Read below to learn about what we have done in the past in Israel.  We hope to return to Israel sometime in the future.  The invitation is open and renewed annually but I don't hear from enough of you to make a team.  I must hear from you if you are interested as it takes close to a year to organize this trip.  Right now, we don't have enough people interested to justify the trip.

 

The opportunities in Israel are exciting.  We take a multi-specialty medical team to Israel and we also take non-medical individuals, couples or families with a heart to serve.  We are delighted to be connected to the House of David, a gathering of Messianic Jews and Gentiles, with marvelous connections in Israel.  We will be working out of the University Hospital in Be'er-Sheva, Israel.  If you are considering joining us, please contact me via email at [email protected].  

 

For the medical professionals, the work week in Israel is Sunday to Thursday, but the medical center is very active Friday morning.  We will spend the first week working along side our specialty specific colleagues sharing our knowledge and experience, as they do the same with us.  We hope this will equal a Continuing Medical Education experience for the Israeli's as well as the mission participants.

 

Friday afternoon, we will move to Jerusalem for the sabbath.  After that we will begin serious touring in Jerusalem, along the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.  Our tour guides are Israeli Christians and are superb.  Their Bibles are constantly open as they give us profound insights related to all we will be taking in.  Our trip organizer is Rabbi Curt Landry.  He is the pastor of the House of David ministries.  His Jewish heritage and profound knowledge of the scriptures allows him to be the "Life Application" to what our tour guide will teach us.  Your Scripture reading will be changed forever!

 

The House of David has missionary experiences, primarily directed at children and the aged, that all of us can participate in, especially the spouses and non-medical members of our team. 

 

Below are my last journaling notes as we left Israel in February, 2005:

 

Begee and I are changed.  There is much to tell you, and we feel it is vitally important.  Not only did we visit and tour the historical home of the Judeo-Christian world, but we learned about the importance of Israel to the future of our faith.  More than ever we realize what is happening in Israel today has a marked impact on every one of us.

 

On our last day in Israel, I went to Beersheva, a city that serves as the focal point of the Negev (south Israel and the desert).  They have a huge medical complex that is state of the art.  Much of what they have is far better than a large number of community hospitals in the USA.  We don’t have a role for what we do in Vietnam or Cuba.  But a huge opportunity exists in Beersheva for coming along side the doctors and paramedical people in this hospital system.  I think it is one of the best opportunities I’ve ever seen!

 

Let me explain what occurred.  I was met by the CEO and his #1 man and I simply explained what we had been doing in Vietnam, Cuba and elsewhere.  I told them, we recognized that Israel has some of the finest doctors in the world and that medicine is on the cutting edge in Israel.  Would it be possible for us to gather a multi-specialty team of Jewish and Christian doctors, dentists, nurses, and other paramedical personnel to return to work along side their medical teams.  The goal would be relationship building and sharing of medical information. 

 

They immediately took me to the Department Chairmen of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics, both of whom were flabbergasted that we would not only volunteer to do such a thing, but would be willing to fund it all ourselves.  They were overjoyed and want this exchange to start immediately.

 

Now, each of you know that I am driven to do this by my faith.  Most of you know that I have a strong desire to evangelize.  But here, it is important you understand what I have learned about evangelism over the last 17 years.  My primary technique for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it to show His love by example… The End.  No spoken words of evangelism are necessary beyond answering questions if asked. 

 

If that’s my technique, how would a Jewish doctor (be they orthodox to secular) feel about working with a team that clearly is motivated by a strong faith in Jesus as the Messiah?  The answer is… we would make a perfect team.

 

Israel is quite safe for tourists who stay away from the Palestinian authority sectors.  Beersheva has only had one terrorist act committed in recent years.  The hospital is building a brand new Children’ Hospital and a new Ob-Gyn Hospital.  Currently they have 1100 beds.  There is a medical school in Beersheva, and there are a large number of residency programs, etc.  The cost will run about $5000 per person (depending on the cost of gas!) and spouses/children are welcome.