Shalom All,

 

I know I just sent out an update, but during such a critical time in Israel I feel I need to update you again.

 

Everything is crazy today.  I am so emotionally warn out from the disengagement that I am exhausted and so is Mandy.  It's so sad.  It's on all of the televisions all day.  All day we watch people fighting, crying, screaming... we even saw a guy our age threaten to commit suicide and eventually talked out of it.  A Jewish settler lit herself on fire today and killed herself in front of the soldiers.  It's astonishingly hard to watch all of this.  I can't describe it. 

 

Last night as we took a bus into Jerusalem we saw hundreds of protestors trying to block the roads and we watched as the police drug them away and arrested them.  Later that evening I talked to my police friend and he was one of the ones doing the arresting.  I am amazed at the friends I have made from all walks of life in Israel.  It's no coincidence that God has brought them all into my life.  I really feel as the endtimes approach, having these contacts in Israel will save my life or be used to somehow do some amazing things for Yeshua.

 

Today we are taking a nap and then going back out tonight... we just can't stay inside at a time like this, you go crazy. 

 

Please pray that God will help us get through this... and I mean "us" as in Israel as a whole.  All day I fight back tears and sometimes have to take a break.

 

Even in this difficult season, I can't think of a place I'd rather be.  It has only made my devotion to Israel grow and my ties here become stronger.

 

Last night it was humorous.  We were at a cafe and three men were sitting nearby.  They looked so shocked I asked them where they were from.  They were from Greece and they are reporters covering Gaza.  They had never been to Israel before.  I ended up fully debriefing them, informing them of the entire political climate, which places they could go to catch the action and explained to them the entire culture and everything.  It was so funny... it seriously looked like I was a teacher in a classroom.  They were so thankful and I think they were even more shocked that an american girl gave them a total run-down of the country!  The look of bewilderment on their faces and then relief was hysterical.  I unloaded all of my knowledge of Israel within an hour.  Who knows, maybe as they report live today for the news in Greece, I may get some thanks... just kidding!

 

Tal came by yesterday with Yael, a new girl that will replace Tal after she is released from the IDF.  Yael is also awesome.  In fact, Tal said to Yael, "You'll never need to worry about Erin.  She has more friends in Israel than you and I combined and when you walk down the street people know her!" 

 

Speaking of running into people, it happened twice yesterday.  I ran into two different friends... one in Mevasseret and one in Jerusalem...How crazy is this?  I love every second of it. Mandy just says, "is there anyone in Jerusalem that you DON'T know?"

 

 

Last Shabbat, I got to go to my friend Julie's house to help her make dinner for her and her four children.  Julie works here at the hospital as a Physical Therapist and I call her my sister in Israel because she reminds me of my sister Karyn in the States.  Julie's husband is a reporter for CNN (I know... sigh!)  and he's in Gaza for one month to cover the events.  We can actually see him here on CNN in Israel as they report.  So it's great to help out a family during such a tense time as this.  She was very glad for my keeping her kids occupied and helping with dinner.

 

 

This is Erin reporting LIVE from Israel during disengagement...

 

PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!