UPDATE ON JOSHUA FUND PROJECTS

UPDATE: Iraq Christians mourn kidnapped cleric's death

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Thank you so much to all of our prayer and financial partners!

Because of your tremendous love and generosity, we are having the honor of blessing many poor and needy Israeli, Palestinian, Iraqi, and Sudanese families, as well as many victims of war and terrorism. May the Lord bless you for all you're doing. My team and I couldn't be more grateful, and will keep you updated regularly through this weblog on the relief projects we are doing.

In March and April -- in celebration Passover and Easter and in response to recent troubles in the Holy City -- The Joshua Fund is doing projects specifically to bless those in need in Jerusalem. Among them:

* Funding 20 tons of food to be distributed to the poor and needy in Jerusalem through Bridges For Peace

* Funding a Passover food distribution project through the Jerusalem Institute of Justice

* Funding and providing nearly 200 American evangelical Christian volunteers for a food distribution project in Jerusalem and elsewhere in Israel as part of our upcoming "Prayer & Vision Tour" and Epicenter conference

* Through our Israeli counsel, we have inquired with the yeshiva about contributing to a fund for the victims of the recent terrorist shooting. We have been informed that such a fund is being created. When it is, we will contribute.

At the same time, we continue to pray for and seek to bless Israeli victims of war and terrorism in towns and cities like Sderot and Ashkelon that are being pounded day after day, week after week, with Palestinian rockets, mortars and missiles from Gaza. As readers of this weblog know, The Joshua Fund has in recent months have funded the provision of heaters, blankets, clothing, and medical equipment to those in severe need in the missile zones. We are in direct contact with our key allies in the region and are assessing how best to help next. Please pray that we have the wisdom to truly care for those in severe need.

After our recent trip into Iraq, we are also preparing to step up our relief activities there. Working closely with Iraqi evangelical leaders and our allies in the U.S. and Europe, The Joshua Fund has financed several truckloads of humanitarian relief supplies into Iraq in recent months. Projects we are currently working on include:

* Providing thousands of backpacks for Iraqi school children (each of which includes school supplies, the JESUS film for children on DVD in the appropriate local language, and an illustrated children's Bible in the local language).

* Financing the building of a studio for a newly-approved evangelical Christian radio station inside Iraq that will reach an estimated 1.7 million people a day with gospel programming, Bible teaching, and music in Arabic and Kurdish. Lord willing, the station will go on the air this summer.

The Joshua Fund will continue to do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, brief you on how those projects are proceeding, and let you know about the kinds of projects we are developing for the future. In no way do we want to pressure anyone to give financially. We fully believe the Lord will provide for the needs of the people we seek to serve. But if you or others wish to help, we welcome your support, and all financial gifts are tax-deductible. For more information, please click here.

It should be noted that The Joshua Fund, when fundraising for humanitarian relief efforts, often describes in general terms the types of needs and projects it supports that bless Israel and her neighbors. But we usually do not raise funds that are tied to a particular project. Those who contribute to TJF should do so because they believe in our principles, share our goals, and see based on what we have done so far that we are investing in worthwhile projects. Because of the number of projects we are involved with, the amount of funds necessitated for a particular project at a particular moment varies over time. For the organization to be a good steward, we need to be able to maintain the final discretion of how the contributions will best be used to bless Israel and her neighbors, and we will keep you posted regularly on what we are doing through this weblog.

Finally, let us clarify the issue of The Joshua Fund and ECFA. First, per ECFA's policies, an organization cannot apply until a year after receiving their IRS exemption determination letter, which The Joshua Fund received June 27, 2007. Second, ECFA requests that if an organization applies for membership, it not publicize its intended or pending application. "If your organization is not a member of ECFA, please do not share your desire to join ECFA or your perceived adherence to ECFA Standards," notes their guidelines. "Any such comments may falsely give the impression to supporters of your ministry that ECFA has approved or endorses your ministry. Because of this possibility for misinterpretation, please do not make any reference to ECFA until membership has actually been attained." Please accept our apologies for any confusion earlier communications may have caused.

If you have any further questions on these or other issues, please email The Joshua Fund's Executive Director, John Moser, at john@joshuafund.net.

Thanks so much, and may the Lord richly bless you as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus.

Joel C. Rosenberg
President
The Joshua Fund