Hi friends, my name is Daniel and I’m from Florida, USA.
I am one of the long-term young adults volunteering at Bridges for Peace (BFP). My friend Marnus has asked me to write a short story about my volunteer time with Bridges, so here goes…
When I came to volunteer with Bridges for Peace, in December of 2003, I had signed up for three months to serve wherever they needed me. That turned out to be the Assistance Center a.k.a. the Food Bank. My first day was also the first day of another guy named Schalk from South Africa (S.A.). We were around the same age (early 20s) and became good friends. I remember that there were two other young adults that were already there, Marnus (who after his volunteer commitment, left for Bible school in S.A. and then came back a few years later a married man) and Candice Eden, the daughter of Chris Eden the National Director of BFP in South Africa. So, there were the four of us, Marnus the rugby player, Candice the model, Schalk the hockey player, all of them South Africans, and then me the American photographer. What a fun group! I still remember the adventures that Schalk and I had going around Jerusalem and to Tel Aviv on the weekends.
After a month or two, those volunteers left and others came in their place, but those three people will forever be in my heart because their friendships helped me get through the first months of volunteer life, which can be challenging. The four of us had fun packing avocados and potatoes and rice, beans, canned tomatoes and packs of flour… I have lost count of how many tons of food I lifted while working at the food bank.
Although I knew that God had called me to Israel, loneliness and doubting if God had really called me here would come against me at times. At those times I would call my grandmother in Montana, U.S.A. and ask her to pray with me. She is a mighty intercessor and has been consistent in encouraging me throughout my service here.
Israel is a country with an ancient and recent painful history. I have been in Israel through at least three war/conflict situations. Being away from family and friends and many comforts I normally would take for granted has taught me to be thankful for everything that God has blessed me with, no matter if great or small.
The best times for me at BFP were/are at our morning devotions, listening to the other volunteers share how God had called them to bless the Jewish people in Israel and what He has done in their lives while they are here. Many times the scripture that was quoted was from Isaiah 61:5: “And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the foreigner shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers…” This scripture is a prophecy that God spoke concerning the Jewish people, saying that there will come a day that people from the nations will come and serve them after God brings them back to their own promised land of Israel.
Now, you are maybe wondering, if that was in Dec 2003-2004, where is Daniel now…?
Well, after the first three months of volunteering here, I prayed about staying on for another three months. I saw that Bridges needed more volunteers and I was enjoying what I was doing for the people of Israel. However, if I did stay on this would mean selling my car back home because I was already out of money and I did not have a strong support base. I would also have to forfeit my flight home. I said something like this to God; “Lord, if you want me here then you will have to provide for me.” And, He did! God first gave me faith and then peace that this is where He has called me to be (something He was already speaking to my heart) and then He worked out the rest. Since that time, I have wholeheartedly committed my life to serving the people of Israel, which has been an amazing experience!
I have worked in the BFP Assistance Center’s Food Bank for two years, packing food to be distributed to the needy throughout Israel. Then I worked in the Home Repair department for almost two years, fine-tuning my plastering and painting skills by renovating homes in the community. I then went up to the North to help Bridges set up a new Warehouse/Assistance Center in Karmiel, which was opened after the 2006 war with Lebanon. During this time, I lived in Karmiel and served as community liaison and delivered food as one of BFP’s drivers. Presently I have moved back to Jerusalem and work at the International Headquarters in Jerusalem’s city center, organizing volunteer work projects for tour groups that want to bless Israel through “hands-on” projects for Jewish communities.
My time here has been blessed with joys and laughter as well as pain and tears. With that combination mixed together, I would have to say that truly “my cup is overflowing”.
I can also say that I have grown and learned so much about my Heavenly Father and His love for His people here and this nation. I feel like God has blessed me so much more than I could have imagined as He has used this time to totally change me. You can ask anyone here at BFP who knew me when I first came to Israel and they would say that Daniel is not the same person that he was when they first met me.
I still enjoy life as a volunteer and hope that one day I will meet you on a Discovery Group project or better yet, as a volunteer.
If there is anything that I would hope for you to take from my story, it is that if God has called you to a work, be obedient to that call and trust Him with your life. He is faithful!
Daniel Kirchhevel
Discovery Group Coordinator
Bridges for Peace
