Hope in a War-Torn Country
At 6:45 on Shabbat morning, the community in Israel awoke to the sound of air-raid sirens, signaling the need to take shelter. They scrambled from their beds and hurried into bomb shelters. Moments later, the windows rattled as rockets were intercepted by Israel’s “Iron Dome” defense system. Those not woken by the sirens were soon roused by the distant booms and the roar of fighter jets overhead. Yet, despite the tense morning, the community began preparing for another fair to serve those displaced by the ongoing conflict.
After a brief hiatus, our community in Israel has resumed hosting these fairs. This week, they loaded their supplies—tents, pizza ovens, tables, chairs, instruments, and craft displays—and traveled to the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee. Smoke dimmed the horizon, evidence of the ongoing unrest, yet the sunlight sparkled on the water as they descended from the mountains. On these shores, where Jesus once walked and ministered, the community set up a fair under a grove of towering eucalyptus trees. Overhead, jets chased enemy drones through the smoky sky, but within the circle of white tents, laughter and singing rose above the harsh backdrop of a land in conflict.
After the children sang, “Love shine a light in every corner of the world,” a Christian tour group from South Africa passed by, en route to the Sea of Galilee for a boat ride. They shared that they had come to Israel to support the people there, and our Israeli brothers connected them with our community in South Africa. Though the fair was nearly finished, the children and musicians gathered once more to sing, "Draw Up Waters" and "This Little Light of Mine."
Brother Hoshea wrote, “God protected us and blessed us with a beautiful, peaceful day, even though there were two rocket attacks just 15 miles north of our fair, along with a drone attack not far south from us.”
Here are some of the responses from those who attended the fairs this year:
“I’m so glad we got to know your community during this season. You can truly see how much you love what you do. My children already feel a part of it and have so much fun. You are a huge beam of light in this time!”
“I couldn’t stop crying when you sang the ‘Prayer’ song: ‘Please watch over us like children, watch over us and don’t leave us.’ That’s what’s been missing all this time. I feel God is close today, and we have work to do, lessons to learn from you.”
“What inspires you to give so much? You not only moved us, but you also taught us a lesson. Just watching you, with all the families and children, is inspiring beyond words. I am from Kibbutz Snir, and I hope that when we return, there will be a community like yours nearby to guide and teach us to build values like yours. I learned you’re looking for a place for your community; I hope I can help find somewhere near Snir. We need people like you in this area.”
“When I said that you must be special people, you answered, ‘No, we are ordinary people, just like everyone.’ And that makes it even more meaningful. I simply have no words to thank you. I know the verse, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ but I see you live it, not just speak it. Thank you so much for this beautiful opportunity today.”
Please pray for the protection of our brothers and sisters in Israel, and pray that they can continue to impart hope in this troubled time.
