You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God
2 Corinthians 9:11
When you think about a project that provides children with school supplies & backpacks, one might be tempted to consider it not as impacting as an evangelism outreach, for example.
However, what we saw a few days ago during the Back to School project was an amazing example of just how far-reaching God’s love actually is. Through projects like this, geared towards helping fulfil a very specific need, when we see children’s exhilarated and excited faces, and their parents’ tears of gratitude, knowing someone cared enough to provide in such a specific and remarkable way, even beyond what they could ever imagine — only then can we actually gauge the depth and impact of projects like Back to School.
Most Ethiopian Jewish Olim struggle immensely as they first arrive in Israel, many live below the poverty line, and adapt to a new country, language and reality, all while processing the horrors of war they fled from back in Ethiopia. There are so many remarkable and heart-wrenching stories behind the faces you see in photos, there are lives, dreams and hopes of Jewish people that are still returning to their ancient homeland after 2000 years in the diaspora. If we can be a blessing to them from the smallest to the biggest of needs, isn’t that our calling as believers in Jesus? To show His love in a real and tangible way!
From a single mother that lives way below the poverty line, that barely makes ends meet and depends on people’s kindness to survive each day; to receive the incredible Back to School Kit your gift helped provide for her, she was brought to tears at the care and generosity, while she was absolutely touched by the love of God, knowing what was the driving force behind this project — God’s love manifested through the kindness of His children that generously gave to support families like hers.
Seeing those faces, hearing their humble gratitude, knowing that while many parents were able to take summer vacations with their children, there were others, like the ones we’ve been helping, who cannot afford to spend more than the bare minimum, because they need to save a little more, precisely because the end of August they always face a large expense of costly backpacks, school supplies, textbooks, etc, to provide for their children’s return to school.
Projects like these are the means, but the impact is in the humble and tearful gratitude they produce, which opens the doors of people’s hearts to God like few other things can.
For that, we rejoice and are thankful to partner with you in making this amazing difference!
Beit Hallel is a Messianic Jewish congregation in Ashdod, led by pastor Israel Pochtar, serving holocaust survivors and the poor and needy locally and throughout the nation of Israel, while building up the body of Messiah in the promised land of Israel.