Jerusalem, December 2nd 2020
Dear Friends, Shalom!
Merry Christmas. (*our most recent family picture is attached to the letter.) Though in most of the countries around the world this Christmas will be celebrated differently than in former years, the greatest celebration should be in our heart, thanking God for bringing us the wonderful savior, Jesus. Many families will see their beloved ones only through a screen, and our hearts will overflow emotionally, but that will teach us to better understand the power of prayer and the sufficiency of Christ for us.
Our church will conduct a special service focusing on Jesus as our Savior. A few will be in the church and the rest will stay at home, joining us through Zoom.
As God’s children, we should know that God has a purpose in such a time of the pandemic. We should continue to pray for the repentance of nations and that God’s name will be glorified. The pandemic affects all, but we keep our eyes on our Lord. Actually, during the last year, we experienced God’s grace and sovereignty in wonderful new ways. So, May God’s name be honored and glorified always!
More in this report:
– Helping the needy – funny but true!
– Update on the New Church Plant – Interesting situation with the contractor
– Evangelism
– Handling the church in a pandemic period
– Special students!!!
– Our daughter church in South Sudan.
Helping the needy
Last week a few unknown people called my private phone on different occasions and said: “I got your number from a friend who told me that you can help”. I noticed the accent and the tone of speech and it was clear that these people do need help. The following day both men came to meet with me at different hours. One came out of jail and the other from an addiction recovery clinic. In this stage, I did not ask for the identity of the person who sent them but was busy with providing their immediate needs: Food, paying utility bills, and re-filling their public transportation card. While speaking with one of them, an Arab woman came into the church, asking if we need any cleaning workers. She too was welcomed and though we did not need a cleaning worker, she left with bags of food and loving hospitality. By the way, all the three are Arab Israeli none believers of whom two are Muslims.
Yesterday evening I got another call from a different person, saying that he got my number from a guy who told him that we can help. This time I asked the person to connect me with this special unknown “Santa Klaus”. While we will continue to help the needy and share the gospel with the ones who came, we would love to continue this important ministry but in an orderly way.
The people we met reminded us how much suffering there is in our world, and how much lost people need the Lord. The ones who came to us are usually the ones who fall between the cracks. May God continue to soften our hearts for the true needs of people.
Besides, the church continues to help and support the needy families. According to yesterday’s news headlines, the third wave of the Covid19 is on the way. That means that many businesses and working places will remain closed. University students are out of jobs but still need to pay the full tuition even when all the studies are through the Zoom. We are helping as we can so that none of the students in our church will have to quit the studies and be able to finish the coming semesters well.
Update on the New Church Plant
Let me start with a praise to God, saying that: We are still missing $270,000 for the completion of the purchase and $300,000 for the furnishing of the place. By God’s grace, the amount is lower by $210,000 since the last update.
Please prayerfully consider partnering with us in this project.
The contractor decided to build another floor to the complex. Since there will be some changes in the floor construction, he negotiates with us about the new options that may arise etc. All we were promised in our original contract will be kept. Please pray for wisdom to handle these issues.
Evangelism
The Coronavirus did stop people from coming to the church, but did not and cannot stop the gospel from coming to the hearts of the lost. We are currently using our gospel video clips as our main tool for evangelism through the Internet. The new (#6 of 7) video clip on the Resurrection is now in process. The team has a draft of the animation and by God’s grace, it may be finished during January 2021. We are hiring an external contractor (believer in Jesus) for the animation part. The last video clip of this series (#7) will be titled: The return of the King, and we are now in the text writing stage. Please keep this evangelism project in your prayers. These video clips have now reached more than 4 Million viewers!!!
Handling the church in a pandemic period
The headline tells it all. Indeed, it is a struggling effort. We continue to run most of the children’s activities in the church (within the Covid-19 limitations). Most of the kids do come to these activities. All the other activities are done through Zoom. We are praying for wisdom and hope not to miss any of the families. The main thing we are currently busy with is the home visitations. Seeing each family member eye to eye, praying with them, and checking if all their vital needs are met.
A few weeks ago, some of our youth group spent a few days helping a woman from our church in her agricultural work. They picked the olives in her grove and helped her put the firewood for winter in the shed. This was a tremendous help for her, she is handicapped and it is very difficult for her to do this by herself.
Please pray that we will handle God’s children in any way that glorifies our lord.
My students at the Israel College of the Bible
Two of my students in the “Jesus through the Old Testament” course are new believers who are coming from an orthodox family. Their family rejected them and actually the believers whom they know, are their new family. God willing this Friday they will have the Shabbat dinner with us.
Please pray for the two brothers, that their faith in Jesus will grow day by day.
Our daughter church in South Sudan.
About thirteen years ago a flood of Sudanese entered into Israel through the open border with Egypt in the Sinai desert. Thomas Wango is one of the young refugees we adopted and sent to the bible school in Nazareth. Five years later Thomas (Atom) returned to South Sudan and now he is one of the elders in the local church at his village. During that time, we sent the money to necessary build their church building. Three years ago, Thomas started a mini bible college in his village, where people join for extra bible lessons and education. We continue to support Thomas who is now married and a father of four. Please continue to pray for Thomas, his wife Esther, and their family.
I will end with the encouraging words from Psalm 23.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (KJV).
With much love and gratitude, Meno and Anat Kalisher
(Supported through Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry)
