Olives, traffic, dates and dust. These are just some of the first words that pop into my mind when I think about this amazing part of the world.

Our eyes are still puffy from all our goodbyes back home. Let’s be frank—it’s not easy saying goodbye. Our flight was short in comparison to the previous ones, and God blessed us with two seats each!
As we broke through the clouds, the Middle East lay beneath us in all its glory. A million thoughts flashed through my mind as I imagined our future experiences. We aren’t in Mesopotamia just yet, but we are in a place that will help us get acclimated to the culture and people. There was a delay in the issuing of our visas, but I know it is in the Lord’s hands.

We have found the people here to be amazingly loving and friendly, despite what Western media often depicts. We have made contact with some of the refugees in the local church, and they have shared with us a few glimpses of their nightmare experiences.

We see the refugees standing in long lines in front of various embassies. Some stand there for weeks in the scorching sun. They have little hope of ever returning to their country. Our hearts break to see them like this. It is difficult to stop and talk with them because the embassy guards are rather hostile. We know God has a plan for us here as we continue to trust Him for guidance. The hymn “Seeking the lost” echoes through our hearts, and we are excited to see what God will do.

Please pray with us for the lost, unreached and abandoned people in this part of the world.

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