A N N A ' S Y A G M N D F G W S L E T T E R | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9

Marhaba, everyone! My name is Anna Skare and I am currently serving in

Jerusalem/West Bank through the ELCA's Young Adults in Global

Mission (YAGM) program. I am from St. Michael, Minnesota and I am a

recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. For the next

year, I will be volunteering in Dar Al-Kalima Lutheran school in

Bethlehem. I am tasked with assisting a teacher in English and math

classes for children in kindergarten and second grade. I also am helping

in the school's office, doing administration work and supporting the

kindergarten coordinator with various tasks. My home congregation for

the year is the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church. It is a wonderful

community to worship alongside. Both the church and the school are

connected to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy

Land (ELCJHL). The ELCJHL operates six congregational ministries,

four educational programs, and four schools.

INTRODUCTION

& PLACEMENT

Pictures:

Top- The view from the

top of Herodian's Palace

Middle- My cohort and

country coordinator,

Gabi, in Battir Village

Bottom- The Wailing

Wall in the Old City

ANNA'S YAGM NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 2019

A year in THE HOLY LAND

IN-COUNTRY ORIENTATION

YAGM ORIENTATIONOn August 13th, I left Minnesota and traveled to Chicago to start a

weeklong YAGM orientation. We stayed at the Lutheran Seminary in

Chicago and spent a majority of our time building community and

preparing for our upcoming year in various countries. This year, there are

about sixty-five young adults participating in YAGM in nine different

countries across the world. Throughout orientation, we dove into

important and complex discussions about religious pluralism and

interfaith relationships, culture, race, power, privilege, and

accompaniment. We also conversed about the meaning of trusting

ambiguity, leaning into discomfort, and being fully present during our

YAGM year. Orientation was filled with lots of learning, worshipping,

fellowship and preparation for our year ahead.

After a week of orientation in Chicago, my cohort and I boarded a plane

and began our long journey to Tel Aviv. After a few plane rides-and a

few unexpected delays (such is the nature of traveling!)-we were met at

Tel Aviv Airport by one of our country coordinators and a deacon of the

ELCA serving in the Holy Land, and promptly began two and a half

weeks of in-country orientation. Similar to orientation in Chicago, in-

country orientation was filled with an abundance of sightseeing,

relationship building, discussion, and logistics. Some of the places we

visited during our orientation included a hike through the Al Makhrour

Valley and then dinner in Battir Village, visiting Ramallah on a site visit,

a tour of the Old City in Jerusalem, a trip to Tel Aviv to swim in the

Mediterranean Sea, a tour of Herodian's Palace, a visit to Shepherds Field

in Beit Sahour, and a tour at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. In-

country orientation helped me gain a fuller and better understanding of

the history and political conflict of the land. I am extremely grateful for

the people and tour guides we met during in-country orientation who

shared their experiences and advice with us.

The Al Makhrour Valley

Passing sea level on the way to

Jericho

At the market in the Old City

A street in the Old City

During our tour of the

Old City in Jerusalem,

our tour guide sat our

cohort down and

explained the difference

between "ancient stones"

and "living stones." He

shared with us that a lot

of people visit the Holy

Land to see the "ancient

stones" without

witnessing and learning

more about the

experiences of people

who live here now

or the "living stones."

His hope for us this year

was to learn from and be

a witness to the "living

stones." In this section

of my newsletter, I will

be sharing stories, and

experiences of the

"living stones" in

Palestine.

LIVING STONES

"Living Stones" vs

"Ancient Stones

As mentioned, one of the main themes discussed in YAGM orientation

and during in-country orientation was the theme of being present in our

community. Being present simply means being aware of what is going on

around us, instead of looking behind or ahead.  It also means that even

through cultural differences, we are to be present with our community

and accompanying the community by being a witness to their daily life.

Being fully present is something I challenge myself to strive for daily,

but this goal has proven to be increasingly more difficult for me since

moving halfway across the world, away from my family and friends for

an entire year. In the past month, I have been in awe of my surroundings

and enthralled by all that I have learned, but I have also been

overwhelmed and uncomfortable. This overwhelming feeling of

discomfort causes me to not be fully present and question if my presence

is enough.

Starting my position at Dar-Al Kalima (DAK) has been both

challenging and extremely exciting. I love getting to know the students

and staff, as well as learning about the ministry of the Evangelical

Lutheran Church in a different context. One of the most challenging

things starting at DAK have been trying to understand their policies,

procedures, guidelines, and structures with a language barrier. A lack of

understanding and confusion of what exactly is expected of me has led

me to further question if my presence, along with my gifts and talents,

will be enough for this year.

My first week at DAK was whirlwind of emotions. One day, I

found myself overwhelmed and questioning my calling to this year of

service. Needing to find a space in the school to regroup and just breath, I

stepped into the library to quiet my mind. While I was sitting at the

library desk, a first grade student walked in and said hello to me. He

proceeded to dig through the plethora of books on a library shelf across

the room from me. After a few minutes, I heard the commotion of a chair

dragging across the floor. Suddenly the commotion halted and silence fell

as the boy placed the chair right next to me. Looking intently at me the

boy handed me a book and said, “read it.”  I looked down at the book and

my heart swelled. The book this little boy chose was Madeline, a book

that my parents read to me all throughout my childhood.

My cohort and country coordinators at the top of Herodian's Palace

Passing sea level on the way to

Jericho

As I read the text aloud in English, using the same inflection my mother

used to, the little boy listened intently and occasionally pointed at the

pictures on the page. When I finished reading the book, the boy got down

from his chair, gently placed the book back on the shelf, said thank you

and goodbye, and left the library. As he left the library, his older sister

walked in and asked me if I read her brother a story. I told her I did read

a book to him and that I read it in English. Hearing this, the boy’s sister

explained to me that the little boy likely only knew a few words that I

read because he only knows Arabic.

 

Befuddled, I slumped into my library chair and pondered what had just

happened. I then realized that although the little boy had no idea what I

was saying, he still sat there engaged and attentively listening. He was

fully present as I read to him despite all barriers that separated us. This

little boy was present and a witness to my feelings of discomfort and

doubt whether he knows it or not. He did not need to say or do anything

to bring me peace in the midst of the busy day-his presence was simply

enough. That boy was placed in my life, in that moment, to serve as a

reminder that I am enough, even when I sit silently in these school rooms,

in my host home, and in my community not fully understanding the

language and all the is happening around me. This little boy showed me

that I am here to be a witness and accompany my community this year. It

does not entirely matter what I do or what I say, but it does absolutely

matter that I am present throughout it all. I praise God for working

through that little boy in the library. As I continue you my year, Lord

knows I will continue to have doubts and question if my presence is

enough, if I am enough. But now, I can take comfort in my time in the

library where a little boy was fully present with me and brought me

peace. I am grateful for his short-lived yet meaningful presence in my life

and strive to follow his example. Just by being who we are created to be,

we are enough. As children of God, our identity is in God and our

presence is always enough. May we take comfort knowing this and live

fearlessly because of it.

THAnk you!

A BIG thank you to

everyone supporting

me back at home.

Thank you for your

financial support,

thoughts and prayers,

and well wishes

these past couples of

months. While I am

excited about my

upcoming year, I

often think about my

communities at

home, who are

cheering me on along

the way. I am very

blessed, and could

not be on this

journey without your

love and support.

Love always,

Anna Skare

The Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv

At the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City