Working as a team

It was during my "Up to Jerusalem" trip in 2013 that I felt God leading me to return to Israel as part of the Hesed Project. I felt so honored to have been selected.

On our first day at Kaplan I volunteered to work in the kitchen and was assigned to the dining room. The language barrier was definitely an issue at first, and the workers showing me the ropes seemed standoffish, but by day two attitudes changed, and we began working as a team.

My day goes something like this. We arrive about 8 AM. I clean the dining room bathrooms and the area outside the dining room, then join my two buddies in the dining room to have the place spiffy and ready for the doctors, nurses, workers, and others who come to eat. Sometimes Moshe, my "boss," assigns me to another task, like cleaning the inside of the refrigerator or scrubbing down the many chairs. At noon we get ready for the hundreds of people to come through the food line. I collect the tickets and serve some of the hot food.

I love meeting the people. Just about everyone makes eye contact and has a friendly greeting. They try to teach me Hebrew phrases and are so encouraging when I succeed. Their warmth and friendliness fill me with joy.

The best part of all is getting to know the Israeli kitchen workers. Moshe is a very special person. He is the father of three children. His son is now serving in the military. Moshe knows I am praying for his son's safety. Moshe works hard, but you will sometimes see him sitting apart praying. Goldie is a native Israeli. She's a great help to us and full of fun. She brought in funny glasses for us to celebrate Purim, then dragged us through every kitchen while having us greet everyone with "Purim Samayach," or "Happy Purim."

Then there are the women from Ethiopia who laugh hysterically at my mispronounced Hebrew. There is also Maria from the Ukraine who came here with her entire family about fifteen years ago and is married to a native Israeli.

We have only a few more days here at Kaplan Medical Center. Time has flown and I will miss them all. I just pray that in some small way they can see Yeshua in me.

Dorothy Kitchin
New Jersey