My plane skipped and sped down the runway, dropped her arms and climbed. I gazed out the window at my snowy home, said “goodbye” with a full heart and watched as clouds slowly bled across backyards and housetops until I was blind and my 4 1/2 month separation from the place I know as home has begun.
These were the opening words to a brand new journal, a journal that is now torn, tattered, and has only two or three pages left empty.
My time in Israel is quickly coming to an end. Airplane tires will soon race and rise as I skip across three continents on my way back home. And as I peer into my final week here at Jerusalem University College, I wanted to take an opportunity to share how I anticipate that the next few weeks and months will look.
Next week: During finals week, (along with studying for two exams and writing a paper) I’ll be reflecting on the past 4+ months, sharing a few highlights from my time here. This will perhaps be mostly an endeavor for my own benefit, but I think (as I ponder what it means to pack up and leave) it will be a healthy thing for me to do.
May 8-13: My final week at JUC will consist of a field trip to Jordan. We’ll be spending five nights living with a Bedouin community in remote Southern Edom (Jordan). There, I will have the opportunity to ride camels through Wadi Rum, battle scorpions and poisonous snakes (meaning, avoid them), shepherd sheep, and reflect on the sort of experiences that would have typified the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I’ll be taking a ton of photos and perhaps shooting some videos; however, without electricity (or running water) my experiences will have to wait until after my return to Minneapolis to be documented.
May 16th (5:00 a.m.): After checking out of my dorm, I’ll be spending a day and a half in Tel Aviv before heading home. I may have an opportunity to post some reflections from my time in Jordan while in Tel Aviv; however, my Internet access may be limited.
June-August: Much of my summer will be spent editing photos, videos and blog posts in anticipation of proposing a manuscript to publishers by early Fall. My hope is that this book will be profoundly interactive, taking those who may never have had the opportunity to journey to the Holy Land for an extended period of time into the heart of the land of dust and sun.
I would sincerely covet your prayers during this time of transition. While I am eager to return home and reconnect with the people and places I love, I know that I will miss this beautiful place.
Thank you for your love and support!
In His Grip,
Bryan
Looking forward to seeing you and reading, seeing and absorbing your published work this Fall. Health and safety for your remaining time in what really is God’s Country!