Types of Rapture (~9.1 MB) - Moriel Ministries

CJFM Report for May 2008-Continued
Shalom Everybody!
Ruth Nessim
Israel Update – Continued
Greetings from Israel on her 60th Birthday. Of these 60 years, we have been here for 37, and have watched the tremendous development
of the country, its survival in numerous wars and terror attacks, and the manifold increase in population in spite of all difficulties. We
have also witnessed the increase in the numbers of believers, the growth in number and size of the congregations (in contrast to the shrinking
numbers of believers in Europe!), and the incredible fact that Moslems are coming to the Lord in droves all over the Middle East.
However, there remains much land still to be possessed, and persecution and opposition to believers is increasing, especially in
Beer-Sheva and Arad, and also most recently in Akko (Acre) – or ancient Ptolemaeus – which is just down the road from us. One in four
Israelis live in abject poverty, many more struggle. One in three children is hungry and often without basic necessities. We have a corrupt
government, and probably the weakest ever, and peace is still a dream for both Israelis and the Palestinians, whose governments are even
worse!
With all this in mind, we continue with other believers to spread the word while it is still day, and before the night comes upon us.
Our Shabbat meetings have been well attended, and the mid-week Bible studies, though smaller in number, have been blessed and fruitful.
Among those who come to the mid-week studies is Cindy, who is now well over her operation and feels as though she is part of the
family, although she has not yet committed herself.
Last month our organization (CJF Ministries), arranged an eight-day conference in Eilat, which included a fabulous trip through the
Negev, a dip in the Dead Sea, and a visit to Qumran and Ein Gedi. We had a wonderful week of fellowship with workers from all over
the world, including the former Soviet Union, South America, North America, England and Israel. It was great to see what God is doing
in various parts of the world, and that we belong to a large family.
Returning to Nahariya, we learned that our beloved Shirley, our tea maker and translator, had been called Home that very morning.
She was longing to go, but has left a big gap in our fellowship. There were many believers at her funeral, many tears, but wonderful words
of love and encouragement from her family, for whom she had been an example.
The highlight of the month was the Passover celebration. We crammed 26 people into our festively dressed sitting room with tables
decked in blue and white and beautiful flowers. The Menu (apart from the mandatory hard boiled eggs, bitter herbs, salt water, and horse
radish representing the tears and hard labors of our forefathers in the land of Egypt, and Kharoset (representing the mud with which our
forefathers made the bricks there) and other ceremonial delicacies:
Hors D’oeuvre: chopped liver and chopped herrings
First Course: Chicken Soup and Kneidelach (dumplings made from matza meal and eggs)
Second Course: Stuffed Chicken (provided by Arab Cooks), Arab vine leaves, roast potatoes, sweet carrots, salads.
Third Course: fruit and non leavened cakes
Of course there were the four ceremonial cups of wine, and after supper the ceremony of partaking of the broken matza and the wine,
from which the communion service is taken.
This, however, was only part of the Passover! Of the 26 people present, two were Lebanese refugees and another six were Arab brothers
and sisters from Haifa. The men all wore traditional Jewish head coverings (kippot or yarmulkes). Also present were a number of
Jewish friends; a retired Jewish doctor from London and his wife Cindy; Lydia and Shimon, a Holocaust survivor from Holland brought
by the daughter of the people who had hidden him; and a young Kibbutznik. All of these Jewish friends were overwhelmed by the presence
of the kippot-wearing Arabs, and the obvious joy and blessing which was flowing.
After all was finished, Shimon and an Arab brother named Carlos were hugging each other. Several expressed that this was the best
Passover they had ever experienced, and their utter amazement that such a thing could be. The doctor’s wife said, “I know it was sad
that Albert died, but all this has happened as a result, and its only a beginning.” The blessing and sweetness of this Passover lingered for
days.
This has also been a time of many visitors, with friends from England, Scotland, Germany, and America – sometimes so many that
we had to board two in son David’s house. (He very kindly offered to help us out!) A most interesting visitor was a man originally from
Egypt, a Coptic Christian, who came to faith in the States, joined a Messianic assembly, and has become a friend of Israel! He flew back
to participate in a Passover in North Carolina. We are still expecting a number of visitors before May and early June have passed! We
continue also our program of visitation, hoping shortly to take Old Shoshana out to lunch, as we have had little time to see her lately.
Cindy comes anyway; she will not allow us not to see her! And shortly we hope to try again to get into Bethlehem and visit Abdel Moti
June 2008 • Moriel Quarterly 29