SERVE Nazareth goodbyes!

This month has seen goodbyes to two of our spring group - Kara and Jenni. Both Kara and Jenni are from Canada and have spent three months with the SERVE Nazareth programme. Three months can seem a short or a long time, depending on your perspective, but whichever it is, leaving is always a bittersweet moment!

Kara writes of her experience in Nazareth:

"I feel like I got infinitely more out of my time in Nazareth than I put in. I spent most of my first month here in bed with a cold and then a viral ear infection. During this time of solitude I was forced to spend time alone with my thoughts. Before I came to Nazareth my days were packed with work, school and numerous social engagements from dawn until dawn; I avoided time alone like the plague. But once I was sick I was forced to process and think through some things that I had been skillfully avoiding for several years.

Once I finally started dealing with things I was amazed at the renewed closeness with God that I began feeling. For the first time in years I was content being alone with just God and my thoughts. I am so glad that I have that back because I realize now how much I missed feeling that safety and peace that comes with just resting in the arms of my saviour. I also regained an awareness of God’s voice in my life and I started listening for it again. Once my ear finally healed the rest of me was already well into the healing process. Arriving at this place of peace and safety made the rest of my time here immensely more enjoyable. No matter what challenges arose I faced them head-on knowing that I could always run back to the open arms of my loving Father.