Author: James Howard-Smith, 7 June 2024
Bible Society teams serving all communities in the Bible Lands have been working together through the war to share Jesus. Supporters here at home, passionate about outreach, responded with extraordinary generosity to ensure people of all communities experience God’s love in these desperate times.
These donations have been a huge help to Bible workers, but they still need your support spiritually. Will you keep these dedicated volunteers and their life-changing outreach in your prayers?
Back in October, Victor, who leads the team serving Israelis and immigrants in Israel, said: ‘People are mentally and spiritually devastated, traumatised and in despair. They are in great need of the divine hope, comfort and encouragement that only the true God and his living word can provide.’
The teams in Nazareth and the West Bank also asked for help as they intensified their outreach. Nashat, who shares the Bible with Palestinians, said: ‘In the midst of things we don’t understand, we look up to God. We seek his mercy, we seek his justice, we seek his peace.’
Nashat’s team has been working with churches in the West Bank and Gaza to coordinate a Bible-based humanitarian response. They’ve also had to support their own staff and volunteers as they live among those suffering. In the early days of fighting, the team lost their offices in Gaza as those buildings were hit by airstrikes. Members of staff were injured and some lost their own homes.
Dina, based in Nazareth, says the country’s Arab-Israeli population feels the pain of both peoples. They’re providing a range of biblical tools, from physical Bibles to YouTube videos, to guide people through a time of intense conflict.
As witnesses of the Prince of Peace to their community, Dina says: ‘Our ministry shares the healing power of love and the forgiveness of Christ. We’re sowing the seeds of peace and reconciliation, giving the next generation hope and a biblical alternative.’
Victor and his team of Jewish believers are united with Dina in revealing Jesus as the answer. In the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attacks on Israel, they responded with practical aid, ministering to victims and supporting bewildered conscripts. Since then, they’ve been travelling throughout Israel, sharing God’s word as widely as they can, in person and through churches.
‘We’ve provided more than a thousand Bibles ,’ Victor said. The team has scripture in multiple languages to distribute within Israel’s immigrant communities. Among the Jewish majority, they’re sharing the Bible in various forms, depending on what’s appropriate, including a newly-produced Annotated Hebrew Old Testament and an edition of the Psalms that highlights passages which point to the Messiah.
They’re also working to translate Bible Society’s trauma healing resources into Hebrew. ‘Spiritual aid is critically needed in these days,’ Victor said.
Nashat said: ‘Pray for an end to this brutal war.’ He’s also asking you to pray for a lasting peace in Jerusalem and the West Bank. ‘And pray for Bible workers. In these difficult days, it’s not easy to live life and to minister. May God give our team and the whole Palestinian Church his peace and grace.’
Victor said: ‘Please pray for peace to be restored and for wisdom in our leaders and the other world leaders involved. Pray against an expansion of the war. Also pray against growing anti-Semitism around the world. Pray for an openness to engage with the word of God and that we would reach out to the most needy.’
Dina said: ‘Please pray for people traumatised by the war. Pray for the safety of our teams. Pray for our churches and all the living stones to be able to bring the kingdom of God and its principles on our aching land. And please pray for healing, peace and reconciliation among Israelis and Palestinians.’
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