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

The Land of Peace with No Peace...Yet There is Hope

As Adele sings...."Hello" (marhabaaa, marhabaaaaa)

It has been a great year personally for me...becoming even more involved in communities and peoples lives around Nazareth, improving my Arabic speaking and daily walking with Jesus as best I can.

For most of the year it was the same for the situation here in the country. There were not any major conflicts or dramatic events between Israel and Palestine. However, when October began, the consistent recurrence of injustice, failure to communicate and hate have surfaced again. In the last month, it's common to watch the news and hear of a stabbings, cars driving into bus stations, and illogical arrests between these two peoples...mostly in the south around Jerusalem.
The title of my post comes from Youseff, one of the Qupty family dad's (as I live amongst 3 Arab Christian families).
Something I truly enjoy is sitting a couple times a week and having dinner with Youseff. We speak about whatever topics arise. Often he has given me some history lessons of this land as it was not something I learned about much in school. Through his entire life, there has not been Peace in this land (and beyond his life, for 1000's of years). It is normal to him. He share's some more of the dramatic moments - wars in 1948, 1967, 1984, Oslo in 1991, and conflict ever since. By the end we usually finish our conversations with this phrase - "the land where Jesus walked, that was meant for Peace has no Peace."

Just an update politically/culturally of what is going on here. I'm completely safe and act wisely to make sure of it. It is a topic that could always use some prayer if you are wanting things to pray for. That the people in power and extremists might see some higher call to the humanity of those who are innocent.

In more personal news... (: I'm thankful as always. Day to day I'm working hard to fulfill what I feel I can do to help high school kids, Young Life, and the Nazareth Village.

(Young Life Ibiliin game - watch Noor on the left haha

he's so focused on his attempts...then goes for a bite.)

 

Young Life:
- We continue to have clubs in both Nazareth & Ibiliin with an average of 40 kids at each meeting. Ibiliin is growing fast!
- Bible studies have started in both towns as well. Guys and Girls have been getting together with leaders to go deeper into scripture. The big focus is simply understanding who Jesus is, what was his character like, and what does that mean for us?
- A new involvement we have in Nazareth is being in charge of chapel at the Nazareth Baptist School. Something unique to the school different from any other in the country is all the kids attend chapel once a week (there are both cultural Christian and Muslim kids as well as Believers following Jesus in attendace). Our YL Nazareth team runs chapel for the 7th and 8th grade students and also help out with 11th and 12th grade.
I am actually giving the message tomorrow! Feel free to say a prayer for clear words and that the scripture (Jesus at the Pool of Bethesda) relates to the kids.

(club/talks/testimonys - top is myself, bottom left is Wael

and bottom right is a recent graduate Mira sharing her story)

 

Relationships with the high school kids are going to a whole new level. It is a true testament to the simple steps of consistency and perseverance making an impact. More and more I know kids names, conversations are easier to have, and almost always I get at least one small opportunity to give some encouragement, advice, or show that I care for a student.

(part of being a Young Life leader is going to the school to hang out with kids...

get to know them, and share life. Wael and Hunter here with students).

I also continue to volunteer at the Nazareth Village helping in whatever way I can. I've met some very nice people through tours (shout out to Dan & Murine Kaull, such a sweet couple who encouraged me in my ministry) and I still serve in the kitchen/restaurant.
It has taught me about leadership and working hard even when nobody is looking.
Because of seizing chances to step up and be a leader at the village, I felt confident to apply and accept an invitation to work at the Young Life All Staff Conference this January in Orlando. I'll be a leader amongst 60 people from around the world serving for a week at this amazing conference that happens once every 4 years for the YL Staff all around the world!

So there it is...just some news about my continued life and work with ministry in Nazareth. My current "normal" of living here brings joy. I feel useful, like I'm worth something and wanted (a feeling I think we all desire in our life).

Blessings to you, thanks for keeping up and in touch with me.
I am continuing to do some fundraising for my next year here (I have committed to staying through 2016 as God provides through his people). If you want to help out financially or through prayer let me know !

Zack

 Arab students from the other side of the world that I've come to care so much for (:

Blood Moon Over Nazareth

Whattuppp!

I'm sure you've seen the pictures today and if not check them out. If you stayed up, woke up, or even just looked up to see that pretty awesome 'Super Moon' meets 'Lunar Eclipse' last night, then I hope you were in awe for a moment and realized the magnitude of what was going on....cosmically speaking.

Myself, I did wake up at 5am to witness the period where the moon was most red. It was wild to see the moon in a different way I don't normally see it and then consider exactly what was happening. Through extensive research (aka Google) I read last night was the closest the moon is to the Earth during it's orbit each month (i.e. super moon which looks bigger than usual) and then it just happened to occur during a full lunar eclipse. The next time this happens it will be 2033.

For just a few hours last night it was all aligned perfectly for something amazing to happen.

....basically timing is everything....

And as I was just finishing my time observing and sitting in wonder I tried to think from a cosmic perspective.
The far distance from Moon to Earth (238,855 miles) and the really really far distance from the Sun to the Earth (92.96 million miles) were in a line for barely a breath in the cosmic timeline.

Afterwards this morning I wrote:
"There a few times when things are lined up exactly right. We live in a broken, fractured, fallen world where things collide, mix up, and chaos happens. But even in the midst of the chaos...sometimes in life things do fall into place exactly right. A couple falls in love, you get the job you've been pursuing, a new baby is on the way after years of prayer, etc...and sometimes the Sun, Earth and Moon are all aligned just right. It is a brief moment, however I know it is important to stop and recognize it. To stop and say, This Is Amazing! This Is A Blessing! It would be a bummer to stay stuck in the confined space of my mind and miss it rather than open up and see how BIG God is. Through my thoughts as what looks to be a one sided conversation with God this came to mind....

 - "Zack, look at the scale I work on and how I create amazing sights. How it all comes together at the right moment. If I can do this, then don't you think I can align the small things in your life for the greater good? Trust me to do it. But trust me in My Time, not Your Time. Often you make plans and want me to be part of them. Instead, why don't you be part of my plan. Take a different look, from my perspective. Follow my steps along the straight and narrow path. It is straight and narrow for a reason, aligned perfectly how I plan. But look at all the beauty that is along it."
(reference Matthew 7:13-14)

In other news...

(Back To School!)

It's all praise right now!
Today, yes today, the Christian School Strike in Israel that I wrote about in my last blog and which has been a major issue over the last month is officially over (:
The group leaders of this strike reached an agreement with the Education of Ministry and finally 33,000 students and 4,000 teachers went back to school today. Thank you all for your prayers and concerns through this time.
Honestly, I was so excited to get back to hanging out with high school friends at the Nazareth Baptist School. Furthermore, it was a huge change from a year ago where I didn't know anyone and felt scared, insecure and like I didn't belong. Today I walked in to hugs, high fives, and there was a smile on my face because of all these students I'm getting to know and love on.

(YL shirt swag with Mohammad and Khaled)

 

Young Life club has been going great as well. We had one for the Nazareth students Saturday 9/26. Some awesome kids are showing up (even without us to tell them at school) and with a mix of some new 9th and 10th graders and a solid group of 11th graders who are starting to make the club their own, it has been a lot of fun.

As school begins, keep the students in your prayers because they have to start fast and catch up with the school opening a month late.
For me, you can pray that as I meet more and more new friends, names will stick in my head, I'll see them through eyes of unconditional love and God will continue to bring kids to YL Club.

(laying chocolate pudding feed)

Blessings from ME in Nazareth to YOU wherever you are. Thanks for staying with me through this journey!

Zack

Up's and Down's

A couple quotes...

The greatest gift God gave us is the power to make decisions. - Paulo Cuelo

Nobody takes my life, I lay it down. - Pastor Judah Smith

As long as their is light ahead for them, it is worth it to me. - MLK Jr. in the movie Selma

As each quote builds upon each other, I consider (and hope you will as well) how they relate to my own life. I've made decisions about what it is I am doing. And by "doing" I encompass every aspect where there is action in my life. Work, relationships, service, beliefs, love, family, alone time, physical activity, etc. Each includes choices/decisions moment by moment.
Now at the heart of my decisions is a belief, a motivator, or what I have come to see as the best way for me to live. I choose willfully to lay who I am down to serve others. This is the result of pursing Jesus. Because I have experienced my best life living in this way, I continue to make my decisions focused around Him and it leads to the last quote of what can be considered "dying to myself". Ministry is on my mind every day and it gives me this perspective of; if I can deny myself first and hope to serve others so they can see a light of hope or trust or love...then it's worth it.

Just a reminder, I am not perfect in following through every single moment of every day with these moral words. But, all of this is a goal I keep in front of me and I have witnessed fruit from it.

(YL Nazareth & Ibiliin Camp)

2 things I want to share from the last couple weeks...
First, an awesome thing happened - We had our Young Life Camp during the last week of August! It was sooo much fun and I can say honestly everyone enjoyed themselves. Some highlights included:

• 45 kids from Nazareth and 12 kids from Ibiliin (a village where we have started YL) attended.
• Program was done for the first time ever entirely by leaders from YL Palestine! (all in Arabic)
• I led cabin time of 8 guys and had some great conversation about what we all want from life, who Jesus is and what he did.
• A group of 7 Americans from Johnson Ferry Church in Atlanta came and helped serve as work crew.
• There was laughter, friendship, and new excitement about the coming year of YL in Naz.

("crab soccer" at camp)

 

It was great to experience my first camp with kids I've gotten to know over the past year (last years camp was cancelled due to Gaza War). Furthermore it was evident that kids were really impacted by the unconditional love that exists at YL Camp.

Now unfortunately something else is happening in Israel that is not so great. There are 47 Christian schools that are currently on strike in Israel. Since Sept 1st, 33,000 kids are not at school. The strike is a response to the Ministry of Education in the Israeli Gov't cutting funding to these Private Christian schools (many which have been operating since before Israel was a country). I'm including a link for more information on this but basically, the schools do not have enough funds to operate. The funding from the gov't has dropped to 29% of what the budget calls for. And then there is a limit to how much schools can charge parents. So from both sides the schools are stuck and don't have enough funds to operate for more than a few months. On the other hand, Private Religious Jewish schools which are categorized the same way as these Private Christian Schools are given 100% of their funding. It is an obvious fact of unjust treatment.
I share this because the kids who come to Young Life in Nazareth are almost all from these schools. Yes, I have not been able to go hang out with my YL friends because the school is closed.
Peaceful protests and demonstrations have been happening for the last 2 weeks
FOR MORE INFO CLICK HERE

(around 10,000 gathered outside the Kenneset in

 Jerusalem to demonstrate peacefully)

So there are praises and things to pray for...

Thanks for taking a few moments to keep up with my life here (: I hope you got to think about some of what I talked about. Have a great day!

Zack

(we also said Bon Voyage to 2 of the recent graduates who have been involved with 

YL Naz since the beginning! Razi, top middle, and Nancy, to his right in red, are studying

abroad this school year. Razi in Germany and Nancy in Romania).

 

On To The Next One...

So it's been a year....and I'm happy, stoked, excited, pumped, overjoyed (any other cheesy word describing those emotions) to announce that I will be continuing in Nazareth for another year! (:

The past few weeks have been my confirmation...what I'm doing means something. That it matters. And at the heart / the core of it all, it's been about Jesus.

I was in Petah Tikva at the Bapist Village working as a counselor (skit actor, dishwasher, human jungle gym in the pool, helper, food server, song leader, etc.) with other adults/young adults for the first two weeks of August. The first week the campers were rising 10th and 9th graders, the second, rising 8th and 7th graders.
The younger group listened a bit more to the authority of counselors and did what we asked when we asked, while the older group was easier to relate to and some good conversations of occurred regarding the deeper aspects of life.

(camp with rising 9th and 10th graders)

It was all exhausting as sleep never went above 5 or 6 hours a night followed by full days of activity. However, when Friday came all of us leaders could say "it was worth it". New relationships had been formed, kids knew that they had been loved unconditionally all week, and lots of kids were taking steps to making the biggest decision of life in my opinion, following Jesus.

Furthermore, in the middle of the two weeks, on Saturday, Aug 8th, I pretty much set up and ran my own Young Life club in this village called Ibiliin (ee-bi-leen) where we have literally just started YL. One introductory club happened in June, and we wanted to have one more before Young Life Camp - Aug 25th-Aug 29th (something to pray for).
My supervisor, Hunter, is the idea man behind this, but he was in America at the time. So it fell to me. This random kid from Ashburn, VA (more or less) to set up club in a little village just outside Nazareth.....hahaha. I went with a fellow part time YL leader here, Wa-el who's from Gaza (again, hahaha) and we did it. The games were fun, the songs could have used a better singer, and then I gave a message about Zacchaeus's encounter with Jesus. How some quality time spent with JC changed this wee little man's life. (oh and about 30% of my message was in Arabic, woop woop!)
It went great and I think there will be 10-15 kids from Ibiliin joining us for YL Camp! As Wa-el and I drove home, there was a smile on my face for most of the ride. I was simply happy and thankful thinking about what I get to do-----First camp, then club. I didn't think I could or would ever do stuff like this.

(dunno if I'm the boss but love this dude Nezar from Ibiliin.

Thumbs up because he's coming to camp)

 

All of this to say, I know for sure God's got more for me to do here...And I'm happy to do it (:
After the camps I received some more words of affirmation from some of the "grown up adults" thanking me for my help and being a blessing of service.
For me, it's all I want. To say yes to opportunities to help while being apart of something that matters.

(cabin #40 boys - first week)

(while it took 30-40min to get the older kids to get ready for breakfast,

this is how the younger ones approached. First cabin to sit ate first...crazy)

 

Thanks for keeping up, and here's to another year of day to day life in Nazareth!

Your prayers and support are still needed as none of this happens without you.

donation link - https://ylx.managedmissions.com/MyTrip/zackmiller1

 

Cheers to the last weeks of Summer - Zack

1 Year Later

Happy Independence Day America!
I hope you all have a great day with family and friends this holiday!

For me, after living abroad, I've gained an appreciative perspective of my home country. Lots of people want to have what we have as Americans. So, I say Thank You to the men and women who have made it possible for us to have the freedoms we do.

In the ironic contrast to today's holiday, it marks a full year of me living away from home in Nazareth, Israel. And Praise God for it has been an amazing year!

- I've had to stretch myself continually out of my comfort zone
- I'm always learning  (Arabic, to history of the land, to elements of the conflict, to how to do life better, and simply what it means to grow up).
- I've met so many amazing people! Shared laughs, thoughts, wishes, goals, heartaches, and everything in between. This is what life is all about for me!
- I've seen some incredible places (some many times).
- God has reminded me over and over of how much he provides, how much he loves me and us, and led to me into opportunities to succeed.

Coming into the country 1 year ago all I focused on was:
1) I'm moving to Nazareth
2) I'm working with Young Life.

I don't know if it was intentional but it made everything simpler. It helped me not to expect very much. And because of that, my eyes and heart recognize all the blessings that God has brought upon me.

This past year sent my life in a new direction. One of the things I've thought about is, when I'm older sharing about my life experiences, I will get to throw in "this is something I learned when I lived in Nazareth." Haha, I mean how cool is that sentence in itself?!

Some direct impacts in my life from this past year include:
- I'm closer to Jesus than I was a year ago.
- I can kind of speak a 2nd language (something I've wanted for a while).
- Living a day by day life is best.
- I wake up more often than not comfortably at peace and look forward to what great things will come.
- So many new friends!

I just wanted to spend some time in thankfulness and remembering all the good things over the past year. It's necessary from to do from time to time because it fills the heart with joy and positivity.

To you, thank you for your support, your prayers, and simply thank you for you. Without YOU, I would not have seen kids lives change for the better as they encounter and fall in Love with Jesus. I would not see the kids who still feel broken and lost and have the motivation and desire to make them feel important and love them. Without YOU, I would not be who I am today (:

You are all superstars to me!
(special shout out to Dad and Mom. You guys mean everything to me, I love you so much).

A slideshow of pictures from the past year!

Blessings, Zack

JMU YL Visits and YL Palestine Camp

Hello Friends and Happy Summer,

The past 2 weeks were busy, fun, and full of activities! First, after a long 8ish months of waiting, finally the James Madison University (my alma mater) Young Life came for their tour of the Holy Land. Then, the time finished with serving as work crew/program at Young Life Palestine camp!

(JMU Friends with YL Naz kids at the Lambeth's home)

 

This was one of the unlikely times where you are really excited for something and build it up in your mind...and then it actually exceeds expectations. It was awesome to spend time and instantly become friends with good people from home. Even more so, my fellow JMU DUKES!

I joined for most of their touring time around the country and my heart, body, and spirit were filled again with Jesus. It was my 3rd in-depth tour around the country (spoiled, I know) and I'm continually amazed at how deep the well goes. There is so much to learn. The history and context of the bible continues to have more and more layers, spiritually I was strengthened at a great time of the year and for my ministry here, and the community we developed was something that cannot be beaten.
When a group of people commit to opening up their heart to God on such a deep level, it is impossible to not connect and become a family.

(YL Palestine Camp Picture)

 

Then, after touring we all headed to Bet Sahour (just outside of Bethlehem) for YL Palestine camp. Around 115 kids from the West Bank towns of Zababdee, Tubas, and Ramalla all came to have one of the greatest weeks of their lives and hear about who Jesus is and what he did for them.
Now YL camp is one of the best things in the entire ministry and I witnessed that wherever you go in this world, much of the ministry elements remain the same. For example, we had club with the kids (singing songs, skits, games, and a message), cabin time (going deeper talking about the scripture, and how we feel about it connecting with our own life), fun activities, program/skits and more.
Yet being international YL in a different, it came with it's own flair.

(1 Thes. 2:8 "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted not only to

share the Gospel of God with you but our very lives as well.")

At the end of the week, kids lives were changed and I am just thankful I was there to witness it all (:
- A short post with pictures today...but I plan to write tomorrow as well because it is a special day for me.

Much Love, Zack

(Young Life Shenanigans - Flour bombs, and water balloons)