Report on "Ends of the Earth to Jerusalem" Tour -- February 12 - 23, 2012

The Indigenous Tour to Israel from February 12-23, 2012, included Greenlandic Inuit, Canadian Inuit and First Nations from the northern ends of the earth, and indigenous people from Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand and Australia at the southern ends of the earth, as well as some from southern Canada. 

On the opening day of the tour, they went to the top of Mount Abraham at Alon Moreh which is in Samaria.  It is the place where God revealed Himself to Abraham after he left Ur of the Chaldees:  "Abraham passed through the land,,,as far as the Terebinth tree of Alon Moreh.  And the Canaanites were then in the land.  Then the LORD appeared to Abraham and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land.'  And he built an altar to the LORD who had appeared to him" (Genesis 12:6, 7). 

This is the probably the most contested piece of real estate in the world.  This is the place where the Jews believe that Abraham demonstrated his faith by being willing to offer up his son Isaac, and where the first and second temples were built.  It is near this place that Christians believe God allowed His only Son Jesus to be sacrificed for the sin of the world, and to be raised up again after three days.  And it is here from where Muslims believe that the prophet Mohammed ascended into heaven on his winged horse.

Many believe that this is the city where the past, the present and the future will come together, a city "forever old," and yet "forever young."  And so we are commanded to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6).  And this is exactly why this indigenous group travelled from "the ends of the earth" back to Jerusalem--to pray for the peace, the wellbeing and the prosperity of this city, believing that only when there is peace (shalom) here will there be peace (shalom) among the nations of the earth.  Our welfare is connected to this city.

They came not only to pray for peace, but to pray for rain, as there had been a seven-year drought in the land!

The boat ride on the Sea of Galilee had to be delayed for a day, because of the heavy winds and the heavy rain.  During that very week-end of February 17-19, the Sea of Galilee rose by 19 centimetres, which is well over half a foot!

Since then, more rain has fallen, and more snow has descended on Mount Hermon and on the Golan Heights, making it possible that the Sea of Galilee could reach its optimum height if the current trend continues, and once the snow melts and flows into the Sea of Galilee, the only fresh water lake in Israel.  This is a huge blessing to the whole nation--to the Jews and to the Palestinians.  When the rain falls from heaven, it falls upon everyone, without respect of persons.

Among this group of indigenous leaders who came to pray at the Western Wall was Grand Chief David Harper, of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO), which represents 30 First Nations in northern Manitoba.

This is just some of the many people at the Western Wall who wanted to have their picture taken with the Grand Chief.  In fact, many Jewish people seem to see a spiritual significance when they see the original peoples of the various lands of the earth come back to Jerusalem to pray.

When the original people of the land at the ends of the earth come back to Jerusalem to pray, it is a reminder, even to the rabbis, that the knowledge of the Torah has gone to the ends of the earth!  That has significance, because Israel's calling has been to be "a light to the nations" that "you should be My salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6).

Here, David Aglukark from Nunavut, is making a presentation to Katherine Verrier-Frechette, Deputy head of Mission at the Canadian Embassy in Tel Aviv.  She is in the number 2 position at the Canadian Embassy in Israel, and was very open-hearted toward everyone in the group.

This indigenous group connected and built relationship with people in Israel, all the way from those in high office, to the school children (both Jewish and Palestinian).  Here they are after a program in a Palestinian school in Nazareth.  This is a Christian school, but the students are both Christian and Muslim.  It is no doubt in the children that the hope for the future lies.

On an Israeli Defence Forces base, a mother in the group from southern Canada expressed a mother's love for the soldiers, and for their safety.  The soldiers can only do so much, but they were reminded that "He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4) as we pray for the day when "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.  Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isaiah 2:4).

The Indigenous Tour Group came from "the ends of the earth" with songs, dances and instruments that brought joy!  The ukulele is even mightier than the machine gun in capturing hearts and in changing lives!

The group is here powerfully interceding for peace on earth toward all men and women of goodwill right at the northern border with Lebanon!

And here they are interceding at the King of kings' Prayer Tower in Jerusalem, up on the 14th floor, praying for peace on earth.

"I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem.  They shall never hold their peace day or night, you who make menton of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth" (Isaiah 62:6, 7).

From the Prayer Tower, the tour group went straight to minister at a Palestinian School in East Jerusalem, again, a school run by Christians, but attended by both Christian and Muslim students.  The group was received nothing short of enthusiastically, and the students cheered throughout the program!

It is very healing with the human family starts to reconnect, and many connections were made at the heart level between the indigenous team, and the Palestinian students.  As the team was leaving the school compound, some of the teachers were talking among themselves, and were heard to say,  "This is wonderful!  Just think, if these people from lands afar off can keep their faith and their culture, we can do it also, without being assimilated!"   

It was the same with the Jewish School in Beth-Shemesh, the very city where the Ark of the Covenant once rested.  I Samuel 6:1-21.  Children are the same all over the world!  They simply want to be loved, and to be able to love without prejudice or partiality!

These beautiful children from Beth-Shemesh have also experienced violence and terror in their city, but they are very happy to know that people have come "from the ends of the earth" to say that they are loved and that even people from far away have not forgotten them!

The connection at the Jewish Bialik-Rogozin School in Tel Aviv, with refugee students from some 48 countries was truly astounding.  Having fled poverty, political adversity and even genocide, the students struggle to forget the past--sharing their stories of hardship and tragedy as they rebuild their lives in this rarest of communities where truly no one is a stranger.

The response of the principal, teachers and students was "electric," and far exceeded all expectations.  Again, there was a deep connection at the heart level, and a strong invitation to return as often as possible!

This banner was prepared by the students of a school at the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba, and was presented by Grand Chief David Harper to these Jewish refugee students in Tel Aviv.

The programs had the same effect everywhere, both in Jewish and in Palestinian Schools.  Here you see people from different generaions and cultures embracing one another in the Jewish Bialik-Rogozin School in Tel Aviv, celebrating together, and rejoicing in the hope of the God of Israel!

It was the same with the Palestinian School in Bethlehem, where the indigenous peoples from "the ends of rthe earth" brought them much joy in the midst of their pain and isolationism, Bethlehem today being a walled city that limits the amount that these children can travel.

The school principal, Grace Abu Mohor later wrote, "Thank God to you all for being with our students, giving them joy and happiness.  We all loved your team."

"They did a great mission touching the kid's hearts in a special way.  All of the students liked it, and they asked me if you are coming back?"  Again, the children on both sides of the fence that separates the Palestinians from the Jewish people physically are really the same at the heart level.  They both long for the same thing, and that is to love and to be loved without partiality.

The Indigenous team from "the ends of the earth" was able to connect not only with both Jewish and Palestinian students and children, but with leaders at the governmental level in the Israeli Knesset itself!

The delegation of 40 people came through the security into the Knesset, and sat down in one of the Committee rooms where they awaited the arrival of MK Ayoob Kara, a Druze politician with the Likud Party who is the Deputy Minister of Development for the Galilee and the Negev regions.

After the Deputy Minister gave a warm greeting, David Aglukark, the co-chief negotiator with the federal govenment in Canada for the Nunavut Land Claims Settlement presented Deputy Minister Ayoob Kara with a special t-shirt, which read, "From the land of the north Star to the land of the Star of David the Inuit of Canada love Israel!"

This was followed by a presentation from the First Nations delegation, Grand Chief David Harper, Raymond McLean and James Walker, seen here with Deputy Minister Ayoob Kara and Josh Reinstein, the director of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus.

The time at the Israeli Knesset ended up being some four hours, so it was dark when the delegation left the building, but connections were made for ongoing relationship.  There was again a sense of deep connection at the heart level.

This picture and positive news story of our time at the Knesset came out on page four of the Jerusalem Post the very next day, Wednesday, February 22, 2012.

The Arutz Sheva 7 News Channel also interviewed Deputy Minister Ayoob Kara and Grand Chief David Harper, and the story reached an Israeli National News audience.  To read the story and to see the clip that was seen on Israeli television, check here .

Marney Blom of the Acts News Network was also on hand to document the story of the Indigenous team at the Knesset, as well as several other venues that the group participated in.  Marney later wrote, "Looking over the footage has given me a lot of joy.  Got some great stuff!"  She will be producing the clip shortly.

Here are all 40 people that were in the Indigenous Tour to Israel, along with their Israeli Government Licensed Tour Guide, Herzl Ein-Eli.  This picture was taken by the Menorah that is near the Knesset building, just before they went inside for an historic visit.

This historic building which served as the first children's hosital in the Middle East, Shevet Achim is a Jerusalem-based community which seeks to answer the question,"Who is my neighbor?" in the same way that Jesus did.  They seek out children who need life-saving heart surgery, regardless of their background, and bring them to advanced medical centres in Israel.

The name Shevet Achim comes from Psalm 133, "How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!"

Since 1994, they have helped hundreds of children comed to Israel, primarily from Gaza and northern Iraq, but also from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Jordan.

About one of each 200 children born worldwide haved congenital heart defects, but few children in the Middle East have access to specialized centres which can perform open heart surgery.  Surgical advances in recent decades in Israel, however, mean that most of these children can be given a normal life.

They believe that this vision for the most vulnerable children in countries that may be hostile to Israel is a vision for all people in the Middle East, as fellow sons of Abraham, and that it stands in necessary and powerful contrast to theologies which call for hatred and division.  This ministry seeks to build bridges rather than fences.

This six-year old girl, who is related to the tour organizers, heard about these little children that Shevet Achim is helping, and was so touched that she sent this picture along with her grandparents to give to Jonathan Miles, the director of Shevet Achim in Jerusalem.  On the back of the picture, she wrote,  "To the children of Shevet Achim:  Your stories have touched my heart.  For my 6th birthday, I asked my friends to bring things that I could give to you.  Love,  Shiloh."

So when the group was up on the 14th Floor of the King of kings Prayer Tower in Jerusalem, Jonathan Miles and his assistant, Ryan Greg, came to the Prayer Tower to receive the gifts for the children of Shevet Achim from Shiloh.  Here Jonathan is receiving the gifts with much joy on behalf of the children.

This seemed like such a simple thing, but what made it special was to see God using "little children" with a heart to reach out to other "little children" in the Middle East! 

Included in the bag of gifts to give to the children were crayons, coloring books, dolls, play dough, hair ties, note pads, stuffed animals, and even a new toothbrush!

This is how two of the children from Iraq (Nyan and Aryab) received their gifts a couple of days later.  As Ryan Greg wrote as he observed this, "I am most inspired by the biblical promise of Shevet Achim when children spontaneously live it.  It seems that the world is simpler through the eyes of a child, its many complexities falling simply into a few rules of kindness.  'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'  Children understand this."

In Messiah's reign, He shall "decide with equity for the meek of the earth," and "a little child shall lead them" (Isaiah 11:4, 6).  The vulnerable and powerless children in every nation stand in stark contrast to those in power.  Could these children, from nations like Iraq and the Gaza who already come to Jerusalem be pointing the rest of us to the way of intercession which takes on and identifies with the pain of others, and seeks to bring relief?  We need to be reminded that it is the intercessors, not the politicians, who change the course of history!

Even though storm clouds are gathering, we do know that "He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4), and that "as one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem" (Isaiah 66:13).

And so we continue to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6), believing that  when there is peace in this city, that there will also be peace on earth!  Our peace is connected to the peace of Jerusalem, and prayer is powerfully effective, and can change atmospheres over homes and over cities!

The olive tree speaks of Israel because it also speaks of God's eternal covenant with man.  An olive tree keeps bearing fruit for even thousands of years, because even when the trunk dies, new life keeps shooting out from the roots.

It is an important image that the new life shoots from the roots, not from the trunk.  Speaking to Gentile believers, the apostle Paul noted, "Do not boast against the branches, but if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but that the root supports you" (Romans 11:18).