Oh, Friends...
To use a Biblical metaphor... the writing has been on the wall for a while, but I have been holding against all hope that somehow I'd still be able to go to Israel in April.
Now, the fact that I was to land in Tel Aviv on April 1 feels like sick irony (April Fool's Day) instead of a cool turn of events (it being 3 years to the day since I left in 2017).
I'm speaking, of course, of what's going on with the coronavirus, or 'Rona. As I write this, we have no idea what all is going to happen. We are watching countries close their borders and order their citizens in strict quarantines (Italy and China). At this point, Israel has said that anyone coming needs to immediately go into a 14 day quarantine... and my trip was only for 13 days. In fact, my flight with El Al Airlines was cancelled. (Edit: March 20, 2020 - As of today, Israel is having a mandatory 7-day quarantine for all citizens. They can only leave their homes to go to the store or for medical care).
This is obviously a big deal, and the loss of life is not insignificant. So much is being impacted by this pandemic that it is both fascinating and terrifying (at times)—economy, trade, industry, etc... not to mention day-to-day life. So, I'm not minimizing that at all. But at the moment, I honestly feel sick at heart.
To say this is a great disappointment is not an exaggeration. Ever since I learned I'd be going back to Israel for this short trip, I've been dreaming of each moment... planning new (to me) places to explore and things to learn. I've even started learning Hebrew! I've envisioned attending a sunrise service at the Garden Tomb with thousands of Christians from around the world, wade through Hezekiah's Tunnels, climb David's Tower, attend the Wailing Wall on Passover... and of course, explore Petra. Even though I pray I can go back in the future, it isn't the same.
We're all facing disappointment with something right now, I know (as well as many different emotions). This is one of mine... definitely the biggest one. What Solomon said in Proverbs 13:12 is so true:
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
To use a Biblical metaphor... the writing has been on the wall for a while, but I have been holding against all hope that somehow I'd still be able to go to Israel in April.
Now, the fact that I was to land in Tel Aviv on April 1 feels like sick irony (April Fool's Day) instead of a cool turn of events (it being 3 years to the day since I left in 2017).
I'm speaking, of course, of what's going on with the coronavirus, or 'Rona. As I write this, we have no idea what all is going to happen. We are watching countries close their borders and order their citizens in strict quarantines (Italy and China). At this point, Israel has said that anyone coming needs to immediately go into a 14 day quarantine... and my trip was only for 13 days. In fact, my flight with El Al Airlines was cancelled. (Edit: March 20, 2020 - As of today, Israel is having a mandatory 7-day quarantine for all citizens. They can only leave their homes to go to the store or for medical care).
This is obviously a big deal, and the loss of life is not insignificant. So much is being impacted by this pandemic that it is both fascinating and terrifying (at times)—economy, trade, industry, etc... not to mention day-to-day life. So, I'm not minimizing that at all. But at the moment, I honestly feel sick at heart.
To say this is a great disappointment is not an exaggeration. Ever since I learned I'd be going back to Israel for this short trip, I've been dreaming of each moment... planning new (to me) places to explore and things to learn. I've even started learning Hebrew! I've envisioned attending a sunrise service at the Garden Tomb with thousands of Christians from around the world, wade through Hezekiah's Tunnels, climb David's Tower, attend the Wailing Wall on Passover... and of course, explore Petra. Even though I pray I can go back in the future, it isn't the same.
We're all facing disappointment with something right now, I know (as well as many different emotions). This is one of mine... definitely the biggest one. What Solomon said in Proverbs 13:12 is so true:
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."
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