Youth Desert Encounter. Please see the included report on the fantastic youth trip in July.

Follow-up Service Project. The youth from 1998 Desert Encounter chose a project that would benefit the youth from local congregations. Both a Palestinian church and a Jewish congregation had rooms that needed painting and cleaning. This second project came several months after the January project, where a group had painted the Alliance church in the Old City. On June 18, we completed the project by painting the large room (actually a bomb shelter) which the Narkis Street congregations had allotted for their youth ministries. A group of about 25 Palestinian and Jewish young people met in West Jerusalem to work and fellowship.

Entering the room, it was packed with dusty tables and chairs, and we realised it needed to be turned into a space more inviting for fellowship. The task was to put a few coats of white paint, and perhaps at a later date others could decorate with murals or pictures. While most came ready to paint, some forgot their work clothes. It was a funny sight watching these young people use garbage bags with holes cut for their arms and head as they worked. The job was done quickly and fairly well, as everyone pitched in either painting or in the kitchen preparing for the barbeque.

After working and cleaning up, we brought out the grill and shared lots of barbeque and salads. The young people enjoyed the fellowship together, and made some new friends while they were anticipating the upcoming desert trip. We are grateful for their service to each other and to the Lord.