Day 6

Monday we served at the soup kitchen in Netanya. Michelle and Matt shopped at the grocery for all of the ingredients - labels in Hebrew. I was impressed with their 1 hour trip! Linda and I stayed to start setting up tables, chairs, etc and found we also had an appointed time of praying for Brian, his family and the ministry. It was a privilege for him to share so transparently about the prayer needs. We prepared food that truly could have fed 100 people easily and about 20 showed up. We also helped set out kitchen items and clothing they could take from. Please pray that the Lord will help Brian to release his volunteers into their giftings. We believe there is fruit there that will multiply out when this happens.

Today Matt and Michelle took much needed down time. Linda and I started the day walking the ramparts around a portion of the current old city. You can't really walk the entire perimeter, but we walked at least half of it, praying over the city. A standout verse from Isaiah " there will be no more destruction in your borders....your walls will be called salvation and your gates praise". 

Then we headed to meet Lisa Miara with Springs of Hope a ministry to victims of terrorism. We learned about her ministry and what the Lord is doing, but more importantly we were called to minister to her. She shared that just a few days ago she cried out to the Lord for support/encouragement and here we were. We prayed for her and the Lord had some clear words for her. She said we were like a breath of fresh air. Several have likened our presence to fresh water or fresh air - It is the Living Water and Ruach Ha kadosh breath of God moving through us. We are so grateful. Please pray for Lisa to have intercessors and helpers come alongside her to help her birth out what the Lord has called her to.

We then scurried off to meet with a gentleman we met at Shabbat dinner who runs a ministry here training others how to pray for inner healing. He took us to a treasure of a museum - Ariel First Temple Museum. Then we went to a local ministry house where those who are rehabilitating from drug abuse run a "boarding house" of sorts - possibility for future trips. And Steve shared a little more about his ministry. He is so supportive of our being her and connecting with the people and the land that he offered to help connect us with others in any way possible. Please pray for encouragement for the inner healing ministry going on here.

Then we met Michelle, Matt and the Otts for dinner. John and Tikvah Ott are a couple who runs the Jerusalem Prayer Tower. They are beautiful people - a walking testimony of God's goodness to His people. Please pray for their provision and that they would be blessed for all they pour out for others.

We have see over and over that God has called us to comfort His people, but not necessarily in ways we expected. We have been called to minister to those who are here ministering. Some themes are emerging - lack of community, lack of help and in some case empowerment of people to come alongside and help, provision (they all raise their own funds), none of them have personal intercessors, ministries are not easily connected here in order to provide support to each other. Yet, interestingly most folks we have met actually know each other - truly amazing. Please pray for these things for all who are here in the land ministering. It is like an underground network that is disconnected and folks really inquire about our intent so they can determine whether to trust - we have heard a few times this is "normal" here. We are praying for unity in the body of Christ here in Jerusalem and throughout Israel.

May the Lord bless and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His peace.