Pam’s story – “Una and I slipped away and walked to an Arts and Crafts store. Ooh what fun! We now have a nice assortment of crafts to interest each child!
While in the store the proprietor was first cold and unhelpful, but as we continued to ask questions she became quite charming. She asked Una if we were sisters. When Una indicated we were friends she commented it was a very special friendship and Una had gotten the best part as, “That one has a heart of gold.” When Una told me, I cried! These people are so interesting. At first glance I was sure she would not help us at all and then she observed the specialness of our relationship! I am floored!
God you are teaching me so much about these native born “Sabra” (cactus) people! I love them more and more!”
Steve’s stuff – On the way from Jerusalem to Netanya Una called a friend who was visiting from the States in Abu Ghosh. She asked if she could stop in and give Tina a hug. At the very same moment Tina had been praying, “Lord I would love to have Una come here and give me a hug!” We had a beautiful time visiting with Tina’s mother and daughter and Chaim and Ruti Singerman who run the Jerusalem Hills Inn.
The Bellas also met Nichol who with her husband owns TV stations in England and America. They hit it off and the Bellas were invited to come and do an interview!
It is too bad there are not more super expletives to describe the eerie, goose bump amazement you have when you suddenly realize you are standing on ground your biblical heroes once called home.
Joshua 9 tells the story of how four Gibeonite cities there put on a ruse to make a treaty with Israel in order to save their lives. “Curiously,” the Arabs who live there today love Israel and are hated by other Arabs for doing so. When Jerusalem was under siege in the war of independence in 1948 these Arabs actually helped save the new Jewish nation from annihilation by smuggling food to the besieged city where adults were being rationed a couple pieces of bread a day. Even today the people who live in the cities of the Gibeonites volunteer and serve faithfully in the Israel Defense Force. One wonders how spiritual moments keep reverberating through the centuries!
It is thrillingly remarkable that about one hundred meters up the hill from the Singerman’s home the Ark of the Covenant was set on the hill top. When David began to bring the Ark to Jerusalem there was an “accident” described in 2 Samuel 6:1-11 and the Ark “parked” at the home of Obed-Edom for three months. A large flat stone has been discovered at the Jerusalem Hills Inn that may have been the threshing floor of Nacon. The Singerman’s home may be located at the home site of Obed-Edom! God is so amazing I might believe the Singerman’s are his relatives.
Hezekiah’s Tunnel Sabra Cactus