February 7 Blog

Greetings from Nazareth!  Our wi-fi is not working yet so am borrowing access at the Seminary.  No photos today!

I will send a longer update in a few days.  We have had a wonderful time.  The people of Nazareth are wonderful.  Let me share a few examples and ask you to pray for them.  Our first morning we went for a walk and found a small grocery/fruit stand.  Wonderful oranges, clementines, bananas and more.  Met the owner, Said.  He asked where I was from and when I responded America he said "America good.  Arabs crazy!"  I responded "No Arabs good too."  He smiled.  Kissed his thumb and pointed up to the sky.  Then he said "Welcome to Nazareth."  Then we met Michael who runs a spices shop.  He spoke wonderful English and it turns out he lives in our neighborhood.  He would not let me pay for the spices we bought and said "Welcome to Nazareth neighbor!" 
We have had a delightful time meeting people and settling in.  Our apartment is perfect.  Very quiet and secure.  One of the Baptist pastors lives just below our place.  So we have begun to have a network of local people who have offered to assist us. 
Today we are taking a walking tour of the old city of Nazareth.  Saturday we are going out to a village for worship.  I will be going to Tel Aviv soon to work out teaching at a Filipino Church along with one of the professors from the Seminary here.  Should be interesting.  I have been introduced as the New Testament professor!
This is still rainy season so we have had to work around rain showers.  Today is clear with blue skies.  As I type I am looking across the hillsides of Nazareth.  An incredible place to live! 
Will update more later and will include photos.  Thanks for praying for us.