Benevolence Ministries in Israel
Arik and Mona P. – Ministry to Single Mothers
By Myer K.
Arik and Mona P. work in Israel, in a ministry that they call “A Sign and a Wonder.” It is a discipleship ministry focused on single mothers, with the goal of counseling, discipleship and helping to restore their sense of self-respect and confidence in the Lord. The emphasis of the ministry is on healing, lifestyle and mindset changes that flow from the inside out. The counseling involves both teaching and application that takes the women through lessons and encounters with the Lord based on the model of the Tabernacle. At the various stages of their journey, they go from the Gate to the Outer Court to the Menorah to the Table of Showbread and finally to the Holy of Holies. Each encounter brings them closer and closer to the main issues in their lives and to the heavenly answers to their problems. God’s Word is the emphasis of the teaching and study.
They do their ministry in a workshop format, with further application in small group sessions. Arik and Mona also teach local congregations how to be involved in the lives of their members who are single mothers. They work with a team of five other people who meet weekly to plan and pray for each of the women individually. Arik, a trained financial counselor, also helps these women with training in finances and budgeting, and the ministry is now slowly expanding into help with minor household repairs, supplies of food and other basic needs.
Arik and Mona help women like Naomi (name changed), who came as a non-believer to one of the workshops, opened her heart to Yeshua, and is now attending a local congregation and growing in her walk with the Lord.
Please pray for these women, as the attacks of the evil one are harsh. And please pray that many Israeli Messianic congregations will catch the vision and become involved in and support this vital work of the Lord in Israel
Interview with Brian S. – Chosen People Ministries Israel
1. Tell us about your ministry – what do you do? What is the population you are reaching, and why? How is their response?
The ministry I do is really multi-faceted. The population we are reaching is very poor and needy. A high percentage are Russian immigrants, but many are native Israelis, and there are also some Arabs and Sudanese refugees mixed in. All those coming to us are needy in one way or another – physically and spiritually. Their response is typically positive, and they are very grateful for everything they receive, especially at the soup kitchens.
We are feeding over 300 needy people, managing over 20 volunteers, helping to establish a shelter for elderly homeless men in Tel Aviv, establishing a new Bible-based drug/alcohol rehabilitation center in Netanya, managing two humanitarian aid centers/soup kitchens as well as a free medical clinic in Tel Aviv and Netanya, and supplying two drug rehabilitation centers with food (one in Haifa and one in Jaffa).
In addition, we are currently looking to expand the humanitarian aid center in Netanya to an additional, more centralized location in the city, and train an ex-Muslim Arab Christian to help us serve the Jewish people in the soup kitchen. We usually give them food to take home as well.
2. Can you tell us about someone whose life was impacted by this ministry?
Recently, in the free medical clinic that I manage and where I help in Tel Aviv, a young native-born Israeli came in for a consultation on skin problems on her legs. I treated her with some ointment and gave her a tube and instructions to take for the road. She began to speak about her hopelessness. After explaining to her about the hope I have found in the Jewish Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), and how He has changed my life, I offered to pray for her and her difficulties. She ended up giving her life to Yeshua and receiving Him as her Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord! I have nicknamed this clinic the “healing room,” where true healing comes through Yeshua, the Greatest Physician, who is always on call.
It should be absolutely clear that we do not exchange medical help or food for spiritual activities. A person can take full advantage of what we offer without spending time with us in Bible study. We want our gift of aid to be unconditional! However, the natural response of so many is to want to know why we do what we do and where our motivation for caring comes from.
3. How can we pray for this ministry?
Please pray for workers. The harvest truly is ripe, but the laborers are few. Usually, I carry the burden of managing this soup kitchen and free medical clinic with only a few helpers. Please pray that we will have the resources that will enable us to expand to other areas as well.
Please pray for the safe and swift return of one of my volunteer nurse helpers, Rachel, who is temporarily out of the country. She is an essential part of our team as she uses her skills in foot care for the many homeless people who walk around barefoot all day. Pray also for my Israeli wife and three children, for God’s protection around them always.
Finally, please pray for Messianic believers to come forward and volunteer their musical talents in playing worship music in our two soup kitchens. The worship music has really ministered to the people when we have had it, as they enjoy eating a home-cooked meal in a coffeehouse-style atmosphere.
4. Is there anything else you would like to share?
I would love to take this opportunity to thank all those who are praying and sowing into this ministry to “the least of these.” I also want to give a special invitation to anyone who may feel led to volunteer in Israel for any amount of time or even make a stop with your tour group for a few hours to help with any of the above projects serving the needy of Israel. Believe me – you will be blessed in return! Please contact Chosen People Ministries if you would like to come and help.