Shabbat Shalom (שבת-שלום)

I'm here and safe and exhausted, but in quiet moments like tonight when I can physically feel everyone's prayers surrounding me with peace and comfort, I am completely in awe of how far the Lord has already brought me, knowing how infinitely further I have to go...Praying this refreshed perspective lasts because it has been a difficult few days.

We left on Wednesday at 2pm and landed on Thursday at 7am (which is actually 10pm MST). It hit me at that point that I am literally on the other side of the world. Beer Sheva is an hour drive through corn fields, minimal hills and a lot of barren desert south of Tel Aviv. I am staying in a beautiful little two-story house (20min walk from the hospital) on the edge of town. It has a huge garden and gated courtyard with a bunch of chairs/hammock. Two of the girls are studying for their boards here and will be 3rd years. The other first year staying with me is Isaac - he grew up in Papau New Guinea where is parents were missionaries (now they live in Northern Ireland but he went to College of the Ozarks).

God is so good - minutes before arriving at the house I was having a slight panic attack about what I had gotten myself into coming here, and Isaac was an immediate comfort and reassurance that I am fully dependent on the Lord and He is perfectly and completely in control, my Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord will provide).

We've walked about 15 miles in the last two days touring the city, learned too many facts and tips to even remember, and enjoyed many Israeli dishes. It is very, very hot during the day, we all smell, but in the early morning and at night the desert carries in a soft, cool breeze. Today was our first authentic shopping trip. Remember of course, I cannot read or understand Hebrew, so it's simply a guess at what I'm buying if it isn't obvious (like fruits or vegetables). Food is more expensive here than in the U.S. too, but without a standard for what the costs of food groups should be (and with the added difficulty of converting 23.99NIS to $$), it's an interesting experience. Israel is much more westernized than I expected...oh globalization. And there are stray cats EVERYWHERE. If I wasn't a cat person before, I definitely am not now. And there are camels grazing on the side of the road like cows in Colorado.

Tonight, I was invited into the home of a professor to share Shabbat dinner. Wow. They were SO generous and friendly, sitting with us for 4 hours to talk and explain life/customs/local secrets of Beer Sheva and Israel. The dinner was about 7 courses! I love the sound of spoken Hebrew, it is such a sacred language with a distinct melodic rhythm, and the prayer was amazing though I only understood "Adonai", "Elohim", and "Amen". Afterwards, we all drank out of a goblet of wine and broke Challah bread. Then they had prepared a Gazpacho, Morrocan Pot Roast, three different salads, spiced pumpkin, and eggplant casserole. Shabbat usually involves a heavy meat dish and it was delicious - tasted almost like my Mom's. The dad/pediatric neonatologist brought out Rolada (cookies) for dessert and told us his other favorite hobby is baking. Instant connection. Now the city is shut down until tomorrow at sunset, but we'll be enjoying ice breakers in a pool in the morning (haha) and then a formal dinner tomorrow night to meet all of the faculty. Orientation day is on Sunday and classes start right up!