Well, it’s been busy busy busy with the project. I was only home one night last week and we’re getting closer and closer to December. People have started to talk Christmas and though it’s not yet a forefront topic, it does come up form time-to-time (and everytime it does, I feel my heart beat faster). We’re also getting closer and closer to welcoming the new addition to the family; Jenni is due on October 25th! The next couple of months are going to be a whirlwind…Pray!

So what’s been happening? Last week, like I said, was very busy, here’s all we’ve been up to:

This Saturday and Sunday were for family time. While the week was busy, success cannot be measured by effort. We had a big crowd on Saturday, but the crowds were small on Monday and Friday (very small indeed)

We’re learning a lot about event planning. We have a a lot of great concepts, but we haven’t been doing a good job of executing them. Mainly, the problem is advertising. A successful event, we’ve learned, needs 6 months of planning and advertising (with the first 2 months dedicated to planning). What is also very important is a planning committee (something we need) with expertise in specific areas (i.e. advertising, web, entertainment, marketing materials, food etc).

This is why I’ve decided to plan all 2008 events in February of ‘08. This will give us the opportunity to set the strategy and needs for the year. While this is great for next year, what about this year (you might ask)? Where are we now?

Be encouraged, we’re about 1/3rd of the way on fundraising. We have a long way to go, but we’re optimistic. We know God will provide. How? We don’t know. I keep reminding myself that this project is all about faith in action; And, whenever I forget, Jenni reminds me with her calm and faithful optimism.

The “go-and-do-it” person within me is hoping to do a garage-sale at our church in early October. I’ve been thinking about this for some time. We don’t have a lot of advertising time, so I’m not sure how successful this would be (what do you think? Comment on the blog and let me know!). Perhaps some of you out there can help, or maybe you can do something at your church, school, home, etc?

Another way to help is to checkout our (and then email out) or pledge at PledgeBank see: http://www.pledgebank.com/Bethlehem. I’ve just discovered pledgebank and I like it a lot. You can create and share pledges easily. You can also add pledges through facebook (my new favorite tool as you know). I’ve created a pledge on and off of facebook so let’s see what happens. I created the pledge today and already one person has signed up! 24 to go! We’ll remain faithful and patient. As always, the best is yet to come.

I must admit, I get cynical from time-to-time about the non-productive role some of my fellow Christians play in the Middle East especially when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Sometimes, like Elijah, I ask God if “I’m the only one”. Well, God reminded Elijah that he wasn’t the only in his time, and while I know I’m not the only one in mine, I sometimes need to be reminded. If this all seems self-centered, well, it is (hence the self-admonishion). In any case, I received this video a day or so ago I thought I’d share.

There is nothing more encouraging than seeing the “Capital-C” Church move in the world. I’ve Perhaps CNN will pick us up one day. Either way, it’s nice to know, we’re not the only ones.

I never got into myspace, but I have been fiddling with facebook and wouldn’t you know it, social networking is indeed fun! I like all the widgets you can add to your profile. I’ve added a map with the places of I’ve been and a list of some of my favorite books. I also added the upcoming events. Not all of them, but most of them (I don’t like adding events unless I have all the information, so no events with TBD). In any case, look me up on facebook.

Speaking of TBD events. It looks like I’ll have the opportunity to speak at Palm Beach Atlantic next month. It’s not definite yet, we’re still working out the date. I’ll keep you posted. And, fear not, it’ll definitely be on facebook (heh) Also in the works is a film showing of Encounter Point at the FIU south campus. More on that too when it’s ready.

Also, for those of you in the Miami area, I’m going to a JADA (Jewish Arab Dialog Association) meeting on the evening of the 16th. I don’t have the location and exact time as yet. Let me know if you want to come and I’ll email you the information once I have it.

Finally, if you have a chance come on out to Nova on the 17th for Perspectives on Justice and Peace in Israel-Palestine or to FIU North campus for a showing of Encounter Point. Don’t forget about Steps Towards Peace on the 29th. See you soon, I hope.

The Steps Towards Peace Walk-a-thon is moving along well. Tonight I spent some time working on the online registration and sponsorship buttons which took a little more time than I had expected.

If you take a look at the Events page, you will now see the ability to register online for the walk. Also, those sponsoring you can do so online as well using a credit card. I’ve also added the registration and sponsorship forms for those of you who don’t like PayPal and would rather download the forms.

It’s pretty late and I had planned on adding the events at Nova on the 17th (panel discussion on “Perspectives on Justice and Peace in Israel-Palestine”) and the screening of Encounter Point (see the trailer) at FIU on the 21st to the site. But doing so is just going to have to wait until tomorrow.

For now just mark your calendars. Expect more details tomorrow. Don’t forget to register for the walk; there are only 25 days till the 29th!

So, Basil (the director for the documentary) is in Nazareth to begin filming the trailer for the project. We’ve been preparing for a while and he’s finally off. I hadn’t heard from him in a couple of days and was wondering how things were going.

Yesterday, I got an email from him that gave me a good laugh. I asked him if I could share it and he said “yes”. Now, before I paste it in, let me first set the stage.

Arriving in Tel Aviv is not simply a matter of getting off the plane and picking up your luggage. I was interviewed by four sets of people during my trip last year. I was treated well but was thoroughly questioned. Basil and his cameraman just arrived a couple of days ago. Below is the email from Basil about their airport experience.

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I am in Nazareth now after two days of no sleep.

We had an interesting interrogation at the airport. After an hour of asking my cameraman hundreds of questions, I finally produced my business card and said that they should check on me and see that i am legit. So they did and after 5min they came back and said: “Oh, you are the one who made the Ping Pong film, we loved it, the whole office is laughing watching it. You can go now.”

I should have produced that card much earlier!

They where very interested why my cameraman was named Adolf, and why he was Egyptian with a brand new Luxembourgian passport. So, he did look suspicious. They where printing off papers about him, and filing it. so I suppose he now has his own file at the Mossad.

They didn’t give me any trouble, I already have a file there!

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Somewhere in Tel Aviv someone is saying: “I interrogated the Ping Pong guy today”. Pray for Basil and Adolf as they go about getting all the footage they need. They still have checkpoints and walls to go through…

Tomorrow I’m going to add some upcoming events on the site. We have quite a bit coming up next month…