Opportunities

The past few months have been filled with new and exciting adventures, but we have also settled into a routine and it’s nice to have a sense of normal life here as well.  Matt spends most of his time in class, studying, learning Hebrew, & writing papers.  I’ve been staying busy in a few different ways.  Along with one class (Physical Settings) that I audit and go along on the field studies, I have spent some time volunteering at a few places. 

I have been working a few days each week at the library at JUC cleaning and re-shelving books; it’s been a nice way to stay connected on campus. 

I’ve also been volunteering at a place in East Jerusalem called The Domari Center (http://www.wix.com/domarisociety/domari-society-website).  This is a wonderful grassroots organization that was started by a woman out of her desire to see her people treated with equality.  The Domari people are a group of gypsies who settled in Jerusalem from India and have identified with the Muslim Arab culture in Israel.  I’ve learned that the gypsy people are largely discriminated against, and have struggled with poverty, lack of education, and adult illiteracy.  Because they are not completely accepted by the mainstream Arab culture, many Domari children are overlooked in schools and denied an equal education, leading them to drop out of school and unable to find jobs.  The adults also face struggles in getting jobs because of their lack of education or discrimination.  The Domari Center focuses on helping gypsy women grow in their skills of jewelry making, crafts, and sewing.  The women are then able to sell their work to provide for their families.  Because the Domari’s language is Arabic, the Center also offers tutoring for the children with their English homework, and opportunities for English conversation with the adults who wish to learn the language.  A typical day of volunteering usually involves a hospitable welcome with a delicious cup (or a few) of tea and catching up with Amoun about her week and what has been going on with the Center.  Then we usually help her organize something, paint, clean, or do dishes.  When the kids finish with school they are eager for help with their English homework and are excited to play a game or color.  The women often enjoy practicing their English over simple conversation (which often involves a lot of pointing and drawing pictures for us to understand one another).  It has been a huge blessing to meet these women and kids and engage in relationships with others from such different backgrounds. 

entrance to the Domari Center

outside courtyard of Domari Center

Aren't these beautiful?! The Domari women work hard to
create these and other crafts by hand to provide an income for their families.

lots of jewelry made by hand from the Domari women

Yosef comes to the center with his mom

Doha, me, Batool, and Sue (another volunteer)

I have also recently been offered the opportunity to volunteer as a school counselor at an elementary/middle/high school in Jerusalem.  The school is mostly staffed with believers, but the students are a mix of believers, Muslims, and secular kids/families.  I am really excited about the chance to use my social work skills here and in a school setting (which is exactly what I would love to do someday when we return to the states).  I’ll be working with some of the elementary students and also helping out the other counselor with the middle school and high school kids as well as get the chance to help out with some career counseling/college prep for the juniors and seniors.  God has been so good in providing opportunities to experience Him, explore this land, live among the people here, study His word in a very literal way, build relationships with people from other religious backgrounds, and grow in community with other believers.  We are so blessed to live here!