Invading Jerusaem and the West bank ( Judia and samaria )

I thought New York was a big challenge. Brooklyn, is a piece of cake compared to this part of the world. I started out in Switzerland as I mentioned in my last entry. That went so good, we had altars full of people all the time. Praise the lord!

Then comes Israel and the challenges of Arab and Jewish relations. There is so much hurt here it takes what feels like an eternity to heal. I am grateful to be a small part of what God is doing here. I may sound a little on the side of complaining but, on the contrary, I am excited about being here.  Upon arriving here, I decided a day off would be a good thing before getting started here. During the day, I received several phone calls that set my agenda for the next week. One of these calls was from a woman who is a messianic believer.  She has a shelter caring for needy Jews who have found themselves in situations where assistance is necessary. She shared with me a story about an Arab family. A man, wife and 4 children from the west bank of Ramalla. They were accused to be collaborators with Israel and the man was badly beaten. They were able to escape with all of his family to Israel and landed on the beaches of Tel Aviv. After  making the beach their home for some time, the civil services discovered them and took them to the social services department. The lady I was speaking with on the phone was contacted by social services asking her if she would help this family. She took them in and was excited to have the opportunity to help this family. The community that she lived in is a moshave ( that is small farming Israeli secular Jews). They discovered the Arab family from the West Bank living there and they went up in arms demanding that this Arab family be removed from the moshav.

That's why she called me in to help. Tanya is the founder of "Holyland Ministries" helping needy families.  She has been hosting this family for for a month and has asked me to assist in any way I can.  i went to see what i can do. I met with Tanya and the Arab family to get a "debriefing" of. This Arab couple are hurting so much.  After being rejected by their own then being rejected by the people they were accused of "collaborating" with, they find it extremely difficult to trust anyone. My heart breaks for this family. I began by comforting this man and his wife and told him that Tanya and I will not leave him and that we will do everything through the Lord Jesus to help him. The interesting thing is that no one spoke Arabic and the family did not speak any English or Hebrew. This really should be a book. They told about the love they have received from this woman and the other believers. How they did everything to comfort them.  I am so thankful for people like Tanya who offer the compassion and love of Jesus Christ to others...even when this family couldn't communicate with words to Tanya...the love and compassion was communicated clearly.

It was pentecostal daye her in Israel which is considered a holiday. The dinner was brought and we all broke bread together. As we were eating, I was sharing with the Arab man about Jesus and the reason why he is here. The man said, "You know, for one month I am living here, I felt like I was living in heaven. if Jesus is the reason for all of this then I want him to be my lord too." I looked at his wife who was sitting next to him and she said, "Yes, me too". I am such a "softy"...I broke down in tears. I shared with the rest of the believers and they broke in tears as well. We took them to the roof of the house (a Jewish tradition to pray on the roof ). We sat under the open sky and I began to walk them through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation explaining why Jesus is the way and then shared with them how God changed me from a former "Arafat Man" to a lover of God and people. They were so shocked when they found out I was a Muslim too. They were in tears now. We prayed with them and prayed and prayed and we all were in tears thanking the Lord for this gift of new souls on this modern day of Pentecost.

This set the course of my next days with a new fire,... GOD IS SO SO GOOD. ALL THE TIME. Praise His name. more exciting things to come. Keep checking back here as God continues to do incredible things for His glory.

Blessings,

Tass

Comments

[Karen of Scottsdale]

Rejoicing with you!

[Julie]

Praying for you back here in Raytown Mo~

Julie

[shane ogle]

Pentecost in Jerusalem! A former Arafat man and an exiled Arab couple reading the Scriptures on a Jewish roof -- an evening under the heavens! Souls brought to Jesus! What a scene that must have been.

(Not to far too far off from the Pentecost scene in the book of Acts...)

"And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven... visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—" -Acts 2:5, 10-11a

Thank you for this awesome testimony!

Shane

[Eliza]

Tass, I love reading about this. My heart is with you guys and i am praying for you often. I love this amazing work God is doing through you and am so proud to know you. Praise God for your wisdom. I love that you take them through from Genesis to Revelation. So wise!