February 26, 2008

Zemer Levav in Jerusalem, Israel (the old city)

Shalom Friends and Family,

I hope you enjoy our new format. I’m learning how to do all kinds of things with this new laptop that God has blessed me with!

It seems like so long ago that we drove away from Gainesville, FL leaving Shalisha with her new husband Joseph. We have missed Shalisha, and her absence has pressed all of us to stretch and grow.

Liorah is now singing, filling in for Shalisha on several songs. Kerah changed some of her parts to make our harmonies tighter and help us to lose that “Hey! Something’s missing!” feeling.

We had to change the dances also, Adrielle taking Shalisha’s place on one, and making the others work with three or even two dancers.

The changes have been good. We are feeling solid again as we lift our voices to magnify the King of Kings!

Desert scenery, palm trees with snow capped peaks behind them, sunset on the Pacific, all these mental snapshots are just one collage in our travels here in the Southwest.

We drove the long haul from Gainesville to San Antonio with no trouble, and from there we drove to Dallas, El Paso, and then north to Albuquerque, NM. No snow this year!

We did one or two concerts in each city we visited. The ministry and fellowship have been sweet. We have prayed for people, and heard stories of how God is using our music to touch lives. It is always humbling.

From Albuquerque we traveled to California. We did a concert in Rancho Cucamonga (the most interesting city-name on our tour!) and then played for an “Israel in Prophecy” conference in Cathedral City. I enjoyed the speakers and we met new contacts in the area.

We attended the MJAA Regional conference in Irvine. It was fun and different being at a conference just to enjoy, rest and learn. I did help out at the Galilee of the Nations booth, and caught classes and services in between.

On we traveled to the central California coast, where we visited family and rehearsed for our upcoming busy weekend. We played in Fresno, Morro Bay, and Los Osos. On our way to Morro Bay from Fresno we had our first big adventure….

(If you want to know what congregations we played at in each city. You can get the details at our website: www.zemerlevav.org)

As Mark pulled over I shouted “Fire! Everybody out!”

Waiting with my little harp

Natanyah blows bubbles as Mark talks with the fireman.

Setting up at “Top Dog”

“FIRE IN THE HOLD!”

We were so excited about the weekend of the 29th of February through the 2nd of March. We had just played in Fresno for the first time after having tried for a couple of years before to play there, and either our schedule or theirs, just not working out.

The second “first” of the weekend was the concert we were heading to, a coffee shop called “Top Dog” in the middle of Morro Bay. It was our first outreach concert of this tour, and we were trying to get there as early as possible to catch the “farmers market” crowd.

Several streets are closed off each Saturday as local growers sell their organically grown produce, and artists set out their artwork. It was a wonderful open door, and we were looking forward to sharing our music in this setting.

Down the mountains we wound toward the coast when there was a loud “BANG”! All of us in the back nearly jumped out of our skins! “BANG” Another sound like a gunshot! I realized then that we were backfiring, and just as that understanding dawned, a motorcyclist zipped around us, waving us over.

We all thought he was nuts careening around a motor home on a narrow 2 lane winding mountain highway. “He must be seeing something we don’t know about!” I shouted up to Mark as I made my way to the front. Just then Mark said the same thing and there was a turnout just ahead of us, so we pulled off (perfect timing I’d say!) Then I smelled the smoke!

As Mark pulled over I shouted “Fire! Everybody out!” Everyone grabbed their most precious items, and spilled out onto the gravel.

“You’re on fire!” The motorcyclist shouted. Mark grabbed our large fire extinguisher, and ran out the door. There was smoke coming out from under the motor home but he couldn’t see the flames, and he wanted to put the fire spray where it would count.

As Mark and the other guy ran around the motor home and Mark began to put out the fire, a lady who had pulled off behind us said, “You guys set fires all down the highway!” and pointed behind us.

There were two columns of smoke back the way we had come. My mouth fell open and I stood in dumb shock. As the girls began to arrange themselves on the ground around me, I pulled out my baby harp and began to play. It was all I could do at the time.

Mark got the motor home fire put out, and the fire department came and put the brush fires out. Because it was winter and had been wet, they were extinguished quickly and didn’t do much damage, Praise God!

Along came a news van and we made the news that night. Mark figured out what had happened. It was motor home old age stuff. The cruise control caused the throttle to stick wide open as we came down the mountain, too much gas was getting through and caught fire in the catalytic converter. He was able to disconnect the cruise control, and we made our way down the mountain to Morrow Bay!

I don’t remember when we prayed, but I remember praying, and we thanked God all the rest of the way. It could have been a real tragedy, but God protected us, and sent an angel on a motorcycle!

We made it to Top Dog a little later than planned, but still had a very good evening there. Many who came in to buy coffee stayed awhile to listen to the music, and got a taste of God’s word!

The motor home has sustained some damage, and we are slowly replacing burnt parts. We are now praying in earnest for a new motorhome. This one has been such a blessing, but it is starting to fall apart almost faster than Mark can put it back together, and he would rather be spending his time on our music ministry.

Open Door in Honduras!

We have been asked to participate in an outreach into Honduras in June. We would be going with a team from Calvary Chapel East in Albuquerque, NM.

We have a wonderful relationship with this Church, and feel that this trip is going to be very special. We know that there are many Sephardic Jews in Latin America, and are excited to make ourselves available and are open to whatever God may want to do through us there.

They have already established a bilingual school in the area, and have bought homes there for two families, one being the family of the administrator of the school.

I have long had a desire to go to Mexico, Central and South America, and was so excited when we were invited to go. We are in prayer about this and are leaving the 10 day slot open in our calander.

If you would like to participate by helping us fraise the finances for our airfare and support for the 10 days we are there, please mail support checks to:

A.C.T. Intl.
P.O. Box 1649
Brentwood, TN 37027

And earmark them “For Honduras”. We need to raise about 4,000.00 to go. We would leave from Florida, which will make the trip more affordable and give us an opportunity to see Shalisha and Joseph.

We are also planning on leaving Natanyah with them, and she is very excited to spend 10 days “helping” her big sister.

Answered Prayers and Prayer Requests

God is so good to us and we are so thankful for His blessings.

First of all we are so thankful for the faithful prayers of our friends and family. Those prayers make a big difference, don’t stop!

We are thankful for safety from the fire. We have seen a motor home being totally destroyed by the side of the road. If the fire had not been caught so soon, if we had not found a pullout so quickly, if we had not been flagged down, things could have ended differently! We believe that your prayers protect us from danger. Thank you!

God blessed us this trip with a fourteen channel Yamaha sound board. All we need now is a set of speakers, and we will be self sufficient sound wise. This will enable us to do more outreach! Just having the board enabled us to do the concert at Top Dog in Morro Bay.

We were also blessed with a midi keyboard. Kerah and I have been using it with the Mac. We are learning how to arrange music using “Garage Band”.

Please pray for:

Provision for the open door in Honduras.

Provision for and wisdom about our desire to return to Israel.

4 speakers (2 for monitors, 2 for P.A.) or 2 speakers and 5 sets of in ear monitors to go with our sound board.

A new motor home with enough real beds for all of us, and slide-outs so that we have some elbow room, and a good quiet generator so that we can do concerts anywhere, from our motor home!

 
Zemer Levav News
 
WEBSITE:
www.zemerlevav.org

FOR BOOKING:
316-259-7628

 
MARK OR SHIMRIT:
316-259-4106
316-259-8338

 
E-MAIL:
zemerlevav -at-
mailworks.org
 
"A Taste of Israel"

More

The Farmers Market with “Top Dog” in the background.

“Top Dog” Coffee shop in Morro Bay.

A Kerah moment.

Top Dog was my first coffee shop experience, and good golly what a ride! We really took it as an opportunity to enjoy ourselves. I think I probably had the best time out of every one though.
I was given a lot of space in the set to play my own music, most of which is very artsy, confusingly poetical, and all about life. What better place for my crazy hippy music than a California Coffee shop?! =D
It was such a relaxed atmosphere that two hours flew by with ease. It was a perfect way to unwind from the fire trauma.
The only unpleasant thing about the whole ordeal was the numbness in my lower half from sitting on a big speaker the whole time. ;)
Every one had their personal highlights. Natanyah made about 40 bucks on cuteness, diplomacy, and her hand made jewelry. We were all surprised, and slightly jealous, but thoroughly pleased to see her business instincts being used in an honest field of profit. (She used to sell sparkles to old ladies for anything she could get)
As we tore down equipment, and our adventure filled evening came to a close; we conversed with some of the locals, and the coffee shop owners, about the history of the shop, the coffee (Some of the best I’ve ever tasted) and hopes for the future. We left Top Dog with high spirits, a caffeine buzz, and an awesome open door to share. I can’t wait to go back. - Kerah

You May Not Know...

Did you know that Zemer Levav has been asked to go to thirteen different countries at different times?

Early in our ministry we received an entry in our guestbook from a man in Mexico. He said “Have you ever considered coming to Mexico? The Mexican people would love your music.”

Our next request came from India. “Would you ever come to India? I love your music!”

 

We have since had personal requests from Israel, England, Romania, Canada, New Zealand, Ghana, South Africa, Norway, Brazil, and most recently Panama, and Italy!

Of all those requests God has only opened doors (given us ministries to partner with, contacts for bookings, and then brought in the finances) for us to go to Israel, and all we lack for the Honduras trip are sufficient finances. It is exciting to consider what God may do in the future!