A correction....

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I forgot ~ I need to make a correction. The Druze community is not Qiryat at Carmel, it is Dalyat al Carmel. Sorry about that!

But it's still Shalom from Jerusalem!

We (Rob, Susie and Ron and I have been fun and easy traveling buddies) continue to meet wonderful and interesting people. At dinner we visited with an elderly couple who took the 20 minute ride on the city bus just to have a hamburger at Burgers Bar. They have been here for 30 years, have like 20 odd grandchildren and 2 and 1/2 great grandchildren. He lost all his family, 18 members, in the Holocaust in Hungary.

This was particularly interesting to us as we'd just gotten back from visiting the Holocaust Memorial ~ Yad Vashem. The horror is palpable and the details and pictures are deeply affecting. I stood and cried in the Hall of Names ~ a room devoted to recording all the names and personal details of the millions of people murdered. They are still adding names and stories as they are discovered.

I've had two questions in my heart ~ How was it that this happened? And how was it that my family was not affected so that I'm alive today, as there were many people killed who were not Jews. I can only know that my Heavenly Father had my life in His plan for these days.

There is also a beautiful park next to Yad Vashem called Mt. Herzl. It is dedicated to the many leaders in Israels history and is a peaceful and beautiful park in the middle of a very noisy and busy city. A great relief just in time as my spirit was weary of the busy and the noisy ~ nurture from nature, thank You Abba...

Our trip is coming to a close ~ only two more nights ~ and most of me doesn't want to come home. But the rest of me is very ready to unpack, be still and have some space to myself and process all that we have done and seen.

Considering all that we have experienced, my whole outlook has changed. I want to stay here ~ I have a strong urge to buy an apartment and immerse myself ~ root myself, in this wonderful land and it's people ~ like the ancient olive trees we see ~ grow old and gnarly and ancient along with them. I didn't expect to feel that so strongly. I want to get to know the young kids at the Burgers Bar ~ they have quite a flair for fixin' a burger! I want to learn Hebrew, ride the city buses all over town, shop like and where the locals shop... whatever it is I have acquired in myself I want to release it here. Somehow it feels alive here... vital... like "home" should be... for so long, it seems, I've been looking for "home" ~ a place where I can finally unpack my heart ~ where extraneous material things are pared down, closer to just necessities than luxuries, and where people and pouring out to them are the things that satisfy and fulfill... Why haven't I done this in the States? Or why does it feel I haven't? I can't tell you. For years we've run from place to place. Here in Israel, it seems to me, there is woven a golden thread of permanence. Perhaps it's that this is such an ancient land it's caused me to consider how to bring forth from deep within myself the gifts that reside there that will make the greatest, most lasting, impact on my personal world and the greater world around me. And, more than that, given me hope that it could happen.

Until next time ~ or until we see your beautiful faces... Shalom from Israel

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Comments

[Adrienne]

Wonderful words
Candi, I feel the same way, thanks for sharing from your heart. I can't wait to see to guys soon!! A:)