Tents of Mercy Congregation
Kiryat Yam, Israel
It's hard to describe the past few weeks. It all feels like a dream – a very bad dream. Saturday morning we were getting ready to hold our “Simchat Torah” service, when all hell broke loose. Hamas terrorists infiltrated our country on the southern border with Gaza. They began a string of deadly attacks on innocent Israeli citizens in their homes – mass shootings in the streets, invading kibbutzim and towns on the border of the Gaza Strip, decimating families in their own homes and taking civilians hostage. At the same time, a barrage of thousands of rockets was fired from Gaza on settlements near Gaza, Beer Sheva, Jerusalem and as far north as Tel Aviv. We found out later that the whole thing was a complex terror operation that Hamas secretly planned and practiced for almost a whole year.
The first week following the onset of the war was a blur of daily morning prayer meetings followed by afternoons and evenings filled with phone calls and shopping trips to prioritize needs and then gather and purchase the goods to meet those needs. Our humanitarian aid center quickly transformed into a control center for collecting sorting and sending out supplies to soldiers, mostly here in the North, as we learned what the needs were. We have been privileged so far to provide undergarments, hygienic products, dry food, mattresses, jackets and even warm Friday night meals for hundreds of soldiers.
“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of HOSTS is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah” (Psalm 46:4-7)
As the war has progressed, the names of dead civilians and soldiers, missing and kidnapped men, women, children, babies and elderly have grown to form a heartbreakingly long list. Over 1,300 are dead and murdered, including more than 300 fallen soldiers. Approximately 200 have been kidnapped and are being held captive. The numbers are hard to fathom and the personal and national grief is monumental.
A mind-boggling 300,000+ reserve soldiers have been called up to increase the manpower of Israel’s regular standing army. This means that basically every Israeli has a loved one sacrificing their safety to restore security to our borders – EVERYONE.
Just as the nation is fighting and mourning together, we are also rallying together in a way that is equally unprecedented. The feeling of national unification is remarkable. Life is anything but normal, but everyone is eager to contribute in any way possible. It’s a beautiful thing.
The severe divisions in the country over the last 8 months certainly didn't contribute to our being ready for the kind of attack that Hamas planned against us. As Yeshua said, a house divided against itself cannot stand. Fortunately, our leaders have come together to form an emergency, unity government. We offer up heartfelt prayer for our leaders according to 1 Tim 2:1-5, and also pray that all the suffering and anguish will serve a higher purpose to bring the truth of Yeshua to all.
In parallel, we carry on with the growing war relief efforts. For now the focus is on answering the needs of several military units that were brought to our attention. Tents of Mercy’s distribution center is now serving a dual purpose – clothing and food aid that we regularly give out to needy citizens, and now a “war room” for receiving and channeling goods to IDF units. We are also mobilizing to assist displaced civilians from the South with housing and supplies. May God’s grace be poured out.
“Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes WARS cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. ‘Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!’ The LORD of HOSTS is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah” (Psalm 46)
Thank you for stepping up in prayer, care, and support during these difficult times:
1. Pray for soldiers, commanders, and first responders…for bravery, protection, and success in their mission.
2. Pray for peace even in the midst of the storm: for parents, children and communities.
3. Pray for our leaders to be humble and strong, guided by the fear of God.
4. Pray for protection, and successful outreach for the believers assisting IDF units in the north and south.
5. Pray for strong voices to be raised up against anti-Semitic lies and false propaganda.
6. Pray for divine protection and strategy for units going into Gaza, some of whom are family and friends.
7. Pray for Salvation in our nation – that in their desperation people will turn toward God.
8. Pray for the hearts of children who have been forced to witness trauma and tragedy, that Yeshua may console and strengthen them.
9. Pray for wisdom for parents.
10. Pray for the international body of Messiah to rise up, to speak out, to identify evil for what it is, and to show support to Israel and their own local Jewish communities.
