| Two summers recently, 2005 & 2007, Malcolm volunteered to help on an archeological dig in Israel |
| The particular site where he was digging, Tel Rehov, goes back to at least the 12th century B. C. , and they've not yet "hit bottom" on the dig, so who knows? |
| He got to see a lot of old sites in Israel & attended lectures from top Israeli archaeologists and historians |
One day as Malcolm chipped away
at the floor under his feet,
he felt a ring that went under BOTH
his feet. He stopped to investigate.
at the floor under his feet,
he felt a ring that went under BOTH
his feet. He stopped to investigate.
| When the Israeli archeologist in charge of the site was called over he exclaimed, "It's an oven ! And it appears to be intact - I've never seen anything like this in 40 years of digging !" |
For the next week, Malcolm and a colleague carefully removed layer after layer
of ceramic debris with which the oven had been
covered, apparently to protect it.
of ceramic debris with which the oven had been
covered, apparently to protect it.
The ceramics themselves were quite
valuable, but the oven underneath establishes
the floor level, & the organic material
inside (cooked food, & firewood)
can be carbon-dated to determine
exactly how old this layer of the dig is.
valuable, but the oven underneath establishes
the floor level, & the organic material
inside (cooked food, & firewood)
can be carbon-dated to determine
exactly how old this layer of the dig is.
| When all the careful chipping away is completed, what is revealed is a perfectly intact 11th century wood oven that by its very nature will reveal much about the people who used it |
In 2007, Malcolm traveled around the nation a lot more (& into neighboring Jordan)
interacting with the people who live there now.
interacting with the people who live there now.
Malcolm found a wonderful
Israeli congregation of Russian-
and English-speaking believers
Israeli congregation of Russian-
and English-speaking believers
Their pastor invited Malcolm to accompany
him as he reaches out widely, generously,
with the good news of the gospel in the local
church, street preaching, and in homes,
to immigrants, Israelis, Arabs, Palestinians,
Bedouins, . . . and even Samaritans,
him as he reaches out widely, generously,
with the good news of the gospel in the local
church, street preaching, and in homes,
to immigrants, Israelis, Arabs, Palestinians,
Bedouins, . . . and even Samaritans,
Once you get outside the
well-watered loveliness of
Jerusalem, you never know
what you may find roaming the
desert
well-watered loveliness of
Jerusalem, you never know
what you may find roaming the
desert
with whose chief priest he shares the Word
Some of the most
beautiful places are
pretty remote
but well worth the effort
to get there
beautiful places are
pretty remote
but well worth the effort
to get there
The Monastery on top of the
mountain under which Petra hides
mountain under which Petra hides
Update:
Malcolm returned to Wheaton in
September '07 and lived with us
through January '08, working
nights outdoors in the cold !
But he missed Israel so much, and
wished he could be there instead
of Chicago.
Then his dreams and prayers were
answered and he was offered a
stipend to study Hebrew in
Jerusalem. He currently lives
there, becoming more fluent in
Hebrew, and working for an
Israeli company.
Malcolm returned to Wheaton in
September '07 and lived with us
through January '08, working
nights outdoors in the cold !
But he missed Israel so much, and
wished he could be there instead
of Chicago.
Then his dreams and prayers were
answered and he was offered a
stipend to study Hebrew in
Jerusalem. He currently lives
there, becoming more fluent in
Hebrew, and working for an
Israeli company.
| By the way, that's Malcolm you hear singing in Hebrew in the background . . . . |