Jerusalem Light

Matt is back teaching at Christ Church this week.

One phone call turned into another until suddenly someone knew someone whose father knew the mechanic.

Jerusalem still works like that somehow.

The car overheated on the side of the road this afternoon just outside Jerusalem.

Driving back toward Jerusalem today, American flags lined parts of Highway One for Independence Day celebrations.

For a moment it felt like two homes overlapping.

The apartment balcony in Cyprus overlooked the water.

For a few hours nobody checked their phones constantly.

Matt answered the same questions over and over at the airport today.

Please pray for strength and endurance for the small believing community here in Jerusalem.

Please pray for wisdom for our students as they prepare for what comes next after Jerusalem.

Worship echoed through Christ Church tonight while the streets outside the gates stayed unusually quiet.

The streets were open today.

In Jerusalem lately, that counts as news.

People here have learned how to continue ordinary life while waiting for another update.

Matt went in to teach and I stayed outside for a minute longer than necessary.

Jerusalem felt unusually still this morning.

Walking through the Old City now, I notice the shelter spaces carved into the walls more than I used to.

Most people probably pass them without seeing them at all.

The men dragged plastic chairs into the alleyway and drank coffee outside the closed shops like they always do.

Routine can look a lot like resilience here.

The ceasefire feels thinner today. The coffee shops are still full