Come, Stay, Celebrate!: The Story of the Shelter Hostel in Eilat, Israel

Make yourself available to God and He will use you in ways you can't imagine! You will be convinced of this as you read the story of John and Judy Pex and their conversions as hippies roaming the world in the 1970s to their immigration to Israel, and how the door opened for them to start a hostel near the Red Sea. In the volatile and highly-charged atmosphere of the Middle East, the Shelter is a point of reconciliation between believers and non-believers, Jews and non-Jews, Israelis and Arabs, all staying together under one roof. For people from over ninety countries the Shelter Hostel has provided a beacon of light and a welcoming home for thirty years, as the Pexes use their gifts of hospitality and evangelism. Enjoy these touching and humorous stories that reveal how the Lord uses ordinary people to participate in His extraordinary work.

The book follows the various people groups who have come to the hostel during the past thirty years: backpackers, African pilgrims, Arabs from surrounding areas, Russian immigrants, Chinese and Romanian construction workers, Israel Trail hikers, and Sudanese refugees - told through touching and humorous stories.

A well-known landmark in Eilat on the Red Sea, the Shelter has gone through many transformations, but the focus and goal remain the same: to share God's love by ministering to the body, soul, and spirit of the guests. More than just a hostel, the Shelter is a drop-in and rehab center, youth club, immigrant absorption home, and vibrant community.