A Now Future

I will be leaving Denver today at approximately 3:15 PM Mountain Time. And--Lord Willing--I will travel with my group to Atlanta, and then to Tel Aviv, Israel. Thus, we will begin our Journey of Understanding (see my previous blog for an explanation).

I anticipate the next ten days to be a whirlwind of activity, intensity, deep learning, soul-searching, discomfort, and memories. As I write this, I am not completely packed, though I have the list all checked off. All of this is so surreal.

For weeks, I have glanced into the future, eyeing the upcoming trip into Israel/Palestine. For weeks I have learned the foundation of the conflict there. The foundation is Cerberean; each head of the conflict (Religious, Historical, Cultural) is connected at the shoulders, but lives with its own ferocity. I was mindful of the people in Israel, though I hadn't met them yet. Especially after I read a book about the Israeli and Palestinian church by Brother Andrew called Light Force. It has been a gradual education, with none coming from experience, until now.

As I looked into the future, I always snapped myself back into the present, for I still had homework, and the musical, and soccer, and baseball. One by one each of those activities was completed. I have arrived at the event I have been planning and fundraising for six months. The future is now.

I felt the same before the New Zealand trip. Is this really happening? What is God going to do? How are my expectations going to be shattered? What are we going to learn about people? How are we going to change? What stories am I going to have? I have all these, and I may still have these questions when I return. Thank you for listening, and pray for us.