Israel - Preproduction
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Day 3
Thursday 26th February 2009 10:15 AM
Israel Album Preproduction ....
Well, today is my last day in Israel. We will travel to Jerusalem to meet with the recording engineer, check out the conference centre and meet a few Israeli musicians. As we drive we continue to ascent and I am reminded of the 'Ascending Psalms' that David wrote as the Jews made their annual trip to Jerusalem 'Feast of Tabernacle'
As we drive I am just passing the Amides Road where Jesus revealed himself to the two men he was walking with.
All the houses are built on the mountains - I am told the reason for this is because the country is so small and they want to leave land for agriculture!
As we drive through the main tunnel we now enter the outskirts of Jerusalem, I am taken back by the reality that I am actually in the 'Holy Land'. How lovely is your dwelling place...'
We arrive at the Regency Hotel - a beautiful five star hotel and the Manager has placed me in a VIP room right opposite the temple. This almost too much for me! As I look over the old city I can hardly wait to take a look at some sites before I start my first meeting.
The first meeting is with the Sound engineer and the Sound System provider - Veikko and Joel. They are both part of the 'King of Kings Church - a well known church in Israel! All the gear is now booked for the conference and the recording in May.
We have a few minutes free, so I manage to squeeze in a quick stop to the 'Garden of 
Gethsemane' where I also got to see the oldest tree in Israel. Right next door to the garden is a Catholic church. Francy takes me in and I simply sat for a while - though it felt like time just stood still. After praying for a while, I move forward to the altar where they have placed the original rock that Jesus prayed against. I look around and realise that there are just a few nuns in the church - apparently, the church was closed and I was one of the few people still inside - what an awesome experience.
The next meeting was with an Arab musicians whom I will use on the recording. As I walked into the Hotel we met at, he introduced me to a Palestinian pastor who swiftly invites me to his church for the Sunday (if only I was spending another few days in Jerusalem). As we draw the meeting to an end, having discussed all the technical 'stuff' about how we will record. Right there in the hotel we all begin to pray to together (Palestinian, Arab, Chinese Christians from LA and me 
Afro-Caribbean from the UK). This really is the nations coming together and Israel seems to be the central meeting place!
Finally, I head back to the hotel for a final meeting & dinner with Paul & Francy. What an incredible two days, I feel as though I have been in Israel for a whole week! However, it is now time to go home and start working on the album!
Shalom
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Day 2
Wednesday 25th February 2009 5:01 PM
I awoke to the 'roaring of tigers' and forgot that the last night, we were informed that the guesthouse is next door to a Zoo! The tiger sounds like it's in agony - a very unusual roar.
Today we were met by David & Karen Davis - our host. They immediately took us to the port of Haifa whe
re you can see boats with missiles protecting the region. As we look at the beautiful scene David gave us a history lessons - which is very fascinating - explaining the British involvement in the 'shaping' of this district. Very fascinating indeed - I will not even attempt to divulge the details. I felt as though I was sitting in a History classroom all day - though his explanation only took about 15 minutes - David has that ability to squeeze loads of information into just a few minutes.
After leaving the port, we arrived at David & Karen's house to begin our meeting - talking through songs, Karen's involvement in the project and just getting to know this awesome couple. Now, interestingly I worked on one of Karen's album, even though I had never met her. I should also mentioned, through divine appointment, we were able to have David and Karen at our local church (City Gates) with literally a few weeks planning. This was the same for Pastor Paul & Francy. Both Vel and I felt it was important for them to visit our church. Well, 'the half has not been told'! All I can say is that we really do believe in 'Divine appointments and linking'.
As we started talking you could sense something unusual was about to take place (well, I felt this even before I left the Uk for Israel). As we started worshipping, I just heard, read Isaiah 43 (to be honest, I did not know what was in this chapter). As I started reading, Pastor David said he had just received the same scripture.
I then asked the team if I could play them an 'Egyptian Lament' I had written for the church in Egypt - this piece of music was composed out of a very difficult situation, with the death of the senior minister two years ago. We paused for a while as I did not know why I felt prompted to play this piece.
We then went into an awesome time of worship and intercession. Once again, I felt the prompting, so I made a skype call and connected to the office at City Gates so they could be a part of what was about to take place....
Well, the next hour and a half was all captured on MP3 - far too much to even start writing about. All I can say is that we had a visitation of the presence of God!
After, this time of discussion, worship and intercession we went for lunch at the refugee centre - another part of David & Karen's ministry - right opposite their beautiful church - built on the top of Mt Carmel. (By the way, I did not mention that David & Karen were sent out by Time Square Church - David Wilkinson and have been working in Israel for 19 years).
During lunch the administrator asked where I was from and how did meet Pastor Paul & Francy, we all bursts into laughter
as this seems to be a reoccurring question - there is always a reminder at the front of our mind on how God has connected us all together in an incredible way. I then started talking about my regular trips to Egypt with Graham Kendrick. At this moment, Karen mentioned that I had written an Egyptian piece for a Pastor who had died. The administrator for the refugee camp immediately stood up with tears in her eyes and she informed us that she needed to go and get two refugees out of the kitchen.This is another piece to the 'jigsaw puzzle' fell into place right in front of us. She told us that this couple were standing over the Pastor after he had fell and that many were filled with a 'huge sadness' with 'how he had died....'
I now know why I initially started singing this melody to Graham and few others in Singapore when we first heard the tragic news of Pastor Dave's death and why there was a great sadness yet a 'ray of hope' that much more is to come from the life he lived on this earth. God ALWAYS has a bigger plan!
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Day 1
Tuesday 24th February 2009 10:05 AM
Well, the first trip to Israel has arrived so soon! I have only just returned from Egypt with Graham Kendrick, literally only spending one night in the country!
Again, favour surrounds us, I was upgraded to a 'real nice seat' on the plane.
Well, arriving in Israel, after just been asked a few questions, I cleared customs and was met by Pastor Paul & Francy, my friends from LA, who I will spend the next few days meeting with significant people. (By the way, I am here holding meetings in preparation to record a live Chinese album). I still think God has a wonderful sense of humour. We drove for an hour an a half to Haifa, a city in Israel.
Well, we arrived at one of the guest house belonging to the fellowship that David & Karen Davis pastor. By the way, they have built a beautiful church on Mt Carmel (I cannot wait to see this!). I cannot wait to see Israel in the morning as it is night time - must get some sleep.
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