On the Journey...with Alan Vanderkolk
 

Dear Friends and Family,

I am adjusting to desert life. Things are a little slower down here in the Arava, a bit warmer, too. Yesterday, though, there was a little shift in the wind. The wind usually comes down from the northwest and across the desert. But yesterday it was blowing a bit more from the east, over the Edom Mountains in Jordan. You could feel a slight coolness in the breeze at times. The high today was around 102 degrees in the shade, down from the 110+ degree temperatures of last week. It was down to the upper 70’s this morning when I woke up a little before 5:00 a.m. - quite pleasant! I have noticed that the wind here blows just the opposite from Kansas. In Kansas, the wind blows during the day and will calm down in the evening and is calm in the morning. Here, there is a slight breeze during the day and it really picks up after the sun goes down. I can often hear the wind howling before I fall asleep at night. The park will begin to see more visitors as the temperature begins to come down. I saw my first bus load of tourists yesterday. It is still pretty hot to be wandering around the archaeological site during the heat of the day.

I have been reading through I Samuel this past week. It is really awesome to be reading God’s work in the land of Israel. I often get out a map and look at the cities and places mentioned. Many of those places are not very far from where I am staying here at Biblical Tamar Park. I feel like I reflect on things a bit deeper when I am here in Israel. I found an old coin the other day while doing some work on the Tel. It is in pretty ruff shape, but looks like it might be a Roman mite, like the one the widow put in her temple offering...that Jesus talked about...who gave all she had. I was wondering what it might have purchased back in the day and about giving ones all. To often we want to hold on to our little treasures.

Today is 9/11. I was remembering where I was on 9/11/01. My director, Earl, was leading a two-week prayer mission here in Israel. It was my first trip to Israel. There was a team of 14 of us: 7 in 24/7 prayer in Jerusalem and 7 going to various prayer sites each day. I was with the group praying at different sites each day. On 9/11 our team of 7 was on Mt. Megiddo overlooking the Jezreel Valley. After three hours of praying there, we heard the news of the first of the Twin Towers being hit. A number of you were praying for us during that time. Two members of that 2001 team will be joining Earl and I in our upcoming prayer mission this October. It looks like there will be 7 of us on this team. It will be great to be praying together again in Israel.

I am helping to get ready for the various tour groups coming this October and November. I have been fixing some plumbing problems, doing some repair work and miscellaneous maintenance. Last Wednesday, Bill, a fellow volunteer, and I went to Beersheva to pick up a load of 100+ trees that will be planted by the groups that are coming this Fall. Half are Date Palms and the other half are Olive trees. I have also been doing a little pruning on the 800+ trees already planted here at the park and learning the watering system. There is always plenty to do. It is a blessing to be seeking the Lord, serving the people, and stewarding this land here in Israel.

Grace and Peace (Shalom),
~Alan Vanderkolk