THE FRIENDS OF ISRAEL GOSPEL MINISTRY
Global Report
ISRAEL | FALL 2024
Dan Price
Director of International Ministries
The War at Home
Anat drove quickly, ignoring the speed limit as she raced into northern Israel. It was September 25, 2024, and once again, her son’s reserve unit had been ordered to report to the front lines. This time he wasn’t headed into Gaza but instead to the northern front of the war in Israel. Anat, her son, and two other soldiers sped through empty city after empty city, vacant of locals who had been evacuated to central Israel, many since the beginning of the war. It was eerie. And quiet.
Eventually, they reached the underground parking lot that served as the unit’s gathering point. While everyone had hoped a ground invasion into Lebanon wouldn’t happen, when the time came, these soldiers—and this family—were willing to fight for Israel and the Jewish people. They said goodbye, and Anat sped back to central Israel under the protection of the Iron Dome, Israel’s air-defense system. The reality that God is the real Protector of Israel felt truer than ever. These types of stories have become commonplace among The Friends of Israel’s (FOI’s) International Ministries staff and their families. In this time of crisis since October 7, 2023, one of our most vital ministries has been assisting soldiers and their families. As you read more about International Ministries’ work with Israeli soldiers, would you prayerfully consider supporting us in these endeavors around the world?
Rehovot, Israel
On October 7, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) mobilized more troops at one time than they have in decades. Reservists, called up from around the globe, converged on the south to face thousands of terrorists who crossed into Israel to burn, rape, and murder as many Jewish people as they could.
Michal, the eldest son of one FOI worker, was one such reservist. Because Michal is a sniper in the special forces, the IDF airlifted him away from his family vacation that Shabbat and back to his base. He arrived to find it being attacked and almost overrun by terrorists. After battling to secure the base, Michal and his team were sent into Gaza. Michal and his unit have now spent more time in Gaza since the start of the war than any other IDF soldiers.
Because so many reservists were called into action simultaneously on October 7, the IDF was not completely prepared for the increased needs for supplies. FOI’s representatives in Rehovot and their kehila (community of believers in Jesus) immediately and generously provided food, drinks, sunglasses, tents, desert boots, tactical jackets, personal care products, and other necessities to units serving at the Gaza border.
By caring for soldiers, our team has found some rare and powerful opportunities to build long-term relationships with Jewish people. As one FOI worker says, “Our central goal has always been to support the testimony of every believing soldier in our kehila, while also building relationships with their families. It’s not just equipment; it’s relationships!” Seeing God open doors to share the love of Yeshua by blessing Jewish people is the heartbeat of FOI’s International Ministries.
Jerusalem, Israel
Every Israeli is involved in many aspects of the war. For example, our team in Jerusalem supplies food for soldiers and their families. The Jerusalem Assembly, our partner church in the city, has distributed hot meals to families of reservists since the beginning of the war. They also provide weekly meals to families displaced from their homes in the north because of the war who now live in hotels in central Israel.
Additionally, they provide essential services like assisting moms with young children. And when temperatures dropped in the north, and many units didn’t have cold weather gear, the Jerusalem Assembly, along with International Ministries, purchased appropriate uniforms for entire units, totaling over $20,000.
The war’s close proximity and the constant anxiety for life and the welfare of loved ones has impacted every Israeli. Along with spiritual counseling and around-the-clock prayer, the Jerusalem Assembly also offers mental health services that soldiers and their families desperately need to cope with the ongoing trauma caused by the war.
All around the world, our field representatives are mobilizing Christians who love God’s Word to compassionately bless God’s Chosen People. This is an incredibly important time for Christians worldwide to proclaim loudly and clearly that we love the Jewish people because God loves them.
Will you join us during this urgent time? Ministry to soldiers is only one of many vital ways in which our International Ministries are answering God’s call. We are grateful for your prayers and financial support, as together, Christians seek to bless God’s people wherever they might be.
You can provide much-needed support for FOI's International Ministries by giving today.
