Back in the USA

Shalom aleichem!

I called Bob from Newark this morning, a few hours after we arrived at about 6. He wasn't looking forward to a call at about 3:30 am when we first arrived. He said all is well there and we are anxious to see everyone and talk! He said he would let everyone know we are back in the states safely, too.

Well, now here we are at Cleveland airport with not a kippah in sight. We were just getting used to hear Hebrew all over and "toda" for thank you, and "bevekesha" for you're welcome...though all of us are convinced we need to know more conversational Hebrew. Rachel is online looking for a course now. We each have some shekels leftover, and I found a Euro among my coins, and Janell found a Canadian dollar. Had a good cheeseburger for lunch when we got here. (No meat and dairy together for 10 days! Lots and lots of shredded vegetables and pita bread and hummus. Really nice fresh lemonade, apple juice and some kind of great grapefuit soda.)

The flight home seemed less difficult; Janell pointed out perhaps it was because it was the first 12 hours rather than the last 12 of traveling? We were surprised to see that our route went quite a bit futher north than originally shown. First flight path was over Paris, but when we actually got going, it was over Berlin, much of Europe, tip of Norway, and off the shores of Iceland at 34,000 feet. The kosher meals were very good and fresh this time, though we know now we won't need to ask for them again, as there were other options of chicken and fish with no sign of any kind of pork at all. Customs was no trouble at all, other than the usual questions about the banner tube. Rachel remembered as we neared Newark that they wouldn't let her bring in the beautiful fresh cherries she had from the Golan Heights so she shared them all around. They had no problem with Janell's baklavah however so that is safely here.

Just one more short flight of about an hour and we should be home as expected, about 3:30 pm at Austin Straubel.

We were beginning the reflection process over lunch and know that we have a lot to share, and as expected, not all about Creation Gospel.

There are several new people who'd like to join our teleconferences. Some are men so we will consider involving men as well as women, which I think would be no issue for most! We now have invitations to visit Messianic friends all over America, a few in Canada as well as our Marsha, not to mention New Zealand. A couple from Indiana, Joanne and Cliff Hall, are intending to come up and visit us soon. (Congrats to Joanne who tested and was certified as Basic CG Trainer!)

Not sure but we think Tony may have uploaded videos of our shofar/banner worship time at the bunker between Israeli and Syian outposts. Rachel has established a Photobucket account so everyone can upload their digital pictures so everyone can access each other's pictures as needed. Technology is great, when it works! I never did open up the H2Zoom recorder, but Tammy Taylor made video recordings and we have most of them. Tony stayed with basic concepts and Hollisa reviewed something of seals and bowls, without ever really getting into the wicked lamp portion very much. There was to have been an assignment for advanced students as well as teaching and a final testing but it will all be post trip now; no idea when or where. We received the materials the second day here I think, and I have only been able to skim through the first 20 pages or so. Much to do!

Hope everyone enjoyed finishing the Binding of Isaac teaching on Shavuot. We are looking forward to hear how it all went. Janell and I both "won" copies of Scroll of David book Tony wrote, which we plan to send on to Peter and Samson; and then on the final bus trip to the airport, Tony put out a suggestion that he thought no one would be able to do: name everyone on the bus! Several people said, "Barb can do it!" so I tried, and praise Yeshua! yes, I was able to name all! So now we have 3 more of Tony's DVD's coming our way: Messianic Samson, another one on the psalms and a third one none of us can recall.

Ariel Klimmer invited Janell and I to attend a 10 hour a day, 10 day class in October with him; and then of course, there is MDCI tour in November. Hollisa said she is planning to go to Nairobi for Sukkot, if funds are available, and has been in touch with Peter. We really would like to be there, too! What is YHWH doing here? We will need to keep on praying for His direction, not ours!

Rachel has gotten a little news from Facebook: glad to hear that our little Henry is gaining weight well, and sad to hear that Mildrid is now missing her dog who has been ill, and died. Imagine there is a LOT more to hear about, too. After we sleep about 12 hours, I think.

Blessings in Messiah to all!
Barb