Some reflections from Nazareth

I haven't been on here for a while as my internet at home is temporarily unavailable, so here I am at a local library, reflecting on some key moments from the recent mission I went on with Highway Projects, working with Arab children in Nazareth.

After the orientation days where every team visited many historical and holy sites, each team then went to their individual projects on Sunday 6th-three to Jerusalem and two to Nazareth. St. Margarets Summer Camp, where my team were based, was a very welcoming hostel, situated very high up with a great view of Nazareth below and the mount of the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13) in the background. On our first night there, we spent a lot of time on the balcony checking out the view. It was the day before the first group of kids arrived (64 in total). so it was quiet apart from the Islamic call to prayer coing from miles below, and the sound of a nearby stylophone...

It was dark, and I saw something nearby. Constructed entirely from shadows and the angles of rooftops, I saw what looked like a statue. It was a man, looking out away from St. Margarets, hands outstretched as though to welcome. Then I remembered Mark 10:14, when Jesus said Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. How fitting that the imaeg was facing the Arab side of the town, as the sumemr camp was for the Arabs, who get a really raw deal over there. Perhaps this is why 'do not hinder them' was relevant.

I didn't share this experience with any of the team as I believe it was for me (especially because it confirmed a word from God that a friend had given me the previous day about Jesus being a gift), but I realised there and then just how awesome a responsibility we had been entrusted with. This camp for the children was their only holiday and possibly even the highlight of their year. They went through checkpoints to get there, at any of which they could have been turned away for no good reason. We had the privilege of, as his disciples, effectively 'being Jesus' to the kids. He bid us welcome them, teach them-have fun with them, as he did during his earthly ministry. Even though I and the team didn't know exactly what we'd be doing for the next thirteen days at that point, I knew we were in for a great time. And truly, I have never in all my life bonded with or enjoyed being with children so much. This is because with Jesus all things are possible, and loving others with his love is both life-changing and also th emost powerful thing we can do.