Ahlan Wa-Sahlan

Whenever I go on a trip, I think about all the homes I've had & I remember how little has changed about what comforts me.
(StoryPeople)

We safely arrived in Jerusalem on Sunday afternoon after about 16 hours of travel. Jeff and Julie, our country coordinators, meet us in the airport and whisked us away to the Mountain of Olives (you’re jealous aren’t you?) where would be staying that night. After we found our rooms, we went to meet up with a bunch of wonderful people and looked out over the city, saw the Dome of the Rock, played some volleyball, ate some delicious pizza, and finished the night with some worship.

The days in between our arriving and now, have been a bit of a blur. We have had 4 Arabic lessons, been to the Old City, ate a lot of falfel and hummus, drank a lot of tea, went to Yed Vashem (Israel’s Holocaust Memorial), played more volleyball, had an impromptu jam session,introduced myself fi arabi (ans ismi Alma) and so much more.

It has been busy, and sometime chaotic, but nevertheless it has been simply wonderful. There is a lot that is new and unfamiliar but within all that is constantly changing I find myself being constantly surrounded by things that are familiar. Our first night here we bonded over a game of volleyball. Our jam sessions and worships have included some of my favorite worship songs-“We are Called”, “Prince of Peace” and “Blessed be Your Name” to name a few.

However, one of the most comforting things has been the sense of welcome that I have felt. The title of this blog, “Ahlan wa Sahlan” is an Arabic phrase of welcome. According to my Arabic teacher it literally translates to “Family and Plain” which comes from “May our house be to you as if it were your family’s, as a flat plain where you walk easily and in security” or “You are among family.”

On Monday afternoon Laurin-Whitney(my roomie, aka LW) and I, got to move into our flat and meet our host mom, S. She welcomed us in, showed us our place, invited us up for tea and assured us if we needed anything we should just ask. Later that evening, we meet up with the rest of our group and another host family for supper. After we gorged, and I mean gorged these people know how to do food!, as we prepared to leave, S. pointed to us and said to the other host mother “These are my daughters.” We had known her less than 5 hours and we were already being introduced and welcomed in as family.

This is not uncommon. Everywhere we go we are deeply welcomed, and our attempts at Arabic are greeted with enthusiasm, even if we are barely muddling through. In an early e-mail that Julie sent to the other YAGM at my school and myself, she told us that the vice principal of the school had said “one week they'll be nervous and after that, they'll be family.” At the time I had doubted it a bit, but after 5ish days, I am not so skeptical anymore. As the busyness settles down, or at least takes on a new form, I am excited to continue to get to know this place and to grow in this family.

May you be among family and may you walk easily and in security.