brief

Im well,
not had time to write.
time is running, only one and a half week here.

the thought of going to finland is nice,
but the thought of leaving isnt.
well, all in good time.

we were in ramallah,
liked it.
and faced again many layers.

its christmas soon.

a taxi driver

yesterday had a day in tel aviv.
coming home from the bus station with a taxi.

I was lingering between being annoyed and amused
as he inquered our need for a boyfriend,
cause finnish girls are so nice.

after I told him just to drive his taxi
and a moment of silence
he sighed.

when asked if he is tired the response came:
Im always tired.
it is like this here.

and for a moment I could see somewhere deeper,
feeling my heart to swell with compassion.
oh how these people are loved.

introducing a friend

I was taking a walk the other night.
as I walked pass these dark parks and corners
I realized I wasnt alone.

this creepy feeling accompanied me.

so there we were walking, me and my fear.

today I read the newspaper.
an israeli reporter had been to gaza,
interviewing a hamas leader.
and the leader told, how proud he is
for being able to create an athmosphere
of fear. that there might not be a lot
they can do at the moment, but
this is what they can do and its working.

so I noticed that this friend of mine is actually
quite famous. but he is not often liked.

negative things rule too much in this world.

what if I would really take it seriously when Jesus
says I dont need to be afraid?
what if I would turn these things in to friends,
allow them to minister to me and tell me where
I need to grow, what I need to learn,
but wouldnt allow them to take the best of me?

what if I could kind of embrace even fear, suffering
and bad feelings in depth in Jesus, without just
excluding them in an unrealistic way, trying
to make everything look good outside.

could it be that this would free me to love more?
to feel more?
to live more?

you press?

there is no way I can describe this day with words
but I still want to tell you about it.

we had kind of a free day, so we decided to hed to betlehem.
we saw from this leaflet that there is an young adults meeting
in one church, and cause we have been wanting to meet believers
our own age for a long time we decided to go and check it.

so we went a bit earlier, just to wander around betlehem streets,
to take photos and see places. we were walking, without any idea where we were,
when I suddenly realized we are opposite of the refugee camp area,
where I went with paul the other day.

there were some girls outside, and they invited us to talk with them,
so we decided to go. after curious questions about our names, the
kids took our hands and started to take us in to their home
your welcome, your welcome.
the finnishness in us said: are we?
the curiosity and longing for adventures said: we so are!

so in we went.
up three floors, laundry hanging and drying there at the straircases.
and this small girl proudly presented us to her mum, while her dad was sleeping on the sofa.

and all of a sudden, the room was filled with people.
young girls and boys, women and men.
about 15 people staring at us and our cameras.
taking photos, offering coffee,
asking with broken english:
you sisters? you press?
you study? you betlehem?

one of the older boys prodly announced that he breakdances,
so off we went to the roof, where he showed his moves as the kids cheered
and parents clapped their hands.
we were just amazed.
of the breakdance, of the attention,
of the hospitality, of the beauty of these people.

starting to get even a bit worried about the amount of the attention
we decided to continue our way.
I just so pray, that its Jesus that could be seen from me,
not only my western looks.
Im still kind of figuring out if its a blessing or a burden,
the fact that I can never be one of these people.

and then the evening with the young adults.
goodness.
I love how these people joke around, are loud and loving.

and Jesus was so nice that he even arranged a ride for us
from the checkpoint to jaffagate (the buses stop going around eight)
there was this israeli man, who took us in to his car.

now Im sitting here, not quite sure how to cope with all these wonderful, new experiences.
I love this.

catched this from another blog, lets make the good things go around

The first five persons to comment on this post will get something home-made from me.
something nice, that will some day wait in the mailbox.
might be you need to wait for a while though :)
note: I need your address for this, but you can send it later via e-mail as well.

and there is a catch, if you sign in :) would be nice that you would put the text to your blog (if you own one.) and make the good thing go around!

oh, and need to tell.
well done Jesus!
tyttis wallet and passport has been found,
only the money was gone.
hooray.

poriyya

had the most relaxed weekend.
with ruut, geroge, paul and tytti.
went to the sea of galilee.
laughed so much.
listened to backstreet boys.
washed each others feet
and prayed.
Im so priviledged to know these people.

you know,
sitting in a swing facing the sea of galilee under trees with big pinecones,
before me opening a valley, the sea and mountains. mist in the air.
stuff I just cant put to words. just to know Im in the right place
at the right time and its all cause of Gods mercy.

what a day

first of all I need to tell two things:
(cause people have seemed to be a bit worried
about these ones)

no, we are not on a holiday here, we do actually work.
and second, no I am not at all sad, and its a shame if my blog
gives out I would be. I actually think I havent laughed this much
in ages as we have been laughing here. I enjoy it. very much.

ok, then to the exciting adventure.

this morning we were preparing to leave with george to meet the muslimgirls.
tytti was already outside, and called me to get her wallet, cause she needed of course
to have her passport with her. going to west bank and all.

so I tried to find her wallet, and it just so happened I couldnt.
and se came in and she couldnt as well.
and we realized that it had been stolen.
there was this weird guy at the finnish centre yesterday evening,
and he went to our room and well, to make a long story short, he took tyttis wallet.

so gone was tyttis passport.

tytti cried,
I was a bit helpless,
george came and said:
you know, things are more spiritual.

so we hopped to the car,
drove to the village and met the girls.
beautiful, veiled, muslimgirls.

we danced a bit with the younger ones.
told things about finland,
showed a drama and told how God loves us as we are.
signed pieces of papers and received invitations.
enjoyed.

and these young girls,
they are not supposed to talk politics, are they?
and still.
we faced straight questions and no settling for vague answers.
small girls stood up and shared their thoughts about happenings in gaza.

in the class there was a poster on the wall that tried to proclaim
peace with feeding propaganda.
yes, things are more spiritual.
how it all starts from the heart.
hatred or love
war or peace.
how we all lack peace apart from Jesus.

coming back the athmosphere was again a bit thick in jerusalem.
the things going on in gaza,
the gay parade (and we actually live right next to mea shearim, the strict jew area, where they were rioting a bit cause of the parade)
and the wallet thing and all.

but well, things are more spiritual.
there are more in these than what meets the eye.

today so far

we woke up at eight,
realized the kitchen was invaded bu swedish guests
and went to the garden tomb to pray a bit.

we had a meeting with ruth, paul and george at 10:30
and after that I packed some foodbags to give to the poor families.

I tried to concentrate not to think the human perspictive
to what happened in gaza last night.
cause that makes no good.
Jesus, dont let my love grow cold when hearing news about wars.

tomorrow we are going to a small village near nablus with george.
to meet teenage muslimgirls.
as we asked george what we need to do there he responded:
well actually I dont want them to see a show,
basically I just want them to see your hearts.
to make friends.

just what I want to do the most.

tales from betlehem part 600 or something

the stores were closed,
on strike, told sami.

there had been some rioting.
one lady died, some houses demolished.

so I ate a pita with cheese and pickles for lunch
standing outside a shop that was open.
nice to see you in betlehem said two palestinians
who were doing a report for tv.

and I didnt feel hopeless

went with paul to the refugee camp.
its actually some blocks of houses
built on the un land.
sat with a bunch of palestinian youngsters
and paul offered to sell me as a wife for one.
(and with 1000 shekels, come on, thats like nothing.)

three girls ran after me, all curious.
I gave them some gum.

and I didnt feel hopeless.

we sat with sabha, the blind lady who works
in a factory with lousy payement.
she has a hard time, being the only christian there.
she poured her heart and told about her struggles.
we prayed.

and I didnt feel hopeless.

a day

you should live in here in betlehem
said sami as we sat in his little room.
the tv showed arabic drama and nescafe tasted good for a change.

in the evening little jewish boys were playing
hide and seek in the darkening cornerns of the jaffa gate.
one ran straight to my lap.

at the wall the flag was halfway down.
and the white dove had its head in the cleft of the wall.