Box Cutters & Toilet Paper

Shalom, dear reader. How does the day find you?

Beginning yesterday, I started doing some work for one of the messianic congregations here-Ohalei Rachamim (Tents of Mercy http://www.tents-of-mercy.org/) They do humanitarian aid and also pro-life counseling. It was last week that I offered my services to Sasha (who I am thoroughly convinced is Batman). I'm not really sure what Sasha's title is, but you name it he can probably do it. I've seen him doing maintenance, while talking on the phone switching between speaking Hebrew, Russian, and English.

Sunday morning, I presented myself to Sasha. With a smile, he said he had a special job for me. Oh my! He lead me over to a pallet of toilet paper and handed me a box cutter. My job is to cut the plastic in half (32 rolls in each, so each half has 16), bag them, and stack them on another pallet. You went to Israel to cut toilet paper in half? No. I came to Israel to love the people. If that means that I spend the day cutting, sacking, and stacking toilet paper, bring on Your Kingdom! Let's do this! So, yesterday morning that's what I did. Cut, cut, cut. Bag. Stack.

Breaking for lunch, I ate with some of the people who work at the Kehila (congregation). The entire conversation, the majority anyway, was in Russian. And let me tell you, I enjoyed every minute of it. I don't understand Russian, however I can't seem to get over how much body language and voice inflection are the same on a human level. I'm also proud to say, I've picked up 4 Russian words so far.

After lunch, I helped to make some emergency boxes (which actually contained some of the toilet paper I had worked on).

Today, it was basically the same as yesterday-cut, cut cut. Bag. Stack. Now, I know you're wondering what I'm getting out of this. Nothing. I don't even get to have a farmer's tan to show for it because I'm working in a warehouse-sweat, dirt, and more sweat. Actually, what I'm getting from it is bonding opportunities with people. And, more than that, I'm getting to walk in obedience. I'm getting the opportunity to walk in my destiny...and it has only just begun.