What will Bridge To Jerusalem be doing these next few months? LOTS!
Although I am finishing up a wonderful season of service in Jerusalem, I am looking forward to a busy summer 'loving Israel' while in the states. As you will recall from my article in Machaseh's October 2016 newsletter, my mission is to connect people. By building relationship, we learn to love. This love changes us and changes the world...one person at a time.
The Bridge To Jerusalem is getting more and more traffic.
One of my goals is to facilitate US visitors' travels to Israel as well as to host Israelis in Oregon. To date, I have helped 19 people to visit and serve in Jerusalem. Next week I will be hosting my second Israeli friend in the states. His name is Jonathan, a wonderful young man who is a professionally trained Torah scribe. He left his ultra-Orthodox community about 8 years ago and since that time, he has had to learn a whole new way of life. You, through Machaseh, have been a part of the process.
This is going to be Jonathan's first big trip outside of Israel! I am developing his itinerary which will include touring in four states. Jonathan will be also be offering presentations at various congregations, speaking about the ancient art of scribing and sharing his personal story.
* If you would like to help fund Jonathan's trip to the USA, you can contact me or give online: www.bridge2jerusalem.net
I will also be working on bringing a team from Oregon to help fight sex-trafficking in Israel. This October, Rebecca Bender Ministries will be serving with the Red Carpet Nail Center in Tel Aviv, providing training and support for workers in this field. While the Oregon team members will be experiencing their first encounter with Israel, they have had far too many encounters with victims of sex trafficking. But it is this experience and wisdom that they hope to share with the ministry workers in Israel.
A third bridge-building project over my summer involves a small team of ladies
from southern Oregon, two of who have never been to Israel. They will be joining me to serve at Machaseh in October. Their Russian language skills will be a blessing to the Holocaust survivors who they will be working with.
And as always, I will continue to work with Machaseh via the 'internet machine'.
Over the years, I have assisted them with creating a brochure, website, newsletters, videos and most recently... a PayPal account! I am not a geek by any means, but by doing, I have learned. We hope that PayPal will be a tool in helping people to give with greater ease.
Check it out! https://www.paypal.me/Machaseh
Please say a prayer for my summer projects, that God will organize everything and that people will be richly blessed through each endeavor.
Bridge To Jerusalem is one of Machaseh’s partners based in Oregon USA.
Director Diana Nelson is a social worker who has been serving people
for over 40 years in mental health, school and church settings.