Setting Out

06/29/08 8:34 PM. En route (somewhere over Hungary I think) to Tel Aviv

Hello fellow adventurers (in spirit at least!)! First let me thank all of you for you support and readership. We really hope that this blog will allow you to join us in experiencing this journey that we now depart on.

When Gioel first about a month ago told me about her planned project in Palestine, I thought that it was an absolutely amazing idea. When she called me on Friday afternoon with the offer to join her, I was absolutely speechless. I couldn’t believe what she was telling me: join her in the chance of a lifetime to visit The Holy Land, but not just visit, actually serve, help, and become involved with the people of the West Bank. After giving it a good moment of thought I called her back and told her to put me on the flight; lets do this. I believe that this will be one of the most important decisions that either of has ever made, and I truly think (and hope) that we will emerge from this experience changed in absolutely every way for the better.

I am so excited to be able to work with these children of the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, to expand both their and my horizons in new and unknown ways.

This is such a fascinating and absolutely unknown land for me that I really have absolutely no idea what to expect, but I know that whatever it is, in whatever way it manifests itself it will be great. And of course I will proceed into the unknown with an open mind, and my wits about me.

So we should land in a couple hours in Tel Aviv, staying tonight and tomorrow night there, with a couch surfing contact (another first experience for me!) and that will give us tomorrow to explore Tel Aviv for ourselves before we set out on the journey to Nablus on Wednesday (July 1).

Thank you all again for keeping Gioel and I in your thoughts, and please follow along on this blog, let us know your comments and feedback, and we will both do our best to bring you as close as we can to Palestine.

From Foreign lands, yours truly,

Erik