Ministry Updates from Israel – October 17th

October 17th, 2023

UPDATES from Israel

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/#B0c5fEtEvJPVhL

From Sergei

• The grandson of the head of a Holocaust Survivors’ club we partner with has been wounded.  He was at the desert rave party with friends. His friends were killed and yesterday were the funerals. We are mourning with him
• Our congregation bought 150 warm jackets for our soldiers on the Syrian border. We’ll take them there today or tomorrow.
• Some of the people in our congregation are scared. One of the congregants struggles with depression even in peacetime, but now it’s very difficult for her. But others are supporting her. One of our congregants has completed psychological counseling courses and is supporting her. Baruch Hashem.
• A friend of mine from the Messianic community in California was invited to an American (English speaking) Christian church to pray for Israel. He was shocked that Christians support the Arabs, blame the Jews for what is happening, believe that the problem is that the Jews captured Palestine and see the path to peace for the Jews to be to return their land to the Palestinians. He wrote to me that many American Christians think this way.  It is very sad and we need to pray and speak up.

From Janice

I spoke with ****, a fairly new Jewish believer, who grew up near Eilat.  I have been mentoring/discipling since the Spring. 

She’s gone down to the South to be near her family and help at the Shelter, a Youth Hostel in Eilat run by believers. Her sister’s husband is serving in a reserve unit currently. Her sister decided to come with her to the Shelter with her small children and asked for and received prayer from the believers there. Her sister said that she is so encouraged by ****’s faith during this time, it gives her strength.

Please continue to pray for the believers here in the Land to shine with the love and peace that comes through knowing Messiah Yeshua, that many will turn to Him.

From David T.

Yesterday, on the 10th day of the war, we arrived in Moshav Sapir, located about 130 km north of Eilat, with humanitarian aid. The state transported 2,500 people from areas bordering Gaza to this small settlement. We discovered that they had a significant need for basic necessities. Additionally, we realized they required extra hands to assist. Since we arrived quite late, and the road back to Ramat Gan was under fire, we decided to stay in the area until the next day (the 11th day of the war) and continue providing assistance in any way possible early in the morning. In addition to the physical work, we engaged with people who had been on the front lines, offering support. Some of them asked for prayers (they all knew that we were Messianic believers).

One of the stories we heard was recounted by Moran and her two sons. They are from the city of Sderot, which was affected by the actions from Hamas. Moran showed me a video of terrorists heading toward her house. She said that she still couldn’t fathom the horrors because she witnessed firsthand what occurred in her own neighborhood. Moran expressed feeling like Anne Frank as she hid in her home for hours, praying they wouldn’t be discovered and harmed. Her eldest son, who is 9 years old, experienced such trauma that he stopped talking. Her eyes welled with tears when I informed her that many Christians worldwide are praying for and supporting Israel and the Jewish people.

Please keep Moran and her children in your prayers for spiritual healing and salvation. Upon our return home, Tel Aviv was under heavy fire from Hamas. Continue to pray for us, so we can at least get some rest tonight and be prepared for a new day of service tomorrow.