I finally have a quiet evening to write my memories and thoughts on my time with Shevet last summer in July.
First, let me say: ساللم
It is the first thing I can readily type in Arabic. Because of my time in Jerusalem, I've decided to learn Arabic to better communicate and form friendships with Muslims, especially Muslim women. I don't know yet if God's plan for me is to live in Jerusalem or some other Middle Eastern location, or to work with Muslims here in Portland, Oregon.
My contact with Shevet began in the summer of 2008 when my son asked me to come to him in Kurdistan, where he was learning Kurdish and teaching English for 13 months. Together we worked on a music project, teaching local Kurdish children at a community music center violin and singing. In our house was the office of the Kurdish department of Shevet. Thus, I met Goran Hasan, who used that office to interview prospective Shevet heart patients and their families.
I learned so much from my 5 weeks in Iraq, and was blessed with so much spiritual blessing, that I was eager to repeat the experience of sharing God's love in a Muslim country. My acquaintance with the work of Shevet led me to apply to work in the Jerusalem location.
It was a similar experience, with similar things learned:
Fear is ok, but do what you need to do anyway (courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to obey God anyway).
Organization is overrated. A lot can be accomplished in an apparent environment of chaos.
Formal training and previous experience is overrated. See above.
Age is not a factor.
It is an unbelievable blessing to live in an authentic Christian community.
I hope I can serve at Shevet again.
Phyllis