been served and blessed and taught and welcomed like none of us ever imagined could happen.

It is hard to believe that we have been here a week. Only three more weeks here in Nazareth seems like far too short. The weather, people, and culture are amazing.

A brief overview of what we have done in the last week:

Wednesday - A study day for the hospital where we listened to three different speakers/pastors in three sessions speak about legacy, inheritance, and the fragrance of Christ. It was wonderful. I got to hang out with an incredibly cute three year old boy named Majt which means Glory in English and his baby brother Nour, which means Light. Also Nour and I got engaged, and their father blessed the union.

Thursday - We started our second placements. Colin and I were at CEF, which stands for Child Evangelism Fellowship. While we didn't actually hang out with any children, we did do odd jobs and fellowshipped with a group of Irish skilled labourers who were doing some work on and around the building. Most of the time we weren't completely sure that they were speaking English.

Friday - Group work day! We cleaned out a room on the hospital campus, hauled load after load of garbage to the dumpster, laundry to the laundry department, and books to another room. It was hard work, but we managed to empty and clean up the room quite nicely. In the evening we took a taxi to Nazareth Illit and went to a Messianic Jew youth group. It was great. They were also very welcoming, and we really enjoyed getting to know the youth there. After the meeting we walked to a coffee shop in Nazareth Illit and spent another hour or so together, getting to know each other and finding out the differences between Israel and Canada.

Saturday - Five of the group went to Haifa by bus to see the Baha'i gardens and spend time on the beach. Chiantelle and I decided to stay back and go to the Messianic Jew church. After almost an hour of walking we arrived in Nazareth Illit and worshipped with the believers. Their worship was wonderful, and the sermon was preached in Russian and translated into English and Hebrew. The mix of languages in this city is amazing. After church we grabbed a bite to eat with some of the same youth from the night before, and then we spent the rest of the day with three of the guys that we had met. We walked into Nazareth, visited a guest house, ate a meal together at a really nice restaurant, and then went back to the hospital and played some games and music.

Sunday - Happy Mother's Day! Six of us, minus Stephen, went to the Church of the Nazarene. Their worship is powerful. Even though it is all in Arabic, it is clear that God is present and working in people's lives. After the service we fellowshipped for a while, then Chiantelle, Dave, and Matt were invited to lunch at a family's house. Dara, Colin, and I walked around to find some flowers and treats for Gail, our British/Israeli mum, which we will give to her with a card later this afternoon.

That about catches us up on the events that have happened in the last week. I'm sorry that I do not have more room to convey more detailed stories and feelings, but you will just have to ask me about that when I'm back in Canada!

Love, Peace, Blessings,
Carly

الحمد لله

Praise to God!

I'm twenty-one. I'm in Nazareth, Israel. I am surrounded by amazing people. I am seeing and feeling things that I can't even put into words.

Some of the blessings of today:
- Chiantelle surprised me (woke me from a deep sleep) to skype with my mom this morning (love you mama!)
- The boys made breakfast which included watermelon, nectarines, and grapes. YUM.
- We started our placements today. Dave and I were in the hospital on the medical floor. There was a bit of a miscommunication and the charge nurse wasn't there but another wonderful nurse took us under her wing and made sure that we had things to do. We basically worked as nurse aids - took patients to various tests, ran samples to the lab, changed and cleaned beds. We interacted with the wonderful staff and I felt like I was able to communicate non-verbally to a certain extent with one girl who didn't speak English, which was great.
- I learned how to count to ten in Arabic!
- Enjoyed dinner and cake with Steve and Gail, our Israel parents. They are such a blessing to us. They gave me a card that everyone had signed which brought me to tears. It was so sweet.
- The team played a game with Steve and Gail that allowed us to learn more about how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us. It was really interesting, and I really enjoyed getting to know everyone a bit better.

Tomorrow is a "study day." I don't fully know what it means, but I know that we won't be at our usual placements but we will be helping with various tasks at the hospital and serving the hospital staff.

Blessings,
Carly

Unity.

This song that I learned while I was in Africa has been on my mind the last few days and I keep singing/praying it over our team:

"Bind us together Lord, 

     Bind us together Lord, 

     Bind us together with love." 

You can pray this with me. 

Also we start our placements tomorrow in the hospital and in the community. Pray that we will be open to what God has planned for us to do and for the people that he has planned for us to meet. 

بركة

Carly

He is Risen Indeed.

Happy Easter!

Most of the Westerners reading this will be wondering why I am greeting you in that way. It is because we celebrated Easter here today as it falls on the Eastern Orthodox calendar. We got up early - after a much needed, wonderful sleep - and walked down to the hospital chapel and partook in a sunrise service where we sang hymns in Arabic and English at the same time. Matt, the Serve Nazareth coordinator preached and Reverend Suhail translated it into Arabic. It was such a beautiful time, remembering Christ's sacrifice and the joy of the Resurrection while overlooking the city of Nazareth and the surrounding hillsides. I can't get over the fact that I'm living in the same place where Jesus grew up.
The girls then joined our "Israel parents" at the Church of the Nazarene which was a powerful, Spirit filled church service completely in Arabic, although a wonderful man sat by us and translated the sermon and the prayers for us. I loved just standing there with my eyes closed while the congregation praised our God and Risen Savior in another language. It was amazing.
After church we joined up with the guys who had gone to the Church of the Annunciation for mass. We explored a bit of Nazareth and a shopping centre called "Big Fashion" which was very Western and where we're sure that most of the people in the stores assumed we were Jewish, as a few greeted us with "Shalom" and then looked a bit surprised as we answered, "Hi."
We then walked back to the hospital campus to have lunch, which was quite the trek. I now know that Jesus must have been extremely fit, because even though buildings change, the geography of the hills do not, and I can assure you that they are steep. Add that to the heat of the middle of the day, and you have a tired group by the end. But we survived and are determined to force our bodies into submission and conquer the hills as often as we can.
This afternoon we walked over to Nazareth Illite, which is the newer, Jewish part of Nazareth which is up on the hilltop overlooking the main city of Nazareth which is prominently Arab. There was a very noticeable difference between the streets where we live and Nazareth Illite, which is partly due to the fact that it is newer as well as the fact that they receive more money from the government to take care of the streets. After looking at the very large, very intimidating government buildings, sneaking into a cultural centre to find a washroom, exploring a couple of shopping centres and a great outdoor market, Dave, Chiantelle, and I headed back to the hospital (and climbed the same hill we did earlier but this time in more shade... you can see that we will get in shape very quickly). Matt, Colin, Stephen, and Dara hiked up to the top of the Mount of Precipice to watch the sunrise. They said nothing but amazing things about it and I'm sure we will hike back up there for either sunrise or sunset one day.
After we all arrived back at the campus, we joined up with Steve and Gail, our "Israel parents" as well as a couple other ladies who live near us on the campus and had a wonderful time of worship. Matt played the guitar and we just kept singing worship songs and the ones that Matt didn't know the chords to we just sang a cappella. The combination of voices in the still evening accentuated by the occasional Muslim call to prayer was powerful.

As you can tell, we had a very full day, filled with so many blessings and amazing experiences. I can hardly wait to start our placements and to meet more people, and at the same time I would like time to stop so that I don't have to leave. I have a feeling that the end of four weeks here will come far too soon. I am praying, and you can pray with me, that my team and I will make the most of every moment that we have here and allow God to work in our hearts and lives with every breath we take. I pray that God will open our eyes to every opportunity we have to meet people and build relationships and that we would grasp hold of these and not let them go.

Have a great afternoon! It is 10pm here and we are exhausted from our day, so it is time for us to sleep.
Blessings,
Carly

Welcome to the Land of Milk and Honey

Fun fact: this whole page is in Hebrew, so I really don't know what any of the buttons or links mean. 

Not so fun fact: I wrote a whole post to update you all, and I pressed the wrong button (because I can't read Hebrew) and I accidentally deleted it. 

So, since I am very tired and do not want to write the whole thing out again, here is the short version: 

We are safe and sound in NAZARETH! With all of our bags and no problems with airport security! Praise God! 

We were met by the kindest people who have already blessed us incredibly. 

We are very tired. Ten hour time changes are not kind to the body or mind (see what I did there?). 

It is gloriously sunny and warm here. 

I and my whole team are SO incredibly thankful for all of your prayers, and so thankful to God for bringing us here to this place at this time. More later, for now, sleep. 

Blessings, 

Carly

And we're off!!

Thank-you YVR wifi for allowing me to write this post!

Our team (minus one) is currently sitting in the airport waiting to board our nine hour flight to London. We are all very excited. We just spent a few days at a retreat centre preparing for our trip and becoming closer as a team.

Prayer Requests:

1. That our flight would be on time. That we would be safe and not go crazy on our long flights.
2. That we would have fun during the few hours we are in London.
3. That Nita (our missing team member) would have patience and peace as she waits for her visa to come through so that she can join us!
4. For continued good health.
5. For unity, peace, and the attitude of learners.

Thank-you all for your prayers and support. We are so blessed by all of your love.

Blessings,
Carly

Countdown.

Today is my last day at home for seven weeks. Tomorrow I travel back to Langley to join my team and the other three summer teams on a three day retreat. We will be attending sessions to prepare us for our experiences on mission, spending time connecting as a team and building stronger relationships, spending time in God's beautiful creation, in prayer and the Word, and eating together of course. Then, in just FOUR short sleeps we will be boarding a plane to London and eventually Tel Aviv.
Even though it is so close, for me it just hasn't sunk in yet that very shortly I am traveling halfway across the world to spend six weeks with an incredible group of students to see how God will work in our lives. My head knows that I will be living in the places that Jesus was born and where he grew up, that I will most likely walk the same ground that he did, that I will meet amazing people and my heart will be both encouraged and broken by their stories, and that my life will be changed. I guess my heart just hasn't gotten the memo yet. My heart is still processing the completion of my third year of University (what a blessing!), saying good-bye to dear friends, some of whom I do not know when I will see again, and soaking up the sights and sounds of home (hello ocean, hello mountains).
So, although it may not seem real until we are walking onto the plane at YVR or even until I walk off the plane in Tel Aviv, I know that God is preparing my heart. I know that he has a plan for my time in the Middle East, and that if I trust him completely, I will have the great privilege of being a part of that plan.
In conclusion, I would like to share some verses that someone gave to me in preparation for this trip:

"When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,
they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
He allowed no one to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
"Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm."
- Psalm 105:12-15

Blessings,
Carly

U p d a t e.

Hello friends!

Just going to write a short post to update you all before final exam time hits. I probably won't be writing much, if at all, until exams are done, which will then be a week before we leave! Ah! Our whole team is feeling more and more excited for this trip, what we are going to be able to do, and what God is going to do in and through us. 

Here is our first complete team picture!

As I've written in previous posts, we now have eight members; four guys and four girls. I am really looking forward to travelling and working with all of these great people. 

Back Row L to R: Matt, Stephen, Colin, Dara, Dave

Front Row L to R: Chiantelle, Carly, Nita

Here is a fancy picture from one of our team meetings:

In our team meetings a few of us have been able to share our testimonies, we eat food together, laugh together, talk about the trip and prepare, and most importantly, share God's Word and pray together. 

We had a fundraiser a couple of weeks ago on campus. All four of the summer teams going from Trinity had a table and shared food and our vision with whoever stopped by. There was free coffee and tea, and each team sold various baked goods. It was really encouraging to have people stop by the table and want to know what our trip's purpose and vision is, and to become excited about it as well.

Another really great thing that happened recently was our commissioning chapel. Last week a chapel was dedicated to the summer teams. There was a slideshow of pictures shown of each team and those in chapel learned more about where each trip was going and what they hoped to accomplish. Then, all those sitting in chapel were invited to come down and surround the team that they felt like God was calling them to support, and we spent a while in prayer for the teams. I felt so blessed to have such an amazing community of people supporting us and covering us in prayer. 

Well, that is all I have for now. The next time I write we will be so close to leaving! Please keep all of us in prayer as we write final papers and final exams. We love you all! 

Blessings, 

Carly

Crunch time.

Hello all,

I hope you all are well. We had a team meeting today, and although not everyone could be there, some of us were able to share our testimonies and learn a bit more about each other.

Some of the team members are feeling a bit anxious and worried about the finances for the trip. Please pray that we would all continually be learning what it means to trust fully in God and to trust His provision. We believe that He has put us all together for a reason, and that He has a purpose and plan for the trip.

I shared with the team this morning how I read Psalm 22 this morning, and how encouraged I was by David's struggles. He journeyed through valleys and mountain tops. The Psalm begins with, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (which are also words that Jesus spoke while he was hanging on the cross). But David doesn't leave it there. He writes of his struggles, his pain, how he is in trouble and needs God's help, but he also praises God. He recognizes that through all of the horrible things that he is going through, God is still good, faithful and just. God doesn't change. God loves us. I love the last verse which reads,
"They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn - for he has done it."
God's done it! He has it all under control! Ah, how comforting a thought that is.

Blessings,
Carly

Where feet may fail.

Happy Easter everyone! He is Risen! I hope you all take time this weekend to reflect on Jesus' death and resurrection that brought us freedom.

This song has been on my heart lately and I wanted to share it with you all. A couple of my favourite lines are:
"Your sovereign hand will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me.
You've never failed and You won't start now."

Blessings!
Carly

Meet the guys!

Hey everybody!
I hope wherever you are that it is sunny like it is here and that you're enjoying the sunshine! Today we had our second training day. All of the summer teams got together to talk about medical things, sharing our faith, eat lunch together, fellowship, and pray. It's so cool to see all of the students in one place who desire to serve God and who are doing that practically this summer through these missions trips.
And now it's time to introduce the rest of the guys on the team:

Dave Gariepy
Year: 2
Major: Nursing
Why Israel? "I have always been interested in Middle East and Arabic culture and Israel is melting pot of a wide diversity of different cultures, and traditions. I am extremely excited and feel privileged to witness and be a part of the work God is already doing in this land through his church. When one recognizes the nature of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis Christ-like values such as: forgiveness, reconciliation, showing love to one's neighbour, loving the widow and the orphan must be pure and necessary to bring stability to the region. I am thrilled and heartwarmed to see how God is working in this area of the world.
Verse: "But seek first his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself." - Matthew 6:33-34 "I have a tendency to get anxious about things. These verses remind me to seek God first, make him my top priority in life, and with him I have no reason to worry about circumstances in my life."
Random fact: "Food is my love language."
What we've learned about Dave in the last few months: Dave's heritage is French, and he can speak it pretty well. Dave sometimes gets people's names wrong. Dave is from Calgary. Dave's girlfriend is going to Cambodia this summer with Global Projects. Dave has a kind and gentle spirit.

Stephen Porter
Year: 4
Major: International Studies
Why Israel? "I have been drawn to the Middle East for some time. Why Israel and Palestine? Well, I want to get a sense of the true humanity of Palestinians and Israelis. With all the attention the conflict itself receives, I want to see first hand the reality on the ground. Though our time in Israel and Palestine is short, I have little doubt we will return with confidence that reconciliation and forgiveness is possible." 
Verse: "Matthew 25:34-40 speaks volumes about the compassion we as Christians must show."
Random Fact: "Before I was born, my father had some terribly unfortunate names that he wished to give me. I'm quite pleased to be a Stephen, as opposed to a Rupert, Perciforth, or various other absurd names he wished to give me."
What we've learned about Stephen in the past few months: Stephen spent last semester at the Laurentian Leadership Centre in Ottawa. Stephen speaks in hilarious voices sometimes. Stephen is from Coquitlam. Stephen is quite knowledgeable about politics and international affairs. 

Colin Weeres
Year: 4
Major: Political Studies
Why Israel? "I have been interested in Israel for a number of years, and as both a Christian and a student of politics, there is something I find fascinating about the religious conflict in the region, and specifically the complexities between the Israelis and Palestinians. On a more personal note, it has been about five years since I have been on a dedicated missions trip, and I have been looking for the right opportunity to re-engage for just over a year." 
Verse: "Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens." - Exodus 18:21. "This was given to me recently in an entirely unrelated context and it struck me that it related well to the situation into which we are going."
Random Fact: "I absolutely love basketball!"
What we've learned about Colin in the past week or so: Colin has a very light course load this semester. Colin is the vice-president of TWUSA, our student association. Colin lives right by Nita's church. Colin is from... the interior? Not sure on that one. 

Our team doesn't know much about Colin yet because he is our newest team member! He joined us just over a week ago, and we're really excited to have him on the team. This is also the reason that you will not find Colin in the team picture that I posted earlier or that you may have gotten in the mail. 

As you can tell by reading just a little bit about my team members, I am going to be travelling with some pretty incredible people this summer! I am so looking forward to getting to know them even better and to become more united in our vision and purpose for this trip. 

I can't tell you enough how much your prayers and support mean to all of us. We couldn't pull this off without God or all of you. Please continue to pray that people will give generously and that all of our finances come in for this trip! 

Blessings on your weekend, 
Carly

God answers prayer.

This morning our team met, all EIGHT of us (more on that in a moment). Each time we are together I get more excited to spend six weeks with an amazing group of students who are passionate about this trip. Every time that we meet it is more of a confirmation that God put us all on this team for a reason. We are all very different and yet I can already see how our talents and gifting complement each other.

I am also overwhelmed by the number of people who are praying for us. Thank-you again! God has already been answering your prayers and our prayers!

- Nita's Canadian visa came earlier than she was expecting which is so great because now she can start the process of applying for a visa for Israel and possibly one for the UK.

- As I mentioned above, there are now eight members of our team instead of seven! Colin joined us just in the last week. It is wonderful to have an even number of team members and to have an even ratio of guys/girls. This will make things easier for homestays in Bethlehem, as well as other factors, some of which we're probably not even aware of! God works in amazing, mysterious ways.

God is so good! Have a wonderful weekend!

Carly

Faithful.

Hey family and friends,

Isn't it great how faithful God is?! He never ceases to amaze me. I love seeing his goodness in every area of my life, especially in the smallest details. I was reading these verses this morning: 

"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath." 

- Deuteronomy 4:29-31

"'Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord." 

- Jeremiah 29:12-14

Thank-you for being faithful in prayer for us. Please continue to pray as our date of departure gets closer! 

Physical Health

Pray that our bodies will stay healthy and strong as we finish the semester. Stress levels are high as the semester comes to an end, and sometimes it can be difficult to remember to take care of ourselves as we take care of assignments and papers. It is really important that we keep our bodies physically healthy so that we can be in our best condition as we travel to Israel. 

Spiritual Health

Please pray also that we would all be making great efforts to stay really close to Jesus in this time. It is so important that we are seeking God's strength and direction daily. If we desire that God will work in and through us on our trip, it is vital that we are preparing our hearts through prayer and reading God's Word. 

ALSO correction on my last blog post: I wrote that we were leaving in less than two WEEKS that that is definitely NOT true. That would be a little bit insane, not to mention that would mean we would miss two weeks of classes and exams! Haha! Sorry for that typo, it is in fact less than two MONTHS until we leave. Which is still a relatively short amount of time. 

Thank-you again for your support, 

God bless! 

Carly 

On my absence, the girls, and prayer.

Family and friends,

This is a much overdue post. I apologize for my absence in writing; however, as most of you know, classes and assignments have a way of taking up so much time that there is none left except for a few hours to sleep, eat, and drink coffee.
But enough about that. It is less than two months until our team boards a plane to Israel! To be honest it doesn't even feel real, which I'm sure has something to do with that pesky schoolwork I mentioned. Our team hasn't met for a few weeks, but soon we will start meeting often, as there is a lot we need to accomplish before we go. Flights have been booked, support letters sent out, one team fundraiser complete and another in the works.

Please continue praying for us!
1. Pray that our meetings will be productive and time well spent in this busy season. That details will come together and we will continue to become united as a team.
2. Pray with us that finances will come in. Thank-you to all who have supported us already! It means so much to me and the rest of our team that you are passionate about the same things that we are and that you are willing to be generous to help make this trip happen!
3. Pray that each of us as students will work unto the Lord, that we would be diligent in our studies so that they may bring glory to God.

And I realize that I only introduced our team leaders to you but failed to introduce the rest of the team. So here are the girls!

Nita Augustin

Year: 4

Major: Psychology

Why Israel? "I want to be more connected to the history of Christianity (oftentimes I have heard people say that it makes the Bible come more alive) and to immerse myself in the life of the locals. I hope we, as a team, can get a more thorough understanding of the life of the people whom we serve. In that way, we are more educated about what is happening down there and not easily manipulated by what's presented in the media."  

Verse: "Romans 5:3-5. Paul admonishes his readers to rejoice in their suffering and to realize that 'suffering produces hope, and hoe does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.' Furthermore, in Romans 12;12, Paul calls us to 'rejoice in [our] hope, be patient in tribulation, [and] be constant in prayer' implying that we should maintain an unceasing conversation with God in times of prosperity as well as in time of trials." 
Random Fact: "We have 5 dogs and 4 cats at home, all of whom live peacefully side by side (surprising, eh?)" 

What our team has learned about Nita in the last couple of months: Nita is from Indonesia. Nita has a VERY joyful, boisterous, loud laugh. Nita does not eat gluten. Nita has a great tea stash, which us girls are very happy about. Nita has a sweet passport. Nita is very encouraging, and sometimes messages the team with an verse from Scripture or a thought about what she has been reading lately in the Bible. 

Dara DeJong

Year: 3
Major: Nursing
Why Israel? "I'm super excited to see what God is doing there, in an area of the world that is so drastically different than our own. I want to see how he's working in people's live, and how he will use me to help. Working with people is my passion, so I'm excited for that too. I also want to go because that's where Jesus lived his whole life! How could you not want to go?"

Verse: Romans 8:28-39
Random Facts: "I've broken my nose twice. I'm 100% Dutch. My last choice of superpower would be being able to fly. My favourite food is pancakes. My favourite colour is red red red."  

What our team has learned about Dara in the last couple of months: Dara is on the track team at Trinity. Dara loves to laugh. Dara has a lovely home that she opened up to the team to make Baklava. Dara lives on campus but her family lives in Abbotsford. Dara is very dutch. Dara can do chin-ups (incredible). 

Carly Lecuyer

Year: 3
Major: Nursing
Why Israel? "I have wanted to go to Israel for sometime, to see where Jesus lived and carried out his ministry. When this opportunity to go on a missions trip came up, I was very excited about the possibility of being able to travel to Israel not just as a tourist, but to be able to meet people living there and hear their stories. I am very excited about the possibility of working in a hospital while we are there, as I am nearing the end of my schooling to become a nurse and welcome any opportunity to use my skills in a practical way to help people."

Verse: "The Lord your God is with you, he is might to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his live, he will rejoice over you with singing."  - Zephaniah 3:27
Random Facts: "I am an only child. I love to sing."

What our team has learned about Carly in the last couple of months: This may be biased because Carly is the one writing this ;) Carly loves cats. It is best not to say mean things about cats when Carly is around. Carly has a hard time with a dirty kitchen. Carly loves to do dishes. Carly has been to Africa before. Carly wants to become a Pediatrics nurse. Carly is from Vancouver Island. 

Oh! And I realize that it's probably easier if you can put a face to these names, so here: 

Blessings,
Carly

Introducing: Our Fearless Leaders!

So I tried to publish this post five times (actually probably 15 but no need to be dramatic...) on the blog but the colouring and text kept going crazy, so finally I just rewrote the whole thing. Technology and I are just not compatible some days.

It's time to meet my team! I asked each of the team members to send me a short blurb about what year and major that they are in, why they want to go to Israel, a verse that God has spoken to them through, and a random fact (or two or three).

First up: Our Team Leaders! 

Matt Wakutz

Year: 2 - A year of university and a year of Bible college prior to TWU

Major: Nursing 

Why Israel? "Tough question. I feel I have been placed into this team to be shaped and grow in God more. Israel is a place where conflict has always been, and as inadequate as I may feel as a young university student, we are children of the Father of lights, and we are drawn to these places of darkness in order that they 'shine like the day.' I am oddly excited to see the security barrier, and to see the work our God does past a simple concrete wall." 

Verse: "Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you." - Psalm 139:12 (ESV)

Random Fact: "I once went to Europe with very little money and ended up working in a small town in northern Italy for 3 months, it was amazing!"

What our team has learned about Matt in the last couple of months: Matt really loves coffee. Matt lives in an apartment with three other guys, and one should definitely check to see whose milk is whose before pouring it into their tea... (be aware of the guy who drinks milk straight out of the carton... yuck). Matt does not like cats (and has now learned that it does not go well to joke about this in front of Carly). Matt is from Vernon. Matt loves God and God has been teaching him about the power of prayer. 

Chiantelle Rey

Year: 3

Major: Pre-Dentistry... "striving for a BSc in Biology with a concentration in Psychology OR potentially a BA in Psychology rather than just a concentration but we'll see where God takes me." 

Why Israel? "I was born in Saudi Arabia and as I grew up I've always wanted to go back to the Middle East to know more about everything that has been happening and has happened since I left at the age of 2. Its' different learning and understanding something through books, lectures, and even through other people who know a lot about it or have been there in comparison to going there yourself or experiencing things yourself by being totally immersed in it. Growing up, I've always felt the need to do extraordinary things in the most ordinary ways. No matter how big or small they are, I feel the most fulfilled when I'm able to serve anyone in any way possible. I've always know that along with everyone else, I've been equipped by God to do many things and even though I'm still in the process of fully understanding what they are, I'm super excited to see how God works in the lives of people in places like Israel. I'm excited to serve those who need to be served whether they know they need it or not and in anyway possible. I'm excited to see transformation, growth, gifts and talents be discovered and nourished, and to build bridges in myself, the team, and in the lives of the people we encounter."

Verse: "If you have faith, nothing is impossible for you." - Matthew 17:20. For this trip: "Wherever you set foot you will be on the land I have given you." - Joshua 1:3

Random Facts: " I think - actually, scratch that because I KNOW I am overall a pretty random person. If we get a chance to meet and at least spend a day together, I think you'll fully understand too because there are way too many to list." 

What our team has learned about Chiantelle in the last few months: Chiantelle LOVES food. Chiantelle also LOVES pandas (her phone case has a panda face on it). Chiantelle's dream job is to be a wedding and events planner (think of the movie "The Wedding Planner"). Chiantelle's middle name is her mother's maiden name. Chiantelle has a very crazy schedule but is also very organized and seems to handle it all with the utmost grace. Chiantelle cares deeply about our team and our wellbeing and often asks if we have prayer requests. 

Stay tuned to get to know the rest of this amazing team! 

Carly

Prayer Requests

A few more prayer requests in this busy season:

1. Focus (and Grace)
I haven't talked to my whole team but I know that for me midterm season is starting (the season that starts now and ends basically a week or two before finals begin). Please pray for focus and grace in my studies as I study for midterms, complete assignments, send out support letters, and maintain my sanity.

2. Logistics
Flights are being booked and the team is making plans for travel after our trip is over. Please pray for the amazing trip coordinators who are working hard to help us get to Israel and back, that flight booking would go smoothly, as well as insurance and other paperwork. Some team members are planning to travel after our six weeks together, so pray for them to be able to plan quickly and smoothly even amongst all this busy-ness.

3. The People We Will Meet
It has been on my heart over the last week to pray for those we will come in contact with in Israel. It's never too early to start praying, so please pray that hearts will be open to us, and that we will be prepared to live out the Gospel. Please pray for divine appointments while we are in Israel, and that we will be preparing our own hearts to interact with these people.

Thank-you so much to everyone who has already committed to pray for us!
Carly

p.s. Stay tuned for a series of posts introducing our team members in this next week! I will be travelling with some pretty stellar people.

Prayer Requests

Hey friends and family,

Our team (minus one member) had our first team meeting tonight. I left feeling very encouraged as we all get along well even though we don't know each other very well [yet]. There was lots of food, laughter, conversation, and prayer. For those of you who don't know who is on the team I plan on writing a post introducing all of the team members, but I will wait until we have a team picture so that you can put faces to the names.

If you would like to start (or continue) praying for us that would be great. Our main prayer requests right now:

1. Unity within our team. 
Pray that we would lean into God and that he would place in us a common vision and goal for the trip. Pray that he would prepare our hearts and bring us closer as a team.

2. Focus and balance. 
It is tricky to balance school work, social lives, family, leadership positions, jobs, extracurriculars, and planning and preparing for the trip. Pray that we would spend our time on activities that really matter while finding balance between all that we have on our plates. Pray that we would be good stewards of our time.

3. Good health. 
Pray that we would all remain well and in good health in order that we may keep up with all that we have to do as well as prepare for the trip. Pray that God would strengthen our immune systems so that we would be strong and healthy and able to carry out his work on the trip.

Thanks everybody! Again, please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to know more about the trip, about our prayer requests, how you can partner with our team to make it possible for us to go, or to share words of encouragement!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
- Joshua 1: 9

Carly

It's real.

Hi Everyone!

Well today it became official. I am going to Israel this summer! With a team of six other students from Trinity Western University, I will travel to Nazareth this May. After four weeks there, we will travel to Bethlehem. The trip's vision is to partner with existing organizations in the Middle East, connect with both Israelis and Palestinians, to build relationships with people that we meet, to understand more about the culture and beliefs of the people that we come into contact with, and to be vessels into which God will pour His Holy Spirit to overflowing, that we may spread God's love and Gospel to all we meet.

There is a lot of preparation, planning, and prayer that needs to go into this trip for it to be a success. This blog exists so that you may journey with me as I prepare to go, as well to update you on current prayer requests for both me personally and as a team. I will try to update it as often as possible. As well, while we are in Israel in May and June I hope to be able to update the blog so that in a way I can take you along with me!

If you would like to know more about the trip or how you can partner with me as I prepare to go, please don't hesitate to email me, call me, facebook me, text me, tweet me, or send me a letter!

Salam (Peace),

Carly