From the Frontlines:
Helping the Israel Defense Force Soldiers
October 18, 2023
Urgent Response During Cold Weather!
The local officer in the northern border of Israel called with an urgent need for supplies to endure the cold weather up in the mountains. Soldiers must endure cold temperatures as they keep watch—and rest—outdoors, so our team responded to the need as quickly as possible. ”Long underwear, gloves, etc.—we are cold!” was the message from the unit.
Procuring these supplies is no simple task since the country’s supply lines are chaotic. However, we were able to supply warm clothing for 200 people. Praise God, these supplies are already being delivered by our Tel Aviv and Jerusalem staff to the bases with believers on them, so believing soldiers can tell others where the packages came from and why they were sent!
If there are no changes, soon we will also distribute food to Holocaust survivors in a suburb of Tel Aviv and our local community will come out to help with that as well.
A Call to Serve Every Person We Can
Yesterday, we delivered food packages to older people from Sderot who are being evacuated. We also went to the city of Ofakim, which was one of the cities that got hit the hardest. Six Holocaust survivors we know and served in the past were murdered in cold blood and in horrific ways.
While there is still a constant sense of fear for some people, we were able to deliver packages to people who are concerned to leave their homes. The trauma of what they saw happen before their eyes and some shelling keeps them indoors.
Jerusalem is empty; people are scared to open their doors and so we receive many calls and messages of gratitude!
A Timely Gift
Today is the twelfth day of the war.
We spent the day serving soldiers and special police units in Judea and Samaria. This is our first visit to this area of Israel during the war. Some soldiers had a request for watches and we were able to purchase fifty Casio G-Shock watches for them. They were genuinely delighted to see us as we delivered the timely gifts.
We had a great time discussing prophecy with them. We talked about Jesus, and told them many believers in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, love and support the Israeli people around the world.
These are challenging days for the people of Israel, but there is a strong sense of unity, openness, and a desire to understand one another. Please pray many of the soldiers we met today will eventually come to CPM’s ministry center near Tel Aviv. Pray the seeds we sowed today will bear fruit of salvation in Jesus.
Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Needs
The terrorist attacks by Hamas have heavily affected one of our congregations. The grandson of one of the leaders of the Holocaust survivors’ club we partner with was wounded at the desert party where 260 people were killed, some of them were his close friends. We are mourning with him as several funerals happened yesterday.
We also have people in our congregation dealing with depression and anxiety but thankfully, other trained people in our community are stepping up to help. Blessed be the Lord (Baruch Hashem).
We are thankful to have the opportunity to buy 150 warm jackets for our soldiers on the Syrian border, we are hoping to deliver them soon.
Letting Your Light Shine
I spoke with Leah*, a new Jewish believer who I have been mentoring since the Spring. She has gone down South to be near her family and help at the local shelter, a youth hostel run by believers. Her sister’s husband is currently serving in a reserve unit, and so her sister decided to come with Leah to the shelter with her small children. She asked for prayer and the local believers were happy to step in! Leah’s sister said she is so encouraged by her sister’s faith during this time, it gives her strength.
Please continue to pray for the believers here in the Holy Land to shine with the love and peace that comes through knowing Messiah Yeshua, that many will turn to Him.
Serving and Ministering in the South
Yesterday, on the 10th day of the war, we arrived with humanitarian aid in Moshav Sapir, which is located about 130 kilometers north of Eilat (the most southern tip of Israel). The government transported 2,500 people from areas bordering Gaza to this small settlement. We discovered they had a significant need for basic necessities and so we are helping with those needs as much as we can.
In addition to the physical work, we engaged with people who had been on the front lines and offered them support. Some of them asked for prayers (they all knew we were Messianic believers). We are very thankful for this opportunity!
One of the stories we heard was recounted by Tal* and her two sons. They are from the city of Sderot, which was affected by the attacks from Hamas. Tal showed me a video of terrorists heading toward her house. She said she had never been able to fathom the horrors of the Holocaust until she witnessed firsthand what occurred in her own neighborhood. Tal expressed feeling like Anne Frank (German diarist during WWII) as she hid in her home for hours, praying they would not be discovered and harmed. Her eldest son, who is nine years old, experienced such trauma he stopped talking. Her eyes welled with tears when I informed her many Christians worldwide are praying for and supporting Israel and Jewish people.
Please keep Tal 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.
*Name changed
