Jack and Louise Scholtus

Louise Scholtus went to Israel for the first time in 1993 on a Blossoming Rose tour. Her parents, residents of Cedar Springs, were on that trip too.  Louise's mother, Gretchen Weeks, was a teacher here in Cedar Springs and we met her when she became our son, Rob's, teacher.

Over the past twenty-two years, Louise has traveled with us twenty-five times.  Early on, she assumed the role of "lead chef," a role that accumulated into nearly a year of preparing meals at Biblical Tamar Park.  She not only prepared the meals, she bought the groceries.  That is what you call, "having your cake and eating it too."

Several years ago, Louise married Jack Scholtus, and Jack has joined Louise on the trips to Israel a dozen or so times.  Jack and Louise serve as Blossoming Rose board members as well as being on the Executive Committee. When the Historical Sites at the Park were identified and sponsors were sought, Jack and Louise stepped forward to offer to be sponsors of the Roman-Christian Period Site.

So, while the Scholtuses set policy on one level as Board members, they volunteer their services and work hard along with all of the other volunteers when they are at the Park.  When a need arises, they often help meet that need.

LETTERS FROM OUR FRIENDS

Good Morning DeWayne,

Nahmer

I was blessed to see Tel Tamar last year, especially the view from Prayer Mountain that Jim was nice enough to help me climb.  We also had the guard dog, Nahmer, accompany us.  I gave him water from my canteen four or five times in my cupped hand, so he was OK to continue the climb and comfortable to stay with us.

The British barbed wire metal screw posts we saw stacked on top of the mountain would be a wonderful addition to the British period emplacements.

I was blessed to see a desert fox one night and the landscape up close.  Thanks again for graciously allowing me to visit and stay at Tamar.

I miss your dry wit and humor, DeWayne.  Just like the Taoist literature I have read.

Shalom Peace and Good health to all,

Dear DeWayne, Rob, and Jodi,

Enclosed is a check for Blossoming Rose. The wonderful experience we had in the Arava as part of your volunteer work force will never be forgotten.  We realized while there HOW MUCH we missed Tamar, the surrounding farming area, friends, scenery, and the Land. The extra $15 is for a hat that we bought for our daughter, Tamar.  It says "tel Tamar" on it and she loves it!

Shalom,

A HUGE THANK-YOU TO OUR

A long term volunteer is described in our Volunteer Manual as a person who works at least 30 consecutive days.  Since the Park can never be left unattended, it is critical that we have people there every day of the year.  A Park Supervisor must be identified in order for the local officials and the Israel Antiquities Authority to know who is in charge. 

Bill and Laura December-February Supervisors

The Park Supervisors in 2014 were:  Laura Boyke and Bill Hawes, Patricia DeGroot, Viktoria Huwyler, Ken Osterman, Kay Rose, and, Alan Vanderkolk.

Our long term volunteers during 2014 were, Sarah Allemand, Candy Boden, Sylvie Brocqueville, Jim Crumley, Cynthia Hillson, Curtis Routley, and Mary Ver Haag.

The Park could not be sustained without long-term volunteers.  Leadership is needed every day and the Park must be maintained every day also.  There are rooms to paint, floors to sweep, 55 beds to make and change for visitors and groups, meals to prepare, caravans and facilities to watch over.  There are 22 restrooms, inside and out, to clean and maintain, and 36 air conditioning units to clean and keep in good repair.

Irrigation - greening the desert

There is an irrigation system that waters one thousand trees, that has to be monitored every few days.  As curator of a five-acre archaeology site, there is much work to do to restore the ancient city.

In addition to this work load, there is office work to do, manuals to read and follow, and a weekly committee meeting held on the Internet between the Park staff and a six-member team here in the US.

There were many short term volunteers who went to Tamar in February, October, and November. They accomplished an enormous amount of work that included the construction of a playground and two outside bathrooms, finishing the Israeli Period Site, working on the British Period Site, electrical, plumbing, tree trimming, painting, cooking, housekeeping, and many other jobs.

The first obligation that Blossoming Rose has is to fulfill its commitment to the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Sapir Council in Israel.  Keeping that commitment is what makes it possible to do all of the things that we think will have an educational and spiritual influence on the Jewish people and on all who visit the Park.

Greening the desert was one of those commitments and we have accomplished a lot of "greening," but there is much more to do.  That is a more distant goal.  Finishing the Seven Historic Period Sites is a current objective along with a couple other upgrades very much needed.

a.       Smooth and finish cement on steps and floor

b.      Finish educational displays with quotations and writings

The funds have already been donated to complete this site. 

a.       Build protective frames for valued paintings

b.      Install baseboard

c.       Install flagpole for British flag

d.      Change front entrance

a.       Clean and restore Roman treasury area

a.       Level 4-Room house floor

b.      Install educational displays

c.   Build a pavilion for shade

Adjacent to Biblical Tamar Park there is a vineyard and a mango orchard. Rachael and Dari Pearlmutter maintain the farming rights to the land, part of the former Kibbutz Ir Ovot.  Two local farmers have a partnership with them and together they have planted an excellent vineyard and a mango grove.

Cynthia and Sylvie with grapes

A few of us went to the vineyard to "glean" grapes for our breakfast table, and to share with others. The rows that still had plenty of grapes were "marked" just as the Scripture teaches. Dr. Coxon had spoken to the farmers who invited Blossoming Rose people to follow the gleaners into their mango and grape fields after the harvest was completed.

"And when ye reap the harvest of our land, thou shall not wholly reap the corners of thy field; neither shall thou gather the gleanings of the harvest.  And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shall thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God." (Lev. 19:9-10)

Dan and Donna

Dan and I were very blessed to be asked by Dr. DeWayne Coxon, Director of Blossoming Rose, to go to Israel to help with some major projects at the 55 acre archeology site, now known as Biblical Tamar Park. We remembered back to the day DeWayne first asked us to go to Israel in October of 1987.

By March of 1988 we were living in Israel - yes, at the very same place we just visited again.  Little did we know when we first traveled to Israel that we would live, for almost 13 years, in the desert (Arava). We left our Israeli friends to come back to the US in November of 2000.  One thing was very clear when we arrived back at Tamar on October 20 - we were home.

The Park itself has been greatly improved since we were there.  We have been reading the email newsletters, so we were prepared for the huge change.

It's amazing how many people from around the world come and go constantly.  When we arrived, there was a group of seven women from South Africa who had come there to pray, and a group of seven men from Kansas, who were also there to pray.  The week before, there was a group of 50 from Europe who came for a few days.  People come for all kinds of reasons - but usually because of their interest in Israel.

Dan working on the restrooms

Dan was able to work with a couple of other volunteers to finish a two-stall bathroom facility in the area of the archaeology site and the new playground. Dan helped two other men from Michigan fashion a massive swing set in the same area.  I think it held five swings. The whole playground project was to be completed after we left.

There were other projects underway where we both spent some time helping out.  We enjoyed working together with so many volunteers.

Here is my personal story - the things I enjoyed most - wearing sandals, feeling the warm desert sun on my skin, brilliant sunrises and sunsets, eating freshly harvested red and yellow peppers and Majool dates from local farms, attending Yonatan's 11^th birthday party, teaching a class in my old school, taking photos of favorite places and videoing a camel who snorted at me.  I loved riding the new train from Tel Aviv to Beersheva, climbing up Horseshoe Hill, riding in an old rattletrap car in the desert where there were no roads, walking to the graves of four close friends we lost years ago, picking olives, visiting my 78 year old friend, Avigail, in Afula, hugging our 2,000 year old tree, eating Israeli chocolate, having a meal with Jimmy and Rina, Rachel, Dari, Einat and their boys, checking in on Rikki from Iddan and on the Golans at Hatzevah.  Having an exercise class with Leaora and Rachel and two other old friends at Tzofar.

Thank you to those who helped to sponsor us financially - you know who you are.  We are blessed from this experience and we pray that we represented Blossoming Rose and Cedar Springs well.  Thanks to Dr. DeWayne Coxon, who has stayed involved in Israel through some very tough times, and for his son, Rob, wife, Jodi and daughter, Chaya, who are carrying this work forward. 

Orit and the baby crocodile

During my last few days at Biblical Tamar Park, after the many volunteers have departed, I had some time for a few pleasant, personal experiences. What remains, is a small physical presence here, but the thoughts and prayers of many supporters uplift us. We also have friends nearby. One day, Ofer the crocodile farmer, stopped by as I was working, because he wanted some park brochures. He invited me to his home and the next day (Shabbat) I took brochures to him. He graciously gave me fruit and vegetables and showed me how to eat the palmetto. Orit also showed me her Nile friend.

Since Shabbat is a day of rest, earlier in the morning I had taken a leisurely trek up Scorpion's Ascent and viewed the raw nature of God's land. Later, when I told Ofer about this, he said it was not wise to have left the car unguarded. Later in the day, I took a drive and another leisurely walk along the Peace Route between Hatzeva and Iddan overlooking the marls and viewing the mountains of Jordan.  I did not wander far from the car, but the scenic view of raw nature was astounding, especially when one then sees the farms embedded in the deep rift of desolation.

Earlier in my stay, several of us went to the Arava Research Center and there learned a lot about Arava farming and were pleasantly surprised at the 3D movie and the narration of the story that had been produced by the great tree in the midst of Biblical Tamar Park. But it is not this great tree that is the focus of the Park. Our focus is the history of the people of God and how the present Nation of Israel is not an accident but a budding fulfillment of God's prophesies.

Candy

Prior to my planned departure, the next group of long term volunteers arrived.  Bill and Laura returned along with Candy Boden.  They have all served here in the past and were returning, to my relief, so that I could return home to the States.  On my final day at the Park, Bill, Laura, Candy and I were privileged to present a short description of the Park and our scriptural purpose to a group of 43 appreciative Israelis. A couple people talked to me afterwards.  They said, "We know this, but you need to share this with others." And certainly we do share this with those who are interested. Our message will not change the world, BUT our message is one of timely comfort to the people of God as prophesied by Isaiah, chapters 35 & 40.

Deuteronomy 11:12

This attractive, 54-page, coloring book can be ordered on-line at the website below.  It is $9 for each book, plus $1 shipping for each book up to five copies.

Olivia Rostic and Christian Trewhella Our great grandchildren

If you wish to place an order for six copies or more, please email us directly at dcoxon@blossomingrose.org.  For an order of six to ten copies, the price is $7 each and $4 for shipping within the USA.  For more than ten copies, the price is also $7 each but we will provide shipping costs at the time of your order.

Order now for Christmas!

http://www.schulerbooks.com/product/coloring-book-bible-history-blossoming-rose 

TAMAR VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

February 15-27  2015   Volunteer Experience at Tamar with Dr. DeWayne Coxon.