ENHANCE - 1st Quarter 2024

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Emergency relief CFI Jerusalem Projects Emergency Relief By Galya Hall, Jerusalem CFI Jeruslam team members have continued making regular visits to hotels in the Dead Sea area where displaced civilians from the south of Israel are living. There are currently more than 300,000 displaced Israeli civilians across the country and for many of them they still do not know when they can return home. The idea of returning home is terrifying after what took place on 7 th October. There is a long road of healing ahead for these people and we at CFI Jerusalem are committed to walking the path with them, one step at a time. We continue to deliver much needed supplies including hygiene products, toiletries, baby items and toys for the children and also continue to offer free haircuts and nail treatments which has proven to be very popular. Most importantly though we are there to be listening ears and vessels of comfort and hope, and it is our great honour to do so. It has been especially precious seeing how the relationships with some of the children at the hotels has developed over time. At the beginning one particular girl was quite curious and perhaps a bit suspicious about who we were. She didn’t say much and kept to herself whilst having her nails painted. However it did not take long for her to sense our genuine love and friendship and when we arrive at her hotel now she runs to our car and straight into our arms for a big hug. We have also had the opportunity to connect with the Regional Council of Kiryat Shmona. This, the largest town on Israel’s northern border, was one of the last to be evacuated on the 20 th October and there are currently more than 20,000 people from the area who are displaced and living in hotels across the whole of Israel. We are in the process of helping to supply computer tablets to elementary school children who are now based in a hotel in Ra’anana, a city in the southern Sharon Plain of the Central District of Israel, needing to continue their schooling via Zoom. We are also providing school supplies to young children from Kiryat Shmona who are living in hotels in Jerusalem. Thank you to all our supporters and donors for your ongoing prayers and financial support that enables us to do what we do and represent your heart and share your love with the people of Israel during these difficult days. 6 ENHANCE •1 st Quarter 2024
The wilderness and the dry land shall be gladdened; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. (Isaiah 35:1) Forsake Them Not “It is too much; it’s just way too much to bear. It is impossible to bear again.” We hear these words as soon as we enter the homes of our precious Holocaust survivors. It is hard to believe it had been almost two months since the war in Israel flared up again. There are so many needs around us – physical, emotional, spiritual. My words are failing to express it all. We are staying busy, very busy, visiting, comforting, calling, shopping, cooking and delivering. We made 90 visits and listened to 90 hearts. All of them wanted and needed to be listened to. All of them needed to be heard. We heard about miraculous escapes from massacre in Ofakim, when terrorists were killing people, entering every apartment on the ground floor. Shmuel and Dina managed to run upstairs and hid at their neighbours home, while hearing all windows in their own apartment being smashed. We heard Yosef’s and Gili’s survival story, when their apartment was hit by a rocket and destroyed seconds after they ran out of the door to the staircase. They managed to grab the suitcase that was ready for their upcoming trip to the Dead Sea. They could not go back to the apartment, but they had documents and clothes for first few weeks. They are now renting another apartment and dream to go back to their own home. We heard from a precious friend in Ashkelon, who was afraid to leave the Mamad (safety room) to go to the restroom or to grab some food in the kitchen, because rockets were falling non-stop. Sadly, it was indeed too much for one precious heart that could not take anymore. After fighting for life for over two weeks, that precious heart stopped beating. Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence. If I say, “My foot slips,” your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, your comforts delight my soul. (Psalm 94:17-19) We heard from Liza, who had been displaced from her apartment to the elderly people’s home in Jerusalem, together with her 24-hour caregiver. They only had 10 minutes to take what they needed and under the accompaniment of fallen rockets, left their cosy home. There are a lot of tears these days. We all cry together. We all are heartbroken together. All our friends appreciate that we didn’t leave, we didn’t leave them at such a time. We are needed more than ever before. Through all these crazy times, we can truly testify of the mercy and goodness of God. We experience his strength when ours is failing. We are so very grateful we can bring comfort and speak of eternal hope and promises of God for his covenant people. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support for Israel and for us. We feel them and greatly need them. Thank you for carrying us through this difficult time. We know we are not alone. Israel is not alone. But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31) x.com/cfi_uk facebook.com/cfiuk youtube.com/cfiuk 1 st Quarter 2024 • ENHANCE 7
Page 1 and 2: 1 st Quarter 2024 • No 218 Christ
Page 3 and 4: CFI UK update New chairman for CFI
Page 5: Prayer report Prayer rally Whitehal
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ENHANCE - 1st Quarter 2024

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