In early May, a group of 30 students from Grand Valley State University traveled to Israel. The trip was led by Ben and Stacie Post. Ben serves as college director for Eastern Ottawa Young Life and leads the Young Life College team at GVSU.
The group delighted in traditional buffet-style meals together and took in the gorgeous views of the Dead Sea, Sea of Galilee and Mediterranean Sea from their hotel rooms. But most remarkable was all the miles of hiking they logged each day to places like the Negev Desert, Wadi Zohar, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Mount Arbel and Caesarea Philippi.
One of the memorable teaching moments for GVSU Young Life leader Eric Drew was the day they ventured into the Judean Wilderness, between Jerusalem and Jericho.
“We were looking down at a road on which the Good Samaritan story would have taken place. As we were walking on this rocky path sprinkled with small tufts of grass, there was a shepherd with his flock on a nearby hillside. Ben brought up the passage from Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.”
“Before when I heard this passage, I pictured lush green pastures and bright blue streams, but what David is actually describing as green pastures are the small tufts of grass that covered maybe ten percent of the land. My mind was blown in this moment as to how God provides just enough for us to live on. Take for example the shepherds leading their flocks. God provides just enough for them to feed off the land. After witnessing this, I realized how blessed I am and how God has given me so many resources to further my relationship with him and to expand his kingdom. This experience has been life changing.”
As if the trip wasn’t eventful enough, the group was in for a big surprise the day they visited Bethlehem. Sarah Veldman, YL leader at Coopersville High School, tells the story of showing up to Hope Secondary School.
“Not that any two days of our trip were alike, but this seemed like a different type of stop for us. We unloaded the bus and walked toward the school where we saw kids hanging out and playing soccer. Upon entering the school we heard from various directors about the school itself, how they raise funds to help pay their student’s tuition, the curriculum, the population and the teachers. Then, Ben got up to introduce a man who I remember seeing hanging out with the kids outside.
Friends, this is Yousef. Yousef and I have something in common; we are both on Young Life staff.
What?! Never had it ever occurred to me that there was Young Life in Israel/Palestine or the Middle East in general. This was awesome. I couldn’t believe that we were meeting and getting a chance to hear about Young Life ministry in BETHLEHEM.
But wait, there’s more.
Friends, Yousef has asked us to help plan and put on their Young Life club today…happening in 30 minutes.
What?! That’s right, this happened. We frantically planned out some games that Ben had sneakily been brainstorming weeks before our trip. About every two minutes, we would just look at each other and say, Is this really happening?!
With dancing, clapping, and lots of yelling we welcomed kids into club where we played games, sang, and heard Yousef speak the good news of Jesus. All of this happened in Arabic, but it didn’t matter. We understood each other through smiles, broken English, and charade gestures. This was one of the coolest things I have ever had the opportunity to experience. It was so incredibly beautiful to see people like Yousef going to meet these kids where they are at–on their soccer field, in their school, in Bethlehem, in the Palestinian West Bank–so that they can hear the gospel and the hope of Jesus. In a country where less than three percent of the population is Christian, poverty is abundant, and conflict and tension are everywhere you turn, Bethlehem Young Life is happening in a place that desperately needs Jesus.
Every kid. Everywhere. This was embodied in Bethlehem Young Life and we are so thankful that we got to experience the amazing things that God is doing in the Middle East, in places like Bethlehem, and the hope that Jesus brings to people ALL over the planet.”
Young Life’s mission is to reach a world of kids. Every kid. Everywhere. And this trip is just one of many that occur worldwide where kids encounter Jesus Christ, grow in their faith and experience the beauty of God’s Kingdom.
Will you join us in praying for Yousef, Bethlehem YL and their leaders? To learn more about Young Life in the Middle East click here or read this article from Relationships Magazine.
