Back and Forth

Sorry it has been 3 months since my last post/sharing...but I'm still here. So, some highlights (:

Being Home:
The weeks leading up to returning back home were weird. It was my only trip home for the year. It was like a vacation from my daily life of doing Young life in Nazareth, but where a vacation is usually going somewhere else, I was going back to America. I’ve come to really enjoy the students in Nazareth, and it was a fruitful year of building relationships with high school kids. When I got home and saw mom stepping out of the car with tears of joy in her eyes it just reminded me of how thankful I am that I have parents who love me this much.  

Home was great. I saw family and friends, my sisters were there for Christmas which hasn’t happened for couple of years, so that was cool. It was great to meet up with guys I've grown up with as nothing has changed. Even with everyone being 24/25 years old now, we still have that loyalty to each other. Of course there are new things happening in all of our lives, but the bond remains. 

YL All Staff (old friends and new friends - Yousef & Nisreen,
Stanley and Eva from Summer Staff, Work Staff Guys, Star
from China, and Alexis from Dem. Rep. of Congo)

The top highlight during my time home in America was the Young life All Staff conference. Every four years Young Life leaders from around the world gather in Orlando, Florida to be appreciated and inspired for the next season of ministry. I was part of a 60 person work staff team serving the 5000 leaders at the conference. We did any kind of odd job asked of us and got to be behind the scenes within the conference. Even though I was “working” I was inspired simply being around so many great people. The one thing which impacted me the most was standing in a room with 5000 people who know what it is like to be a Young Life leader. Fellow leaders who know how difficult it is to try to love high school kids sometime more than they love themselves, and wanting them to meet Jesus. As he said “I come to give you life and life to the full” John 10:10, and I have experienced that truth. One day all the attendees went to Disney and unexpectedly, the work staff was surprised to hear that we were going too!! It truly was magical and I felt like a kid again for that day. Honestly however, the most magical thing was experiencing community that resembled a tiny piece of what I hope heaven is like. Almost 4 years ago I committed my life to following Jesus, but it was not until recently I thought about what it was that made me think seriously of following Him. It was experiencing this type of community.

Returning to Nazareth:

My return to the place I feel lucky to call home was 3 weeks ago. The first seven days were spent acclimating myself to the 7 hour time difference. I didn’t eat much and slept sporadically. But, that passed and eventually the Arabic food was too good not to enjoy. Just something to get through with the changing of locations. The last three weeks have been great concerning Young Life and my walk/commitment to Jesus. I’ll be honest, while in America I lost a bit of the fire and day to day walking with Jesus. I don’t know what happened or why, but a few days ago I recognized how much more I seem to go to God and how I focus on Him in every situation when in Nazareth compared to when I was in Virginia. No explanation…just a realization. Maybe it was because I was on “vacation” mentally in America and then went back to “work” with Young Life.

(YL Valentines Club)

We’ve had a few clubs, including a Valentine’s Day themed Love Club. Also, the YL team and I have continued leading chapel for the 7^th & 8^th grade at school as well as the 11^th and 12^th. A recent development that was awesome - I followed through with one of my prayers over the last couple months; I began to disciple a student. His name is Ibrahim and he’s in 11^th grade. Something you could pray for – our growing relationship as friends and my ability to encourage him in his walk with Jesus as well as wisdom for myself on how to do it. He’s a stud, beast on the violin, and it’s great to see a guy his age wanting to learn more about Christ. God is very aware that I wasn’t ready for it at his age.  

(After chapel we welcome kids to come and we'll pray with
them/for them. Hunter and Wael here with some 11th & 12th graders

My return and immediate entrance back into a community I love and feel welcome in makes me realize how much God has done in my time here. It’s been a year and a half of going to the school again and again…getting to know names and personalities…improving slowly in Arabic to relate to kids more… All of this has brought me to NOW. The time when you have put the initial work in to a skill or project and things start to get easier because you (I) get better. Great things are happening more frequently within Young Life. And I know there is still work to be done, And I Want To Do It!!! ***However, I need your prayers. My VISA for being in Israel is about to expire (April 30^th) and I may be asked to leave the country for an extended period (6 months, maybe a year). Here is the thing…I do not want to leave at all. I know God has what is best for me...and this is what I say to myself over and over again in discipline with my faith in Him. But I also know He considers what we want (it says this in scripture Psalm 37:4 and John 15:7). So I’m sharing what I want, and I want you to pray for this because He hears it. And maybe, just maybe He’ll be like “I got you Zack”. We are trying to find any way possible to ensure I can get a new one. Inshalla (God Willing)

Some students from Nazareth Baptist School - in the background
to the left is where our school is.

Apologies it’s been 3 months since my last update. However, I am still just as committed to sharing about Jesus with High School kids in Nazareth and living it out as Jesus did with whoever I come into contact with.

Thank You for your support, prayers and Love,

Zack