My Placement :)

The moment we've all been waiting for (or, at least, I have!) has finally arrived! I just got an email detailing some of what I will be doing during the next year and where I'll be doing it.

An idea of where the two cities are in relation to each other.
Note: Bethlehem in between and Jerusalem to the north!

So, you want to know? Fine, fine, you've twisted my arm...

Starting in September I will be volunteering at Beit Sahour School, with the plan that some of this time will also be spent devoted to the music program at Dar Al-Kalima. Both of these schools are run under the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land. Of course, you're probably thinking, "Where in the world is Beit Sahour? I've never heard of that before." Beit Sahour literally means "Place of the Night Watch," which hints at it's long history with shepherding. "Oh, shepherds. Sounds exciting," you say in a flat voice. NOT JUST ANY SHEPHERDS! Beit Sahour contains the place where the angels told the shepherds of Christ's birth. You can't see my reaction to this news, but know it involved lots of excited jumping up and down :)

I've mentioned in other posts that I will get to chose my secondary placement (everyone is placed at a school for their primary). This will happen once I get there and get a chance to explore my options.

I'm super excited right now, everyone! I can't believe that in a month (exactly as of today) I will be in the Middle East. I will be embarking on my adventure, the result of which only God knows. This is such an incredible journey, won't you join me?

Fundraising Update: We're not done yet!

Thank you to all who have helped me in my fundraising for my mission work this upcoming year! I am deeply humbled at the love and support (some by people I have never met), and your faith in the Holy Spirit to work through me and my fellow YAGMS. Together, you and I have currently raised just under $3000, which goes towards my transportation, housing, food, small weekly stipend, health insurance, and orientations. It has been such an adventure seeing how people have come together to help me, through fundraising events like our Improv Comedy Night and Musical Benefit Concert this past Spring, and just by hearing a little bit about the journey on which I am about to embark.

But I'm still $1000 away from my goal!!!

A few people have asked, "Courtney, what will you do if you don't reach your $4,000 fundraising goal?" My response has been to answer that I'm not too concerned about raising the money, since people have already been so supportive. Yet, there is still a little ways to go, and so I've thought up a few possible things I can do if I fall short...

1. Learn how to walk on a tight-rope. Tie rope between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials in Washington, DC and walk across while reciting the Gettysburg Address.
2. Find a violin and attempt to play on the street until people pay me to *stop* playing!
3. Sell my siblings...
4. Sell my Dad's car! (He's none too pleased with that idea)
5. Continue to write blog posts about the remaining amount to be fundraised!


I'm excited to let you know that the deadline for donations has been extended to August 15th! You can send in your tax deductible donation by check made out to "Good Shepherd Lutheran Church" (with "Courtney YAGM" in the memo line)! Email me at cty (dot) weller (at) gmail (dot) com for the mailing address. Your donation will join other's in helping me reach my $4,000 fundraising goal, which is almost half of what it costs to send off a Young Adult in Global Mission. 


So to recap: Thanks for your support! There is still time to contribute financially to Young Adults in Global Mission (every amount helps!) and extend your (or your church's) ministry of service abroad. The new deadline is August 15th, but please send your donations in early!!

Just Over a Month Til Departure!

As each week goes by, I realize that the newest leg of my journey is almost underfoot. I will leave on Aug 17th to fly to Chicago for a week of training and orientation, followed by my flight to Jerusalem (I'm guessing I'll be flying into Tel Aviv?) on the 24th. Then it begins! Can you believe it?!

I still haven't found out my exact placements for work, but I do know a little about what I'll be doing this next year. My primary placement, where I will spend most of my time serving, will be at an Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) or affiliated school. I'm pretty excited for that, although I realize it will be a really new experience for me. I'm sure I'll be challenged (long ago did I toss out my ideas of being in any K-12 school). I don't know what the options are, really, for my secondary placement, and I'm not even sure we get to choose those before we arrive. I'd really enjoy working in something that utilizes oral history, recording people's life stories, maybe something advocacy-related or working with refugees.

Until then, as some of you may be wondering, I will be in Newport News, VA finishing up my Clinical Pastoral Education, which is a requirement for my Master of Divinity degree. I'm serving at Mary Immaculate Hospital, which is part of the Bon Secours Health System, and having my class time at Maryview Hospital in Portsmouth, a sister institution. The work is challenging, but good, and I really appreciate my co-workers. I've learned a lot about chaplaincy, Christian ministry, and, of course, myself. At this point in my life I don't feel particularly called to chaplaincy (although, if there's anything I've learned so far in life, it's to "never say never"), but I highly respect those who are, as well as the nurses and doctors they serve with. There are many ups and downs each day, but I feel that my CPE experience has helped to prepare me for my time in Jerusalem.

This summer I've been able to visit
a lot of historical sites and museums.
This water lily was in a Japanese Garden
at the Nofolk Botanical Garden, VA.

One of the most helpful skills I've polised thanks to CPE is that of conversing with strangers. As more of an introvert, I've never been extremely outgoing with people I do not know, especially those whom I have no connection with whatever (not even a mutual friend or known common interest). Each day I am forced to get up the courage to knock on a door (oh, the anxiety I feel when the doors are closed) and introduce myself, trying to start an conversation and build a basic relationship. That's EXACTLY what I need to be able to do in Jerusalem. I hope that I can go there and really talk with people, learn their stories, build relationships (oh, how I want to start sermonizing on trinitarian theology right here, but I shall refrain). I figured I'd learn a bit about myself, perhaps better discern where God is calling me vocationally, but never did I imagine that I would be forced to learn the skill I've always wished to foster, but never had the guts to go for. Talk about God knowing your inmost thoughts and desires!

So there you have it, a small update to satiate your ponderings. I'll be posting shortly with a fundraising update, but this has been for those of you who are eager to hear a little bit more about what's going on inside my head.

Special Thanks to Christ Lutheran in Gettysburg, PA

A very special thanks to Christ Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, PA, for their generous support of my Young Adults in Global Mission ministry. I visited Christ Lutheran a few times during my undergraduate years at Messiah College and very much appreciate the welcome I received then, as well as the hospitality the church gives to the Seminarians now. I remember Pastor Herr remembering my name during Communion the first time I visited after meeting me briefly before the service began, and that meant so much and has driven me to try and remember names, especially when serving a church.


Christ Lutheran has also supported YAGM in the past, particularly another young woman who served in Jerusalem/Palestine a few years back and has been so very helpful and supportive to me during my YAGM experience answering questions. Thank you, Marta!




I am so very humbled for the support from Christ Lutheran and am excited to continue their ministry in this part of the world.


If you or your congregation would like to know how to support me during my year of service in Palestine, visit the "Ways to Support" tab near the top of the webpage! Donations need to be in by July 27th (contact me if you would like to donate but need an extension).

Less than two months until I'm in Jerusalem/West Bank!!! I'll have packing and planning update soon!