Jon DeBell's Blog

Two Suitcases...

2010-12-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

Imagine that you had two suitcases to pack all your personal belongings in--everything you'd need and want for the two years that you would be living in a country half way around the world. What would you pack? A favorite pair of jeans or two? Socks and underwear...can't do without those! How many pairs of shoes could you fit in? A Bible and a few special books would be a must for me (I'm just not into reading books on a machine!). Before you know it you would reach your limit. Lots of things you'd like to have and some things you'd feel like you really needed, but no room. Too bad.

For most of us this would be an interesting mental excercise. But for two friends and their children that is the reality they face in the near future. "Ron", "Babe", and family are heading to Asia to serve with our International Mission Board. Perhaps even today they are packing their two suitcases each and preparing to leave country, family and friends for the next two years. What a commitment that involves such a sacrifice.

And why? The simple answer is that they love Jesus and want others to know and love Him too! They willingly give up some of the creature comforts of living in the United States to identify with the people to whom they will go and take the Gospel. They are motivated because what they leave behind is not nearly as significant as what they carry with them--their faith.

We at East Baptist will be receiving reports from time to time of how we can best pray for Ron and Babe. Can they count on us to do that very thing?

FIRST IN THE WRONG THING!

2010-09-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

I heard last week that U.S. students are ranked first in one area when compared to students in other countries surveyed. That's the good news. But the bad news is that our students are ranked 25th in math and 21st in science compared to their counterparts in the rest of the world.

What are our students ranked first in? SELF CONFIDENCE! So we are instilling in our young people the idea that they are doing well while the reality is that we are lagging sadly behind much of the rest of the world in preparing them for the competitive realities of the global marketplace. The self confidence that our educators are doing such a good job of conveying is not based in reality. Our young people believe they are doing well, they are prepared and ready to compete--but they are not!

I think this perfectly illustrates the truth decay going on in our culture. So much of what we believe and how we act is based on unreality. We believe we are fine. We're as good as most other people. We're all God's children. God accepts me just the way I am. But the truth is far different from what we believe!

Join us this Sunday at East Baptist as we continue our series, "Developing A Christian Worldview". Our message will focus on how we (humanity) got here. Where did we come from? Once we answer that question from a biblical perspective we will see that there are life-altering implications in believing there is a God who created us with a specific purpose in mind.

Let's build our beliefs and our lives on reality--the truth of God's eternal word!

God's Awesome Creation

2010-06-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

Just got back from our two day excursion into the subtropical jungle. What an amazing world our God has created with variety and beauty beyond imagination. We are blessed to have seen all that we experienced! Back "home" in Quito tonight and we all will sleep well.

Climbing Adventure!

2010-06-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

I love old cities, old churches, and and the adventure of exploring them--particularly when it involves climbing. On the last day of my trip here in 2008, Megan and I walked up from the old historic district of Quito to the National Basilica of the Vote. The Diocese of Quito had this cathedral constructed in the 1940s & 50s(?) to rival the great cathedrals of Europe. I was very disappointed that the observation towers were already closed that day so today I gave it another try.

I never imagined how many different staircases, walkways, and ladders of various descriptions could be in one building. After a routine beginning of easy stairs and the first observation point I ventured a little farther and was surprised to discover a wooden walkway/gangplank constructed between the vaulted ceiling of the cathedral and the roof above. No handrails--only a strand of rope on each side to keep one from falling onto the ceiling! At the end of the walkway was a steel ladder which led to outside the roof and to two other ladders leading up to an open observation spot atop the northern spire of the church. (Lawyers in the U.S. would salivate over the potential for lawsuits!)

The views of Quito from that tower would have been well worth the $2 I spent to enter, but I wasn't done yet. I returned to the southern end of the building and this time followed more stairs and ladders up to the clock and then the bell tower above the clock. This spot towered well above even the southern spire. What a gorgeous vista! While there I got to meet a doctor and his family from Idaho spending the summer in Ecuador to learn the language. I also spoke with a young couple from Ecuador, Merlin and Fi, who were kind enough to take a picture with me in it.

Life is filled with twists and turns and sometimes daunting climbs. But often I find that the view from the top more than justifies the effort! Here's hoping that all my friends and family who read this will have some wonderful days filled with joy while we are away. Happy climbing!

PS--Our next few days are going to be pretty full with visiting family and an excursion away from Quito to an eco-lodge. There we will experience the cloud forest, visit waterfalls, sample exotic fruit, make chocolate(!), and perhaps relax a little. Please pray for us. God bless!

Ordeal or Adventure?

2010-06-02T19:01:00.000-07:00

Being early is overrated. I know that is a terrible thing to say, but since I have frequently been told I will be late to my own funeral I admit that at least subconsciously I must believe it to be true. Now I have been trying in my "late"er years to work at being more prompt. But what happened Monday only makes me want to relapse.

With the kind of encouragement only a wonderful wife can provide, Penny had me at the airport the way the airlines request--two hours early for an international flight. I don't think I've ever been to the airport that early! And what did it get me? Delta flight 3567 was delayed once, twice, three times! When we finally touched down in Atlanta the only Atlanta flight to Quito of the day was taking off. We got off our plane and raced to the terminal only to look at the monitor and see, "Flight 673...DEPARTED." Deltal wanted to re-route us through Santiago, Chile arriving at 7AM and not getting to Quito until after 8PM the next day. I replied, "Fly all night with a 5 year old, only to get to Quito a couple hours before this same flight tomorrow gets there? No thanks!"

A good friend passed along a quote he had heard to me. The only difference between an adventure and an ordeal is...attitude. So Evan and I decided we'd prefer an adventure. We had a nice dinner on Delta, stayed at a comfortable motel on Delta and made it to Quito 24+ hours late but none the worse for wear. And we met some wonderful people to boot. Wouldn't you know it, our flight on Tues. was significantly delayed. While waiting to board Toby and Rachel from Chicago helped us pass the time and we both enjoyed getting to know them. They seemed like such genuinely nice people and we wish them well on their own adventure in Ecuador and Peru.

Erin met us at the airport in Quito. Her bags arrived just before us after she had been here for three days! I discovered that back home the washing machine had decided to spew out who knows how many gallons of water through much of our downstairs and by nightfall Penny and the girls had seen most of the carpet ripped out and 29 blowers doing their best to dry out the house.

There are a lot worse things in life than airline delays and inconveniences on a trip. Right now my friend who shared the quote with me is in a fight with cancer. I've been reminded to pray for him and to be more thankful for all the wonderful gifts God gives me each day to enjoy. The inconveniences and hassles of everyday life? NO BIG DEAL! And I promise that when we get back to the states and real life I'll try to work on my late attitude!

SOMETHING OLD... ALL THINGS NEW!

2010-05-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

Bad luck seems to come in cycles doesn't it!? A two week span of misfortune started one recent Friday night while playing for our church softball team. Minding my own business in the outfield, I saw a line drive heading my way. I ran up and over as fast as my 54 year old legs could go, stretched my right arm across my body as far as I could and the ball fell in my glove! It was the best catch I've made in years. An inning or so later, after the adrenaline had worn off, I was running to third base and felt something was not right. I couldn't move my right arm more than 45 degrees up. After a doctor's visit, an MRI, and another doctor's visit, I find myself in PT rehabbing my shoulder because of a tear in my rotator cuff. Not fun, but it sure beats the surgery I thought I was going to have.

Ten days after the shoulder injury I was at a plastic surgeon's office to have a mole-like growth and a precancerous spot removed from my forehead and temple areas. The doctor said he saw another spot that concerned him on my nose and a few other little snips and cuts that needed attention...so I said, "You're the doctor. Whatever needs doing." Forty five minutes later after removing all the ugly he could I left with 12 fresh wounds on my facial area. I had learned my lesson. Never tell a surgeon with a scapel in his hand, "Whatever needs doing!" Or don't go to a surgeon toward the end of the month who needs more billables.

Three days later I took my grandson, Evan, fishing. Erin came to pick him up at the lake and promptly caught the nicest fish of the day, a two pound bass, on my rod and reel. Being the good Dad that I am I volunteered to take the fish off the hook. Naturally the fish jumped while in my hand, thrusting the free hook in the lure through my right thumb. With all the sincerity in the world Evan said, "I'm glad it's you and not me Grandpa!"

If you're still with me after my sob stories there is a point to all this. It's not easy getting older! I've discovered how much I took good shoulders for granted, how painful it is to have lidocaine injected all over your face, and that a hook through your thumb can tempt even this preacher to cuss!

I've also found new comfort in the promise from Revelation 21: "Behold I make all thing new!" How wonderful it will be to have a body better than new. How freeing to be healed from all the emotional and relational scarring this world gives. What joy for the believer to be finally spiritually whole!

I love life with all its joy--and even with its pain. But like I've heard from my elders all my life, the older I get the more I realize that this world is not my home. I'm just passing through getting ready for the life that is to come. I'm excited about one day meeting Jesus and experiencing the perfection that only heaven can bring. I hope that the thoughts of eternity excite you and that you are prepared for that great reality.

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VISIT EGYPT AND ISRAEL!

2010-01-26T10:30:00.000-08:00

We're planning a trip to Israel and Egypt for June of 2011. I am excited about returning with a group to the Holy Land and introducing new travelers to the land where Jesus walked. If you love the Bible you will come away from this excursion with an even greater love and appreciation for God's written word. The stories of the Bible will come alive before your eyes. I will also say with confidence that you will come away with a deeper love for the living word--our Savior, Jesus Christ!

To make the trip even more exciting we've added an extension for a few days in Egypt as an option. We will see the pyramids, sphinx, the Egyptian Museum and more. We will spend one night near St. Catherine's Monestary on Mt. Sinai, and for those who wish, we will climb Mt. Sinai to view the sunrise!

In Israel, we'll see familiar sites around the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and more. We're scheduled to visit the "must see" sites and have included a few stops that we have not done on previous trips.

Consider this your invitation to come go with us! I will be selecting a tour provider and nailing down the exact itinerary by July of this year. We will set up a web site and have printed information available soon thereafter. There will be discounts provided for those who sign up early and for those who make their full payments early. Contact me for a brochure, registration form, questions, etc. My email address is jondebell@gmail.com

MLK DAY AND MY GRANDSON

2010-01-26T09:47:00.001-08:00

On Martin Luther King Day I had two oppotunities while driving around Charlotte to listen to Dr. King's famous speech at the Freedom March on the Capitol Mall in Washington, D.C. in 1963. Although fairly familiar with the words of the speech I found myself drawn into the heightened emotions of that day by his unique gift of using our language to convey truth as he painted the picture of how things had been and how he dreamed they could be.

His dream was not just for those of African descent, but really was one for our society as a whole. He longed for justice, equality and opportunity for those who were black--but he also spoke of a culture where we all would benefit from richer relationships with one another. These would be relationships in which we would edify and bless one another rather than be at odds or even ememies.

As I listened to the speech the second time, while driving to make a visit, my mind went back to the previous day--Sunday at East Baptist Church. I thought of my grandson, Evan, eating lunch next to Xavier, our youth pastor's son. As they spoke and interacted together there was no hint of any awareness of the difference in the color of their skin. They were simply innocent children living and enjoying life in each others' company. I thanked God that at least in a small way a part of Dr. King's dream has come true. At EBC black and white boys and girls can play together, learn together and come to know our great God who created us all in His image.

And I thank God for the way my life is enriched in relationship with those whose backgrounds are quite different from my own. What a blessing it is to be a part of an open and diverse fellowship that gets along so well! We certainly have room to grow more in this area. We humans often struggle in our acceptance of those who differ from our own experience/viewpoint of normal. But how we engage in this challenge and how we attempt to overcome our own biases speaks volumns about the depth of our Christianity.

With God's help let's join together in the mission to build a better future!

FEEDING THE MULTITUDE

2009-11-29T13:26:00.000-08:00

What a great experience it was for our church to be a part of "Feeding the Multitude!" The community responded with 85+ people who showed up for the service of hope. Roger Reid and Ennis Johnson gave testimonies of how Jesus can save and make a positive difference in the life of one who believes. Two persons prayed to receive Christ! A real sense of gratitude was felt from both those who received and those who were there to distribute the food. I sensed that this was a real God-thing that we were privileged to be a part of.

The day before our distribution I asked the congregation to pray for the hearts of those who would be distributing the food and counseling those who responded to the gospel presentation. There was no doubt in my mind that God answered those prayers! I could see the presence of our Lord in the faces of those who offered warm greetings to our guests, held babies while a parent was picking up food, gave hugs to people as they were leaving, and invited people to come back and worship with us.

This is the type of ministry that will make a difference in our community. It reflects the love of Christ and will open hearts to the gospel that otherwise might remain unreceptive. It says that our religion is real--that our love of Jesus goes beyond mere words. It provides a testimony that is hard for the skeptic to refute. It gives the Holy Spirit ammunition to attack the strongholds that the enemy has built up.

Thank you members and guests of EBC for giving to make this ministry possible. Special thanks go out to Ted Shields and Jeff Breisacher for their leadership in this project. Jesus promised that even a cup of cold water given in His name would be blessed. I believe we are seeing the fulfillment of that promise before our eyes!

LAY RENEWAL ROCKS!

2009-10-27T10:52:00.001-07:00

Our Lay Renewal Weekend has come and gone. Hopefully, renewal is just getting started in the lives of many who make EBC their home!

Our team of almost 20 laypersons of varied ages and backgrounds came with a wonderful spirit of love for our Savior and a passion to see others love Him more. And what they had to share and how they led us was embraced and had an impact in many lives. Our celebration service on Sunday night stretched 2 hours long as people shared the blessings they had received and how they had been challenged during the weekend.

What was the key to the great impact of the weekend? Obviously the Holy Spirit is the One who touched lives. But the tool He used was the laypersons who gave themselves to serve Him. I believe He blessed their testimonies and created a spark of interest with the fact that these were ordinary people. They have challenges and struggles just like we all do. Yet they have found the power to live above their circumstances and find a life worth living in Jesus.

I believe many among us said to ourselves, "If God can do that for them, He can do that for me. If God can forgive him/her and change that person's life, He can forgive and change me. If God can use a person like that, He can use me!"

Where will renewal lead us? Only God knows for sure, but I believe true renewal will lead us to take that same message to others in our family, workplace, school and neighborhood. Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost. He came to bring renewal to that which Satan continually seeks to destroy. Let us follow our Savior's lead!!!

Penny and Jon's Excellent Honeymoon Adventure/Having a Wonderful Time--Glad You're Not Here!!!

2008-07-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

We're having a great time on our honeymoon! Can anyone guess where we are by the photograph? If so you'll win a special prize! After a hectic and crazy engagement of 84 days with a wedding to plan for and houses to work on to prepare to sell--not to mention everyday respon-sibilities with jobs and families--we're ready for a few days of relaxation.

We want to say thanks to all those who helped to make our wedding a memorable and special occasion for us. As far as we are concerned everything was as close to perfect as we could have wished. We feel incredibly blessed to have families and friends who are so loving and supportive.

God bless you all. We love you!

NEED A LAUGH?/ OL' GRINGO'S FABLES

2008-05-07T21:31:00.000-07:00

With the community dogs barking through the night here in Conocoto and the roosters comencing their crowing around 4:30 every morning it seemed a good idea to try ear plugs. Megan gave me some wax-like ones she bought and they worked pretty well.

A few nights ago I crawled into bed and inserted one in my left ear and fell asleep with the one for my other ear still in my hand. Early in the morning I woke up to a rooster's crowing and was vaguely aware of chewing gum in my mouth, but I immediately fell back to sleep. When Evan woke me up a while later I was still chewing that nappy gum. It didn't taste very good to say the least.

All of a sudden I thought, "Oh no!" and pulled that gum out of my mouth...and yes, it was the ear plug. Confession is good for the soul so I told the girls and we all laughed 'til we almost cried.

The moral to the story: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT!

Bueno Es Alabar & Pan De Vida

2008-05-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

I went to church this morning. It was different to say the least!

I had information that a little storefront Assembly of God church started a 9am. I got there a few minutes early but couldn't find anyone who knew anything about the church. So I walked on down the old highway into the center of Conocoto, an outlying town from Quito. I asked several people if there was an "Iglesia Bautista" in town. Several nodded and I kept getting pointed toward the Baptist church. I turned the corner with a man almost dragging me toward the front of the building. Immediately I recognized the structure as the landmark Catholic cathedral of the town.

Since I was there I went in and sat down on the back pew. I looked at my watch and realized that the service at East would be starting in just a few minutes. I prayed for the church and for Ennis and Kathy as they led the worship this morning.

I decided to get up and continue my quest for an evangelical service to attend. I headed toward a church near Evan's preschool, but when I got there it too was locked up. What to do?!

I was almost frustrated enough to head home as I stood in the street and gazed at the church. Just then I spied a man, woman and child exiting their home and walking out into the street just beyond me. I saw the woman carrying something--a Bible! I quickly caught up to them and inquired where they were going. Despite having to converse almost totally in Spanish I discovered they were going to an evangelical worship service! Naturally I invited myself to go with them--and they agreed.

Several blocks later we arrived at the Christian Center of Faith and Hope. And I was shown the love of Christ there too. I received a wonderful welcome from the eventual 70 or so worshippers who gathered together. Although I only understood a portion of what was being said, I was incredibly blessed. Our God reigns over all the earth. He has Christ-followers the world over. He is a friend of the downtrodden. He is worthy of our praise. And we did!

I'll share more about my experience, the band, the music, the spirit and Spirit when I'm back in Charlotte in 8 days. I just wanted to take this opportunity to testify that when we put something into going to the house of the Lord, we receive so much more back in return. I trust you made the effort to woship our glorious Savior on this His day!

Evan's Ecuadorian Birthday!

2008-05-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

I never dreamed I'd visit Ecuador in my lifetime--let alone 4 times! But here I am enjoying this trip and finding moments that will occupy a special place in my memory as long as I live. Of course I'm enjoying spending time with Erin and Megan. We've found ourselves laughing at and with each other many times today. But the focus of everyone in the house has been on Evan. As he said repeatedly on his birthday, "Para Evan!"

Here are some pics for family and friends to enjoy. (Sorry I'm having trouble reducing the pixels in order to upload to the blog. Will attempt to solve problem manana!)

2008-03-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

Pottery washing area at Hazor

Our last sunset at Ramot

Patrick blowing the shofar at Mt Ben Tal

Seeing how I can hardly keep my eyes open, I'll defer to my ghost writer, Sheila.

Hello again from Israel!!
We woke up again to beautiful blue skies and a clearday. We couldn't wait to get going to explore somemore of Israel with our guide Gila and our expertdriver Albert!
Here are Wednesday's highlights. We started the day atTel Hatzor - the archeological site that Pastor Jonwas a part of 2 years ago. His excitement about thedig was contagious. He explained how this Canaanitetemple was discovered and the progress that had beenmade while and since he was there. We left Hatzorheaded north to Dan. Dan is a nature preserve and theDan River flows into the River Jordan. This is thelargest spring area in Israel. We saw Ancient Dan andstopped at a lovely pool area before seeing the City.You could see Nimrod's Fort off in the distance on topof a mountain. We sat where the elders sat at the CityGate.
We had lunch at a McDonald's. Gila translated for usand we enjoyed our meal.
Back on the bus we headed toward the Golan Heights andpassed the old border with Syria. There were signsthat said "Danger Mines"!.
We stopped at Banias Caesarea Philippi - the Temple ofPan. We saw niches carved directly into themountainside. After Dan, we drove through themountainous area of the Golan Heights. We drove thru aDruze willage called Massadeh to go to Mt. Bental, avery high mountain that gave us a good view of thearea. You could see into Syria and Gila discussed theconflict of 1967. Pastor Jon discussed thetransfiguration passages in the Bible. We startedback to Galilee for dinner and our final night at thislovely area.
Our last e-mail from Israel. We check out of our hotelin the morning, spend the day touring, and then headto Tel-Aviv for our flight home arriving on Friday.

Tuesday in Israel

2008-03-11T11:52:00.000-07:00

Sunset from our hotel room!

Cap'n Dennis steering our boat on the Sea of Galilee

Three baptism buddies preparing to take the plunge in the Jordan. Not only did I get to baptize two wonderful brothers, Bryan and Patrick, I got baptized myself and got to swim just a bit in the Jordan too!

I defer the rest of our report tonight to our ghost writer, Sheila Sommers. Thanks Sheila!!!
-Another exciting and beautiful day. Warm temperaturesand sunny bright blue "Carolina/Israel" sky.
Here are highlights. Our day started at Kursi whereJesus cast demons into pigs that ran into the sea.Then on our way to Capernum we walked across the RiverJordan. In Capernum, "The Town of Jesus" we sawremains of a Church built over the spot where Peter'smother-in-law lived and Jesus stayed. Capurnum is alovely place with lots of flowers. Our next stop wasTabgha the site of the feeding of the 5,000 andPrimacy of Peter. We went down to the Sea of Galileeand got a rock. Just standing there at the Sea wasreally exciting. Jon did a reading and prayer. Nextstop - the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preachedthe Sermon on the Mount. We read the Beatitudes fromthe Bible and had some free time to walk around thegrounds. Then off to Tiberias and lunch.
After lunch we went to the baptism site at the JordanRiver and Jon baptized two of our group, Patrick andBryan. This was a great experience!! After the men gotcleaned up, we went back to Tiberias for a wooden boatride across the Sea of Galilee. Jon read a greatstory and Gila had the captain stop the boat so shecould point out interesting locations on the shore.Our last stop of the day was The Ancient Galilee Boat.We saw a very interesting film on how the boat wasdiscovered and unearthed and then we got to see theboat itself. It is 2,000 years old and was inremarkable shape. The display was a combination ofvideo and photo presentations. Very well done.
Only two days left. We leave the hotel on Thursdaymorning for a full day then on to Tel Aviv and theairport.
Another busy day on Wednesday.

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Headed North

2008-03-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

Authentic Roman road Jesus and disciples walked down to Kidron Valley and Garden of Gethsemane following the Last Supper

Group shot outside Lion's/St Stephen's Gate. (Click on and enlarge if you dare!)

What a great day we had today as we visited Masada, Qumran, and Beth Shan before arriving at our hotel above the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee late this afternoon. We heard stories about the last of the Jewish Zealots who revolted against Rome and chose death instead of slavery when their valiant resistance on their mountaintop fortress was obviously at an end. We listened as Gila told the interesting stories surrounding the discovery and revelations of the Dead Sea Scrolls. We sat in the remarkably preserved ampitheatre of Beth Shan/Scythopolis and recounted the tragic story of King Saul and how his great potential as Israel's first king never was realized. We gazed at the ancient walls from which the bodies of he and his sons were hung.

As we pulled up to our resort hotel we discovered our rooms have balconies and a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee. Many words of excitement were shared among us. We are having a good time. We have been blessed with wonderful weather. We anticipate three more days of exploration, information, and inspiration together before heading home on Thursday. God has been so good to us. Continue to pray for us. Thank you from all of us and God bless! (Pictures of our hotel and the sea to follow tomorrow. Here's a couple from the last few days...)

Day 2--Too tired to give it a title!

2008-03-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

Our group in front of Western Wall
Church of All Nations in Gethsemane

Laura and Jon on Mt of Olives

Our second full day started off in great fashion as we visited Mt Zion and the traditional site of the Upper Room. Next we saw St. Peter Gallintu (the rooster crowing). This church is built over the possible site of Caiaphas' home, complete with a cellar prison where Jesus may have been held during the night of His arrest. Outside is the courtyard where Peter failed to keep his vow to the Savior and where the rooster's crowing cut him like a knife. 1st Century steps leading down to the Kidron Valley gave the route of Jesus' last free day on earth--first up to the Upper Room, then down through the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane, then following His arrest back up to Caiaphas' house. A panoramic view of the southern city provided a great place for teaching and varied questions on biblical issues as well as the politics of life in Israel today...

We saw the Pool of Bethesday where Jesus healed the crippled man and the church of St Ann where the echoes of our voices singing Hallelujah continued to reverberate through the Crusader-era structure long after we had finished. Patrick loved leading us in that brief but wonderful time of worship.

Before your eyes glaze over...we traversed the Via Dolorosa and toured the Church of the Holy Sepulcher--with more reminders of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus than we possibly had time to take in. We finished the day with a trip to Bethlehem to see the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's Fields.

Another full day! Our group is meshing together quite nicely. With four engineers with us one (I) might think that we'd have more than enough people telling us what to do and how to do it! Amazingly new friendships are being formed, a spirit of comraderie has already developed, we seem to be sensitive to each other's needs, and we are all enjoying ourselves!

We've met some nice people here. Patrick and I met Imad at the YMCA last night. He is a former Muslim who came to faith in Christ through the encouragement of a friend and by reading the Bible. Tonight at a supermarket near our hotel Laura and I wanted to purchase an item and were 2 shekel short of having enough of the local currency. A couple behind us gladly converted one of our dollar bills to shekels and struck up a friendly conversation with us.

Continue to pray for us. Gila, our guide, has the utmost concern for our safety and is mother-henning us in a protective and proactive fashion...so don't be too worried about us! I'll try again to post some pics. I think I figured out my missteps from last night so here goes...

Friday's Exploits

2008-03-07T12:46:00.000-08:00

We had a great, exhausting day today. Our itinerary had to be shuffled around a bit because of the uncertainty around the city due to the killing of the semiary students yesterday. We began this morning with a beautiful view of the old city of Jerusalem from atop the Mount of Olives. After enjoying the view we walked down the mount to the chapel of "Dominus Flevit", "The Lord Wept." There I met Brother Leo.

We then walked the Palm Sunday Road down to the Garden of Gethsemane and after spending some time there traversed the Kidron Valley and walked by the eastern wall of the Temple Mount, took some public transportation to meet our bus and had lunch.

The afternoon was highlighted by a trip to the Garden Tomb, a wonderful oasis in the middle of a hectic city. After having the Lord's Supper there we went to the Western Wall of the Temple. Gila did a great job of juggling. We saw so much and walked so far that we are all exhausted.

Betty Lamberth joined us today after missing her flight. She has only been positive since arriving. What a great attitude and spirit. More later. We're all fine!

Safe arrival & concerns

2008-03-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. We arrived safely in Israel late this afternoon, met our tour guide, Gila, and our bus driver, Albert, and drove 1 hour to our hotel in Jerusalem. We had a wonderful buffet meal with so many possibilities to select. My plans to lose weight while here may prove to be wishful thinking! We had lamb's tongue, meat loaf, salmon, chicken on a stick, soups, vegetables, salads and desserts too numerous to mention.

I just read on the AP that there has been an attack on a Jewish seminary here in Jerusalem. From what I have read 7 people were killed and many more wounded. Please pray for our safety and for the collective peace of mind and spirit for our group. I'll update as soon as I can tomorrow--certainly before you go to bed in the US! I'm going to catch some sleep myself.

God bless!

ISRAEL EMERGENCY CONTACT #

2008-03-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

FOR ALL OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHILE WE ARE IN ISRAEL,
HERE IS AN EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER WHERE WE CAN BE REACHED. THIS IS AN ISRAELI CELL PHONE THAT I WILL HAVE WITH ME AT ALL TIMES. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL IF YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH ONE OF US!
011-972-54-698-6830

PLEASE PRAY FOR US AND WE'LL BE POSTING PICTURES SOON!

Kathy's Miracle

2007-09-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

Kathy’s Miracle
As Told By Laura

Monday morning Jenora and Laura were conducting prescreening when they noticed a young girl –early 20s—who came in with a lot of debris on her teeth and an appliance on her lower teeth, that was obviously preventing her from cleaning her teeth properly. She stated how earlier in her life she had been in an accident where her jaw had been broken in three places, thus the need for the appliance to stabilize her jaw. The tarter had built up on a wire behind her teeth so much that she could spin it around like a tube.

Kathy had medical complications which included having a laser ablation to treat an irregular heartbeat. Every tooth was decayed and her mouth was inflamed and infected.

The nurses had Dr. Mickey come and evaluate her condition. Upon examining Kathy and talking with her Dr. Mickey advised Kathy that what she really needed to do was check into a hospital and have all her teeth removed where they could monitor her heart during the surgery.

Kathy’s biggest concern was how all this would be paid for with no insurance. Dr. Mickey shared how every hospital has some discretionary money and suggested she contact the school of dentistry at UK in Lexington to see if they would help.

Laura advised Kathy to contact Andy Cable, the Director of the Powell Co. Health Clinic. Andy was very interested in providing assistance. She called back the next morning and asked Kathy if she could find transportation if an appointment could be arranged. Kathy said her brother could take her.

After the conversation with Kathy Andy shut her door and prayed about the situation. Then she got a phone book and called the dental school. She explained the situation with the woman who answered the phone. The young lady replied, “Well, the dean of the oral surgery department is standing right here. Why don’t you talk with him?” (Amazing! Laura's quote: Those cats don't even talk to their own wives!") Andy related the story once again to the dean to which he replied, “Do you think she could come tomorrow?”

Kathy did see the dean the next day and he emphasized the seriousness of the situation. Arrangements were made for a further evaluation in two weeks after which they will schedule the procedure! When Kathy informed Andy of these developments Andy assured her that we will all be praying for her and asked her to keep us informed of the latest developments.

Kathy, we certainly will!

(photos from Hazel Green tomorrow!)

Hazel Green--the other side of the world

2007-09-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

"Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore..."

Friends, we're definitely not in Charlotte anymore! It may not be Ecuador or Israel but in many ways it seems like the other side of the world. Hazel Green is in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky. It's peaceful, quiet, and the air is refreshingly clear. But one important item that is also missing is jobs. There are many people here in great need. Our ministry to the area has been received with arms opened wide. We've seen people from several counties in addition to where we are located in Wolfe County. One comment I heard yesterday was, "This is the first time something has been done for all the people in our county and not just a few." We've seen well over 100 people. God is at work here!

I've been blessed numerous times as I have talked with people about their spiritual condition. I have heard testimonies that have left me wiping the tears from my eyes. There was Doug, a young man who has only been saved about 4 years, but who has a tremendous desire to lead his family in a godly way and see his children experience the love of the Lord themselves. There was Lawrence who, even with a mouth filled with pain from hurting teeth, said, "I love Jesus. I don't miss going to my church even when I can't go anywhere else." There was Melodee whose eyes welled up with tears when I asked about her relationship with the Lord. She said, "I can't wait to get to heaven." Linda told me about two strangers who showed up in the night in her hospital room to pray for her and could only explain their actions by saying, "Lady, you may think we're crazy, but God told us to come and pray for you." Her reply? "No, I've been praying and waiting for you!" This afternoon I met Jason and his mother April. She said, "We've been everywhere and no one will help us." We prayed together and as Jason was taken to be evaluated I saw tears of gratitude running down her cheeks because finally her son was going to get some relief.

This is just a glimpse of some of the lives that have been touched thus far this week. Thank you for your prayers and support. Those of you who couldn't come but who gave, worked and are praying for us--God bless you!!! And keep praying! You'll hear about and see some answers to your prayers this Sunday morning at EBC.

The trailers packed with clothing and other items for use by the people here? It was all unpacked and placed under and around a large tent Monday morning. The majority of the items have already been claimed.

A few prayer requests before I close:
-Susan, wanting to commit her life to Christ, but facing a tremendous obstacle
-Frank, waiting "for the right time" to be saved
-Kenneth, "not ready"
-Kristina, struggling with God trying to get over the loss of a loved one, a miraculous story of being pulled from a creek after a wreck just a few months ago--wanting to overcome her doubts and find God.
-Sheila, "backslidden"
-Clinton, "searching for the truth for 75 years" and still hasn't found it(Him)
-Michael and Michelle, took Bibles home to read the book of John
-many under the influence of drug abuse

Get the idea? Our ministry is needed here! Continue to pray for us for strength, wisdom, patience and love.

I'll have another report with some pics at the end of the week. We love our family and friends back home. Thanks again for what you mean to us!
--Jon and 40+ missionaries

Israel Memories and Future Plans

2007-07-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

It's only been 7 months since I last posted on this blog site. How time has flown by! It's almost impossible to believe that one year ago today we were wrapping up our trip to Israel.

Today I preached a sermon on the life of Samson and used some of our photos from Michael's CD to show our congregation the Sorek Valley and Zolah, where Samson was born. This afternoon I had some free time so I went through Michael's CD--all 450+ pictures! It only added to my feelings of nostalgia and made me miss Israel and my friends from there all the more.

I've managed to keep up with a few of you, but can't help wondering where the rest of you might be this summer and what you are up to. While my summer of '06 was free and filled with travel, I've yet to get away at all this year. I'm hoping to rectify that in August. I'd love to get updates from any of the rest of you who happen to read this.

I do miss Israel! So... I have made tentative plans to return to Israel next year. I'll be hosting a tour with a pastor friend of mine from March 4 - March 13. We'll be visiting many of the spots we saw last year, plus a few we didn't get to see. If you know of anyone who would like to go to the Holy Land I have info I can send them and a web site they could go to for more info.

Let me thank each one of my companions again for a wonderful experience. There is hardly a day goes by that I don't think of some aspect of our trip. The experience (even with the unplanned excitement!) and each of you have impacted me and my ministry for a lifetime.

God Bless You!
Jon

Doctors and Faith

2007-01-15T21:13:00.000-08:00

I was making a hospital visit this evening and had a wonderful surprise. I was conversing with the young woman awaiting a procedure when her doctor came in with good news. The procedure would be fairly simple and he expected no complications. I prepared to leave and suggested we pray. As the young woman, her husband and I joined hands to pray we were interrupted.

"May I pray with you?" the doctor asked.

"Certainly!" And as we prayed I could just sense that this was no mere formality. There was a genuine person of faith with us in the circle. He affirmed my asking God to help him give the best care humanly possible to his patient. After our prayer he shared the name of a local church where he is a member--a strong congregation with a vibrant witness in our community.

I know the young woman was thrilled to learn that she was under the care of one who realizes that all healing ultimately comes from God. And I was thrilled too, thrilled to be reminded that faith can reside in perfect harmony with the reason of a sharp intellect. Our Christian worldview need not take a backseat to any other philosophy of life in the world of ideas.

Thank you God for a little shot in the arm and the reminder to keep sharpening my mind.