A lot has been said about the ongoing war in Israel. While the world’s focus is on the terrible humanitarian crisis in Gaza, little is said about the humanitarian crisis in Israel.
A country as small as Wales, or the state of New Jersey has been forced to uproot and evacuate over 100,000 Israelis from their homes because they reside in what is now a new war zone.
For Israel the phrase: “When it rains, it pours” has never been truer. The challenges our nation has to face usually come accompanied by additional ones as a result.
While at war in Gaza against Hamas, Hezbollah opened another one up north by incessantly shelling and targeting our northern towns and communities, forcing over 80,000 residents of northern Israel to evacuate until further notice.
That is just the reality of life in Israel. It’s not easy, even during simpler times. It is twice as challenging now, in times of war and crisis.
Many of the evacuated Israeli residents are currently housed in hotels, and while it may seem like something “fun”, I assure you it is far from it.
When you are forced to leave your home and everything in it, not knowing when or if you’ll be able to go back, especially families with children whose lives were uprooted, their education halted, their routine disrupted, their jobs gone, housed in a hotel for over three months, in utter uncertainty, with as little as the small bag of clothes they were able to take with them when they were removed from their homes — it most definitely does not feel like a vacation.
There’s a reason why God repeated Himself in Isaiah 40:1, saying: “Comfort, comfort My people!”
Usually in the Bible whenever God said something twice, it was a way to emphasize the grave importance of what was said.
The calling to comfort His people is a serious one. So much so that the Lord said it twice, so we don’t make any mistakes about how passionate He is about entrusting us with the task to comfort, COMFORT His people.
That is precisely what we came to do when we went down to the Dead Sea area, where a lot of displaced and evacuated families are currently lodging.
The idea was to bring them comfort from the Lord by supplying their immediate needs with all sorts of basic items and goods.
We’ve been so blessed to be able to go to these people, meet the different families, and their children, hear their stories, put a face to their testimony, share in their grief and pain, but also encourage them, bless them and bring them an important message: “You are not alone!”
Sharing with them that even in this most difficult time, there are amazing Christians around the world who are still standing with Israel, praying with their feet planted firmly in their support for God’s nation, no matter what — that was so touching and transformative for many Israelis that have received help.
God promised to fight for Israel and protect His people, to turn darkness into light, and He has made you a part of that!
We’re beyond grateful for everything YOU do to help and enable us to do the work that we do.
We couldn’t do it without you, and your immense part in truly comforting, COMFORTING His people.
