What’s Happening in Israel: October 25, 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/#B0cJqstnBJ8P9SQ
October 20
From Vika
I have been spending time talking and visiting with people. I want to create a space for them to process what they are going through, a place to share their feelings, shock, fears, doubts, grief and to listen and show they are not alone. For many, they commented our conversation was the first real conversation they have had in expressing their thoughts since the beginning of the war. As well, it is important to talk about other things than the war so making a welcoming place to laugh and be real is also on my mind. I love the time of prayer with everyone and know that our time together with the Lord in prayer is so important.
From Danielle
During the Saturday when the war started, I was serving as a youth counselor at a youth camp. We had to end the camp very fast, the parents were very worried. Since then, I have spent time contacting the youth and praying for them and hearing how they are feeling. It has been very important, as I love teenagers, to spend this time talking with them.
From David
This morning, CPM Japan, in cooperation with CPM Israel, purchased 10 washing machines and 10 dryers for the Israelis evacuated from their homes near Gaza, the front line. These machines will be sent to Kibbutz Sapir, where there is a significant need.
In my update for the 8th day of the war, I mentioned that in these challenging days for our people, Victoria is providing discipleship to a young lady, and we were planning water baptism for her despite the incessant rocket attacks. Today, we successfully accomplished it; Y** was baptized in the Mediterranean Sea, her face radiating joy despite the difficult situation around her.
In the evening, we invited V***, whom I mentioned in my update for the 13th Day of War, to our home to welcome Shabbat together. We also invited some of our neighbors. It was a wonderful time when we were able to serve them and share about the love of our Lord – to strengthen them spiritually and share the good news that we have in Yeshua Hamashiach.
Please pray for Y*** that she will continue to grow and strengthen in her faith. Also, please pray for V***, that a great miracle of salvation will happen in her life, and that her eyes will be opened to see Messiah Yeshua as her Savior and King.
From Maxim
Today we cooked hot Shabbat meals for 50 people and delivered them to Ashkelon. Also, we sent 50 food packages to the needy in Ashkelon. We look forward to continuing to meet with and bless these dear people. They know we are believers and are truly amazed by the love and support. We also prepared 25 packages for the refugees and Holocaust Survivors in Jerusalem. It was a long day. Please pray for shabbat peace and rest.
October 19
From Jason
“They felt so loved and appreciated” was the feedback we heard from Maxim Katz regarding our help delivering food packages to Holocaust survivors today. Maxim asked our Ramat Gan Ministry team to help find volunteers to help prepare and deliver much needed food to holocaust survivors, most of whom are too afraid to leave home to go shopping. We had four vehicles go out for delivery. Jason and two other volunteers were able to deliver to a few apartments and they were so grateful for the aid. One even tried to pay us in cash but all of them paid us in ‘thanks’. It was heart-warming to see how many people wanted to help. We literally had too many volunteers! We are planning the next delivery and now we have no doubt there will be enough people ready to help!
After delivering food, Jason and two more volunteers collected more items from our ministry center and delivered them to a distribution point where believers are volunteering to take much-needed supplies to places of need. Some of the packages will go to those serving on the Northern borders. The partnership by believers working in unity is tremendously encouraging.
From David Trubeck
Today, Isaac Uchiyama met with the President of the Israel-Japan Chamber of Commerce, a lawyer and partner at Israel’s largest law firm, Herzog-Fox-Neeman. The managing partner of the firm also joined the meeting to thank Isaac for his work in Israel. To Isaac’s surprise, a young lady, “Tamar, “ joined the meeting after hearing all about what Isaac was doing in Israel, and she turned out to be the sister-in-law of the Rabbi of the JCC in Tokyo.
In the meeting, Isaac explained his activities and the background of running the Beit Samurai guesthouse in Tokyo, along with his lifelong affiliation with the Messianic community. He explained that the donations that were collected were from Japanese Christians and local Israeli Messianic Jews.
We decided to arrange a small gathering for some former guests of Beit Samurai. Around a dozen people came to say hi to Isaac and thank him for coming to Japan during such a difficult time. Among the guests was V*** who shared with us a type of miracle she recently encountered in relation to Isaac’s visit. I offered to pray for her so that she would continue to experience miracles in her life. I also mentioned that Isaac and I want to pray for her so that she can experience the greatest miracle in life, which is to accept Jesus as the Messiah. We agreed and promised that she would join us for Shabbat dinner tomorrow night to continue this conversation.
I was also able to connect with a number of the guests who were excited to learn about the Messianic Center in Ramat Gan, and we agreed that I would be following up with them. One of the men, G**, had received the New Testament from Isaac when he was in Japan and came very eager to talk about it with Isaac. I also exchanged phone numbers with G** and promised to introduce him to Victoria and Moti (CPM staff in Ramat-Gan Center) so that they could meet for spiritual discussions.
We continue to support the evacuee community in Central Aravah and have purchased three refrigerators and a TV, which we will take to them, along with additional supplies they are in need of.
My dear friends, please continue to pray for all our staff in Israel and for our own relatives who do not know Jesus yet. And for Julia and me so that we would be instruments in the hands of God to preach the Gospel, provide encouragement, and offer humanitarian assistance where it is most needed.
