To quote C.S. Lewis, “What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”

From where I'm currently standing, I'm stuck seeing the world through a lens of my own experiences and hearing only the voices of those in my everyday life. To understand, and be part of a larger world, I need to stand somewhere else for a while.

I approach this trip to Israel with a willingness to listen and be open to, values, ideas, and experiences different than my own. Serving where I can, it is my intention, to bring back the stories, passions, and strength of the people I meet. And while it is an unpredictable world, full of unknowns, I'm eager to leave the comfort of my home and perspective.

As C.S. Lewis also said, “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”