Latest from Israel: November 8-10, 2023
November 8-10, 2023
Here are some ministry updates directly from Staff on the Ground. Not all the staff have time to send in their updates, so please pray for the amazing unspoken ministry as well. Please keep the staff in prayer as they are serving with all their abilities and strength. Please pray for their safety and wholeness.
Photos and Videos:
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0cGAfJVYGgQXIX
From Robynne:
Recently I checked in on my friend Leah* as she has been home alone for a month now. Her son, currently in the army, was sent to serve in the South. Her daughter is in a pre-army program in the South volunteering with her group on the Egyptian border. The South is under constant rocket fire from Hamas. Her husband, Avi,* is out of the age range of reserve duty, but has not stopped serving. He was called up the moment the government called up vast numbers of reservists. Leah was told he would enter Gaza and she should not expect contact for one month. Many on his base are younger reservists, fathers with small children at home. They are concerned that they won’t return home to raise them. Avi’s years of experience allow him to speak words of strength and hope to them. The reality of war and its impact on all of our families and society is harrowing. Let’s pray for Leah and her family and many others who are anxious and worried for their loved ones. Praise God, Leah and her family believe in Jesus, who gives strength during these difficult days.
*Name changed
From Sergei Brosov:
I was recently in Tel Aviv to buy my military uniform but the credit card didn’t work. The older manager said, ‘We can finish the transaction at my house. You look hungry, come and get some food.” On the way to his house, I explained to him that I served in the IDF, live in Chicago now and came here to help and serve any way I can. In reality, I was very hungry since I had delivered 60 parcels of food to Haifa that day! I was skeptical at first but when he put two plates on the table, I saw we weren’t just grabbing a sandwich, but he wanted to sit and eat together. I realized he was alone and desperate for company. He said, “Sit and eat with me. You are working for our country, for our soldiers and you need to eat!” We spent the next 40 minutes just talking about the war and the people of Israel and where do we get hope from. I explained I receive my hope from the Scriptures and that there will always be wars until the Messiah returns. He asked me to explain, and we continued to talk about the Messiah Jesus. At the end, we laughed and said our goodbyes. I pray that he will meet others like me who can share with him. Please pray for him and the words he heard; he has much to ponder.
From Randall:
We recently delivered special hot meals to a base along the Gaza border. The soldiers were returning from a mission in Gaza and were so happy to receive home-cooked food. We were able to pray with them and encourage them. Also, this week, X and I delivered parcels of food to the elderly and Holocaust survivors in a town near Tel Aviv. We were assigned 17 homes to bring parcels to! Upon knocking on the doors, the dear people were very sweet and very thankful for the love, care and attention we gave to them. We were told that many of the elderly might not open their doors because they are afraid – it was true – but with Luda’s Russian and my giant smile 😉, they did open their doors to us, and we blessed them with the food and prayed for them. Many have not left their homes out of fear. We pray for peace and comfort for them.
From Maxim:
A lot has happened in a few days, and it’s hard to describe everything. But I will try to tell you about the main things:
There are 17 people living for a month in our Jerusalem Messianic Center. They are from the South and fled the constant rockets on their homes and communities. There are three generations of people from five families: grandmothers, parents and children – six adults, and 11 children from 3 to 15 years old. Interestingly, two families are believers and two are not. The believing fathers stayed at home to serve their community, one is a pastor and one is a soldier in Gaza. There is also an older brother who has been called to duty, fighting in Gaza. We pray for their safety.
Of course, it’s a tough time for them; every family has its problems. They haven’t worked for a month, but they still have bills to pay, and I’m very grateful to the Lord for the fact that we have the opportunity to help them. X, X, and I are doing everything possible to help them. On Monday, we organized a fun day for the children, took them to the pool, and treated them with pizza. Yesterday I took everyone to the cinema to see the movie Paw Patrol. The adults all gather for Bible classes, and we see how the Lord is working in the hearts of our unbelieving guests. We spend a couple of hours discussing spiritual things every day, and they ask many questions. In general, this is a very blessed time for all of us. I am thrilled that we are in their lives right now and I am praying for their salvation. Please pray for them.
We continue to personally help the units of soldiers we have a relationship with. In particular, the children who have grown up in our camps are now soldiers and we want to encourage and bless them. We talk and pray, when possible. In a few days we will send much needed supplies to such a unit! We also delivered more than 100 servings of hot food to the soldiers, who thanked us very much. When they are on the field, they eat canned rations, etc., and when they get back to their base, there is nothing like warm, home cooked food. (Base kitchen food is often very oily)
Many Holocaust survivors from the cities of the South still cannot return home and now live in hotels throughout Israel. We keep in touch with them, go visit in their homes, hold meetings, help everyone in need. At this time, many Holocaust survivors turn to us with prayer requests. Many have children and grandchildren in the IDF who are fighting at the front and believe our prayers will help them. Last week, many in the hotels fell ill with COVID-19. Please pray for X and X, who are really suffering from the virus!
We continue to help those in need with food packages, and with the help of our team, especially X, X, and many volunteers, this week, we were able to help more than 200 families from different cities, which is a great joy. In Jerusalem, we also prepare hot food and deliver it to the South to those who need it. Since we are cooking food for 70-80 families, I bought a new blender and food processor to make the process easier, significantly facilitating our work. Pray that those who receive food and groceries, besides the practical help, will also be able to see the spiritual fulfilling – the love and mercy of the Living God!
Prayer Requests:
Please pray for the many families who have empty seats at their Shabbat tables tonight – for those who are injured and recovering in hospitals, for soldiers stationed across the country, for the families whose family members have been taken hostage and for those who have been killed. Pray for comfort for everyone.
Please pray for those who are unable to work, that they wouldn’t feel anxiety over the mounting bills. Or that provision would be found to pay mounting bills.
Please pray for the soldiers who are guarding the nation of Israel.
Please pray for the release of the hostages in Gaza and that they would feel the Father’s hand on them.
