February 8

If you are wondering 'where in the world is Karmiel', here's a clue:  find the circled name in the middle of the map!

Karmiel is a little town in northern Israel, about 30,000 people, mostly Russian and Eastern European immigrants.  Being only 10 miles from the Lebanese border, we do have some concerns re safety.  We remind ourselves that citizens deal with that kind of tension every day.

The organization we are going with, Bridges for Peace, has been involved in Israel since 1976, building understanding and relationships between Christians and Jews, bringing God's love, mercy and hope through education and practical assistance.  Between Jerusalem and Karmiel, BFP feeds 27,000 people every month.

We have been assigned to assist new immigrants with the maintenance of their homes and the packaging of welcome gift and cheer baskets.  What that will all look like we have yet to see!  Please check out www.bridgesforpeace.com/in-action ( Working on the Front Line) for a fuller description of the work in Karmiel.  Also, consider subscribing to their classy, colorful updates magazine Dispatch From Jerusalem (on front page of the website).

Our primary concern, at this point, is to get ourselves there.  Once we arrive in TelAviv on Feb. 26, we need to catch a train to Akko which is where we will be meeting a BFP volunteer and then on "home" to our apartment.