Shavei Tzyon | Return to Zion Congregation
Haifa, Israel
Shalom Friends,
The Eagle Project was established in 2014 to minister to young Israelis who have completed their years of compulsory service in the IDF. It was inspired by the following verses:
“But they who wait for 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)
“I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 2:14)
The goals of the project are renewal, rest, discipleship, ministry and unity. We seek to achieve these goals through close relationships with Christian friends and partners from Norway and now the USA as well.
Every year we see great fruit from this life-changing experience. God uses this month long program as a catalyst, drawing the participants back to Him and strengthening the Kingdom through them.
This year the project was extra special. All of you know that Israel faced a cruel reality on October 7th. Many of our finest young people were on active duty at the time, and many more were called up to reserve service on all the fronts of the war – from the North to the South.
As the months passed, we started to see signs of PTSD among young Messianic soldiers and knew that the Eagle Program was needed more than ever. We began to look for the best way to help our soldiers rest and heal.
As we prayed for direction, Stonewater Church (SWC) in Granbury, Texas reached out in an offering of support and a beautiful connection developed. SWC put together a great team, including staff trained to assist those suffering from PTSD (gathered from extensive experience working with Christian veterans that served in Iraq and Afghanistan).
This amazing and unexpected relationship began only a few months before the project was scheduled to take place. Miraculously, everything came together in spite of the ongoing war. God gathered the right people, gave us a good plan, and performed many wonders every step of the way.
When everything was ready, we travelled to Texas with 30 IDF veterans to experience the Eagle Project together. Throughout the month, our participants were able to enter into a time of true rest. Local believers spoiled them with hikes, water activities, fishing, great Shabbat meals, shooting, horse riding and more. Each day we had discipleship sessions, teachings, prayer and worship and time alone with God. There was a special focus on working through trauma/PTSD, renewal and spiritual freedom. After only a week, we began to see changes as God worked in the hearts of these young people – bringing His supernatural transformation and healing.
This year’s Eagle Project is now in the past and we have all returned to our lives here in Israel. As long as the war continues, these precious soldiers will be called to serve again and again – in Gaza, Lebanon and other areas. But they say that they are ready. God changed and healed them. God renewed and taught them. I’m am confident they will fight the good fight, both in the spiritual and in the physical realm.
Please pray for all of our believing soldiers. They need your spiritual covering, not only to survive, but to grow and prosper, to shine Yeshua’s light into our military and our society, to build God’s Kingdom in Israel and throughout the world!
