Day 17 - May 27 - Friday

My Journal Entry:

Today was pretty awful for me personally. Except for this morning. This morning was cool because we were at the beach for a couple of hours, and the Mediterranean is amazing! It was totally clear blue water - I could still see my feet when I was up to my neck in Ocean! :D But even then it wasn't as fun as it could have been, because this morning I woke up sick. I couldn't breathe through my nose at all, and later in the day I had an awful pounding headache (so bad that I even got nauseous and almost hurled in the van). We did four performances (two in a park filled with Sudanese refugees, and two by the beach), and I was able to stick it out for all but the last song, although I didn't do any of the dramas. Felt cruddy the whole time. It was awesome how much the whole team cared, though! Heather was constantly offering her shoulder for me to lay my head on, Emilie checked up on me all the time, Lindsey gave me shoulder rubs, Amanda told me it was okay to opt of performing if I didn't feel up to it, Priscilla gave me hugs and her sympathy, Lizzy talked to/with me and tried (successfully) to get my mind off of how I felt, Val made me laugh, Luke was perky and tried to give me some of his energy, Mike was caring even though he was in pain too, Caleb made me laugh (especially by smushing his face up against the window of my van from outside, haha!) and asked what specifically he could pray for, Nick was constantly offering his support by sitting with me, talking, etc., and Mr. Wilson was there for me like he always is. Everyone was praying for me and trying to help, and it was so incredible! I am so blessed to be in a group where not only will everyone come to lift me up, but also to lift me up before God. I love my family. :)

Mr. Wilson's Details:

VISION did an outreach program this afternoon in a district of Tel Aviv called Neve Sha'Anan, where many refugees, guest workers, and illegal immigrants reside. These include Africans from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Congo, Nigeria, etc., plus several varieties of Asians. It felt very different from what one might expect in Israel, but it demonstrates what a melting pot this country has become.