Making Memories

We apologize that it has taken a little while for us to update! I may have to spread out the last few weeks over a few different posts. We just got internet in our apartment the day before yesterday (one thing we have already learned….everything in Israel is a process) :) . So, where to begin…

We spent the week before our departure in Huntsville. We had a great time with our family. We were able to spend a lot of quality time with them before we headed out, which we were abundantly thankful for. We were able to swim, hang out, eat at Casa Blanca (3 times!), see a movie, play lots of Liar’s Dice, and even celebrate our anniversary while we were there! It was a great week to say the least!  We were also able to see the folks at West Huntsville Baptist ( the Lord has used so many of them in Nathan’s life for so long, and now my life since we have been married. ) It was encouraging to worship with them, fellowship with them, and be exhorted by them while we were there. We truly are surrounded by “so great a cloud of witnesses.”

Tuesday (July 17) was departure day. My family came into town the night before and w all hung out that night. We were so blessed to have our families together to spend time with them all before we left. Praise God! We  finished up all of our last minute packing on Tuesday morning and headed off to Dreamland for our last meal in the states. It was a good way to go out! After that we were off to the airport. It was an emotional goodbye (as most are). I would like to say bittersweet, but in that moment it just seemed bitter. We are blessed. Our family prayed over us and sent us off in the name of the Lamb. We have an incredible family. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Once they sent us off, we made our way to the gate (with 4 carry ons…one weighing in at 65pounds!) And with only a little hurdle through security we arrived at the gate. We spent most of that time and the time on our first flight (to Chicago) trying to distract one another from thinking about our difficult goodbyes. There were many tears shed, but God is good, and we found abundant rest in that Truth.

Our first flight was to Chicago, then to Istanbul, and eventually we landed in Tel Aviv at 8:15 on the eve of July 18^. We met up with another MSIH student and after trying to weigh our options…decided that renting a car and driving to Be’er Sheva would be the best and most cost effective way to go. We got our rental, squished all of our bags into a tiny European style car, plugged our location into the GPS and headed south to the Negev. We made our way through windy, dark roads and came to the place our GPS had led us to. Needless to say, it was NOT Be’er Sheva. It was about an hour the wrong way. Making memories is all we’re doing : ) We plugged in the address again, double checked it, and headed for the real Be’er Sheva. We arrived around 2 am. The Vogets (the folks who lived in our apartment before us…and fellow MSIH’ ers) had some friends that had come and put some food in our fridge, so we indulged a bit before going to bed. The Chapmans (our food providing friends) along with the Vogets have been a huge blessing to us! The Lord has used them both to help make the transition easier and to help Be’er Sheva feel like home : ) We are abundantly thankful for both these families! 

I suppose I will end here for now…this post is getting rather lengthy. But I want to thank all of our dear brothers and sisters for your prayers and your support. We are blessed to be co-laborers with you all! We praise God for you.

For sending mail:

Nathan and Katie Douthit
c/o Medical School for International Health
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
P.O. Box 653
Beer Sheva 84105
Israel

Anything other than letters mark with: "Gift-no commercial value"

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow

        This past week we were able to spend some great time with the Ling side of the family. After a painful goodbye to Auburn friends, we arrived in Chelsea with the need for a little cheering up. The Ling fam is great with cheer-ups! They treated us to a fun supper upon our arrival at Genghis Grill and then off to the theater to see Madagascar 3. That Saturday was quite the eventful one. We laughed…we cried…and we ate GiGi’s cupcakes! It was a great way to start off our week with our family. 

       On top of the great time we had seeing close friends and family…were able to catch up with dear brothers and sisters on Sunday. We spent the week, catching up, relaxing with family, meeting up with friends, playing cards, going to a Braves game, and even ended the week with a lake trip. Nate and I tore up some intertubing! Matt and Nate decided to go for a little spin together as well. Matt had the great idea of  he and Nate attempting a “double barrel roll.” Needless to say, it did not end pretty…the tube skipped those men like a bunch of little rocks. But props to them for trying!  We left the lake that day, sun kissed and exhausted. The girls headed out a little early and the guys…well…after a series of unfortunate events, turned a one hour trip into a five hour journey. A rainy morning, 2 crazy dogs, sore backs, sun burned faces, a shotty tire, an even shotty “er” replacement…just makin’ memories : )

Braves game

        After a good night’s sleep, Nathan and I were given the opportunity to share what the Lord has been doing in our lives to my parents Sunday School class. It was such a blessing to share to some that the Lord has used in our lives! Later that morning we were commissioned by our brothers and sisters at Liberty Baptist. We praise the Lord for how He is using that local body of believers …and how He HAS used them in our lives. We cannot express how thankful we are for that dear family.  The Lord has used so many of them to encourage us and challenge us. Praise the Lord for the work He is doing in Chelsea! We are blessed. We truly “thank [our] God in all [our] remembrance of you.” (Philippians 1:3)

     We are now spending the rest of our time with our Douthit family…and look forward to making even more memories this week with them! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

By His grace and for His glory.

Our Last Night in Our First Place

So this Friday will be our last night in our first place. It will be bittersweet…much like the rest of this week has been.  Our goodbyes officially began last weekend and have managed to linger all throughout the week. Each day marks a new goodbye. Let’s just say this week will be quite the emotional one. To take it back a step, we also said farewell to the rest of the interns, The Mathii, The Wimberly’s , the Hamm’s and Ryno. After a sad “so long,” our sweet friends the Pugh’s, took us out to a lovely dinner at The Melting Pot (it was a first time experience for all of us…and it was WONDERFUL!) Thanks, Pughs!

 Last weekend we made our way to Chelsea for marine brother’s goodbye. We had a get together to see him off and were able to spend some sweet time with him. It will be a while before we see him next, but who knows, maybe he will end up on our side of the world sometime in the next few years : ) He means a lot to us !

This weekend, Jeremy and Amanda, and Matt and Jenny came to visit! The Douthits were also in town getting things ready for Jess's big move, and the Ling family came down on Sunday for our commissioning service...needless to say it was a great weekend, spending time with our wonderful family! We are blessed!

Sunday we bid adieu to our Lakeview family. It was a dreaded day. It was a difficult day. But God gave us grace, and we are so blessed to have labored alongside those folks for the past 5 years. We look forward to continuing to labor alongside them- in a different context.  So many have poured into us and invested so much of their lives in us. We are grateful. We praise the Lord. As my wonderful husband put it, were it not  for the belief that there is greater glory to be won for our King in us parting than in us staying, we would not be leaving. But we trust Him, and look forward to the day when we will worship with those folks unhindered around the throne of our Lord for all eternity. Then, “Will our passions all be love, and all our powers be praise.”

This Friday we will spend our last night in our first place. It will be sad, but thankfully, though E203 Lakewood Commons will remain in Auburn, our home will not.

So what will our time look like until we depart on July 17, you may ask? (Or you may not ask, but I will tell you either way: ) ) We will be spending a week or so in Chelsea getting some Ling love, and then we will venture on up to Huntsville for some Douthit love, from where we will leave on July 17. {Aside} July 17 will be the day after our first anniversary…this time last year we were boarding a plane to Ireland for our honeymoon…this July 17 consists of a one-way ticket. Pray for these next few weeks, they will be difficult, but they will be sweet:)

For your viewing pleasure:

marine brother and super mom (we didn't get a picture with him)

After dinner family picture

Douthit sisters (minus Joycie)

Hamm Friends

Mathii Friends

Wimberly Friends