I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
Revelation 3:8
Jerusalem is often referred to as the city of the Great King, and it is the very place to which Yeshua (Jesus) will return when He comes again. God’s eye has always been on the city which is so steeped in Biblical and prophetic history, and which the devil has ever tried to destroy through various invading armies. However, Jerusalem is once again back in the hands of the Jewish people, and God’s prophetic end-time plans continue unimpeded by the devil’s strategies.
When the Lord gave us a vision and opened a door for us in this strategic city, we grabbed the opportunity with both hands and established our Jerusalem outreach. There have been so many challenges in gaining a foothold in Jerusalem, but now by the grace of God, it has finally happened. Once a week our team goes to Jerusalem, and gathers at the venue that we are renting, to provide humanitarian aid to those in need, predominantly new Jewish immigrants and Ukrainian refugees.
We meet so many lovely people there – people in great need practically, but also spiritually.
So often it happens that the people whom we aid with humanitarian aid, like food baskets, would ask us why we do what we do, and why we pour out so much love upon them. It is then our privilege to share the love of God that dwells in our hearts and to tell of our eternal hope and salvation in Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel.
We would then offer to pray with these dear ones, and we have yet to meet someone who has refused our offer of prayer. People are in dire need of God, and a hunger for hope and meaning is written across the faces of the people we aid. The new Jewish immigrants and Ukrainian refugees we meet are also desperate for bonds of friendship and genuine compassion, and that is what they receive from us at our outreaches. We embrace them with the love of God and allow them to soak in His holy presence that permeates our weekly meetings.
Nadia is one such lady whom we had the privilege of meeting at our outreach last week.
Nadia made aliyah nearly 10 years ago from Ukraine, all by herself, and life in Israel has been a struggle for her ever since. The challenges facing new immigrants in Israel are many, chief among them being the Hebrew language, adapting to an Israeli mentality and culture that is so different from the rest of the world, and surviving under the high cost of living.
After we had provided Nadia with a large food basket, our team sat down with her to listen to her stories and struggles. As she talked, the tears just flowed. She expressed her deep gratitude that we were helping her practically, but more than that, she was thankful that we were taking the time to acknowledge her as someone who has worth and who deserves to be heard.
Nadia asked us at some point why we were doing what we’re doing? She was simply not used to someone reaching out a helping hand to her without expecting anything in return. We explained to her that God loves her, and that we love her, and that we needed her to know and experience that. We told her that God has a plan for her life, and that He sent His son, Yeshua, the Messiah of Israel, to die for the sins of mankind and to grant us everlasting life.
As she heard us speak these words, and testify to the love of God, her face lit up and sadness was replaced with hope. Nadia expressed her desire to get to know God better, and that she knew He existed, but that she wasn’t sure how you even approach Him, let alone have a relationship with Him. We shared more about the Gospel message with her, as she requested, and afterwards we prayed for her again. We promised to stay in touch by telephone and to also meet up weekly at our outreaches.
God has begun something in Nadia’s life, and we are humbled to be used by God to be there for people like her as they start their journey of discovery with the Father. We will keep praying and encouraging Nadia in the Lord, and we ask that you join us in prayer as we serve as the Lord’s hands and feet to the people in Jerusalem. In faith we declare the words of the apostle Paul – “And so all Israel will be saved…”
