Encouragement and letting go

Four days ago I left Israel after three months. It feels like I have stepped into a different world. No more the constant alertness, no more expectations of renewed rocket fire, no daily physical reminders of the war and the hostages still not being back home. And as it was a challenge to go back to normal (Lechazlesh 😉, see post 1-7-2025), it is a whole different challenge to enter into this other world. I was warmly welcomed by my friend on Cyprus and her cousin, visiting her from the United States. The first morning we had a slow start and I took some wonderful time with Abba, having a good cry, letting go of the pain, tension, grief and God knows what. From that afternoon on we have been the three Mousquetaires discovering the island of Cyprus, its breathtaking nature and encountering some of my friend’s spiritual family on the island. It has been therapeutical by the beauty I have been able to drink in, by moments of pure relaxation (floating in the water, snorkeling with some cute little fishes, feeling the wind on my skin) and by really good conversations about God and life in this world. I am SO grateful for this time! I am not sure that I have worked through everything necessary from my time in Israel, but Abba will know what is the best time for that. Now I am preparing to fly tomorrow to France for the TJCII Now Generation meeting, to which I am looking forth.

But first I would like to share a bit with you about my last week in Israel. As I mentioned in earlier posts, I wanted to do some traveling in Israel, see some friends and encourage people. And as always God had the perfect plan ready for me. I started on Tuesday July 1 by joining a friend and her team to prepare a barbeque for IDF soldiers. These young guys from a combat unit fighting on the frontlines just came out of Gaza and would travel home the next day for some days, before going back. That Tuesday evening the BBQ was part of their ‘letting go’ of the realities of war in Gaza, before meeting their families. While the guys were getting of the bus that had brought them from Gaza, we were full in the preparations: seasoning the meat, preparing the coals, cutting the watermelon, etc. Several guys right away offered to help, but we came to serve them! Once they sat down to eat, they also started to sing and made a party of the evening. It was such a privilege for me to be able to be present there, serve these young men who risk their lives protecting Israel and the free world and just be God’s loving presence among them. It was a very special start of these last days in Israel.

That evening my friend dropped me off at the home of friends. He is a holocaust survivor from Eindhoven, my city in the Netherlands and she is from Polish decent. This couple is always so warm and welcoming! It is a joy to be with them and just spend some time with them. On Wednesday morning I joined them to a lecture in a center for elderly people (or golden age people, as they are called in Israel 😉). I have visited the center before, because my friend does a lot of voluntary work there. At the end of the lecture, while making my way out of the room, an elderly lady asked me why I was smiling at her. I told her I just wanted to give her my smile. As an answer she also gave me her smile. Then we went to a nearby mall for a cup of coffee (tea in my case) and to meet some of their friends. I enjoy to just be with these non-believing Israelis, even though our lives seem to be so different. I just love them!

That Wednesday afternoon I traveled to my German friend who lives with her family in the Galilee. We met about two years ago at the Fountain of Tears and have kept in touch ever since. She has a ministry of serving Holocaust survivors. Besides visiting them she also organizes food packages for about 250 survivors. On Thursday it was the monthly pack-day. It was again Abba’s perfect timing that I could join this effort and help packing. Besides it being a real joy to serve in this way, I also had several divine connections with the other people helping that morning. To cool down after the work I was able to take a swim in the Kineret, the lake of Galilee, which I enjoyed very much!

On Friday morning I could catch a ride with some of my Arab Christian friends, who were traveling up north for the weekend. They come from a Christian village very close to the border with Lebanon and have experienced some harrowing stuff during the time of constant attacks from southern Lebanon by Hezbollah. It was for me a special experiences to see statues of the Sacred Heart of Yeshua and of Mary and the prophet Elijah in the squares of this village. I had not encountered that yet in Israel. Also the amount of green in nature and the difference in culture with the Jewish Israelis, made this a journey of discovery. I was treated on being co-invited with my hosts to a pre-wedding party on Friday evening. I ate super tasty local food, danced for a moment in the Arab style (no, not belly dancing, but with a very elegant use of the hands) and could not really make conversation, because the music was too loud 😉. The next day we visited the beautiful grottos of Rosh Hanikra and had tea at the home of another Arab sister of our Hebrew speaking Catholic parish of Beersheva. It was a warm time with these long time friends and I am so grateful that I finally was able to visit their village.

Sunday to Tuesday were my last days in Arad, finishing everything up, packing my bags and saying my goodbyes to long time and new friends. I feel deep gratitude for this season in Israel, for the grace of being with Israel, with the Israelis in their time of need and suffering. I have made some very special connections with a couple of neighbors and I know those contacts will not be lost. I have received so many people at the Fountain and had many deep encounters there. My times of prayer and sharing with other believers, both Messianic believers in Arad and other places, and with the community of the Hebrew speaking Catholics were very special and I feel even more community with them. And as I say always when leaving Israel: I don’t know when I will come back to Israel, but I always come back!