THE JOSHUA FUND

EPICENTER PRAYER REQUESTS: Feb 22nd Update

2009-02-22T02:33:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much for all your prayers. Here is a quick update on what we've been up to and where we are headed:

1.) PRAISE: FOUR WEEKS IN THE EPICENTER – By God’s grace, I have just returned from traveling for four straight weeks through Israel, Iraq, Jordan, India and the United Arab Emirates. Likewise, by God’s grace, John Moser and Jeremy Grafman are back from a month in Israel. Jeremy also was in Iraq for a week separately. Thanks so much for your faithful prayers for all of us. We saw the Lord protect us from bombs and rockets falling along the Gaza border. He also gave us the opportunity to do relief work, encourage pastors, teach in churches and conferences about God’s love for Israel and her neighbors, and call on thousands of Christians to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. These, after all, are two of the central roles of The Joshua Fund – to care for the needy and suffering in Israel and the Mideast, and encourage Christians to “learn, pray, give and go” to the Lord’s work in the region.

2.) PRAISE: CARING FOR ISRAELIS IN THE WAR ZONE – John, Jeremy and I made numerous trips into the war zone along the Gaza border. We had the privilege of praying with Israeli families being bombarded by Hamas missiles, mortars and rockets, and occassionally had to race into bomb shelters and felt the ground shake as Hamas rockets hit not far from us. Working through Israeli believers, TJF funded projects to bus hundreds of Israelis living in the along the Gaza border to safety in the north, paying for their meals and hotel accommodations so they could get a desperately-needed break from all the fear and stress. We helped finance and launch a wonderful new organization called “Hope For Sderot” – run by believers and secular Jews – and helped them open a store front food bank in the Israel town of Sderot, located just a few kilometers from the Gaza border. We also had the privilege of helping to fund three projects through Israeli believers and secular Israeli leaders to deliver hot meals, toiletries, bags of groceries (rice, flour, cooking oil, canned vegetables, etc), and toys and games to about 450 Israeli families, including elderly shut-ins as well as families with children. We also filmed a short documentary film for The Joshua Fund on the Gaza border as bombs were dropping and Israeli tanks were firing at terrorist strongholds.

3.) PRAISE: ENCOURAGING IRAQI PASTORS – In Iraq, I had the privilege in January of spending four days encouraging several senior Arab and Kurdish ministry leaders, praying with them, and studying the Word together. Two Iraqi evangelical leaders and I had a one hour meeting with the Prime Minister of the Kurdish region. In particular, we were able to discuss how followers of Jesus Christ can be a blessing to the Kurdish people, and how evangelical Christians from the West in particular can be a blessing. Separately, Jeremy Grafman went to Iraq for a week earlier this month to participate in a pastors training conference TJF funded. Several U.S. pastors went with Jeremy and taught some 50 Iraqi pastors and ministry leaders from Baghdad, Mosul and all over the country through the Book of Ephesians, verse by verse and chapter by chapter. The Iraqis were deeply grateful and the U.S. pastors were excited to have the privilege to teach the Word in the cradle of civilization.

4.) PRAISE: TEACHING INDIA AND GULF BELIEVERS ABOUT PROPHECY – Traveling with Dr. T.E. Koshy, chairman of TJF’s pastors advisory council, and his son, Jay Koshy, also a pastor, the Lord gave me amazing opportunities in India and Dubai to teach several thousand Indian and Arab believers about God’s everlasting love and plan for Israel, about God’s amazing love for Israel’s neighbors and enemies, about the Biblical prophecies of the last days, and about the work of The Joshua Fund and how they could get involved. In Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay), I led five-hour “Epicenter Seminars” (teaching and lots of Q&A) for a total of nearly 200 Indian pastors and ministry leaders. In Chennai, I had the privilege of preaching at one of the most influential congregations in all of India. I spoke twice by translation to nearly 4,000 Indian believers on Ezekiel 36-39. Many committed themselves to praying faithfully for Israel and her neighbors, and to praying for the work of The Joshua Fund. In Dubai, we met for two days with several key ministry leaders, answering their many questions about prophecy and current events.

5.) PRAYER REQUEST: 2009 EPICENTER CONFERENCE – With the Iranian nuclear threat rising, Israelis feeling more and more isolated and alone in the world, the U.S. in the midst of the most severe economic crisis in a generation, people are increasingly anxious about the future. They are wondering what the future holds, and where God is in all of this. That's why on April 4th, Lord willing, I will host our first Epicenter Conference on U.S. soil (the previous one being in Jerusalem last April). The theme: "Understanding Today's Global Crises In Light of Bible Prophecy." We have some wonderful churches in San Diego organizing the event and they are expecting some 10,000 people to attend the event at Cox Arena. The day-long conference will also be webcast around the world at www.epicenter09.com. Please check out the site and pray that the Lord would superintend all the details, from the precise schedule, to enough funds, to enough volunteers. We already know of many who are traveling to San Diego from all over the country to join us. Perhaps you’d like to join us as well. Though the conference is not being funded or run by The Joshua Fund, proceeds from the conference will go to TJF's work in providing humanitarian aid to bless Israel and her neighbors. Thanks so much for praying for this and these other issues. We really appreciate it. God bless you.

6.) WORTH READING -- Finally, there is an interesting story in the Jerusalem Post today worth reading, "Poll: Israelis split on taking Evangelical charity."

BRINGING HOPE TO SDEROT: Joshua Fund helps provide food for the needy in the heart of the missile zone in Israel, close to the Gaza border

2009-01-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

Late last year -- before the war in Gaza began -- several Sderot residents approached The Joshua Fund and asked if we would be willing to help them open up a storefront facility where they could stock food and other commodities to be distributed to those Israelis living under the poverty level in their community. After assessing the need and their plan, we readily agreed.

On December 27th, of course, the desire to care for needy Israelis intensified dramatically as Hamas began launching 70 to 100 rockets at day at Sderot and other southern tier towns and cities.

By early January, the storefront facility had been rented, shelves had been built, some cleaning had been done, and basic improvements had been made. On Monday, January 12th, my colleagues -- John Moser, our executive director; and Jeremy Grafman, our director of special projects -- and I had the opportunity to visit Sderot, see the storefront first hand, and meet the team and the volunteers who will run the place. It was clear they were ready to go, so we quickly authorized the purchase of food -- from monies generously donated to The Joshua Fund by faithful friends of the ministry from all over the world -- so that the "Hope For Sderot" team could get to work blessing their neighbors right way. Two days later, the truck of food and other supplies arrived and we had the privilege of helping stock those previously empty shelves. We also had the privilege of praying with this dear group of allies and volunteers that the Lord would truly use their kindness and generosity to touch hearts and lives with His love and let the people of Sderot know they are not forgotten.

What an honor to come alongside Israeli sabras and Jews from abroad and help them in their time of need. We don't deserve any credit for this. We don't want any. We just want to bless the Israelis of Sderot and the southern tier in the name of Jesus with unconditional love and unwavering support. We want them to know that millions of evangelical Christians in the U.S., Canada and around the world are praying for them. We are praying that the Lord grants them peace, that the Lord grants them true security and protection, that the Lord grants them comfort and hope no matter happens in the days and weeks ahead. We are also praying for those innocent Palestinians caught in the crossfire, and seeking ways to bless them through Arab evangelical churches. And we are praying for Israel's enemies, too -- for the leaders and fighters of Hamas to turn from their evil ways and find the living God -- because Jesus commanded His disciples to love their neighbors and their enemies, and we want to be faithful to what Jesus taught us.

As the Lord spoke through His servant Moses: "If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land with the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks....You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings. For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore, I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'" (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)

And as we read in the Gospel According to Mark: "In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said, 'I feel compassion for the people because they...have nothing to eat.'....And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the people. They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well. And they ate and were satisfied....About four thousand were there." (Mark 8:1-9)

** If you would like to help us feed the hungry, care for the needy, and comfort victims of war and terrorism, please consider making a tax deductible contribution to The Joshua Fund through our secure on-line system. Click here to give, or to learn more about what we do, and may the Lord greatly bless you as you seek to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus. **

REPORT FROM SDEROT: JOSHUA FUND HELPS NEEDY ISRAELIS NEAR GAZA BORDER

2009-01-09T10:29:00.001-08:00

(Sderot, Israel) — Israeli warplanes continued to pound Hamas targets in Gaza today as Hamas fired 30 rockets at Israel. Three of those rockets hit the town of Sderot just before I arrived to participate in a relief project that The Joshua Fund helped finance. By the grace of God, no Israelis were killed as a result of any of the rocket attacks, though several were wounded. Separately, three Israeli soldiers died during fighting deep inside Gaza today.

It was an incredible honor to work with several dozen Jews and evangelical Christians to bless the poor and needy and victims of war and terror just a kilometer or two from the Gaza border at any given moment. Together, we met at about 10:30am and assembled bags of hot meals (chicken, rice, and steamed vegetables, along with several loaves of bread); bags of dry food goods (such as milk, cooking oil, noodles, tunafish, and chocolate wafer cookies); and bags of toiletries (such hand soap, shampoo, body wash, toothbrushes, cleaning wipes, and facial tissues) for needy Israeli families, mostly elderly folks. We also assembled bags of toys, games, coloring books and trading cards for the children who remain in Sderot because their families don’t have enough money to evacuate them.

Then, after a lengthy security briefing telling us what to do if we are caught in the middle of a missile strike, we fanned out across the town to deliver these “bags of blessing” to lists of pre-selected families, all of whom live under the poverty level. Some were native Hebrew-speaking Israelis. Some were Ethiopian immigrants. Most were Russian-speaking Jewish immigrants from Russia and the former Soviet republics. To say that those we met and delivered the food and supplies to were deeply grateful doesn’t even begin to capture the story. Some had tears in their eyes. Most were simply stunned that we had come as no one told them that they were going to be recipients today of such gifts. All of the elderly folks and families I had the privilege of visiting today eagerly invited my Jewish and evangelical colleagues into their flats. They wanted to sit and talk. They wanted to know why in the world we had come from all over Israel — and all over the world — to bless them. They also wanted to talk about what it’s like to live under a near-constant barrage of rockets, missiles and mortars. And we were eager to listen.

All told, about 150 Israeli families in Sderot were blessed today. The project was organized by the Israel Leadership Institute which is run by Eeki Elner, a leadership trainer and social activist who lives in Sderot, and the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, which is run by Calev Myers, a partner in one of the leading law firms in Israel. Several organizations helped finance the project and provide volunteers. Last week, The Joshua Fund paid for all the hot meals that were distributed. This week, we paid for all of the bags of dry food goods that were distributed, all of which were purchased from a local supermarket to help bless the beleagured, war-torn economy.

Pictures (from top to bottom):

Joshua Fund founder Joel Rosenberg delivering aid and spending time with a brave and very sweet Israeli family in Sderot, just one kilometer from the Gaza border
Israeli volunteers giving toys and games to Jewish children not from from the Gaza border
Joel and three Israeli volunteers filling car with relief supplies to be distributed in Sderot
Israeli volunteers being briefed in the events hall of a restaurant in Sderot that served as a staging area for packing the bags to be delivered to needy couples and families
Bags with dry food goods
Bags with toiletries
Some of the dry foods included in the typical bag
Some of the toiletries included in the typical bag
Joel working with other volunteers to pack the bags ahead of distribution
Smoke rising from Gaza after two Israeli airstrikes against Hamas targets

REPORT FROM SOUTHERN ISRAEL

2009-01-06T21:08:00.000-08:00

(Southern Israel, January 7, 2009) -- "When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you. When you are approaching the battle, the priest shall come near and speak to the people. He shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." (Deuteronomy 20:1-4)

Please forgive me for not writing for the past few days. I flew to Israel on Sunday and arrived Monday morning, joining several colleagues in southern Israel to assess the situation and help direct The Joshua Fund's relief efforts. It's been an intense 48 hours, and it's currently 5:54am Wednesday morning Israel time. Allow me, therefore, to make a few brief observations, and I will write more later.

* First and foremost, the situation is very intense here. Hamas has fired more than 500 rockets at innocent Israeli civilians over the past ten days or so. They are coming in at 40 to 50 rockets a day. More than 500,000 Israelis live within range of these instruments of terror, and many are traumatized by the fear of injury and death, not only for them but for their children as well.

* Six Israeli soldiers have died in the fighting so far. Israelis throughout the country are mourning their loss, name by name, family by family. That said, Israelis are also overwhelmingly relieved that their government is finally taking strong action against Hamas after some 2 1/2 years of doing virtually nothing.

* Some 1.5 million Palestinians who live on the Gaza Strip are being held hostage by Hamas. Hundreds are dead and thousands have been injured because of Hamas' evil reign of terror that finally provoked an Israeli response. The latest example came Tuesday when Hamas fighters fired mortars at Israeli forces from a U.N. school. This forced Israel to bomb the school to suppress the attacks. In the end, some 42 Palestinians - including the terrorists - died, and more than 50 were injured.

* Where is the world outrage against Hamas? The Palestinian people desperately want and need to be liberated from Hamas, and would privately welcome Israeli success against the terror leaders.

I can report that The Joshua Fund continues working with Jewish and Christian allies on the ground here to care for Israelis caught in the crossfire.

Two days ago, we were able to help evacuate a bus filled with more than 40 Israelis from the southern border town of Sderot. We have moved them out of the war zone, up to a more secure location in the North of Israel, and are paying for their lodging and meals while they are there. We are working around the clock on the logistics to move more Israeli families out of harm's way. We are also helping several organizations prepare to deliver more food and relief supplies to elderly Israeli shut-ins in Sderot. I will have more to report on these efforts soon.

We are also actively seeking ways to provide humanitarian aid first to followers of Jesus Christ in Gaza, and then through the Christians to Muslim Palestinians living in fear and terror of the Hamas-triggered war. Thus far, however, it is not yet clear how to help effectively. We are in direct contact with key Arab Christian leaders. But there are reports that Hamas fighters are stealing aid that non-Christian relief agencies have sent in. And the violence is so intense right now it is not safe for aid workers to take in new relief supplies.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

* First and foremost: Please keep praying for real and lasting safety and security for Israelis and Palestinians on both sides of the border, and peace for Jerusalem and all of the epicenter, that the war will not spread to the North and East. (Psalm 122:6)

* Also, please pray for true justice to be done. Let's ask the Lord to save the souls of all the Hamas leaders and fighters, just as He has saved the soul of the son of the Hamas leader. But at the same time, please be praying for the success of the Israeli Defense Forces to have success in crushing the Hamas terror infrastructure and liberating the Palestinian people. This is not the openly declared goal of the IDF, but this is my prayer. Remember: Hamas fighters have slaughtered Christians in Gaza. They blew up the Palestinian Bible Society book store in Gaza. They throw their enemies off of high rise apartment buildings. They steal money and relief supplies that are supposed to help suffering widows and orphans. They are cruel, evil people. Pray that the Israeli forces truly turn to the Lord God of Israel and seek His power, His strength, and His victory. "Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight with me....Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me." (Psalm 34:1,4)

* Please pray that not a single innocent Israeli or Palestinian civilian is killed from this point forward. "The Lord...is patient toward you," wrote the Apostle Peter, "not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

* Please pray for those who have been wounded on both sides, and for the family and friends of those who have been killed on both sides of the conflict. Pray that the Lord would bring them supernatural comfort and healing. Pray that they will turn to the God who said through the Prophet Isaiah, "the Lord has annointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bink up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners...to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion...the oil of gladness instead of mourning." (Isaiah 61-3)

* Please pray for the Israeli and Palestinian pastors and their congregations to have wisdom to know best how to love their neighbors and love their enemies, as Jesus commands -- and pray that they can help those who are suffering on both sides discover God's true and transformative love and plan for their lives.

* Please pray for wisdom for The Joshua Fund leadership as we seek to care for Israeli families suffering in the war zone. Pray, too, that we can find ways to care for Palestinians, as our heart goes out to both sides.

* Finally, please pray that we can recruit 100,000 partners ready, willing and able to pray with us for the people of the epicenter. Already, more than 80,000 people from around the world have signed up for Flash Traffic emails with geopolitical updates and prayer requests. I would really like to see us reach our goal of 100,000 such prayer partners by the end of January.

* Thanks so much for your faithful prayers and generous financial support. I am hearing from many Israelis here who are so grateful for the unconditional love and unwavering support of true followers of Jesus from the U.S., Canada and all over the world via The Joshua Fund.

Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will obey what I command." The Lord commanded us to love our neighbors. He commanded us to bless the people of Israel in real and practical ways, including to feed those who have no food. We are seeking to obey in the power of the Holy Spirit.

As always, we will do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, and brief you on how those projects are proceeding. We will also 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.

If you would like to make a year-end contribution to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18950 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at critical moment in history of the epicenter.

URGENT: PLEASE HELP US BLESS ISRAELIS IN THE WAR ZONE

2009-01-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

The Joshua Fund is moving quickly to bless Israeli caught in the crossfire of this escalating war between Israel and Hamas.

On Friday, TJF helped fund a project to care for 150 elderly Israeli Jews trapped in the city of Sderot, right on the border with Gaza, which is receiving a seemingly never-ending barrage of rocket attacks. TJF paid for hot meals that were delivered personally by dozens of volunteers to these elderly shut-ins. The project was organized and run by Eeki Elner and Calev Myers, co-founders of AFFI, the Alliance for the Future of Israel. Several other allies provided logistical assistance as well.

Here is an email we just received from Calev on how the project went:

"We have just returned from the project in Sderot. It went very well. Eeki Elner...was able to bring between 50-60 volunteers from Tel-Aviv and the North. I brought about 11 volunteers from the Jerusalem Institute of Justice in Jerusalem. Eeki received from the Mayor of Sderot the names and address of about 150 elderly people in Sderot who can not leave their homes. Many of them suffer from health problems and all of them suffer from poverty. Through the generous donation of the Joshua Fund we were able to give a hot meal to each individual, together with a brand-new down blanket (provided by JIJ).

"All of the volunteers split up into about 14 teams with a list of names and homes, and we were able to distribute all of the gifts within about 2.5 hours. The volunteers were instructed to enter peoples home and to take their time asking if everything is okay and trying to encourage the recipients as much as possible -- to give them the feeling that they are not alone. This was a little challenging at times. Most of the recipients were Russian or Ethiopian new immigrants. Out of six homes that my team covered, we only found one Hebrew speaker. However we heard a lot of hearty 'thank you's' in Russian and the tears and smiles on the faces of the recipients clearly expressed their appreciation regardless of language limitations.

"As we were going from home to home it was hard to ignore the Israeli fighter jets flying over our heads and the artillery fire in the background. It is inconceivable to me what must be going through the mind of an elderly new immigrant who does not speak Hebrew, lives in abject poverty and listens all day to the sound of war about a mile from his/her house (not to mention the Kassam rockets which frequently fall in the vicinity).

"Eeki was also able to procure a donation of tens of boxes of brand new educative toys and games, from a toys and games factory in Israel. After we finished the distribution to the elderly, each team of volunteers filled up their cars with educative games and toys and we went door to door asking if the homes had children, and distributing the games and toys to the ones that do. This really meant a lot to the recipients because the children of Sderot do not have school due to the war, and the kids need to need to interesting games, etc, to occupy them (as they try to ignore the bombings and gunfire which they hear throughout the day).

"We want to thank you so much for helping us bring a ray of light and encouragement into the darkness and fear of the residents of Sderot today."

Please pray for all of these elderly shut-ins, as well as all of the people of Sderot, that the Lord would protect them as rockets keep raining down on their homes and communities.

Meanwhile, I just got off the phone with John Moser, our executive director, just a few hours ago. I gave him authorization to fund another project to care for Israelis in the war zone. The Joshua Fund, working closely with our Jewish allies on the ground, will begin helping Israeli families who live near the border of Gaza to move out of their homes and to a safer city for the next week or so. We are paying for the buses, the accommodations and the food for these families. Lord willing, these families will start moving out of harm's way within the next 24 hours. I will update you as soon as I possibly can.

Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will obey what I command." The Lord commanded us to love our neighbors. He commanded us to bless the people of Israel in real and practical ways, including to feed those who have no food. We are seeking to obey in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I have also spent this afternoon praying with an Arab ministry leader, discussing how we can especially help Palestinian followers of Jesus trapped in Gaza. It's not yet clear how to help given how tightly Hamas controls the situation and how violent the situation is at the moment. For now, we will keep assisting Jewish Israelis since we have clear access to them. If an opportunity presents itself to bless our brothers and sisters in Gaza, we will move as the Lord leads us.

* Please continue praying for real peace -- not just the absence of conflict but the presence of true justice and true security on both sides of the fence.

* Please also continue praying for the scores of children on both sides who are being traumatized by all the rockets and bombs -- pray for the Lord to comfort and care for them in a supernatural way.

* Please pray for the followers of Jesus in Israel and Gaza, that they will have courage and hope from the Lord, that they will hear from the Holy Spirit how best to love their neighbors and their enemies, and that by their words and actions they can communicate the good news of God's great love and plan for Israel and her neighbors.

* Please continue praying for wisdom and discernment for The Joshua Fund leadership team, as well. We are in contact with our allies on the ground in Israel and readying relief supplies to help them care for those in severe need.

* Please also pray that we can recruit 100,000 allies who are willing to pray knowledgeably, faithfully and consistently for the people of the epicenter. Already some 80,000 have signed up from around the world.

* Please also pray about helping us financially as this war escalates.

As always, we will do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, and brief you on how those projects are proceeding. We will also 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. If you would like to make a secure, emergency contribution to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund on-line, please click here.

Or, please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18950 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at critical moment in history of the epicenter.

REPORT INSIDE THE GAZA WAR: IDF says worst is yet to come

2008-12-31T08:23:00.000-08:00

Last night, I received a report by email from an evangelical friend in the Israeli town of Sderot, located on the southern border with Gaza. “Yesterday was a day full of explosions on both sides [of the border],” he wrote. “I have temporarily moved out of my apartments [and] am staying with a friend with a bomb shelter maybe 30 feet away….I realize more and more that I am not in control of my life and I am thankful that G-d is. Between tank fire and jets flying overhead it is a bit nerve-wracking, but again I know who holds my life in His hand and I know I need to be about my Father’s business….We have been told that the worst is yet to come and we should plan on having enough food on hand until the end of March….Just as He has always been to His children in the past, I know once again He will be faithful — that’s who He is, the Faithful One.”

On Saturday, I received an email from a Jewish friend who also lives in Sderot. “I just finished reading the Flash Traffic you’ve sent today,” he wrote. “Being held here in Sderot since this morning under marshal law, it was one of the good things that I enjoyed today and your report was excellent. I also join you in prayer tha the leaders here will have the wisdom and courage to destroy terrorists…in Hamastan-ruled-Gaza….We are under fire, but we know that He will protect us.”

The Joshua Fund is doing everything we can to stand with these and other friends and to let them know that they are not alone. We are mobilizing evangelical Christians all over the world to pray for peace on the Israel-Gaza border and to show unconditional love and unwavering support. We are asking you and others to continue praying for wisdom and courage for Israel’s leaders as they seek to decimate the Hamas terrorist infrastructure and reacquire the deterrence factor lost during the 2006 war with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

* Please pray for the half million Israelis living within rocket and missile range of Gaza. They and their children have no idea what today and tomorrow hold. Pray for the Lord to comfort and calm their hearts.

* Please pray for the 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza, many of whom find themselves trapped in the crossfire of a war that Hamas started but that they as individuals and families don’t want.

* Please pray for the wounded on both sides, and the families who have lost loved ones.

* Please also lift up the believers in Jesus in Israel and Gaza who are seeking the Lord’s strength to help them love their neighbors and their enemies in real and practical ways in the name of Jesus. Pray that the believers can be lights in the darkness, bringing good news and hope to those who feel hopeless and alone.

* Finally, please pray that the Lord would be gracious to provide our Joshua Fund leadership team with wisdom to know how best to help those who are now victims of war and terrorism, and sufficient financial resources to meet those needs quickly and wisely.

Hamas terrorists have shown no signs of surrendering their vicious, evil war against the Jews of Israel. As of 4pm Israel time (9am eastern) on Monday, at least 50 rockets and missiles had been fired from Gaza at the Israeli towns of Sderot, Ashkelon and Ashdod. Israeli military forces, meanwhile, continue to pummel Hamas headquarters, rocket launching pads, and other military infrastructure. The deputy chief of staff of the IDF is warning Israeli that, “We are just at the beginning of the battle, this will not be hasty. The worst is not behind us – it is still ahead of us, and we should be prepared for this. Our resilience will be determine by the functioning of the authority and the way the civilians are protected.”

URGENT NEEDS IN THE EPICENTER: Joshua Fund sending relief supplies to bless Israelis, Palestinians and Iraqis

2008-12-18T03:28:00.000-08:00

“For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me….Truly I say to you, to the extent you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” — the words of Jesus of Nazareth as found in Matthew 25:35,36,40

Dear friend of The Joshua Fund:

First and foremost, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am awed by how generous you have been with your prayers and your financial gifts this year. Though I am an author by profession, words cannot express how grateful I am to you for investing so much of yourself into the work that we are doing to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus. I have no doubt that the Lord will bless you and your family for doing so, because He promised this in Genesis 12:1-3.

By God’s grace – and with your help – The Joshua Fund this year has been able to:

* provide food for needy Israeli families in Jerusalem for Passover

* help Israeli organizations feed and care for needy Israeli Holocaust survivors

* fund the purchase of urgently-needed medical equipment for the only Israeli hospital and trauma center operating on the border of Gaza

* assist a shelter operating to care for the homeless in Israel

* help with a soup kitchen caring for the needy in Tel Aviv

* purchase (since the fall of 2007) over 170 tons of food in Israel to bless the poor and needy, as well as to stockpile supplies ahead of the next war

* help stock bomb shelters in northern Israel with food and other emergency relief supplies

* provide a shipping container of furniture to Russian immigrants in Israel

* provide blankets, heaters and others supplies to needy elderly residents in Sderot, Israel
* provide food for needy residents in Sderot, Israel at Hannukah season

* provide thousands of backpacks and school supplies to needy children in Israel

* purchase vehicles to assist relief organizations in Israel in transporting food, clothing, relief supplies and volunteers

* provide funds to care for an Israeli pastor's family whose son was nearly killed when a bomb was sent to their home disguised as a Purim gift

* help fund heart surgeries for three severely ill Iraqi children who were flown to Israel to be treated by Jewish Israeli doctors, all of which was organized by evangelical Christians

* provide thousands of Arabic Bibles, Christian literature and films about the love and compassion of Jesus for an evangelical ministry to Palestinians operating in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza

* fund evangelistic Christmas parties for nearly 600 Palestinian Muslim men, women and children run by Arab Christians

* provide emergency food assistance for Iraqi Christians fleeing Radical Islamic violence in the city of Mosul (ancient Ninevah)

* provide hundreds of backpacks, school supplies, and Arabic and Kurdish Bibles and Christian literature to needy Muslim children in Iraq, working through local Iraqi Christian ministries

* provide school furniture such as desks and chairs to needy elementary schools in Iraq through Iraqi Christians

* provide broadcasting equipment and funds to build studios for a Christian radio station in northern Iraq that will soon be able to broadcast Christian music, Bible teaching, Christian dramas, and gospel programming for up to 1.7 million people a day. (Please pray for this project in particular. The station is all ready to go on the air. I have been there to see it myself. The station's staff just need a final signature from local authorities, a process that is now underway. Please pray with us that the authorization will come quickly and the station can go on the air early in 2009.)

* provide thousands of vaccinations for at-risk children in Afghanistan

* provide funding for three Afghani Christian leaders to be tutored in English to improve their ministry skills

* send Joshua Fund staff, board members, and American evangelical Christian pastors to pray with, teach, and encourage pastors and ministry leaders in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Gulf States

* take nearly 200 Christian leaders and volunteers to Israel in April 2008 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the prophetic rebirth of the Jewish State, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and participate in the first-ever "Epicenter Conference" in Jerusalem, attended by some 2,000 Christian leaders and lay people from around the world

* use radio, television and print interviews -- as well as email alerts and our website and weblog -- to help millions of evangelical Christians in the U.S., Canada and around the world understand the serious threats facing Israelis, Palestinians, Iraqis in the epicenter, and how they can truly bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus in real and practical ways

While this is by no means a complete list of the projects The Joshua Fund has assisted with this year, I hope this will give you a sense of our heart to care for those in real need, and how we are investing the funds you have entrusted to us.

That said, as you can imagine, there is so much more to be done. Wars and rumors of wars continue to dominate the Middle East as 2008 draws to a close. Just consider just a few of these sobering headlines in recent days:

* 7 more rockets strike Negev, as IAF renews attacks on Gaza: "More than 40 rockets have been launched at Israel since Tuesday. Militants fired 24 Qassams at southern Israel and 11 the day before. One rocket fired Wednesday struck a parking lot adjacent to a supermarket in the southern town of Sderot. Three people sustained shrapnel wounds and nine others were treated for shock."

* "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday that Israel is in its last days"

* Iran Said to Have Nuclear Fuel for One Weapon

* IDF preparing options for Iran strike

* Bin Laden Has Ordered an Attack Bigger than 9/11

* Hamas Cleric: "The Annihilation of the Jews in Palestine is One of The Most Splendid Blessings for Palestine"

* Violence rocks Gaza as truce set to expire: "Violence flared around the Gaza Strip on Thursday on the eve of an expiry of a truce but Israel stressed it would not rush into a major military operation in the besieged Palestinian territory."

* Islamists drive Christians out of Nineveh [Mosul]: Iraqi city declared 'most dangerous place on Earth' for non-Muslims

* Iraqi Christians Remain Under Siege

* Violence in Afghanistan to worsen next year: Canadian general

In light of such serious threats, I want you to know that we at The Joshua Fund are praying for peace while doing everything we possibly can to prepare for war. We are, for example, prayerfully seeking to acquire a Joshua Fund warehouse in Israel to stockpile more relief supplies. We are prayerfully seeking to purchase a truck sufficiently large enough to transport and distribute relief supplies throughout Israel. We are prayerfully seeking to hire staff in Israel to run our warehouse operations center. And this is just the beginning.

Would you be willing to help us at this critical hour?

1) The first need is more prayer partners. We are seeking to recruit at least 100,000 evangelical Christians from all over the world to stand with us in praying knowledgeably and consistently for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and for the people of the entire region. By God's grace, we already have more than 80,000 prayer partners signed up (double the number from a year ago). If you would like to receive regular "Flash Traffic" emails with urgent prayer updates, geopolitical updates, and Joshua Fund project updates, please click here.

2.) The second need is financial support. I realize economic times are tough for many of you. But that is true in Israel, as well. One-in-four Israeli live below the poverty line (about $800 a month for a family of four). One in three Israeli children live in poverty. And obviously Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas are doing everything they can to prepare for the annihilation of the Israeli people. That is why we believe so strongly that now is the time for evangelical Christians to show unconditional love and unwavering support to the Israeli people. If the Lord prompts you, we would be deeply grateful if you would be willing to make an end-of-the-year financial gift. A tax-deductible contribution of $50, $100, $1,000 or more would help enormously as we seek to be as ready as we can possibly be for the next war, as well as to bless Israelis and their neighbors who have severe needs today. If you would like, you can give securely on-line right now by clicking here. Or please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund

18940 Base Camp Road

Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

On behalf of The Joshua Fund staff and board, thank you again so much for your love and your generous spirit. It is an honor to be doing ministry together with you.

Yours to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus,

Joel C. Rosenberg

Founder and President

The Joshua Fund

[Pictured from top to bottom: Iranian missile tests in 2008; Joel with Iraqi school children at a Joshua Fund backpack distribution project in northern Iraq in February 2008; Israeli school children who received backpacks funded by The Joshua Fund in September 2008; Joel handing out backpacks to Iraqi school children at a second Joshua Fund relief project in northern Iraq in September 2008.]

SEEING A MODERN MIRACLE FOR MYSELF: Meeting with Ami Ortiz

2008-12-10T08:24:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick update on Ami Ortiz (pictured on the left, next to his mother, Leah, and his father, David Ortiz), whom many of you have been praying for over the past nine months. The Ortiz family thanks you so much for your prayers. The Lord is both hearing and answering such prayers, and they ask they we not let up.

Last month, several members of The Joshua Fund leadership team and I had the privilege of visiting the Ortiz family in Ariel, Israel. For those who don't yet know the story, Ami is a 15 year old Israeli boy who was nearly killed in March when he opened a Purim "gift package" that had been dropped off at his home that was actually a bomb. It appears the bomb was designed to assassinate Ami's father, who serves as the pastor of an evangelical Christian congregation whose heart is to bless both Jews and Palestinians in a "ministry of reconciliation" of which the Apostle Paul described in 2 Corinthians 5:18. But neither David or Leah were home at the time the package was delivered. When Ami opened it, the blast and shrapnel ripped apart his body, causing him to nearly bleed to death. David and Leah showed me a photo of Ami that was taken by a quick-thinking neighbor only minutes after the blast and after emergency services had arrived. It is a gruesome, bloody photo -- one of the most chilling I personally have ever witnessed. It's like a still frame from the most horrific moments in the film, The Passion of the Christ.

Miraculously, however, Ami did not die. As he lay on the floor of his home, burned and nearly bleeding to death, he cried out to Yeshua for help, and Yeshua responded. Today, I can report first hand that Ami's recovery is extraordinary. He is not only up and walking around, but he is even back practicing and playing with his high school basketball team. Indeed, he told me he was looking forward to playing a game the very next day after our meeting. He is not bitter. He loves the Lord so deeply and sincerely, and since Yeshua has taught him through the Bible to love his enemies and pray for those who persecute him, that is exactly what he seeks to do, through the power of the Holy Spirit. He has still has quite a bit of pain. After innumerable surgeries, he still has several more to go, and much more rehab. But he has come so far and he is one of the sweetest and most humble 15 year olds I have ever met.

That night at the evangelical congregation Pastor Ortiz shepherds, I shared my testimony and sought to encourage the Ortiz family and about 60 believers in attendance from God's Word with the notion that they have been chosen to suffer -- and thus honor -- the Lord at this critical moment in human history. The Lord is coming back. He who suffered for us is now purifying His Church and preparing us for His return. So let us not lose heart. Let us not grow weary in well doing. For in due time, the Scriptures tell us, we shall reap a great harvest.

I also promised the Ortizes that I would keep telling their story and asking believers around the world to keep praying for their physical, emotional and spiritual recovery. Let us also pray that the Israeli authorities would find the person or group responsible for perpetrating this terrible crime and bring him or them to justice. The police have ruled out Palestinian terrorism. The theory right now is that this attack may have been planned and executed by an extremist Orthodox or ultra-Orthodox religious group who hate Christians in general and hate Jews who believe that Yeshua is the Messiah in particular. We do not yet know for certain, and personally I don't believe the Israeli authorities are doing enough to solve this crime. Gentle, loving but firm pressure needs to be applied to the Israeli government to let them know that evangelical Christians around the world are watching how this case is handled, and I would encourage you to write to the Israeli embassy or consulate in your area saying this and insisting that the guilty are brought to justice in the attempted murder of an Israeli pastor and his family. Please don't be harsh, unkind or unfair in what you say or write. The vast majority of Israelis and Jews generally are not hostile to the point of violence against believers in Jesus, and this should be acknowledged. The violent fanatics are a small, small minority. But just as anti-Semitic hate crimes should be solved and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, so should crimes against followers of Yeshua in the land of His birth.

Thanks so much for your prayers and concern. I promise to continue updating you in the weeks and months ahead.

UPDATE: The best way to write to the Israeli government is as lovers of Israel. The point can be made that eights months after the incident, there is great concern over the fact that there are still no suspects or arrests after Ami Ortiz was almost killed and gravely injured in the bomb blast. Also possible to say that this is a shameful thing for Israel, and maybe a joyful event for Israel's enemies, that not everyone is equal before the law. Crime doesn't pay for some, but it does for others, and this could embolden them to keep on going. We should insist that there be no political or religious interference in this case, but that justice should take it's proper course. We feel that a clear condemnation of this act should be heard loud and clear from the leaders of Israel because so far not one government official has done so publicly, with the exception of Ariel Mayor Ron Nachman. Emails can be sent to Avi Dichter, the minister of internal security. His email is: adichter@knesset.gov.il

JOSHUA FUND UPDATE: Blessing Jews and Christians in Canada and around the world

2008-11-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much for your prayers over the past ten days or so. My team and family and I appreciate them so much. The Lord has kept us safe and opened some wonderful doors for ministry.

On November 1-3, my oldest son Caleb and I had the privilege of traveling to Edmonton, Canada. That Sunday, I spoke at a luncheon of Jewish and evangelical business leaders about the importance of mobilizing evangelicals throughout North America and around the world to bless Israel and show the Jewish people unconditional love and unwavering support. That evening, I also had the honor of speaking at Beth Israel Synagogue in Edmonton at a B'nai Brith Canada fund-raising dinner.

At the event, the Jewish community honored Jack and Carol Klemke, a wonderful Canadian evangelical Christian couple who are friends of mine, for their lifelong commitment to building bridges of friendship between Jews and followers of Jesus. It was an amazing evening and I want to publicly commend Dr. Frank Dimant for both the luncheon and the dinner and for inviting me to attend and speak. Frank is the Vice President of B'nai Brith Canada -- the oldest and largest Jewish organization in Canada -- and is also the CEO of the organization's Institute for International Affairs and the League for Human Rights. While Frank and I do not come from the same place theologically, we both share a deep sense of concern that war is coming to the Middle East and that Jews and evangelicals share a common enemy in radical Islam.

Frank also graciously introduced me to MP Jason Kenney, Canada's Secretary of State and a senior advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Kenney was the keynote speaker at the dinner. A strong Catholic, Kenney is a devoted friend of the Israeli people -- as is the evangelical Prime Minister (who was just re-elected) -- and we had a great evening together. Please pray that the Lord would continue to build strong, honest, candid, and long-lasting friendships between Jews, Catholics and evangelicals in Canada. There are a number of leaders who have asked us to prayerfully consider coming back and holding the first "Epicenter Conference" in Canada next year. Perhaps you would be willing to pray with us about this.

This past weekend, Lynn and the boys and I had the honor of attending a conference in Santa Barbara held by Open Doors USA, a ministry founded by Brother Andrew, the famed European Christian leader who has authored such wonderful books as GOD's SMUGGLER, LIGHT FORCE, and his most recent non-fiction work, SECRET BELIEVERS. The times of worship at the conference were precious, led as they were by several talented musicians, including Sara Groves, an amazing young Christian artist who is one of our family's favorite evangelical singer/songwriters.

I spoke on Friday and Saturday nights and gave a preview of my forthcoming book, INSIDE THE REVOLUTION, discussing the importance of mobilizing Christ-followers around the world not simply to bless Israel and her neighbors but also to pray for and strengthen persecuted Christians throughout the epicenter, as well as throughout the rest of the world. I concluded my talk Saturday night by encouraging the business leaders gathered from across the U.S. to "learn, pray, give, and go" --LEARN more about the persecuted church and how powerfully God is moving in dark, war-torn places; PRAY knowledgeably, faithfully and consistently for the Lord to give courage and boldness to believers who are suffering for their faith, and to raise up more laborers to serve in forward areas; GIVE to ministries that are faithfully serving our brothers and sisters in dangerous places like the epicenter; and respond to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:18-20 to "GO ye therefore and make disciples of all nations." Open Doors USA is doing a vitally important job in all four of these areas, and it was a privilege to help them educate those attending the conference and helping them raise funds to continue the critical work God is doing through them.

Such work is central to what The Joshua Fund is called to do: educate the Church and mobilize evangelicals to LEARN, PRAY, GIVE AND GO. We are not trying to build a ministry for ourselves. Our ministry exists to strengthen the work of other ministries.

As always, we will do our best to keep you up-to-date on the kinds of projects we are doing, and brief you on how those projects are proceeding. We will also 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.

To contribute to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18950 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at critical moment in history of the epicenter.

LATEST PRAYER REQUESTS

2008-10-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I will brief The Joshua Fund's board of directors on the latest geo-political developments in Israel and the epicenter. Our staff will brief the board on TJF's latest projects to bless those who are poor and needy in Israel today, and pre-position supplies ahead of the next war. We will also spend several days in prayer for the peace of Jerusalem and for the Lord to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus.

Here are a few of the specific prayer requests we'll be focusing on. Would you join us in lifting these needs before the Lord?

1. First and foremost, let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the entire region.

2. While we pray for peace, let us also pray that the Church would be prepared for the next war -- prepared with food, water, medical equipment, and other relief supplies.

3. Please pray specifically for the leadership of The Joshua Fund to make wise decisions in acquiring a warehouse and stocking it with the right supplies, and pray that we can move quickly, not knowing how much time we have before the next war.

4. Please pray for evangelical pastors, ministry leaders and believers to answer God's call to bless the people of Israel physically, spiritually and emotionally, and to do so sensitively and humbly -- with a willingness to learn from and walk alongside those men and women who already live and serve there.

5. Please pray for righteous and courageous national leaders to emerge in Israel.

6. Please pray for God to change the hearts of the leaders of Iran, or to put new leaders in office there, so there will be peace, not war.

7. Please pray for the next American President and the new leaders in Congress to stand bravely for the defense, support and blessing of Israel, while also showing love and compassion to Israel's neighbors.

8. Please pray that the evangelical Church around the world would be prepared to stand with Israel with unconditional love, even if our commitment begins to cost us personally.

9. Please pray for the believers in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza to have the grace, courage, wisdom and strength to be a shining light for the Lord, to love their neighbors, to love their enemies, and to a beautiful model of peace and reconciliation to all who live in that region.

10. Please pray for the pastors in Israel and the Palestinian territories to proclaim the "good news to the poor" as the Prophet Isaiah instructed, and to teach the Word of God in their congregations verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book, so that people really know the Bible inside and out and are motivated to obey God's Word more than ever before.

11. Please be praying for courage, protection and wisdom for Christians in the Iraqi city of Mosul (ancient Ninevah), where violence and persecution has worsened dramatically in recent weeks. Latest headline: 15,000 Iraqi Christians Driven Out of Mosul. "More than 15,000 Iraqi Christians, or 2,500 families, have been driven out of Mosul over the past two weeks," reports the Christian Post. "The number skyrocketed from last week’s estimate of some 3,000 Christians that fled the northern Iraq city, which is said to be the last urban stronghold of Al-Qaeda. Officials in Mosul also reported that some 13 Iraqi Christians have been killed in the past four weeks and at least three Assyrian Christian homes were bombed on Saturday alone, according to the Assyrian International News Agency." Please also pray for comfort for those affected by the violence, and for God's peace and tranquility to descend on that city and the entire country of Iraq.

12. Please also be praying for courage, protection and wisdom for Christians in Afghanistan. A Christian aid worker was just murdered in the capital city of Kabul, only a week or so after Jeremy Grafman and I visited there. Please also pray for comfort for the family and friends of Gayle Williams, 34, who was shot dead by two gunmen. Please also pray for God's peace and tranquility to descend on Kabul and the entire country of Afghanistan.

Thank you so much and may the Lord bless you for your faithful prayers.

JOSHUA FUND PROVIDES BACKPACKS FOR NEEDY KURDISH CHILDREN IN IRAQ

2008-10-14T03:14:00.001-07:00

(Erbil, Iraq) -- Jesus said "it is more blessed to give than to receive." He was so right. Few things in life are as wonderful as giving an unexpected gift at an unexpected time, especially to a child, and to see that child's face light up in joy and deep gratitude.

As the new school year begins, The Joshua Fund continues helping followers of Jesus in the epicenter give much-needed relief supplies to needy children. Over the summer, because of your generous donations, we were able to fund the transport of three trucks filled with relief supplies to the northern Iraqi region known as Kurdistan. Among the materials you helped send: children's backpacks, school supplies, desks, chairs and other school furniture. These supplies are now being distributed by local Iraqi Christians and what a blessing it is.

In late September, Jeremy Grafman -- Joshua Fund's director of special projects -- and I had the privilege of traveling to the city of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region of Iraq, to participate in and observe several relief projects. At one school in Erbil, we helped hand out backpacks to some 350 needy children, some of whom were Muslims and some of whom were from a nominal Christian background. Each backpack contained reams of notebook paper, lots of pens and pencils, art supplies, and a stuffed animal. Often, illustrated children's Bibles in Arabic or Kurdish, copies of the children's version of the Jesus film, and other Christian literature for children are provided in the backpacks that are distributed through TJF funding. In this case, the school principal had previously allowed Bibles and Christian literature to be made available to those children who wanted them so they weren't provided in the backpacks.

As you can from the pictures, the backpack distribution was a big hit. The kids were so excited to meet with us, to have a chance to practice a little of the English they are learning, and to receive these fun gifts from Christians in the West. Their sweet faces were absolutely beaming. One of the little girls actually gave us handfuls of her own little stash of candy to say "thank you." When a needy child in a war-torn country gives away her own candy of her own volition, you can be sure she has been touched by your love. The principal, teachers and staff were also deeply grateful and kept telling us how thankful they were for the backpacks, the school furniture and our visit. We had a wonderful opportunity to sit with several of them and learn more about what is happening in their school. We also had the privilege of letting them know that followers of Jesus in the U.S. and Canada love them and the children they care for, are praying for them, and are eager to continue helping them.

On behalf of the entire Joshua Fund team, please allow me to say thank you for the kind and generous investment you're making in this work. Because of you, we are able to bless children in Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Iraq and elsewhere in the name of Jesus and through local Christians in each of these places. Please continue to pray for these children, their parents, their teachers and for all the people of Iraq. Security is improving. The economy is growing. The Church is growing. But Iraqis continue to face enormous challenges and need the love and grace of Jesus Christ more than ever before. Thanks again, and may the Lord richly bless you as you help us bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus.

JOSHUA FUND HELPS PROVIDE 7,500 BACKPACKS FOR NEEDY CHILDREN IN ISRAEL

2008-09-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends from the Joshua Fund,

I want to thank you again for your generous donation to our backpack distribution project this year. Through your generous support, and with help from others, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice was able to distribute 7,500 brand-new backpacks filled with brand-new school materials, such as notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers, glue, pencil cases, etc, to children living under the poverty level throughout the whole nation of Israel.

Our distribution project took place from August 24 to August 28 under the banner of the alliance “For the Empowerment of Israel.” Among others, we distributed back-packs to new immigrant children from Ethiopia in Jerusalem, Meveseret Tzion and the Tel-Aviv Area, new immigrant children from Yemen in Rehovot, children of Southern Lebanese Army refugees in Nahariya, and children living with their mothers in shelters for battered women in various cities.

The response was literally overwhelming as many tears of thanks and appreciation were expressed by parents and community leaders, and many smiles were beaming from the faces of children. Here is a translation of one of the letters of appreciation which we received. It is from “Isha L’Isha – the Jerusalem Shelter for Battered Women,” and a copy of the original letter in Hebrew is attached hereto.

“I want to thank you in the name of the children from the shelter, their mothers, and our team, for the donation of the equipped backpacks and pencil cases in preparation for the upcoming school year....We received 15 back-packs for kindergarten students and nine back-packs for elementary school student, all of them well equipped. This makes the children very happy and gives them a feeling of renewal together with the start of the school year.”

All of the backpacks were distributed through local volunteers throughout Israel. Needless to say, this blessed cooperation is a “win, win” situation. Firstly, we are able to fulfill the greatest commandment of loving our neighbors as ourselves by showing compassion to poor and needy families in our nation. Secondly, this is done through cooperation with leading Israeli social and political activists, which helps us build meaningful relationships that have real value in the pursuit of civil rights, freedom of religion, and social justice.

Please enjoy the photos....We hope that you will choose to continue supporting these important projects.

With much love and appreciation,

Calev Myers

Founder and Chief Counsel
Jerusalem Institute of Justice

WAR CLOUDS BUILDING IN THE EPICENTER

2008-09-03T05:08:00.000-07:00

Wars continue to rage in the Middle East, as rumors of another catastrophic war -- this time between Iran and Israel -- continue to grow.

A top Iranian general Saturday warned that a military attack by the West against his country would lead to another world war, the official IRNA news agency reported. "The extremist and expansionist policies of Washington and Tel Aviv which have been manifested in Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan and recently in the Caucasus, have endangered the entire world," Iran's Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri said. "The unrestrained greed of the US leadership and global Zionism... is gradually leading the world to the edge of a precipice."

Meanwhile, the Ayatollah Khamenei -- Iran's Supreme Leader -- says the Twelfth Imam is coming soon to establish a global Islamic government. "Allah willing," he said recently, "this Islamic revival will sweep over the entire world, when the Mahdi appears."

In this context, The Joshua Fund is working around the clock to bless Israelis and Palestinians who could be severely impacted by the coming Iranian storm, one that by all accounts seems increasingly imminent. Though we continue to pray for peace, we are also continuing to prepare for war. We have just rented office space in Jerusalem to set up an operations center to coordinate our efforts. We are currently negotiating to secure warehouse space to store $1 million worth of relief supplies. We are acquiring vehicles to transport those supplies. We are interviewing people we may need to bring on staff soon. Meanwhile, we continue to help believers in Israel stockpile 400 tons of food in a warehouse in the North ahead of the coming war, in addition to our on-going projects to care for Israelis who are homeless, widows, Holocaust victims, and otherwise in need, as well as caring for embattled Palestinian Christians who face the constant threat of persecution and death.

In November, just after the U.S. elections, my colleagues and I will travel to Israel to meet with government officials and relief organization leaders and assess the preparations we have been able make by then. We would be deeply grateful for your prayers that the Lord would give us wisdom and discernment to know best how to invest limited time and resources to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus as effectively as possible.

As always, 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. We will also 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.

To contribute to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund, you can give securely on-line, or please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18950 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at critical moment in history of the epicenter.

PRAY FOR PEACE, PREPARE FOR WAR: Update on Joshua Fund's latest project trip

2008-08-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Let me bring you up to date on the doors the Lord is opening for The Joshua Fund as we pursue the goals & objectives He has set before us -- to obtain a warehouse, offices and vehicles in Israel and as quickly as possible to stockpile $1 million dollars in food and emergency relief supplies. We are praying we can have all these facilities, resources and systems in place by November 1st, given the rising threat of war with Iran.

A team from The Joshua Fund led by our Executive Director John Moser has just returned from an 18 day work trip to the Holy Land to continue the planning and implementation of these projects. They accomplished an enormous amount in just a short time. As a result we are currently in negotiations to procure warehouse space. We have also just rented office space and have purchased a large van with which we can transport staff, volunteers and relief supplies.

During their stay, they were blessed to visit and encourage many of our valued allies in the Land, including leaders from Jewish and Arab hospitals, directors of other relief organizations, government officials, pastors and other ministry leaders. They received briefings on the latest developments in these organizations and took time to pray with and for these leaders, their families and the important work they are doing. The had a particularly special time visiting with Israeli Pastor David and Leah Ortiz, and their son, Ami, who continues recovering after being targeted for assassination for his faith in Jesus. I'll write more on that visit in my next email, but the Lord has made it very clear to us that our connection to precious believers such as these will be even more critical in the days ahead. Despite the fact that Israel is a wonderful democracy and provides more personal freedom than any other country in the Middle East, it is still not easy to be a follower of Jesus in the land of his birth, death and resurrection. We need to continue standing with our brothers and sisters and finding ways to bless them, even as we find ways to bless all Israelis with unconditional love and unwavering support. So we are actively listening to and working with these leaders to hear their needs and help them get ready for the coming war.

Our team also seized the opportunity to initiate relationships with several potential new ministry partners as well. The Joshua Fund team included Cheryl Moser, our Office Manager and Operations Coordinator; Jeremy Grafman our Director of Special Projects; as well as a husband and wife doctor team that are the co-chairs of The Joshua Fund's new medical advisory council. We are learning a lot and don't have a concrete answer yet as to how American and Canadian doctors and other medical personnel can be a blessing to needy Israelis, so please keep us in prayer as we really want a clear answer from the Lord on this.

We continued in our commitment to support medical relief in the south of Israel by delivering additional funds to the Barzilai Medical Center. These funds will be used to procure critically important medical equipment. We are also praying that the Lord would provide the hospital the funds they need for the construction of a fortified, underground treatment facility. This sheltered facility will provide staff and patients with a desperately needed shield from the missile and rocket attacks which are almost continuously launched from Gaza. Recent media reports reveal Hamas is feverishly stockpiling weaponry during the current "truce." Our concern, of course, is that these tools of hatred will be unleashed very soon on this civilian population.

We were also able to step into a partnership with a wonderful Israeli ministry that is literally helping rescue young Muslim Iraqi children from the jaws of death. Just this week we have provided the resources to enable three Iraqi children with life threatening heart defects to be brought into Israel for the surgeries that will sustain them. Think about that for a moment: your contributions are allowing us as evangelical Christians help Israeli Jews provide life-saving medical treatment for Iraqi Muslim children and their families. What an honor.

Each of these beautiful young Iraqi girls has been accompanied by their mother, and are housed and cared for during the time of their medical treatment. This is such an amazing opportunity to express our love for Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus. These three families have travelled from Kurdistan in northern Iraq and have willingly come to a country they fear for the help they must have. Please keep this entire project in fervent prayer. Israeli cardiologists are examining and assessing these 3 lovely young ladies right now. Unfortunately there are no guarantees that the surgeries will be successful. Also pray faithfully for their mothers, that as they desperately seek for hope and a future for their children, that the lives, words and actions of the believers who are surrounding them will lead them a true hope and future. Our team was humbled and blessed to be able to personally deliver a number of Kurdish Bibles to give to these families as they arrived in Israel. By having the Word of God in their own language, we pray they will begin to understand the unconditional love that has constrained us to share with them, and to freely provide for their children.

"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, 'Of all the commandments, which is the most important?'

"'The most important one,' answered Jesus, 'is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.'

"'Well said, teacher,' the man replied. 'You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.' "When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions." (Mark 12:28-34)

As always, 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. We will also 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.

To contribute to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18950 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado
80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at critical moment in history of the epicenter.

Would you consider making a donation of $25, $40 or $60 a month to The Joshua Fund? Please click here to find out more, and/or to make a secure donation on-line.

SON OF HAMAS LEADER TURNS TO CHRIST

2008-08-15T07:30:00.001-07:00

A huge story broke first in Israel in Haaretz about a week ago, and now on the Fox News Channel. The son of the leader of Hamas has renounced his affiliation with the terrorist group, has renounced Islam, and has become a follower of Jesus Christ. The full-length interviews are absolutely fascinating.

Please pray:

1. That this young man's faith deepens and grows and that he can be discipled by an older, wiser man of God.

2. That the Lord keeps this young man safe from those Radical jihadists who would try to take his life.

3. That the Lord would answer his prayers and his family's eyes and hearts would be opened and they would all come to faith in Jesus as well.

4. That other Hamas leaders and Muslims throughout the West Bank and Gaza -- as well as all Israelis who are hearing this story -- would be moved by this young man's spiritual journey and begin asking why he did it.

5. That the Lord would continue to build His church in the Holy Land, and not allow the gates of Hell to prevail against it.

HAARETZ: Prodigal Son

FOX NEWS CHANNEL: Son of Hamas Leader Turns Back on Islam and Embraces Christianity

IS WAR WITH IRAN "UNAVOIDABLE"?

2008-08-08T05:12:00.000-07:00

"If Iran continues with its programme for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective."

-- Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz, June 2008

Most Americans have never heard of Shaul Mofaz. But those interested in the future of the Middle East ought to take note.

Mofaz is currently Israel's Deputy Prime Minister. On Tuesday, he announced his candidacy to lead the Kadima Party, the party of current Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Mofaz now squares off against Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Kadima's September 17th primaries. He is behind in the internal Kadima polls, but he has been gaining. Should he win next month, he will have the chance to put together a national unity government and become Israel's next premier, without having to face voters in a new round of national elections.

There are five things you should know about Mofaz.

First, he was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1948 before his family eventually fled to the new State of Israel when he was nine years old.

Second, he is a military man, rising to become the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces in the late 1990s under Netanyahu, and later served as Defense Minister under Ariel Sharon.

Third, this native Farsi speaker says war with Iran appears to him "unavoidable," and he vows he will not allow the Jewish State to suffer "a second Holocaust."

Fourth, his campaign to become Kadima's next leader -- and thus potentially Israel's next Prime Minister -- essentially boils down to this: "If Iran strikes first, or if Israel must launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran, who would you rather have as commander-in-chief, a diplomat like Tzipi Livni, or a military man like me?"

Fifth, as a lifelong military leader, he is relatively new to the political arena, having been first elected to the Knesset in 2005. Yet even in this short period of time, he has been accused of flip-flopping on major political issues. As one Israeli media profile put it: "His political zigzagging was evident when he joined Kadima - a mere 48 hours after announcing to the world that the Likud was his political home forever and ever; or when he fiercely objected to the construction of the security fence - only to take charge of the operation; or when it came time to vote on the Gaza pullout - where he turned from one of the move's most adamant opponents to one of its most enthused advocates, almost overnight." That said, with the eyes of the nations increasingly on Israel and her neighbors, Shaul Mofaz is a man worth watching.

My colleagues and I continue to believe that there is a serious likelihood of war between Israel and Iran in the next few months, and we are doing everything we can to prepare for that war. Our Joshua Fund staff has been in Israel for the last few weeks, and will be there for another week. They are meeting with our key allies and making preparations to pre-position more relief supplies. Specifically, they are looking for warehouse space, office space, and vehicles to move the supplies. We would be grateful for your continued prayers for those needs. We would also be grateful for your prayers that the Lord would provide an additional $1 million above and beyond our regular budget, and do so by September 1st so that we can secure those facilities and fill them with supplies. As you can see, time is short so we need to move as quicky as possible. August is the slowest time for nearly all ministries when it comes to fund-raising, as so many people are traveling and on vacation. So this will really need to be from the Lord. Thanks so much for standing with us as prayer and financial partners.

As always, 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. We will also 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. To contribute to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund, please give securely on-line, or make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund

18950 Base Camp Road

Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at critical moment in history of the epicenter.

JOSHUA FUND TEAM VISITS AND PRAYS WITH ORTIZ FAMILY IN ISRAEL

2008-07-30T05:10:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: As many of you know, on March 20th of this year the family of Israeli Pastor David Ortiz was targeted for death because of their faith in Yeshua (Jesus) and was viciously attacked in their home in Ariel. A bomb disguised as a Purim package of candies and other treats was delivered to their home. Their youngest son, Ami, opened the package and was nearly killed by the blast. Miraculously, he survived, but his injuries were horrifying.

It was a story covered around the world. The Joshua Fund at the time immediately alerted our prayer network, as did many other ministries throughout Israel and around the world, and we have continued to lift up this dear family in prayer in the months that followed. In April, I asked Pastor Ortiz to speak at the Epicenter conference in Jerusalem to share what happened, how the Lord had rescued Ami, and the miracles that have been happening. I also asked him to share how many Israelis who do not believe in Yeshua were outraged by this brutal attack and were coming to Ami's hospital room to show their support. [To watch Pastor Ortiz's talk at the Epicenter conference, please click here and go to the video archive section.]

The police have ruled out Palestinian terrorism. They now believe this was an attacked perpetrated by religious Jews, possibly Ultra-Orthodox, who despise any Israeli who believes in Yeshua. The case is not solved. And if Ultra-Orthodox are involved, this certainly shouldn't been seen as an act supported by most religious Jews. By no means. But please pray that the police will aggressively pursue this case, solve it soon, and bring the guilty party or parties to justice.

Meanwhile, please pray for Ami, Pastor Ortiz, his wife, and their other five children. They are model Israeli citizens. David and his sons serve in the Israeli army. They pay their taxes. The kids have attended Israeli schools. They are involved in reconciliation efforts between Jewish Israelis and Palestinian Arabs. They love Israel. They love Yeshua. And they deserve better. No one in Israel should face such persecution or violence.

A Joshua Fund team had the privilege of visiting the Ortiz family yesterday and it was a real blessing. I'm home, hard at work on my next book. The deadline is September 11th. But visiting our brothers and sisters in Ariel were John Moser, our executive director; Cheryl Moser, our office manager; Jeremy Grafman, our director of special projects; and a family from Virginia who are supporters of The Joshua Fund and doctors by profession.

What follows is an update on Ami's condition and their visit with our team, written by Leah Ortiz, Ami's mother:

-------------------------

Ami lost 25 pounds (12 kilos) in the weeks after he was injured. He was in an induced coma for 8 days, and then it took him 2-3 weeks until he was able to eat solid food. Praise the Lord, he has gained back all the weight he lost and his appetite has come back full force to what it was before the incident. You'd be amazed, and maybe slightly alarmed if you could see how he piles his plate with food – and it's still a mystery where it all goes to because at 6'3", and approximately 147 pounds, he's very slim. The dieticians want him to gain another 7 pounds or so, and I think he'll be happy to oblige.

Ami receives many visits from believers who are touring Israel this summer. They've come to bring him gifts, and to pray for him. The last group we had was from The Joshua Fund in the U.S., and among the small group, was a Doctor from Korea and his Iranian, ex-Muslim wife. She was able to tell Ami about her battle with breast cancer. She said that every time she looks in the mirror and sees her scarred breast, she says thank you to the Lord for having saved her life. She said that it is a sign between her and the Lord.

Praise the Lord for these powerful witnesses – if he already treasures them, when he is able to look back at this terrible incident, and recalls these stories of bravery and accomplishment, he will have a rich storehouse from which to meditate and remember.

Ami's older brother is still staying with him in the hospital, and I have returned home, only staying over when necessary. We were given the chance to move into a different hospital room with a lot more space. I guess we have a bit of seniority on the floor now, as several of the long term patients have been released to Out Patient status. Ami will also be released, God willing, in two to three weeks, and will continue to receive therapy as an out patient. Ami is looking forward to starting the new school year on September 1st, and we will have to take it day by day as he will also have therapy in the hospital a few days a week, and so he will studying in school, and also in the hospital's learning center. He still has many physical challenges before him as well, including the limited use of his hands, but we're learning to take one day at a time. We'd appreciate continued prayer for this important step back to normalcy. Ami is feeling a little relief from the pain, but it still plagues him and is holding him back a bit in his progress. We appreciate your continued prayer for every detail of his recovery.

We've been impressed by the Lord to pray about some opportunities to expand the ministry in Ariel and to become more visible as believers in our area. We believe that this is what the Lord will do as a result of the attack in March and we have some possibilities before us that we're praying about.. This is what was given to us from the very beginning of this ordeal -- Isaiah 54:2, 10 -17

"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. "O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace. In righteousness you will be established: tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; Whoever attacks you will surrender to you. "See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD.

David (my husband, not the king!) pointed out that the weapon and tongue is on the same level of destructiveness, and both will be stopped, they won't accomplish what they have purposed to do. We certainly had a weapon forged against us, and it has not accomplished it's purpose. It was meant to destroy us, but it has multiplied us.

The tongue of those who have distributed fliers in all the cities of Israel with pictures of the local believers, including names and addresses, and stating that Messianic believers are not Jews, that we masquerade as such and are stealing the Jewish soul of our nation, will be refuted by the Lord.

Refute means to prove wrong by argument or evidence: show to be false or erroneous.

What beautiful promises. Let us be encouraged that we are in His hands, no matter what circumstances befall us.

The police are more active now in their investigation which is encouraging. We will keep you updated on any progress.

Thank you for praying, loving and encouraging us every step of the way.

In the Messiah,
Leah

GAZA MINISTRY ATTACKED BY RADICALS: Please pray

2008-07-30T04:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I received this email from Taysir (Tass) Saada. Tass is a former PLO sniper who came to Christ miraculously in the early 1990s and is now in full-time ministry to Muslims in the epicenter, preaching the gospel and doing humanitarian relief work, particularly among his fellow Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

He and I met at Shemen Sasson, a congregation in Jerusalem, in January when I preached on "What God Is Doing Among The Muslims." He also came with our Joshua Fund team to Ashkelon the next day and he and I presented checks from his ministry -- Hope For Ishmael -- and The Joshua Fund to the administrators of the Barzilai Medical Center to help t hem buy more desperately-needed medical equipment. During that meeting, Tass asked the hospital administrators to forgive him and the Palestinian people for all they'd done to harm the Jews. It was very moving, bringing all of us in the room to tears. I recently wrote the foreword to a book Tass has written for Tyndale called, Once An Arafat Man.

Please be praying for him and his ministry team as you read the email. We need to stand with our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Christ as they serve as a light in such darkness. Thanks so much.

"It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. Our humanitarian organization in Gaza was ransacked...no...not ransacked...but robbed. By who you might ask. The answer is one that may surprise people...but to those who are educated in middle east politics, particularly in the Palestinian world, it may not come as a shock. The governing body in the Gaza Strip, Hamas, has taken it upon themselves to destroy all the good that is being accomplished through the cultural center in Gaza. I received a phone call early this morning informing us that our home in Gaza was robbed by Hamas. What they could not take, they destroyed. Bullets shot through windows, bullets shot through walls, furniture taken, pictures, books and the front door...yes the front door. If the home was not enough, they took everything from the cultural center. Computers, desks, chairs, sofas, furniture...all things being used to help the poorest citizens of Gaza. In addition to our home and cultural center, they took it upon themselves to destroy the Hope Kindergarten facility. Taking playground equipment, toys, and educational material...surely the soldiers of Hamas will find them useful while the children who received joy and education will now be without. This "governing" body is on a mission to eliminate hope in it's people...but be assured...as long as the Body of Christ continues to commit itself to the purpose of hope, love, peace and reconciliation to God...Hamas and the dictatorships like it will never succeed. They will only continue to fan the flame quietly burning in the hearts of their people. In a time such as this, with the political future of the United States being decided in November, it is becoming increasingly important for the Body of Christ to educate itself in the story of the Middle East. While intentions of former presidents visiting the leaders of Hamas may seem purely motivated, it only emboldens these governments to pursue acts such as these. My hope is that the book "Once an Arafat Man" will be a helpful tool for all who wish to understand the volatile situation in places like Gaza. Thank you for your continued prayers. --Tass"

JULY PRAYER REQUESTS

2008-07-22T09:48:00.000-07:00

As part of our "pray for peace, but prepare for war" approach to trends in the epicenter, The Joshua Fund board of directors continues to meet with experts who are advising us how best to get ready for a possible new conflict in the Middle East.

At our July board meetings, we had the privilege of spending the weekend with Lt.-General Jerry Boykin and Bailey Marks, Sr., two dear friends and men of tremendous experience and wisdom. General Boykin, you may recall, was a keynote speaker at our EPICENTER conference in Jerusalem in April. He is the former head of Delta Force and recently retired as the U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. He also used to be responsible for the training of all U.S. special forces at Fort Bragg, overseeing some 10,000 of America's best and brightest soldiers and Marines. Bailey Marks retired several years ago as Senior Vice President of Campus Crusade for Christ International. He served as a top aide to Bill Bright for several decades and was responsible for all CCC ministries outside the United States, overseeing some 22,000 American and foreign national staff members. Both were exceedingly gracious with their time and enormously helpful in helping us think through how to respond to a variety of eventualities.

Over the past week, we have also met in the D.C. area with a half-dozen other Israelis and evangelicals working in Israel who briefed us on what they are doing and discussed with us how we might be able work together. Among the questions we are asking:

* How can we stockpile emergency supplies in Israel to care for Israelis and Palestinians who may be caught in the crossfire of future hostilities? It is vitally important to us that we able to care for both communities, not just one or the other.

* How can we acquire additional warehouse facilities inside Israel that can be used to pre-position such supplies and complement the facilities other Jewish, Christian Arab and evangelical organizations already operate?

* How can we organize and train volunteeers to go into the region and assist churches, first responders, and local governments after the war ends?

* How can we mobilize more congregations to pray for the people of the epicenter, as well as for the staff and work of The Joshua Fund?

* How can we trust the Lord for the finances we need to move quickly, ahead of the coming conflict?

Please join us in praying for the Lord's wisdom in each of these areas.

Please also pray for:

* A Joshua Fund staff team that leaves Saturday for a two-week trip to Israel and the West Bank. They will be meeting with our key allies to pray with them and encourage them; fixing up and stocking bomb shelters as part of our pilot project; bringing more relief to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon; assessing new projects we may support; and looking for adequate warehouse space. Please pray Psalm 32:8 for them, that the Lord would lead them and guide them in the way that they should go, and counsel them with His eye upon them.

* The establishment of a Canadian branch of The Joshua Fund. Galatians 6:10 says, "While we have opportunity, let us do good to ALL people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith." There has been growing interest from our evangelical friends up north for a way to learn, pray, give and go to the work of The Joshua Fund. There is particular interest among many to make tax deductible contributions to TJF. At the same time, I have been invited by several groups to go up to Canada and speak either this fall or next spring about the work we are doing. We are deeply grateful for this interest and want to respond to it. Please pray that the Lord would continue to give us clarity and wise counsel on all this so we can bless Canadians who seek to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus.

* Our next Joshua Fund trip to Iraq. For security reasons, I cannot give more details at this time. But we are praying about returning later this summer or fall to encourage Iraqi pastors, pray with and encourage local believers, speak in Iraqi churches, bring in more humanitarian relief supplies, and meet with top Iraqi leaders. Please join us in praying Colossians 4:2-5, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

* The Lord to bless TJF with an additional $1 million in the next 30 to 45 days, above and beyond our regular budget. This money will be used to accelerate the stockpiling of emergency supplies in Israel and acquiring the warehouse space, trucks, etc needed to store and distribute these supplies. Far more than this is needed, of course, but if the Lord would provide these funds quickly, this would be a big step forward in making the necessary preparations. Please pray that the Lord would be gracious. And please pray about joining our team and investing in the work of The Joshua Fund.

As the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:6-14, "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: 'He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.' Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"

If you are a pastor, would you and your congregation consider a one-time special gift to TJF of $50,000 to help meet this need? For individuals and families, would you consider making a $25, $50 or $100 monthly gift? Thank you so much for your prayers and your generosity.

As always, 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. We will also 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.

To contribute to the work of The Joshua Fund through a secure, on-line donation, please click here. Or, please make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18950 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at critical moment in history of the epicenter.

A TIME TO WEEP

2008-07-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-21)

To our dear friends in Israel, I have a very heavy heart today. The Joshua Fund team is grieving with you over the deaths of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. We had been hoping and praying along with you that we could all rejoice together, that there would be a sweet reunion. Yet we are faced with a bitter reality. Our hearts are broken for you as a nation. This tragic news weighs even heavier in light of the brewing conflict that fills the news across the globe. We are praying for you, and we are very aware that your own precious sons and daughters are called to stand against Israel's enemies. It is this prospect of future war hanging over Israel that motivates us these days. We are diligently preparing and pre-positioning relief supplies, so that we can bless all Israelis together, should the L-rd allow another attack. He longs for Israel to return to Him wholeheartedly. He is passionate to restore His people, for His ruach [Spirit] to bring them to life. We stand by ready to do everything we can to help you in your time of need, trusting that He will do what is necessary to return the children of Israel to their land and to His heart. Those of us who know Yeshua must rise to show His love in the face of this evil. We are called to reflect the character of the True and Living God, the One who values every life he has created. We still long for all in the region -- Jews and Gentiles -- to ask, "Why do the people who love Yeshua, love me?" Never has this been more critical than today, and the L-rd is able to make His love even more evident against the backdrop of hatred that surrounds you. Israel will always be in her prayers. So will her neighbors. And her enemies. We pray especially that the Spirit of the True God would fall upon Sheikh Nasrallah and the leaders of Hezbollah and bring them to saving, transforming faith in Jesus Christ, for it is only through the Prince of Peace that the problems of the Middle East will ever truly be solved. "Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121:4) Amen.

[Top photo: Eldad Regev on the left, Ehud Goldwasser on the right]

PRAY FOR PEACE, PREPARE FOR WAR: An update

2008-07-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

As Israel faces the possibility of war with Iran in the next year -- possibly as early as this fall -- The Joshua Fund is stepping up efforts to stockpile food, water, medical equipment and other emergency supplies. Over the weekend, our leadership hosted the head of a leading evangelical Israeli relief organization to develop detailed contigency plans and we have a staff team heading to Israel at the end of the month to meet with other key allies. Over the course of the next few days, I will be holding conference calls with evangelical pastors throughout the U.S. to brief them on the latest developments and discuss ways they can help.

There are a few urgent prayer requests we would like to share with all of you:

1) First and foremost, please pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the entire region. Pray for the leaders of the region -- and our own national leaders -- to make wise choices in the days and weeks ahead. While diplomacy and sanctions haven't worked so far, they still could. So let's pray that the Lord would spare all the people of the region another war. They have, after all, suffered so much already.

2) Pray especially for peace on Israel's southern border. Every day, rockets and mortars from Gaza are striking fear into the hearts of some 500,000 Israeli residents. Pray, too, for the staff of Barzilai Medical Center, the only hospital treating Israelis in the southern tier. Pray for wisdom and comfort for the doctors, nurses, administrators and volunteers. Pray that they would have all the equipment, pharmaceuticals and other essentials they need to treat those affected by the on-going terror attacks.

3) Please pray for evangelical Christians and Israeli Jews to join forces to bless the people of Israel in real and practical ways. Pray that historic tensions would subside, and that Christians would truly show unconditional love and unwavering support to the Jewish State. Pray, too, that Israeli leaders at all levels of society would be open to and accepting of such support, and that The Joshua Fund could play a positive, helpful role in all of this.

4) Please pray for members of Israeli churches and congregations and their leaders to have wisdom and discernment to know how best to love their neighbors and their enemies. Please particularly pray for their courage and patience. While harassment of believers in Israel is nothing like the terrible persecution ongoing in Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Iran or elsewhere, attacks against followers of Jesus in Israel have increased in recent months. As I have reported before, the 15-year old son of an Israeli pastor was nearly killed this spring when a bomb was sent to the pastor's home disguised as a Purim gift. Ami Ortiz is slowly, steadily, miraculously recovering. But he definitely needs your prayers for the many surgeries he is having to go through. Please also pray that the authorities in Israel would be truly diligent in tracking down and catching those responsible for this horrific crime. The police have now definitively ruled out Palestinian terrorism. This was done by Jews who hate Israeli believers in Yeshua, they believe. But there have been concerns that the police were not doing as much as possible to solve the case. Pressure from Christians around the world writing to Israeli embassies insisting on action has helped. Please keep praying and pressing for justice. Unfortunately, there have been other attacks as well. A deputy Mayor of an Israeli town recently organized Orthodox youths to round up New Testaments and other Christian literature and burn them in a huge bonfire. Christian workers in the country are being denied visas. Some Israeli officials are harassing immigrants who believe in Yeshua and trying to strip of their Israeli citizenship. The Lord is being gracious in all these areas, and a national discussion has ensued over whether Israeli believers in Jesus have a right to live peaceably in the Jewish State, especially since they are very loyal citizens. They fight in the army. They pay their taxes. They serve their communities. They care for the poor and needy. They want to help build a strong Israel for the future. They also want the right to worship the Lord and unashamedly express their belief that Yeshua is the Messiah and the hope not only of the Jewish people, but the whole world. Let's continue to pray for these brothers and sisters during these challenging times.

5.) Finally, please pray that we evangelicals around the world would have the courage to stand with our brothers and sisters in Israel and that we would not hesitate in any way to help them have enough food, water, clothing, medical equipment and other needed supplies to care for their own communities as well as their neighbors when the next war breaks out. As Paul wrote in Romans 15:25-27, "Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings." We do owe it to our brethren in Israel to help them in their nation's time of need.

This summer, therefore, TJF is seeking the Lord to provide an additional $1 million above and beyond our current financial commitments to accelerate our efforts to stockpile these goods, acquire the needed warehouse facilities to store them, and vehicles to move them around the country. Our board will meet this weekend to discuss several urgent new projects and make decisions on how to proceed based, in part, on our sense of whether we believe we can afford accelerating our work in Israel. We are bringing in several experts to advise us, including a former top U.S. military commander who is a dear brother in Christ and has decades of experience praying for peace yet preparing for war. I'll report more next week on what comes out of these discussions.

As always, 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. We will also 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.

To contribute to the on-going work of The Joshua Fund, please click here -- or, make your check payable to: "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund
18950 Base Camp Road
Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may the Lord richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus -- especially at critical moment in Israel's history.

LATEST EPICENTER PRAYER REQUESTS

2008-06-03T05:36:00.000-07:00

Looking for more ways to bless Israel? Here are eight more, taken from our list of "60 Ways To Bless Israel At 60."

28. Pray daily for peace on Israel's southern border with Gaza.

29. Pray daily for peace on Israel's northern borders with Lebanon and Syria.

30. Pray daily for regime change to come soon in Iran to a moderate, pro-Western, democratic government that will abandon President Ahmadinejad's nuclear ambitions and live at peace with Israel and her neighbors.

31. Pray daily for wisdom for Israeli, American and NATO leaders to know how to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

32. As new elections approach in Israel, Pray for the Lord to raise up leaders like "the men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do" (I Chronicles 12:32, NIV).

33. Pray that a truly just, fair, and compassionate peace treaty could be forged soon between Israel and Lebanon.

34. Pray that a truly just, fair and compassionate peace treaty could be forged soon between Israel and Syria.

35. Pray for new leaders to emerge in the West Bank and Gaza who truly oppose violence against Israel, have the courage and ability to hunt down and imprison Palestinian terrorists, are dedicated to preventing Iran and al-Qaeda from seizing effective control of these disputed territories, and will work tirelessly

Also, please continue praying for Ami Ortiz, the 15-year old son of an Israeli pastor who was nearly killed for his faith in Jesus by a bomb attack during the holiday of Purim. Here's an update on his condition from a week ago, written by his parents:

"We thank so many of you who have written and asked to be updated on Ami's condition as you want to continue to lift him up before the throne of God. We can't tell you how grateful we are that the momentum is continuing, as we are facing new challenges every day. However, we are greatly encouraged by the outpouring of love from all over the world, and Ami is daily encouraged as well. We thank Yeshua for moving your hearts to convey His encouragement to our family.

"We moved into the Tel HaShomer Children's hospital two weeks ago, which is a rehabilitation facility and one of the best in the country. Ami has a strenuous schedule which includes Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, School studies, Computer lessons, and training in an exercise center. All of this has really strengthened him, and along with renewed appetite, he's looking more and more like 'Ami.' However, there are many struggles as well. Interspersed between all of his activities have been visits to specialists. The first specialists to see him were the ENT doctors (Ear, Nose and Throat). We found out that Ami's right ear drum is almost completely blown out and the left ear drum has significant damage. The first doctor told us that he will need skin grafts in both ears which includes a recovery period of 3 to 6 weeks on each ear. However, yesterday we visited a second specialist who specializes in ear injuries from terror attacks. She had better news - she said there was a 90% chance that the ear drums would close up themselves - heal by themselves. She said that Ami is young, and she's seen it happen many times. Even after the first doctor's assessment, I had faith that the Lord would close up those ear drums!! His next appointment will be in 3 months. The doctor said it might take a year for them to heal naturally, but if there is no improvement in 3 months, they will schedule the operations. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE EAR DRUMS TO BE HEALED.

"Ami's hearing has been significantly affected as a result of this injury. Ami was sent to an Eye Specialist as well. He said that there are still many pieces of metal in Ami's eyes, and it is better if they don't come out, but stay in as it could cause problems if they come out. He also said that the eyes were not seeing 20/20 and he might need glasses. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE LORD TO DISSOLVE THE METAL IN HIS EYES, AND FOR THE HEALING OF HIS EYES TO CONTINUE UNTIL 20/20 VISION.

"Ami has also had significant burn wounds and subsequent scarring all over his body -- also scars where large pieces of shrapnel were removed. His body also has the tendency to scar quickly and for the scars to build up rapidly. Therefore, pressure bandages have been made for him. They are like thick support stockings. The upper body "suit" covers his whole upper body including his neck. It is very difficult to get used to, and he's been told that he has to wear them 23 hours a day for one to two years!! The lower body suit is being prepared now. All of this is emotionally and mentally hard for Ami to adjust to as well as physically rigorous. PLEASE PRAY THAT THE SCARS WOULD HEAL QUICKLY, AND THAT AMI WOULD BE ABLE TO ADJUST TO THESE BANDAGES....

"I am praying for Ami's healing to happen quicker than anyone can imagine. I believe that with prayer and Yeshua's healing power, everything is possible. Tomorrow, Friday March 23rd, will be a special prayer meeting in our congregation in Ariel. Messianic leaders from all over Israel will be gathering for a time of fasting and prayer for Ami and the situations surrounding the attack, from 10am to 2PM Israel time. Even this week, in a town called Or Yehuda, the deputy mayor along with local rabbis stirred up the religious youth to go door to door and gather New Testaments that had been distributed by believers a few weeks before. They then burned the New Testaments. This is a very serious development, because even in Nazi Germany, Jewish prayer books were burned in the early years before the Holocaust began. We would urge you to denounce this act to the Israeli Embassy in your area, and also to ask why the perpetrators of the Purim Package bombing have not yet been apprehended."

HEADLINES TO TRACK:
* CNN: Hundreds of New Testaments torched in Israel
* AP: Israeli youths burn New Testaments
* BBC: Israel hit by Bible burning row

DR. DOBSON FOCUSES 2 RADIO SHOWS ON ISRAEL & THE JOSHUA FUND

2008-05-15T05:43:00.000-07:00

On Monday I made a quick and unexpected trip out to Colorado Springs at the invitation of Focus on the Family. Several colleagues and I spent the afternoon with Dr. James Dobson and his staff discussing recent events in the Middle East and what may be coming up over the horizon. Then Dr. Dobson and I taped two radio programs with our mutual friend Tom Doyle, author of a wonderful book called, Two Nations Under God: Why Should America Care About Israel and the Middle East. Together, we explored the Bible theology of the miraculous and prophetic rebirth of the modern State of Israel 60 years ago this week, God’s everlasting and unconditional love and plan for the Jewish people and all the people of the epicenter, the prophecies concerning Israel's future, the work of The Joshua Fund, and some of the ways that evangelical Christians can pray for the epicenter and bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus. For those who are interested, the Focus on the Family radio shows on Israel will run this today and Friday. Please tune in on your local Christian radio station, or go to http://www.focusonthefamily.com/ to listen on-line.

* Would you consider signing up to make a monthly donation to The Joshua Fund of $25, $40 or $60? All donations are tax deductible. For more information on how to make contributions by mail -- or by secure on-line credit card transactions -- please click here.

* Would you like to sign up for Flash Traffic -- free email alerts with geopolitical updates from Israel and the Middle East, Joshua Fund project updates, and prayer requests -- written by Joel C. Rosenberg? Please click here.

60 WAYS TO BLESS ISRAEL AT 60

2008-05-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

Israel turns 60 today on the Jewish calendar. The Joshua Fund team salutes the brave men and women whom God brought back to the Holy Land to fulfill the prophecies of Ezekiel 36 & 37 -- to rebuild the ancient ruins, make the deserts bloom, create an "exceedingly great army" and forge a homeland to protect and defend the Jewish people from all enemies, foreign and domestic. We also salute all those Jews, Christians and other "righteous Gentiles" in the U.S. and around the world who have shown unconditional love and unwavering support to Israel in the face of tremendous opposition.

Last month The Joshua Fund gathered 2,000 Christian and Jewish leaders at the international convention center in Jerusalem for the inaugural "Epicenter Conference." We celebrated Israel's birthday, examined the threats facing her at present from radical Islam, and discussed ways Christians could bless Israel at this critical hour.

Out of that conference came "60 Ways To Bless Israel At 60." We hope you will be moved to pursue some of these ways in the days and weeks ahead.

Help provide brand new backpacks and school supplies for needy Israeli school children. The Joshua Fund has committed $100,000 to this project, working with Jewish and Christian allies in Israel. The backpacks need to be purchased soon and in bulk to get the best prices. They will be distributed in September, when the new school year begins. Would you consider signing up to make a monthly donation to The Joshua Fund of $25, $40 or $60? All donations are tax deductible. For more information on how to make contributions by mail -- or by secure on-line credit card transactions -- please click here.
Stock one bomb shelter in northern Israel with food, water, a first aid kit, other emergency supplies and a secure storage locker. There are currently some 5,500 bomb shelters that need to be urgently stocked with supplies before the next war. The Joshua Fund is currently raising funds to stock 100 as soon as possible. Cost per bomb shelter: $5,500.
Provide one ton of food to care for needy families in northern Israel who were hit by 4,000 rockets and missiles during the 2006 war with Hezbollah. These families are still recovering from that war. Many live on less than $500 a month. And food prices are rising in Israel, as they are around the globe. Every month, therefore, The Joshua Fund pays for about 10 tons of food to be purchased by one of our allies in Israel, distributed to the needy in the north, as well as stockpiled for the next war. Cost: $2,500 per ton.
Help purchase desperately needed medical equipment such as respirators, ventilators, operating room lamps, mobile x-ray machines and the like for under-funded regional hospitals in Israel. At the request of hospital administrators, The Joshua Fund has adopted the Barzilai Medical Center in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon to help them raise funds for such equipment. Barzilai is the only hospital and trauma center serving the 500,000 Israelis living near the Gaza border and facing a nearly constant barrage of rockets, missiles and mortars. They are doing heroic work, but they do need our help. Cost: Some of this equipment is very costly, averaging between $20,000 to $80,000 each. A donation of $5,000 would help significantly towards meeting these vital needs.
Help provide food baskets to needy families in Jerusalem on Jewish holidays. Working with our local allies, The Joshua Fund recently helped finance the distribution of 680 food baskets to needy Israeli families for Passover.
Provide food, blankets, wheelchairs and other assistance to Holocaust victims in Israel, many of whom tragically live at or below the poverty level, even within the Jewish State.
Help care for the homeless in Israel.
Help finance soup kitchens in Israel.
Help care for Sudanese refugees in Israel.
Help provide blankets and heaters for the elderly in Israel during the cold winter months, since many do not have -- or cannot afford -- central heating.
Help finance the purchase of vans for Israeli organizations that distribute humanitarian aid so they can get supplies to the people that need them most in a more efficient manner. The Joshua Fund is involved in all these areas of relief work -- caring for Holocaust victims, the homeless, refugees, and others -- and we would be honored to get you involved in funding critically important projects such as these.

For 49 other ways to bless Israel, please click here....

WATCH THE EPICENTER CONFERENCE ON-LINE: Unconditional love, unwavering support

2008-04-17T03:59:00.000-07:00

What a remarkable experience we had in Jerusalem just one week ago today. Some 2,000 Jewish and Christian leaders from all over the world -- the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East -- gathered together at the international convention center in the Holy City to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the prophetic rebirth of Israel, to examine the geopolitical threats posed by radical Islam, and to mobilize Christians around the world to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and show unconditional love and unwavering support for the Jewish people.

We so wish you could have joined us, but for those who could not, we have now made it possible for you to watch each speech on-line at no charge. Please click here, and please encourage others to watch as well.

Our prayer is that you will learn more about who we are at The Joshua Fund, and what we are trying to accomplish, and that you will be inspired to join us in blessing Israel and her neighbors in real and practical ways.

At www.epicenter08.com, you will also find full color photos from the conference. You will find results from the exclusive survey we commissioned of American Christian attitudes towards Israel and the epicenter. You will also find links to order DVDs of the full 8-hour conference, or a 2-hour summary package on DVD.

Thank you so much for your prayers that the conference would go well, and that the message would spread far and wide. Those prayers were graciously answered. We did not have protests. We did not have any troubles at the conference. To the contrary, there was great interest from many parts of Israel. We had hundreds of secular and religious Israelis -- and even an Orthodox Rabbi -- come from Dan to Beersheeba to see and learn and evaluate who we are and what we are doing through The Joshua Fund. We also had extensive media coverage, including CNN Headline News, CBN, The Jerusalem Post, The Christian Post, a one-hour live radio broadcast on "Janet Parshall's America," and a one-hour live radio broadcast on a network of more than 100 Christian radio stations, to name just a few.

So thank you again for your prayers -- and please keep praying that:

1) the Lord would raise up at least 100,000 allies around the world would be mobilized to pray knowledgeably, consistently and faithfully for Israel and the people of the epicenter; and

2) that the Lord would graciously allow us to invest $120 million into humanitarian relief in Israel and the surrounding countries through Operation Epicenter to care for the poor and needy and for victims of war and terrorism over the next few years.

And may the Lord bless you more than you can hope for, dream of, or imagine as you bless Israel and her neighbors with unconditional love and unwavering support.

CBN INTERVIEWS JOSHUA FUND FOUNDER RE: EPICENTER CONFERENCE

2008-04-17T03:47:00.000-07:00

Chris Mitchell, Jerusalem bureau chief for the Christian Broadcasting Network, filed this story: "On Thursday, nearly 2,000 Christians will be gathering in Jerusalem for a special one-day conference. The conference is called the Epicenter Conference and it's hosted by best-selling author Joel Rosenberg. Rosenberg is one of the most perceptive analysts on what's happening in the Middle East today. In this video, we talked to Rosenberg today about the goals of the conference and what he believes are the major geopolitical threats facing Israel today."

* To watch the CBN interview on-line, please click here.

U.S. EVANGELICALS, ISRAELI LEADERS GATHER IN JERUSALEM

2008-04-15T02:55:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from a story in the Christian Post: "Nearly 2,000 Evangelical Christians and high profile Israeli leaders met together in Jerusalem Thursday as part of the historic 'Epicenter 08' conference. The conference, which was organized by The Joshua Fund, a D.C.-based evangelical organization, gathered Christians from around the world to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and highlighted support for the Jewish State, which it called a 'biblical obligation.' Israeli Cabinet Minister Isaac Herzog, who was among those representing the Jewish State as it made preparations to celebrate its coming 60th anniversary next month, praised the organization for its dedication to Israeli causes and efforts to 'bless Israel' with more than '$100 million in aid within three years.' Joel C. Rosenberg, founder and organizer of The Joshua Fund, wrote of the powerful endorsement on his blog. 'He thanked The Joshua Fund for doing humanitarian relief work to care for the poor and needy and victims of war and terrorism and for advancing a message of unconditional love and unwavering support for the State of Israel and the Jewish people,' he reported. 'Herzog encouraged The Joshua Fund to continue educating America's 100 million evangelicals and mobilizing them to provide food, clothing, medical supplies and other forms of humanitarian aid,' Rosenberg added. 'Herzog said unequivocally that evangelical Christian support for Israel is much needed and deeply desired.' Former CIA Director and Florida Congressman Porter Goss, along with various other influential U.S.-based pastors who had flown in from America, were also present, and used the opportunity to praise the State of Israel and their firm resolution to back the Jewish State against the threats of terrorism and radical Islam...."

JOSHUA FUND RELEASES EXCLUSIVE POLL OF AMERICAN CHRISTIAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE EPICENTER: Unconditional, unwavering love towards Israel

2008-04-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

* To watch the Epicenter Conference in Jerusalem on-line, please click here.

U.S. Christians 'morally' support Israel

By Etgar Lefkovitz

The Jerusalem Post

April 10, 2008

More than 80 percent of American Christians say they have a "moral and biblical obligation" to support the State of Israel, and half say Jerusalem should remain its undivided capital, according to a survey released on Thursday.

While evangelical Christians are the strongest supporters of the Jewish state, strong pro-Israel convictions cut across all key Christian denominations in the US, according to the poll carried out on behalf of the Washington-based Joshua Fund, an evangelical organization.

Eight-two percent of respondents said they had a "moral and biblical obligation" to love and support Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem," 10% disagreed and 8% did not know.

Eighty-four percent of Protestants agreed with the statement (including 89% of Evangelicals), compared to 76% of Catholics.

Half of the American Christians surveyed opposed Israel dividing Jerusalem with the Palestinians in a peace agreement, 33% were unsure and 17% thought it should be divided.

Fifty-three percent of Protestants supported a united Jerusalem, as did 44% of Catholics.

Evangelical Christians were most supportive of a united Jerusalem, with 62% in favor and 11% against.

A plurality of the US Christians (44%) surveyed said they did not know whether a future Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip would be a peaceful moderate democracy or a terrorist state, 32% said that it would be a terrorist state and 24% said that it would be a peaceful democracy.

The survey found clear differences between Protestants and Catholics on the issue.

Protestants were more likely to say a Palestinian state would be a terror state by a 10-point margin; Catholics were evenly split. Evangelical Protestants said a such entity would be a terrorist state by a 20-point margin, but non-evangelical Protestants said it would be a peaceful and moderate democracy by six percentage points.

The belief that a Palestinian state would be a terrorist state was strongest among Republican and conservative Evangelicals.

Nearly half (49%) of American Christians surveyed were interested in visiting Israel, including about quarter of both Catholics and Protestants who were "strongly" interested.

Forty-seven percent of those polled were not interested in visiting.

There are 50 million-60 million evangelicals Christians in the US.

Two-thirds of respondents said that if Iran developed nuclear weapons, it would eventually try to use them to attack Israel, 23% were unsure and 13% said Iran would not attack.

Finally, 45% said they would be more likely to support a US presidential candidate who would protect America from Islamic terrorism, protect Israel from a nuclear attack from Iran, oppose the division of Jerusalem and refuse to pressure Israel to make concessions on issues of national security, compared to 29% who said such positions had no effect on their vote and 9% who would be less likely to support such a candidate.

The survey will be officially released on Thursday at a conference at the Jerusalem International Convention Center (Binyenei Ha'uma) organized by The Joshua Fund that is expected to be attended by 2,000 evangelical Christians from around the world.

The non-profit organization aims to raise more than $100 million over the next three years to help Israeli victims of terrorism, and to fund humanitarian projects in Israel in education, health, welfare and immigrant absorption, and $20m. for Christians in the West Bank, Gaza, Iraq and Sudan, said Joel C. Rosenberg, the group's founder and president.

"Our support for Israel is unwavering and unconditional," he said.

The survey, which was conducted by McLaughlin and Associates by a telephone sampling of 1,000 American Christians last month, had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

JERUSALEM POST REPORTS UPCOMING EPICENTER CONFERENCE IN ISRAEL

2008-03-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

"An organization of American evangelicals is planning to hold a major conference in Jerusalem next week ahead of Israel's 60th anniversary," reports The Jerusalem Post. "The April 10 event, which is being organized by the Washington DC-based The Joshua Fund....The conference comes amid burgeoning relations between Israel and the largely supportive evangelical Christian community around the world."

* To learn more about the Epicenter Conference to be held in Jerusalem next week -- or to register on-line -- please click here.

VAN DELIVERED TO SDEROT TO ASSIST VOLUNTEERS WHO CARE FOR THE NEEDY

2008-03-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

PROJECT UPDATE: In February, we reported that The Joshua Fund had helped finance the purchase of a van for the Sderot municipality’s director of volunteers so that he and his could move relief supplies and volunteer rapid responders far more quickly and efficiently. For years, the city had promised to buy these volunteers a van but there had never been enough money in the budget. The director, a young Ethiopian immigrant, had tears in eyes when he realized that we really were serious about helping him when no one else would. Good news: the van has been purchased and delivered to Sderot. It is pictured above. Thanks so much to all who helped make this happen!

* As part of Operation Epicenter, TJF is looking for 100,000 volunteers to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the people of the epicenter. We already have 43,000 prayer partners -- but we need your help, too. Will you join us? Sign up here for free Flash Traffic emails with geopolitical updates from the Middle East, Joshua Fund reports, and prayer requests

* New York Post: Life In A Time of Rocket Attacks -- an inside look at the trials of living in Sderot

JOSHUA FUND HELPS FINANCE PROJECT TO VISIT INMATES OF AN ISRAELI PRISON

2008-03-29T11:28:00.000-07:00

PROJECT UPDATE: In Matthew 25:36, Jesus tells His followers to visit those in prison. In obediance, The Joshua Fund helped finance a project in February of Christians visiting Sudanese prisoners in an Israeli prison. The goal was to bless these forgotten people with unconditional love in a real and practical way. The project included a time of singing with the prisoners, puppet shows and games for the children, and the distribution of blankets and clothing, along with 850 snacks (purchased inside the prison).

Here is a note that was sent to us by those who ran the project: "It was a bright Sunday morning, 9:30 on Feb. 17th, when, surrounded by the prayers of many prayer warriors from all over the world, twelve of us arrived at [the] prison gate....We did not know what to expect. All the rules said no to this and no to that, yet we were prepared. We had CD players and CDs with Sudanese songs, musical instruments, a sound system, puppets, toys and children’s games with us [along with] new blankets & clothing, we prayerfully listened to the information, where these people came from, why, and how they arrived here. Then came the instructions[from the prison officials]: don’t hug, don’t come close…..Oh Lord!! Teach us we how to show your love that flows through us to these hurting people!! The Lord opened the gates and we could take in all the things we brought with us, except for the sound system, which we could understand! The manager, the education officer, and all those in responsibility, were of great help....People started coming in groups of 50. Soon songs were heard all over the camp. The Lord sent a spirit of joy and many of them sang with us. Some danced too. A couple played our musical instruments and led the group with their own songs. Some had tears in their eyes."

JOSHUA FUND PROVIDES COMPUTER & PRINTER FOR IRAQI SCHOOL

2008-03-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

PROJECT UPDATE: We're glad to report that working with local Christian leaders in Iraq, The Joshua Fund has helped provide a new desktop computer and printer for an impoverished Iraqi school near Mosul (see picture). This is the same school TJF and our allies assisted in February with some 800 backpacks. It is your generous investment that makes such projects -- small and large -- possible in Israel, Iraq and elsewhere in the epicenter. Thank you so much and may God bless you more than you can hope for, dream of, or imagine.

* Sign up for free Flash Traffic emails with geopolitical updates from the Middle East, Joshua Fund reports, and prayer requests

PRAY FOR IRAN AS GOVERNMENT THREATENS BELIEVERS WITH DEATH

2008-03-29T11:06:00.001-07:00

Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Iran in light of these recent headlines....

* Iran: Parliament to discuss death penalty for converts who leave Islam

* IRAN: DEATH PENALTY PROPOSED FOR ‘APOSTATES’

* Iran to Punish Apostasy with Death

JOSHUA FUND HELPING FEED THE POOR IN NORTHERN ISRAEL

2008-03-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

PROJECT UPDATE: As part of our "Operation Epicenter" humanitarian relief strategy, The Joshua Fund is helping feed the poor in northern Israel. Over the next three years, we will help Bridges For Peace, a highly-respected Christian Zionist organization based in Jerusalem, purchase 400 tons of food to be distributed to Jews in severe need in towns along the border with Lebanon, as well pre-position food supplies ahead of the next war. TJF has already financed more than 70 tons of food, and with your generous help, we will do more -- approximately 10 tons a month. Pictured here is Jim Solberg, a senior BFP leader, in a new warehouse and food distribution center in the Israeli city of Carmiel.

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Other news to track in Israel:

* Haaretz: After two weeks of quiet, towns in the Negev slammed by 15 Qassam rockets

CHUCK COLSON CITES JOSHUA FUND FOUNDER IN DISCUSSING HOPEFUL TRENDS IN THE EPICENTER

2008-03-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Evangelical leader Chuck Colson today cited Joshua Fund founder Joel Rosenberg and his non-fiction book Epicenter on his nationally syndicated radio commentary known as "BreakPoint." He was discussing the spiritual awakening that is underway in the Muslim world and how exciting it is. To read the commentary -- or to listen to it on-line -- please click here.

Islam Watch, a website run by ex-Muslims tracking trends within the Muslim world, also cites the research found in the book Epicenter. To read more, please click here.

* Sign up for free Flash Traffic emails with the latest geopolitical updates from the Middle East, Joshua Fund reports, and urgent prayer requests.

THE BIG (UNTOLD) STORY IN THE MIDDLE EAST: Muslims converting to faith in Jesus Christ in record numbers -- 2008 Update

2008-03-23T02:54:00.001-07:00

"I will build my church," Jesus said, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)

The lead story on Drudge over the weekend was the Pope baptizing a prominent Egyptian author who converted from Islam to Catholicism, and for good reason. It's a huge story in Italy and the Muslim world, especially coming as it did the week that Osama bin Laden accused the Pope of waging a "crusade" against Islam. But this particular baptism is just the tip of the iceberg.

Despite unprecedented press coverage of Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Middle East since September 11, 2001, one big story is generally not being told by the mainstream media. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are converting to evangelical Christianity and will be celebrating their first Easter this year, even amidst widespread persecution and the very real threat of death.

I first began reporting this story in 2005 after interviewing some three dozen Arab and Iranian pastors and evangelical Christian leaders in the U.S. and the Middle East. Over the last three years, however, I have had the privilege of traveling to Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, the West Bank, Turkey, and Morocco. What's more, I have had the honor of meeting with and interviewing more than 200 Arab, Iranian, Kurdish, Sudanese and other pastors and Christian leaders. With more data, the trend lines are becoming even more clear and the story is even more exciting.

The God of the Bible is moving powerfully in the Middle East to draw men, women and children to His heart and adopt them into His family in record numbers. More Muslims have come to faith in Jesus Christ over the last thirty years -- and specifically over the last seven to ten years -- than at any other time in human history. There is a revival going on among the ancient Catholic, Coptic, and Chaldean churches. Today, the Church is being truly resurrected in the lands of its birth.

Consider the latest evidence:

* AFGHANISTAN -- In Afghanistan, for example, there were only 17 known evangelical Christians in the country before al-Qaeda attacked the United States. Today, there are well over 10,000 Afghan followers of Christ and the number is growing steadily. Church leaders say Afghan Muslims are open to hearing the gospel message like never before. Dozens of baptisms occur every week. People are snatching up Bibles and other Christian books as fast as they can be printed or brought into the country. The Jesus film, a two hour docudrama on the life of Christ based on the Gospel of Luke, was even shown on television in one city before police shut down the entire TV station."God is moving so fast in Afghanistan, we're just trying to keep up," one Afghan Christian worker told me, requesting anonymity. "The greatest need now is leadership development. We need to train pastors to care for all these new believers."

* UZBEKISTAN -- There were no known Muslim converts to Christ there in 1990. Now there are more than 30,000.

* IRAQ -- As I shared during an interview on Fox & Friends on Easter morning, in Iraq, there were only a handful of Muslim converts to Christianity back in 1979 when Saddam Hussein took full control of that country. Yet today, there are more than 70,000 Iraqi Muslim background believers in Jesus (MBBs), approximately 50,000 who came to Christ as refugees in Jordan after the first Gulf War in 1990-91, and another 20,000 who have come to Christ since the fall of Saddam Hussein. John Moser, the executive director of The Joshua Fund, and I just returned from nine days traveling through five provinces in Iraq. We met with 19 Iraqi evangelical Christian leaders. I had the privilege of preaching in a church of more than 100 MBBs from Baghdad -- a church that didn't even exist in 2002 before liberation. We also had the privilege of meeting and interviewing numerous former Islamic jihadist terrorist who have come to Christ and are now pastors and church planters.

* KAZAKHSTAN -- In Kazakhstan, there were only three known evangelical Christian believers before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today there are more than 15,000 Kazakh Christians, and more than 100,000 Christians of all ethnicities.

* EGYPT -- "Egyptians are increasingly hungry for God's Word," an Egyptian Christian leader told me. Several years ago, I had the privilege of visiting the largest Christian congregation in the Middle East, which meets in an enormous cave on the outskirts of Cairo. Some 10,000 believers worship there every weekend. A prayer conference the church held in May 2005 drew some 20,000 believers.

* IRAN -- In 1979 when the Ayatollah Khomeini led the Islamic Revolution, there were only about 500 known Muslim converts to Christianity. Today, interviews with two dozen Iranian pastors and church leaders reveals that there are well over 1 million Shia Muslim converts to Christianity.

* SUDAN -- Despite a ferocious civil war, genocide and widespread religious persecution, particularly in the Darfur region -- or perhaps because of such tragedies -- church leaders there tell me that more than 1 million Sudanese have made decisions to follow Jesus Christ just since 2001. Since the early 1990s, more than 5 million Sudanese have become followers of Jesus. Seminary classes to train desperately-needed new pastors are held mountain caves. Hundreds of churches have been planted, and thousands of small group Bible studies are being held in secret throughout the country.

In December 2001, Sheikh Ahmad al Qataani, a leading Saudi cleric, appeared on a live interview on Aljazeera satellite television to confirm that, sure enough, Muslims were turning to Jesus in alarming numbers. "In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity," Al Qataani warned. "Every day, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity." Stunned, the interviewer interrupted the cleric. "Hold on! Let me clarify. Do we have six million converting from Islam to Christianity?" Al Qataani repeated his assertion. "Every year," the cleric confirmed, adding, "a tragedy has happened."

One of the most dramatic developments is that many Muslims throughout the Middle East and even in the United States are seeing dreams and visions of Jesus. They are coming into churches explaining that they have already converted and now need a Bible and guidance on how to follow Jesus. This is in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. The Hebrew Prophet Joel told us that "in the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days....And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." (Joel 2:28-32)

In Epicenter: Why The Current Rumblings In the Middle East Will Change Your Future, I devote an entire chapter to these dramatic trend lines and why Muslims are converting in record numbers. I am currently working on a new non-fiction book and documentary film called Inside The Revolution, to be release during Easter 2009, with much more detail on this subject, including first person accounts of former Muslim terrorists who have become the new Apostle Pauls of our time -- murderous religious zealots who had visions of Jesus Christ and are now pastors, evangelists, church planters and powerful Christian leaders. Other books I would highly recommend on this subject are Light Force: A Stirring Account of the Church Caught in the Middle East Crossfire by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen; and Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe In Christ.

Is life easy for these Muslim converts? By no means. They face ostracism from their families. They face persecution from their communities. They face being fired from their jobs. They face imprisonment by their governments. They face torture and even death at the hands of Muslim extremists. But they are coming to Christ anyway. They are becoming convinced that Jesus is, in fact, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father in heaven except through faith in Jesus' death on the cross and powerful resurrection from the dead.

One of the reasons my wife and I began The Joshua Fund was to educate the Church around the world at what God of the Bible is doing in the epicenter. We want to mobilize a global movement of Christians praying for these dear brothers and sisters. We want to find ways to encourage and strengthen them. We want to provide them with Bibles and Christian literature, and with humanitarian relief supplies so they can love their neighbors and their enemies, as Jesus tells us to do. Their stories are typically being told by the mainstream media, but they are important stories nonetheless. Theirs are testimonies of the greatness of our great God.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

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* AP: Pope Baptizes Prominent Italian Muslim Convert
* The Big (Untold) Story (2005)
* RECORD NUMBER OF EX-MUSLIMS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR: A spiritual revolution underway in Mideast (2006)
* Sign up for free Flash Traffic emails with geopolitical updates from the Middle East, Joshua Fund reports, and prayer requests

EASTER PRAYER REQUESTS

2008-03-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

How can you be praying for Israel and her neighbors this Easter season? Here are a few urgent prayer requests....

* Please be praying for the family and friends of the Catholic bishop that was just murdered in Iraq. Father Paulos Faraj Rahho was kidnapped after Mass in the city of Mosul several weeks ago. Pray for comfort, for courage, and for the Catholics in Iraq to be able to love their neighbors and their enemies as Christ gives them strength after this horrendous tragedy.

* Please pray that those responsible for this murder will be brought to earthly justice, and that they will seek and find eternal forgiveness from our Risen Savior.

* Please pray for all Iraqi Christians this Easter weekend, that the Lord would give them great courage and boldness to stand strong and to be seen a positive force for peace and reconciliation throughout all of their country.

* Please also pray for the family of Israeli pastor David Ortiz and his wife Leah in the town of Ariel. Their 15-year old son, Ami, was injured when a bomb was sent to their home yesterday, disguised as a Purim present. Please pray for complete healing and a speedy recovery. Pray for courage and strength for the family at this difficult time. Please also pray for the Lord to give strength and courage and His gentle favor on all of the pastors and believers in Israel this Easter weekend.

* Please continue to pray for those Israeli yeshiva students, their families and friends who were affected by the recent terrorist shooting in Jerusalem.

* Please pray for the 500,000 Israelis who live near the border of Gaza that continue to be hit with dozens of rockets and missiles every single day with no end in sight.

* Please also pray for the Palestinian Christians living in the West Bank and Gaza who will celebrate Easter this weekend at the risk of their lives. Pray for their courage and strength in the face of the radical Islamic jihadists who seek destroy Christians, Jews, as well as fellow Muslims who are not as radical as they.

* Please continue to pray for the poor and needy and the victims of war and terrorism in Israel and the Muslim world. For Jesus told us in Matthew 25:31-40, "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'"

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE EPICENTER CONFERENCE ON APRIL 10th

2008-03-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

>> Sign up for free Flash Traffic emails with geopolitical updates from the Middle East, Joshua Fund reports, and prayer requests <<

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AUTHOR JOEL C. ROSENBERG ANNOUNCES EPICENTER CONFERENCE TO MOBILIZE CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD TO PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM

April 10, 2008 event will gather 2,000 Christian leaders to celebrate Israel’s 60th anniversary

(Washington, D.C., March 24, 2008) – Joel C. Rosenberg, the New York Times best-selling author and founder of The Joshua Fund, today announced a major conference in Jerusalem in 2008 to help Christians celebrate Israel’s 60th anniversary, educate Christians as to the serious threats facing the Jewish State and her neighbors, and mobilize Christians around the world to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and provide humanitarian relief to the poor and needy and those suffering from war and terrorism.

Invited speakers include:
* Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Prime Minister
* Natan Sharansky, former Israeli Deputy Prime Minister
* Porter Goss, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
* Lt.-General (ret.) Jerry Boykin, former Delta Force commander
* Amb. Dore Gold, president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and author of The Fight For Jerusalem
* Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa
* Pastor Skip Heitzig of Calvary Chapel Albuquerque, a member of the board of Samaritan’s Purse, and co-host of the Epicenter documentary film
* Joel C. Rosenberg, founder of The Joshua Fund, author of Epicenter: Why The Current Rumblings In The Middle East Will Change Your Future, and co-host of the Epicenter documentary film
* Note: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was invited by letter and through his conversations with his staff to the speak at the conference. However, we have received word that that he will not be able to attend.

Conference details:
* The Epicenter Conference will be held on Thursday, April 10, 2008 from 9:30am to 6:00pm local time.
* The event will be held in Congress Hall at the international convention center in Jerusalem.
* Some 2,000 Christian leaders from around the world are expected to attend
* The event will be webcast worldwide, gavel to gavel.
* For more information – and to register for the conference – go to: www.epicenter08.com or www.joshuafund.net.

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* Ynet News: February sees 200,000 tourists arrive in Israel; A stellar month for Israeli tourism, resembling record breaking tourism year of 2000

* AP: Christian pilgrims flock to Jerusalem's Old City for Good Friday

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כאשר עיניי כל העולם נשואות אל עבר המזרח התיכון, מוקד האירועים הדרמטיים שמעצבים את עולמינו ואת גורל עתידנו, אנו מזמינים אתכם -

- לחגיגות יום העצמאות ה-60 של מדינת ישראל.
- לקבל תדרוכים עדכניים ממומחים ראשיים למצב במזרח התיכון.
- ללמוד את נבואות התנ"ך עם מורים ומנהיגים מכובדים.

מתי: יום חמישי, ה-10 לאפריל 2008, 09:30– 18:00 (דלתות יפתחו ב 8:00)
איפה: בנייני האומה, שד' שזר 1, ירושלים.
כרטיסים: 75$ לתושב חוץ, 35$ לתושבי ישראל. קבלת כרטיסים כניסה.
הרשמה בטוחה באינטרנט: www.epicenter08.com
אימייל לפרטים ומידע: info@epicenter08.com

תרגום לעברית באוזניות

אורחים שאישרו הגעתם:
ג'ואל רוזנברג – סופר רבי המכר של מותחנים בהוצאת הניו-יורק טיימס.
סקיפ הייציג – מנהיג קהילת קאלוארי צ'אפל במדינת ניו-מקסיקו.
צ'אק סמית' – מנהיג בקהילת קאלוארי צ'אפל בקוסטה מסה, קליפורניה.
גנרל וויליאם "ג'רי" בויקין – לאחרונה פרש מתפקידו כסגן שר הביטחון לענייני מודיעין ומבצעים מיוחדים בפנטאגון.

אורחים מוזמנים:
פורטר גוס – ראש ה-CIA לשעבר.
אהוד אולמרט – ראש ממשלת ישראל.
בנימין נתניהו – ראש ממשלת ישראל לשעבר.
נתן שרנסקי – סגן ראש ממשלת ישראל לשעבר.
דור גולד – שגריר ישראל לשעבר.

www.epicenter08.com

UPDATE ON JOSHUA FUND PROJECTS

2008-03-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

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

JOSHUA FUND CALLS ON PASTORS, CHURCHES TO PRAY FOR PEACE OF JERUSALEM: Epicenter conference "more important than ever" to stand with Israel

2008-03-07T05:43:00.000-08:00

UPDATED: The Joshua Fund staff last night held an emergency conference call to pray for the wounded and families of all the victims after a horrifying terror attack at a religious Jewish school left 8 dead and 10 wounded. During that call, we agreed that we are even more committed than ever to encouraging thousands of Christians to go to Israel next month and participate in the Epicenter conference. We believe now is the time to show the people of Israel that evangelical Christians love them, pray for them and will stand with them no matter what happens.

We are calling on pastors, evangelical leaders and churches around the world to mobilize your email and phone prayer chains to pray for the people of Jerusalem and Israel at this critical time. Please also pray for the largely forgotten Israeli citizens who live in Sderot, Ashkelon and other towns along the border with Gaza who are being hit with a seeming never-ending barrage of rockets, missiles and mortars. Please consider having a special time of prayer during your weekend church services for the peace of Jerusalem and for peace along the Gaza border.

Please also pray that God would miraculously change the hearts of the Palestinians who are responsibile such evil attacks. And pray that the Lord would have mercy on the vast majority of Palestinians who hate such attacks and feel trapped by the actions of the Radical Islamic jihadists around them.

A few other specific prayer requests you might consider:

* Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as we are commanded in Psalm 122:6.

* Please pray that the Lord would comfort those wounded in the attack, and the families of those killed, and that the Lord would show His people how to comfort all those who are suffering so greatly. "'Comfort, O comfort My people,' says your God. 'Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received of the LORD'S hand, double for all her sins.'" (Isaiah 40:1-2)

* Please pray for wisdom for the leaders of Israel to know how best to respond to this attack. May they be like "men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do." (I Chronicles 12:32)

* Please pray for wisdom and discernment for the Christians in Jerusalem and throughout Israel to know how best to comfort their neighbors and be a force for prayer and peace. "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." (Romans 12:15)

* Please pray for the upcoming Joshua Fund tour in Israel and Epicenter conference in Jerusalem. As I noted above, we believe it is more important than ever to bless Israel and stand with her. We trust that the Israeli authorities are going to keep the city and country safe. And we intend to be on our knees, beseeching the God of Israel to be our hope, our protection, and our shield. Now is not the time to abandon Israel. Now is the time to stand with her in prayer, and in person. "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet....You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves, and give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." (Isaiah 60:1, 6-7)

* Finally, please pray that the Lord would show you and your congregation how to bless Israel in tangible and practical ways in the days and weeks ahead. "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me." (Matthew 25:35-36)

Next week, my Joshua Fund colleagues and I fly to Tucson, Arizona where I will address 1,000 evangelical Christian pastors on what is happening in the epicenter and how they and their congregations can bless Israel and her neighbors at this critical hour. By God's grace, we will be able to enlist allies for OPERATION EPICENTER, our drive to provide $120 million worth of humanitarian relief aid to the poor and needy and victims of war and terrorism in the region over the next few years.

If there is any way we can serve you; answer your questions about OPERATION EPICENTER; or help you mobilize your congregations to LEARN, PRAY, GIVE and GO; please don't hesitate to contact Jeremy Grafman, TJF's Director of Special Projects. His email is jeremy@joshuafund.net. Or visit our website, www.joshuafund.net.

Thank you so much for loving Israel and standing with her people. They need you more than ever. God bless you.

IRAQI PRIME MINISTER: CHRISTIANS ESSENTIAL TO IRAQ

2008-03-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from AP story: "Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Tuesday ordered security officials to work for the release of a kidnapped Chaldean Catholic archbishop, calling Christians 'an essential component of the Iraqi society.' Paulos Faraj Rahho was kidnapped and three of his companions were killed Friday when gunmen attacked them soon after he left Mass in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the latest in what church members called a series of attacks against Iraq's small Christian community. Al-Maliki 'has issued orders to the Interior Minister and the security officials in Nineveh province to meticulously follow this issue and work hard to release the archbishop as soon as possible,' a statement by the prime minister's office said....'Christians in Iraq are an essential component of the Iraqi society and a part that cannot be separated from the Iraqi people and civilization. Any assault on the Christians is an assault on all Iraqis,' the prime minister's statement said."

* Please pray for the release of the Archbishop.

* Please pray for courage for all of followers of Jesus in Iraq.

* Please pray that the Lord would mobilize more evangelicals around the world to pray for and practically support our brothers and sisters in Iraq.

HELP US HELP ISRAEL: Rockets from Gaza keep raining down on innocent Israelis with no end in sight

2008-03-06T05:54:00.000-08:00

Israeli parents and children living in Sderot and Ashkelon on the southern border with Gaza are being pounded day after day, with no apparent end in sight. The Israeli military has made several attacks on Hamas positions and incursions into Gaza, but the rockets, missiles and mortars just keep coming. The Joshua Fund has been sending relief supplies to both cities, but we need to do much more. Among the current urgent needs of Barzilai Medical Center:

* Operating Room Lamp cost: $20,000

* Mobile X-Ray Machine cost: $40,000

* Ultrasonograph for Delivery Room cost: $50,000

* Echocardiograph cost: $60,000

* Breast Ultrasonograph cost: $ 70,000

* Ventilators and Respirators cost: $85,000 each

Please pray that we can raise these and other funds quickly so we help these brave doctors and nurses with the equipment they so urgently need to care for the 500,000 Israeli who live near the border of Gaza. Please also pray that the Lord would continue to open doors for The Joshua Fund to provide food, clothing and others critical supplies to those Israelis suffering in this horrific missile zone. To help financially, please click here.

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Latest headline from Ynet News: "Qassam strikes Sderot house; no injuries. House sustains direct hit, several people suffer from shock. Seven rockets fired at Israel from northern Gaza since Thursday morning.".....Excerpts from the story: "Elisheva Turjeman, the owner of the house hit, found it difficult to talk after the shuddering experience. 'We were at home with the children, there was a very loud explosion, and the entire house was hit,' she told Ynet. 'We managed to get to the secured room and take shelter. It was a real miracle. I still can't believe we escaped it unharmed....'We heard a very loud explosion, and I immediately understood that the house was directly hit,' one of the residents on the street told Ynet. 'Our houses all shook and the windowpanes were damaged.'"

Latest headline from the (UK) Independent: "Ashkelon, the new target for Hamas missiles".....Excerpts from the story: "Israeli surfing shop owner Elan Biton was standing in the car park chatting to friends as he waited for his wife and three children after an afternoon at Ashkelon's marina when he heard two distant but unmistakeable booms. A few seconds later, he heard a whoosh followed by a very much louder explosion a mere 10 metres away. It was only as he started to head down to the water's edge, dazed, to look for his family that he noticed the small hole in his lower stomach. It dawned on Mr Biton that he had been hit by shrapnel from another of the Grad rockets which had helped to trigger last weekend's bloody incursion into Gaza. Lying in his bed in a private room in Ashkelon's modern 500-bed Barzilai hospital yesterday, and attached to an antibiotic drip, Mr Biton, 36, did not mince his words about what needed to be done to stop the rockets. 'I don't think there is a political solution. I can't know that I will leave this hospital and not be hit by another rocket,' he said. Was he talking about a full-scale invasion of Gaza? 'Yes. You cannot talk to Hamas and then think everything is going to be OK. It needs massive power to deal with it.' Ashkelon, a growing city of 120,000 people with its 12km of sandy Mediterranean beaches, gardens and tree-lined boulevards, seems a far cry from the low-income Israeli development town of Sderot, which has borne the brunt of repeated Qassam rocket attacks which have claimed 13 lives in Israel since 2004....But the city has suddenly become of major strategic concern to Israeli politicians since it moved into the front line as a result of the 15 Grads – the smallest form of Soviet-designed Katyusha rocket but notably more accurate and powerful than the Qassam – launched from Gaza since Israel killed five Hamas militants last Wednesday."

JOSHUA FUND TEAM CARES FOR POOR AND NEEDY CHILDREN IN IRAQ: Doors open for Christians to help as never before

2008-03-05T04:24:00.000-08:00

"If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers...you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks." (Deuteronomy 15:7-8)

"Jesus said, 'When you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.'" (Luke 14:13-14)

John Moser, The Joshua Fund's executive director, and I have just returned from a nine-day trip to Iraq. We visited five provinces and had the privilege of meeting with scores of Iraqi evangelical Christian pastors and ministry leaders, interviewing the Spokesman for Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, meeting with former radical Sunni Muslim terrorists and jihadists.

One of the biggest highlights of their trip was the opportunity we had to work with local Christian leaders to distribute some 800 backpacks to poor and needy children at a school near Mosul, the ancient city of Ninevah, at the invitation of local school officials. Each of the backpacks contained school supplies, coloring books, an illustrated children's Bible, a copy of the JESUS film for children on DVD, and an assortment of other books and tapes.

As you can see in these pictures, despite the jolting poverty these kids live and the horrifying violence they have had to endure over the years, they were absolutely beautiful -- bright shining eyes, big smiles, full of life and hope for the future, and so excited to meet followers of Jesus who came all the way from America to bless them and show them some love. They loved practicing their English. They loved asking us questions about who we were, why we came and whether we would come back (we assured them we would!).

What a joy to be able to bless the poor and needy in Iraq in the name of Jesus. Thanks to all of The Joshua Fund's prayer partners and financial partners for making this possible. We'll have more reports on our trip to Iraq in the days ahead. In the meantime:

* Please keep praying for peace in that troubled country and for God to keep showing His love and mercy to people who have endured so much hardship.

* Please also pray for the local Christians to be strong and courageous, full of love and forgiveness.

* Please pray that we will also have the financial resources to help our Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq continue to care for the poor and needy and for victims of war and terrorism. The Christians leaders we met with made it crystal clear: they want to love their neighbors and their enemies. They have never seen such openness among Muslim people and their leaders to God's love and practical assistance. But they do need believers in the West to partner with them. They cannot possibly meet the enormous needs or respond to the historic opportunities by themselves, nor would they want to if they could.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible financial contribution to the work of The Joshua Fund, please click here for more information.

If you would like to sign up for free "Flash Traffic" emails with geopolitical updates and the latest Joshua Fund news and prayer requests, please click here.

STATE OF WAR: ISRAELI TOWNS OF ASHKELON, SDEROT, BARZILAI HOSPITAL HIT WITH 150+ ROCKETS SINCE WEDNESDAY

2008-03-03T09:54:00.001-08:00

>> To sign up for FLASH TRAFFIC, a free email newsletter that will help you track the latest geopolitical developments in the Middle East and provide you Joshua Fund updates and prayer requests, please click here. <<

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More than 150 Palestinian rockets and missiles have been fired at the southern Israeli cities of Ashkelon and Sderot. The Barzilai Medical Center, the only trauma center serving the 500,000 Israelis living along the Gaza border -- a center that has been adopted by The Joshua Fund -- has also taken direct hits within the last few days. Reported one Israeli news service: "The Grad rocket that landed next to the Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon on the Sabbath last week narrowly missed killing two premature babies from Gaza who were admitted to the facility. "One of the Grad rockets fell a mere 50 meters from the hospital entrance. All the premature babies in the NICU unit, including the two Palestinian babies, were transferred to the hospital's bomb shelter for fear that the hospital itself would receive a direct missile hit."

Men, women and children in the region are living in great fear. Israeli military forces have struck back, but it remains to be seen whether the current government in Jerusalem is willing to do all that is necessary to stop the Palestinian terrorists in Gaza who are firing these rockets indiscriminately, and to truly stop them once and for all.

* Please pray for peace for the Israeli residents along the southern border with Gaza, and for courage.

* Please pray for wisdom for local Israeli security and emergency response officials.

* Please pray for evangelical Christians in Israel and around the world to have wisdom and courage to know how best to bless these Israeli victims of war and terror.

Excerpts from AP story: "(Ashkelon, Israel) Residents of this beachside city are still coming to terms with being on the front lines of Israel's battle against Hamas militants. A dozen long-range rockets slammed into Ashkelon over the weekend, marking a significant turning point in the conflict and compelling Israel to strike back hard. 'Until yesterday, I never would have believed that I would see the things I saw,' said Rachel Shimoni, 66, as she stood amid shards of glass, blown out of the front window of her clothing store. 'All of a sudden, the reality has changed.' Palestinian militants fire rockets nearly daily at Sderot and other Israeli border towns near Gaza. But by reaching Ashkelon, a city of 120,000 people about 11 miles north of Gaza, Hamas raised the stakes considerably. It is one of the largest cities in southern Israel, home to Mediterranean beaches, a college and strategic installations like an electric plant and a water purification plant....Six people were wounded in Ashkelon on Saturday after one rocket landed next to City Hall and another in the marina area. Another rocket struck Ashkelon on Sunday, slightly wounding one person, medics said. Ashkelon's mayor said he would not accept the rockets becoming a normal reality. 'This is a state of war, I know no other definition for it,' said Roni Mahatzri, from his makeshift office in an underground bunker. 'If it lasts a week or two, we can handle that, but we have no intention of allowing this to become part of our daily routine.'"

To contribute financially to The Joshua Fund to bless the people of Sderot, Ashkelon and specifically the Barzilai Medical Center -- the only trauma center serving the 500,000 Israeli residents near the Gaza border -- please click here.

1.6m Israelis lived below poverty line in 07

2008-02-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

Excerpts from Haaretz story: "Despite the improvement in all of Israel's economic indicators in 2007, a rise in the minimum wage, increased employment and higher real salaries; the country's poverty level remained almost unchanged in 2007. According to the National Insurance Institute's semi-annual poverty report released yesterday, 1,674,800 people were living under the poverty line in 2007 -- 24.7% of the Israeli population -- an increase of about 20,000 people over 2006. In mid-2006 the percentage was 24.4% and rose to 24.5% at the end of 2006. The number of children living in poverty reached 804,000; or 35.9% of all Israeli children. A year ago the figure was 35.2% and 35.8% six months ago....According to the NII report, there were 420,000 poor families in Israel last year, up from 404,000 in the previous annual report. The percentage of families below the poverty line rose slightly last year to 20.5%, up from 20.2% the previous year, as 2006 saw a small decrease. The report is based on the Central Bureau of Statistics' income survey."

DONOR UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2008

2008-02-15T06:41:00.001-08:00

Dear friend:

"Evangelicals 'adopt' Ashkelon hospital 'to bless Israel and her neighbors'" -- headline in The Jerusalem Post, January 29, 2008

Thank you so very much for your faithful prayers and generous investment in the work of The Joshua Fund. You are making a real difference and we are so grateful to you!

Over the past few months – by God’s grace and your help – we have been able to care for thousands of victims of war and terrorism in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Iraq and Sudan with food, clothing, medical equipment, wheelchairs and other humanitarian relief supplies. The Lord is moving so powerfully and giving us so many opportunities to help the poor and needy in the epicenter I’m going to have a hard time capturing it all in one letter. But let me draw your attention to several critically important projects we’ve been working on that will give you a sense of why The Joshua Fund’s work is so needed.

ISRAELIS IN A MISSILE ZONE – You don’t hear much about it on the news. The media doesn’t much care. And the world has all but forgotten. But here’s the brutal truth: More than 4,200 rockets, missiles and mortars have been fired at Israeli towns along the southern border with Gaza by Palestinian terrorists since the Israeli Defense Forces withdrew from the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2005 in an effort to give “land for peace.” Radical Islamic jihadists launch an average of five to seven attacks a day. As I am writing this, 22 rockets were launched at innocent Israelis in just one day.

Hundreds of homes, schools and shops are being damaged in Israeli towns like Sderot and Ashkelon. Scores of Israelis are being injured. Some Israelis have been killed. The Palestinian rockets have no guidance systems. No one knows where they will land or who will be hit. It’s a 24-hour a day life of “Russian Roulette.” As a result, Israeli mothers live in constant fear for their children. Fathers have trouble sleeping at night. Seniors are having heart attacks. Older children – even teenagers – are having terrible nightmares and are wetting their beds, night after night. And there seems to be no end in sight. The Palestinian government has not taken decisive political or military action to stop these terrorist attacks. Nor has the government of Israel. Indeed, the current Prime Minister is talking about dividing Jerusalem and giving away all of the West Bank. The U.S. has been virtually silent on the topic. The Arab world, the European Union, and the United Nations condemns Israel when it uses occasional air strikes to take out terrorist leaders.

At The Joshua Fund, we are determined to bless the people of southern Israel as much as possible. We must not forget them. We must not let them feel abandoned and alone. Rather, we must do everything we possibly can to mobilize evangelical Christians around the world to LEARN about what’s happening; PRAY knowledgably and consistently for peace; GIVE to the humanitarian relief work we are doing there; and even GO on one of our volunteer projects.

BLESSING VICTIMS OF WAR AND TERROR – Last November, therefore, The Joshua Fund took a group of several dozen evangelical Christians from Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho, New Mexico to do a humanitarian relief project among the poor and needy in Sderot, a town of 20,000 souls living dead center in this missile zone. Working with the acting mayor and The Joseph Project, a Jewish relief group based in Israel, we were able to distribute more than $100,000 worth of clothing, pots and pans, school supplies, cleaning supplies and other humanitarian relief to 300 of the neediest families in the town. Just as we were finishing the project, the warning sirens went off. We had just seven seconds to get all of our people into the bomb shelter and pray for safety. By God’s grace, no one was injured by that rocket. But in those moments, we all got a glimpse of the life many Israelis live twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

In December, The Joshua Fund invested some $14,000 in Bridges For Peace, an evangelical relief group in Israel, to buy 300 blankets and heaters for 300 more needy families living in Sderot. We also worked with The Joseph Project to buy a $12,000 van for the Sderot municipality’s director of volunteers. Now he and his team can move relief supplies and volunteer rapid responders far more quickly. The city has promised to buy these volunteers a van for years but there has never been enough money in the budget. The director, a young Ethiopian immigrant, had tears in eyes when he realized we were serious about helping him when no one else would.

In January, my colleagues and I went back to the area to encourage local Christians as well as to bring a check for $50,000 to a local hospital that is the main trauma center for the region. The hospital is old, badly under-funded, and the facilities are run-down and harken back to U.S. medical facilities in the 1950s. But the doctors are first rate, passionate about saving lives, and eager for evangelical Christians to stand with them as they fight on the front lines of the war with radical Islam. The funds we donated, therefore, will be used to buy desperately needed equipment for their emergency room.

Here are a few excerpts from the article in The Jerusalem Post: “A pro-Israel evangelical group from the US has decided to ‘adopt’ Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. A few months ago, the group contacted the hospital, which copes with victims of Palestinian terror bombings from Gaza and sick Gazan civilians on a regular basis….A delegation visited the hospital on Sunday...Among the participants was Joel Rosenberg, a Washington-based evangelical Christian and president of The Joshua Fund, a non-profit organization whose mission is ‘to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus’….Joshua Fund director-general John Moser also attended the meeting, as did David Donaldson, head of the Convoy of Hope organization; Taysir Abu Saad of Seeds of Hope; and Calev Meyers, a lawyer who represents the evangelical organizations in Israel. The visitors praised the hospital's treatment of violence victims and promised to help raise the funds needed to…purchase vital medical equipment.”

MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE – In our meeting with the hospitals top doctors and manager, we asked how else we could help. Here’s their list of some urgent needs:

* Operating Room Lamp cost: $20,000
* Mobile X-Ray Machine cost: $40,000
* Ultrasonograph for Delivery Room cost: $50,000
* Echocardiograph cost: $60,000
* Breast Ultrasonograph cost: $ 70,000
* Ventilators and Respirators cost: $85,000 each

Please pray that we can raise these funds quickly and help these brave doctors and nurses with the equipment they so urgently need. Please also pray that the Lord would continue to open doors for The Joshua Fund to provide food, clothing and others critical supplies to those Israelis suffering in this horrific missile zone. To help financially, please click here.

ALSO URGENT: PREPARING FOR WAR IN THE NORTH – While we care for Israelis living in the missile zone in the south, we are also urgently trying to help Israelis prepare for the next war in the north. Tensions are running high along the Lebanon and Syrian border, and of course Iran continues to vow to wipe Israel “off the map.” We continue to pray for peace, but we are also preparing for worst case scenarios. Bridges For Peace has opened a new food warehouse and distribution center in the Israeli town of Carmiel, in the northern tier. Their goal is to bless the poor and needy in the region, as well as stockpile food supplies for troubled times in the future. As part of our “Operation Epicenter” relief strategy, The Joshua Fund has committed to providing BFP with 400 tons of food over the next three years. Last fall, I spoke at several fund-raisers that brought in about $25,000 that paid for about 25 tons. But food prices have doubled in Israel since then. In December, we sent $110,000 to pay for 50 tons of food. Then in January and February, we sent another $43,000 to pay for approximately 40 more tons. Every month throughout 2008, we are determined to send $21,500 to BFP to pay for about 20 tons of new food supplies, and we would love your continued help in making this happen.

HEADING INTO THE FIRES OF IRAQ – Several colleagues and I have been invited into Iraq to preach in Iraqi churches, encourage evangelical Christian pastors and key ministry leaders we have been working with, and assess how The Joshua Fund can be more helpful to the poor and needy in that embattled and war-torn country. With your generous help, we have already sent more than $300,000 worth of humanitarian relief supplies into Iraq over the past few months. We have plans to accelerate that aid in 2008 if the Lord provides the necessary funding. Please pray that the Lord would keep us safe as well as give us much-needed wisdom and discernment to know how best to care for the believers in Iraq and how to help them love their neighbors and their enemies in the name of Jesus.

CARING FOR THE SUFFERING IN SUDAN – At the same time, we dare not forget the immense suffering going on among the people in Sudan right now. Civil war. Radical Islamic jihads. Genocide. Hundreds of churches have been burned to the ground. Hundreds of thousands of souls have perished. Millions of people have fled their homes. In December, therefore, The Joshua Fund invested $46,000 to send two shipments of emergency food aid into this country. Each shipment contained 270,000 meals that cost us only eight cents each. Thus, with your gracious giving, we were able to provide 540,000 meals. But clearly we need to do more – quickly – and with your help we will.

UPCOMING: THE EPICENTER CONFERENCE IN JERUSALEM – Please also keep us in prayer as we finalize preparations for our first “Epicenter” conference. It will be held on April 10, 2008 at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. We are preparing for some 3,000 evangelical Christians from all over the world. I will be the emcee and deliver the keynote message on the urgency of blessing Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus in the light of serious threats facing the people of the region. Joining me as speakers are:

* Porter Goss, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
* Lt.-General (ret.) Jerry Boykin, former commander of the U.S. Army’s Delta Force and recently retired Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence
* Benjamin Netanyahu, former Prime Minister of Israel
* Natan Sharansky, former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel
* Chuck Smith, founder and senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa
* Skip Heitzig, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque, board member of Samaritan’s Purse, and co-host of the Epicenter documentary DVD

For more information – or to register – please visit www.epicenter08.com.

NEW TEAM MEMBERS – As you can see, our opportunities to do relief work in the epicenter is rapidly expanding. But as of January 1st, our first Director of Operations, Edward Hunt, stepped down to become pastor of a wonderful and rapidly growing congregation in the Washington, D.C. area. We are very excited for him (and grateful he and his wife, Kailea, remain on our Board). But The Joshua Fund board decided we needed several new senior staff members going forward. We are, therefore, happy to announce these new members of our team.

John Moser began with us full-time on October 1st of last year as TJF’s Executive Director. In addition to traveling with me on key projects in the region (Israel twice, Turkey, Canada, and Morocco), John oversees all of our ministry operations, finances, legal work, staff and consultants. He draws on four decades of experience running his own business; serving in senior management at several companies; managing enormous, multi-million dollar projects for the Intel corporation in the 1990s; and advising various churches and ministries along the way. In many ways, John is our “air traffic controller.” As you can see, we’ve got a lot of “planes in the air,” as it were – projects with different partners, different costs, in different countries, and on different continents. John’s role is to make sure they all “land safely” at their final destinations. I believe God has uniquely prepared him for this role, giving him the spiritual gifts of administration, discernment and encouragement, and the Lord is using him tremendously. Please pray daily and faithfully for John as TJF has become a very fast-growing, fast-moving organization facing intense spiritual warfare. Plus, he and Cheryl have just moved to Northern Virginia and are still trying to get settled. To reach John, please call the office at (888) 792-4544, or email him at john@joshuafund.net.

Cheryl Moser began with us full-time on January 1st as our Office Manager and has also hit the ground running at full speed. She’s coordinating all of the multi-country and multi-state travel for our team. She’s overseeing the logistics for our upcoming tour in Israel of more than 200 people in April. On top of all this, she oversees all of our office operations, from scheduling to fielding dozens of phone calls and hundreds of emails every week. And she’s still trying to find all of her dishes and pots and pans in the moving boxes stacked up in their dining room! Fortunately, in addition to possessing the wonderful multi-tasking skills of having raised two daughters and being the grandmother of seven, she also has decades of business experience, having served as the vice president for consumer affairs of the Crosman Arms company, as well as having served on the company’s board of directors. A particularly special blessing is that I have had the privilege of knowing John and Cheryl for about 30 years. It has been great to reconnect with them and their family after all these years, and it is very humbling to see them willing and eager to resign their previous jobs, be willing to sell their house, move across the country, and work so hard to help us. Please join us, therefore, in praying for daily and faithfully for Cheryl as she serves the Lord, side by side with John. Pray that the Lord would truly bless this couple as they bless Israel and her neighbors. And please pray specifically that their house sells soon. To reach Cheryl, please call the office at (888) 792-4544, or email her at cheryl@joshufund.net.

Jeremy Grafman began with us full-time on January 1st as Director of Special Projects. He serves as our point man on numerous strategic initiatives, including identifying, vetting and approving new relief projects in Israel and the Muslim world into which TJF will invest; working with evangelical Christian pastors and ministry leaders in North America and around the world who want to discover practical ways they can bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus; and he is working with Israeli, Arab, and Iranian pastors to see how we can specifically bless and encourage them in their growing and critically important ministries. For the last several years, Jeremy served as a pastor on the staff of Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho (New Mexico) after some 15 years in the business world, working for Xerox in Rochester, New York, and later launching and running his own company in the Albuquerque area. A Jewish believer, Jeremy has traveled extensively in the Middle East (Israel, Jordan, Greece and Turkey). He has also played a key role in helping The Joshua Fund over the past year, recruiting evangelical pastors to tour Israel, teaching believers about the importance of blessing Israel and her neighbors, co-leading humanitarian relief projects with us in Israel (notably Kiryat Shmona and Sderot), and being part of a church leadership team that has invested generously in the work of TJF and prayed for us faithfully. We are very grateful for his experience and wisdom and we are eager to help him make the transition as quickly and smoothly as possible. Please pray for Jeremy, his wife Angie, and their four sons that they would be able to sell their home in New Mexico quickly and for a great price, and that they would be able to find the right home in the right place at the right price here in Northern Virginia. To contact Jeremy directly, please email him at Jeremy@joshuafund.net.

Larissa Lusko joined us last fall on a part-time basis to help with donor communications. She is overseeing the design and production of our Joshua Fund brochures; has developed the response cards that we use at public events; manages the correspondence we send donors briefing them on the projects we are doing; and is helping us with a series of private dinners for major donors that by God’s grace we will hold around the country this spring (more on that soon!). Larissa and her husband Chip have been enormously helpful to us over the past year. Among other things, they are overseeing the Epicenter conference we will hold in April in Jerusalem. We are deeply grateful for all of their help and are excited that Larissa has officially come on board to help us in a much-needed area. To contact her directly, please email her at larissa1st@gmail.com.

THANK YOU! – There is so much more to tell you, but hopefully this will give you an overview of the kind of work we are doing. Thank you so much for praying for us, praying for the people of the epicenter, and investing in the work of The Joshua Fund. We are deeply grateful. You can learn more about the on-going projects of The Joshua Fund at www.joshuafund.net. Just go to our weblog by clicking on the “PRAY” button.

Also please sign up for >> FLASH TRAFFIC <<, our free biweekly Middle East update and prayer alert email service. As the Apostle Paul commands us in Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” And may the Lord bless you richly as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus.

Sincerely yours,
Joel C. Rosenberg
President
The Joshua Fund

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[Top photo: On the Gaza border: Jeremy Grafman, Joshua Fund's Director of Special Projects; Joel C. Rosenberg; John Moser, Executive Director of The Joshua Fund; Calev Myers, President of the Jerusalem Institute for Justice]

[Bottom photo: Joel C. Rosenberg with the Director of Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, Israel]

JERUSALEM POST COVERS JOSHUA FUND RELIEF EFFORTS IN SDEROT, ISRAEL

2008-02-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

Evangelicals 'adopt' Ashkelon hospital 'to bless Israel and her neighbors'

By Judy Siegel-Itzkovich

Jerusalem Post

January 29, 2008

A pro-Israel [evangelical] group from the US has decided to "adopt" Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.

A few months ago, the group contacted the hospital, which copes with victims of Palestinian terror bombings from Gaza and sick Gazan civilians on a regular basis.

Hospital spokeswoman and head of its public relations department Lea Malul took part in a number of discussions in the US with the Protestant church group, and finally a delegation visited the hospital on Sunday.

Hospital director Dr. Shimon Sherf received a "modest donation" that established the formal connection with the group.

Among the participants was Joel Rosenberg, a Washington-based evangelical Christian and president of the Joshua Fund, a non-profit organization whose mission is "to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus." The fund aims to invest at least $1.2 million in humanitarian relief over the next year for Israeli, Lebanese and Palestinian families devastated by war and terrorism.

Joshua Fund director-general John Moser also attended the meeting, as did David Donaldson, head of the Convoy of Hope organization; Taysir Abu Saad of Seeds of Hope; and Calev Meyers, a lawyer who represents the evangelical organizations in Israel.

The visitors praised the hospital's treatment of violence victims and promised to help raise the funds needed to complete Barzilai's new hospitalization wing and purchase vital medical equipment.

JOSHUA FUND PROVIDES EMERGENCY RELIEF TO TRAUMATIZED TOWN: Sderot hit with 120+ rockets since Bush visit

2008-01-22T13:30:00.001-08:00

In the summer of 2005, Israel gave land (the Gaza Strip), but did it get peace? Hardly. More than 1,500 rockets and missiles have hit southern Israeli towns such as Sderot since Hamas took over Gaza last June. More than 120 rockets and mortars have hit Sderot just since President Bush visited Israel to boost the "peace process."

[UPDATE: "Since the year 2000, more than 7,000 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israel by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. Last year alone, that number was over 2,000. And since Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza in June 2007, the frequency of rocket attacks rose 150 percent, to more than 250 rockets and mortars a month. This means, on average, one rocket is fired at Israel every three hours. Most of these rockets fall on the southern city of Sderot. Normal life in Sderot is a thing of the past. Not a day goes by when the Red Alert warning system does not sound, which gives children on playgrounds and in schools, and parents at home and at work, less than 15 seconds to find the nearest shelter before the next rocket comes slamming into their lives." -- Statement to the U.N. Security Council by Counsellor Gilad Cohen, Charge D'affairs, Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations]

The President didn't speak out forcefully when he was in the Holy Land, but we must. Israelis are suffering, and as evangelical Christians we should respond with unconditional love.

First, please pray for the residents of Sderot and southern Israel for courage and protection.

Second, please pray for wisdom, courage and unfailing strength for the local officials, police officers and relief workers as they face what seems to be a never-ending barrage of attacks.

Third, please pray for the Israeli political and military leaders in Jerusalem to have the wisdom and courage to take whatever action is necessary -- and quickly -- to stop these horrible attacks.

Fourth, please pray for my Joshua Fund colleagues and me as we head to Israel next week to visit Sderot and meet with key political, military, religious and humanitarian relief leaders in the country.

The Joshua Fund is responding immediately by providing $100,000 for emergency relief projects, including desperately needed medical equipment for the leading Israeli hospital and trauma center in the southern region, as well as blankets and heaters for needy residents of Sderot who are now facing the cold winter months.

If you would like to help, please click here, or make your check payable to "The Joshua Fund" and send to:

The Joshua Fund

18950 Base Camp Road

Monument, Colorado 80132-8009

Thanks so much and may God richly bless you and your family as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus.

TJF HELPS MORE AID ARRIVE IN ISRAEL

2008-01-22T10:24:00.000-08:00

The Joshua Fund is helping an Israeli organization called The Joseph Project pay for a new shipping container of humanitarian relief supplies to care for the poor and needy in the Jewish State. The supplies include wheelchairs, walkers, linens and household items, toys, and shoes, as well as new and used clothing. The supplies were sent by Mission World Aid in Australia.

IRAQ: SERIAL ATTACKS ON CHURCHES CONTINUE

2008-01-21T05:07:00.000-08:00

Excerpt from Compass Direct News: "Acar-bomb exploded outside a Chaldean church in northern Iraq yesterday, injuring two people, a Baghdad bishop said. The blast is the 10th reported attack on Iraqi churches in two weeks. Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop of Baghdad Shlemon Warduni confirmed that the explosion outside the Tahira church in western Mosul’s al-Shifaa neighborhood had slightly injured two people....The blast hurt a policeman and an unidentified woman and damaged a church wall and windows, the site said. It came just a week after two churches in Kirkuk, 150 miles north of Baghdad, were simultaneously bombed....The blasts came days after the apparently coordinated bombing of four churches and three convents in Baghdad and Mosul on January 6, in which six people were injured. The explosions ended a period of relative calm in which Iraq’s beleaguered Christian community had seen a drop in violence. In the aftermath of the bombings, Iraq’s prime minister came out in support of the country’s Christian minority. Nouri Al-Maliki promised to pursue the church bombers and said his government was deeply concerned with the safety of the country’s Christians, Arabic news website Elaph.com reported on January 8."

UPDATE: JOSHUA FUND FINANCES 50 TONS OF FOOD FOR ISRAEL AND PREPARES TO SHIP AID TO IRAQ AND SUDAN

2008-01-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for your prayers and generous giving regarding the year-end projects that I described in a December email. The Lord has been very gracious and provided above and beyond what we and our team were asking of Him:

* The Joshua Fund was able to fund 50 tons of food -- not 25 tons -- for Bridges For Peace to distribute to poor and needy Israelis in the first quarter of 2008 (total cost: $110,000).

* TJF was able to fund two trucks -- not just one -- filled with a total of some $300,000 worth of humanitarian relief supplies into Iraq, that will soon be distributed through Iraqi evangelical Christians (total cost: $24,000).

* TJF was able to fund not two 40-foot containers -- not just one -- of desperately-needed food aid for the suffering people of Sudan who are experiencing civil war and genocide. Each container holds 44,000 pounds of food, or about 270,000 servings. Thus, we will soon be sending in 570,000 meals at a cost of only 8 cents per meal. (total cost: $46,000)

* Finally, TJF was able to raise the final $25,000 needed for the Joshua Fund "Epicenter" conference in Jerusalem April 10, 2008. More details of the conference will be released soon. Please pray as we finalize the speaking schedule. We are planning to do a live global webcast of the entire event, a live radio program of the event through hundreds of radio stations throughout the U.S., and a satellite television broadcast of the event to churches throughout North America. The purpose of all this: to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the dramatic rebirth of Israel; to help evangelical Christians around the world better understand the threats and needs in the region; and to mobilize Christians to pray knowledgably, faithfully and consistently for the peace of Jerusalem.

Once this food and these supplies are distributed I will update you further. But thank you again so much for helping make this happen.

PRAY FOR IRAQ

2008-01-08T07:33:00.000-08:00

Christian Today: SEVEN CHURCHES BOMBED IN IRAQ -- "At least seven churches in Iraq were bombed Sunday in what appears to be coordinated attacks on Orthodox Christians celebrating New Year’s Eve. Mortar shells, explosive devices and car bombs were used in attacks targeting churches and monasteries in Baghdad and Mosul, according to Dubai-based Khaleej Times newspaper. At least six people were wounded, including two guards, reported Voices of Iraq news agency. In the explosion at Saint Maskinta Church in Mosul, the bomb destroyed the external wall of the church and caused panic among children and nuns inside where the church had an orphanage for girls....some Iraqi Christians are defying the violence by refusing to allow persecution to stop their worship service. At one of the bombed churches in Baghdad on Sunday, believers still met after the attack to hold the Epiphany mass. 'We have decided to continue to go to church, let them bomb us, we’ve had enough,' said 'Daniel' (name withheld for security reason) to AINA. 'It’s our country too. If they want to wipe us out, they’ll be able to do it anyway. I will die proud,' he said in defiance of increasing Christian persecution.
Christians are especially vulnerable in Iraq because they hold no political or military power. In October, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had vowed to protect and support Iraq’s Christian community."

RFE/RL: FOUR CHRISTIAN SITES BOMBED IN NORTHERN IRAQ -- "Three churches and a convent were bombed in terrorist attacks in the northern city of Mosul on January 6, Al-Sharqiyah television reported the same day. Two of the churches, the Virgin Mary Church and the Chaldean St. Paul Church, were targeted by car bombs, which left four civilians injured. The outer walls and entrances of the churches were destroyed by the blasts. Meanwhile, two explosive charges went off outside the St. Maskanta Church, destroying its outer walls. Another explosive charge targeted the Catholic Nunnery. No injuries were reported in the latter two attacks. The Washington Post reported on January 7 that one of the sites bombed was an orphanage, not a church."

Therefore, please pray:
1. For strength and courage for Iraqi followers of Christ in face of such attacks.
2. Boldness for Iraqi believers to share the love of Christ with their Muslim neighbors and enemies. (good news: more Iraqis are coming to faith in Christ in the last few years than at any other time in the country's history)
3. Believers in the West to be mobilized to care for and support their Christian brothers and sisters in Iraq.
4. An end to sectarian violence in Iraq.
5. Peace between Turkey and the Kurds.

PRAY FOR AFGHANISTAN

2008-01-08T07:28:00.000-08:00

The following are excerpts from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:

AFGHANISTAN'S ISLAMIC COUNCIL CALLS FOR CRACKDOWN ON TV STATIONS...Clerics who are members of Afghanistan's influential Islamic Council reportedly met with President Hamid Karzai in Kabul on January 4 to demand a clampdown on a burgeoning private television industry that they say is spreading "immorality and un-Islamic culture," Afghan and international media reported. "The unrestrained programs on television have angered and prompted the [council] to react," the conservative council said in a statement to Karzai, according to a copy released to the news media. The statement pointed to the MTV-style "Afghan Star" show on Tolo TV that is modeled on the "American Idol" show as an example, alleging that "'Afghan Star'...encourages immorality among the people and is against Shari'a [Islamic law]." Over a dozen privately run television stations have sprung up in Afghanistan following the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, which banned television as un-Islamic during its rule from 1996 to 2001.

...AND WARNS AGAINST MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES --During the meeting with President Karzai, the Afghan clerics also expressed concern over the activities of some international nongovernmental groups that in their eyes are trying to spread Christianity among Afghans. The council warned in its statement of what they termed "catastrophe" if these activities are not prevented. "The council is concerned about the activities of some missionary and atheistic organs and considers such acts against Islamic Shari'a, the constitution, and political stability," the statement said. Ahmad Ali Jebrayeli, a member of both the council and the Afghan parliament, told Reuters on January 5 that reliable sources tell him that Christian missionaries are using NGO offices in Kabul and in other provinces as bases to convert the local population, alleging that "some NGOs are encouraging them [to convert], give them books [Bibles], and promise to send them abroad." In July 2007, Taliban militants took some 23 South Korean Christian missionaries hostage, killing two of them before releasing the remainder (see "RFE/RL Newsline," August 31, 2007)."

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Therefore, please pray for:
1. President Karzai to remain physically safe from jihadist assassination attempts.
2. President Karzai to remain committed to democracy and religious freedom for all Afghanis.
3. Followers of Jesus Christ in Afghanistan to be strong and courageous in the face of intense opposition and persecution.
4. More Afghanis -- especially the poor and widows who feel all alone -- to find hope and freedom through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

PRAY FOR PAKISTAN

2008-01-03T05:03:00.000-08:00

Over the past week, I have spoken to several dear friends of mine who travel regularly to Pakistan to preach the gospel and encourage Pakistani pastors and other evangelical Christian leaders to get an update on how best to pray for the country in the wake of the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Here is an email one of them -- fresh back from the region -- sent me yesterday:

"The Bhutto family is respected and revered by so many Pakistanis like the Kennedy family in the USA. Her assassination could throw the country into further turmoil, confusion and instability. Pray for the believers or for the Christian community in Pakistan. Unfortunately the Muslims can take their anger against innocent Christians and they can be used as scapegoats. Since most Pakistanis are anti-West and anti-Christian, they can blame the Christians for all their tragedies and problems. Please pray particularly for the believers who are living in remote villages. They have nobody to defend them or protect them unless the Lord does it. Pray also for the Christian leaders who have a high profile that the Lord may protect them as the country is passing through such turmoil. I personally believe it is the time we should cover our fellow believers in Pakistan with prayer consistently and continuously so that the Lord may put a hedge around them. Pray also for their houses and property that they will be protected from vandalism, bombing and other things.....Unfortunately, President Pervez Musharaf is playing double. Personally I don't think he is sincere. Therefore, I suggest that we pray for Pakistan as a nation at the moment. If Pakistan falls into the hands of the Taliban or other terrorists groups, it will have worldwide repercussions and consequences. Furthermore, Pakistan is a country with nuclear bombs so it is important for Pakistan to have a stable, reliable government."

END OF THE YEAR PRAYER NEEDS

2007-12-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

PRAY FOR ISRAEL:

* Please pray for peace and safety for all the people of Jerusalem -- Jews, Christians and Muslims -- and that political leaders do not try to divide the Holy City.

* Please pray for peace and safety for Israelis living along the border with Gaza. Sderot and similar Israeli towns have been hit with more than 2,500 rockets and mortars over the past two years. Pray that a combination of forces are able to stop radical Islamic groups in Gaza from firing at the Israelis and that the 21,000 residents of Sderot are able to resume normal lives, including sleeping through the night without fear of attack.

* Please pray for calm and quiet along the Lebanon and Syrian borders to the north. Many Israelis are still recovering from the Second Lebanon War in 2006, when more than 4,000 rockets and missiles rained down, forcing more than 1 million Israelis to flee or live underground in bomb shelters for well over a month. Let's pray that despite all the preparations that Hezbollah and the Syrian military are making that no conflict breaks out in 2008.

* Please pray for wisdom for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his senior advisors to know how best in 2008 to deal with the growing geopolitical threats against Israel.

* Please pray for the 15,000 followers of Yeshua (Jesus) in Israel who worship in upwards of 150 congregations to have courage and wisdom to know how best to bless their families, friends and neighbors in the upcoming year.

* Please pray for the leaders of The Joshua Fund to have wisdom to know what relief projects in Israel to finance this coming year, that we might be able to show true, unconditional love to the poor and needy in Israel as well as to victims of war and terrorism.

PRAY FOR THE MUSLIM WORLD:

* Please pray for the followers of Jesus in the West Bank and Gaza to have great courage and compassion in the wake of tremendous persecution and the October assassination of Rami Ayyad with the Palestinian Bible Society at the hands of radical Islamic jihadists.

* Please pray for believers around the world to wake up and find ways to encourage and strengthen our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters in the West Bank and Gaza.

* Please pray, too, for Arab believers throughout Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Sudan and other Arab countries to have courage and compassion to live for Jesus Christ with boldness and holiness despite war and persecution.

* Please pray for the believers in Iran -- now more than 1 million of them -- to endure hardship at the hands of government officials who hate Christianity and are desperate to stamp it out. Pray for the leaders of the 10,000 new house churches expected to be planted in Iran over the next 12 to 18 months.

* Pray for Muslim people throughout the epicenter to be able to live 2008 free of warfare, terrorism, violence and injustice. Pray for new political leaders to be raised up who are true reformers, committed to expanding freedom and opportunity for Muslims who are currently be oppressed by their corrupt current leaders.

* Please pray especially for the suffering people -- particularly young people and widows -- in Kurdistan (Iraq) and Afghanistan who have largely been forgotten by the outside world. Pray that evangelical Christians wake up and remember to pray for them and to find practical ways to bless and encourage them.

* Please pray for the leaders of The Joshua Fund to have wisdom to know what relief projects to finance in 2008 throughout the Muslim world so that we can truly show unconditional love to the poor and needy, as well as to victims of war and terrorism.

* Finally, please pray that followers of Jesus around the world would be generous so that we can invest more heavily in relief projects to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to The Joshua Fund, please click here.

THE JOSHUA FUND'S TOP YEAR END RELIEF PROJECTS TO BLESS ISRAEL AND HER NEIGHBORS

2007-12-07T11:55:00.000-08:00

UPDATED (12/14): The Joshua Fund believes we are supposed to dramatically increase the delivery of humanitarian aid to the needy people of Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq and the region in 2008, and expand our strategic allies and prayer partners.

In light of the enormous needs and looming threat of war, we believe over the next 36 months we are supposed to bless Israel with at least $100 million worth of humanitarian relief supplies and 400 tons of food. We also believe we are supposed to bless Israel’s neighbors with at least $20 million worth of relief supplies in the next 36 months. At the same time, we are seeking to recruit at least 100,000 evangelical Christians all over the world who will stand with us in praying knowledgeably and consistently for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and for the people of the entire region. By God’s grace, we already have more than 35,000 prayer partners signed up on our email list.

As we end 2007, we are racing to complete several specific and important projects (update: these figures are double what we originally posted after TJF's board approved higher amounts last week):

* Funding 50 tons of food for Bridges For Peace to distribute to poor and needy Israelis in the first quarter of 2008 (cost: $110,000)

* Sending two trucks filled with some $300,000+ worth of humanitarian relief supplies into Iraq, to distributed through Iraqi evangelical Christians (cost: $24,000)

* Funding two emergency 40-foot containers of desperately-needed food aid for the suffering people of Sudan who are not only enduring civil war but even genocide. Each container holds 44,000 pounds of food, or about 270,000 servings, at cost of about 8.5 cents per serving. (cost: $46,000)

If you would like to help us with these and other projects, we would be deeply grateful for a generous year-end financial gift. To find our mailing address or to contribute securely on-line, please click here.

FYI: This past summer we received from the Internal Revenue Service our official status as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, meaning that every donation to The Joshua Fund is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

JOSHUA FUND DELEGATIONS COMPLETE RELIEF PROJECTS IN SDEROT, CARMIEL AND YAVNIEL, ISRAEL

2007-11-26T07:41:00.000-08:00

(JERUSALEM, ISRAEL) -- UPDATED: A Joshua Fund delegation with 52 evangelical Christian business leaders from the U.S., Canada, Germany and Australia just completed a two-week tour of Israel. The purpose of the "prayer & vision trip" was to help Christians from around the world better understand the geopolitical threats that Israel is facing, see first hand the importance of providing humanitarian relief for Israelis who are currently living in poverty (nearly 1-in-4 Israelis and 36% of all children), as well as to see the urgency of pre-positioning more relief supplies ahead of the next war, whenever that might be.

The group was briefed by current Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman on the growing Iranian nuclear threat; former Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Natan Sharansky on the threat to Jerusalem; MK Yuval Steinitz, Member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee, on the growing strategic threats to Israel from Iran and Syria and the growing Russian involvement in the Middle East; former Israeli General Yossi Peled on the Hezbollah threat in Lebanon; and former Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Dore Gold on the upcoming peace conference in Annapolis.

The group was briefed by a senior advisor to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on the importance of Jews and Christians working together, especially in light of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the rebirth of the Jewish State. The evangelicals were also briefed by various humanitarian aid leaders. During their visit, they toured Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and the Galilee region. They also did two humanitarian relief projects in the towns of Carmiel and Yavniel, distributing care packages of food and kitchen supplies to needy families in cooperation with the Mayors of these two towns and Bridges for Peace, an evangelical Christian relief organization based in Jerusalem.

On November 12, The Joshua Fund took a group of 25 evangelical Christians from Rio Rancho, New Mexico to do a humanitarian relief project in Sderot, an Israeli town on the southern border of Gaza. The town has been hit with more than 2,500 Palestinian rockets and missiles since the Israelis withdrew from Gaza in 2005 for "peace." Three rockets hit the day we were there, but by God's grace we were safely able to distribute more than $100,000 worth of clothes, toys, school supplies, and others goods to some 300 needy Israeli families who live below the poverty level and live in great fear of these constant terrorist attacks.

The Sderot relief effort was done in cooperation with the Acting Mayor of Sderot, the local social welfare office, and The Joseph Project, a Jewish organization committed to caring for the poor and needy and for victims of war and terrorism in Israel.

* Please pray for peace for the 21,000 citizens of Sderot. More than 6,000 residents have left the town and relocated elsewhere in Israel in the last two years because of all the attacks.

* Please also pray that more evangelical Christians around the world become involved in helping needy families in Israel with humanitarian relief and unconditional love.

JERUSALEM POST NOTES JOSHUA FUND DELEGATION TO BLESS ISRAEL

2007-11-24T01:28:00.001-08:00

Excerpts from November 14, 2007 story in The Jerusalem Post: "Senior executives of Germany's leading companies will be here next week to look for business cooperation and investment opportunities in the local market. 'Local exports to Germany increased by 19 percent in the first three months of the year generated mainly from the fields of communications, electronics, plastics and pharmaceuticals. However, there is still room for additional German investments into Israeli companies and the local capital market," said the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry, which is hosting the delegation together with the Israel Export Institute and Manufacturers Association of Israel....Meanwhile, a Christian evangelical delegation of 40 business people from Canada, Australia and Europe have toured the country, visiting the Galilee, Sderot, Tiberias and Ashkelon to look for business and humanitarian investments into local projects ranging from infrastructure and hospitals to tourism. The delegation met with MK Avigdor Lieberman, MK Yuval Steinitz and local business representatives. In addition the delegation, headed by Joel Rosenberg, founder of The Joshua Fund -- a non-profit organization founded to encourage Christian aid for Israel -- committed to donate high sums to welfare and health projects and as a result the fund is expected to foster the Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon."

EPICENTER CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN JERUSALEM ON APRIL 10, 2008

2007-11-05T08:02:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 5, 2007

AUTHOR JOEL C. ROSENBERG ANNOUNCES
EPICENTER CONFERENCE
TO MOBILIZE CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD
TO PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM

April 10, 2008 event will mark Israel’s 60th anniversary, include senior Israeli officials and evangelical leaders

(Washington, D.C., November 5, 2007) – Joel C. Rosenberg, the New York Times best-selling author and founder of The Joshua Fund, today announced a major conference in Jerusalem in 2008 to help Christians celebrate Israel’s 60th anniversary, educate Christians as to the serious threats facing the Jewish State and her neighbors, and mobilize Christians around the world to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and provide humanitarian relief to the poor and needy and those suffering from war and terrorism.

Invited speakers include:
* Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
* Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
* Former Deputy Prime Minister Natan Sharansky
* Israel Ambassador Dore Gold, president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and author of The Fight For Jerusalem
* Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa
* Pastor Skip Heitzig of Calvary Chapel Albuquerque, a member of the board of Samaritan’s Purse, and co-host of the Epicenter documentary film
* Joel C. Rosenberg, founder of The Joshua Fund, New York Times best-selling author of Epicenter: Why The Current Rumblings In The Middle East Will Change Your Future, and co-host of the Epicenter documentary film

Conference details:
* The Epicenter Conference will be held on Thursday, April 10, 2008 from 9:30am to 6:00pm local time.
* The event will be held in Congress Hall at the international convention center in Jerusalem
* The event will be webcast worldwide, gavel to gavel.
* For more information – and to register for the conference – go to www.epicenter08.com.
* For more information on The Joshua Fund, please click here.

SERMON: "WHAT GOD IS DOING IN THE MIDDLE EAST"

2007-11-05T05:16:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of preaching at four weekend services at McLean Bible Church, my home fellowship, on the subject, "What God Is Doing In The Middle East"....as I speak so often on what is happening in Israel, I devoted this particular message to how powerfully the Lord is moving in the Muslim world and encouraging believers to pursue four strategies to bless the people of the epicenter: Learn. Pray. Give. Go. To listen to the sermon online, please click here.

NBC AFFILIATE HIGHLIGHTS JOSHUA FUND EFFORTS TO BLESS THE NEEDY IN ISRAEL

2007-10-31T07:15:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from the KGET-TV 17 (NBC) website: "New York Times best-selling author Joel Rosenberg was in Bakersfield Sunday to support a local church and its humanitarian mission in Israel. Rosenberg has published four political thrillers. His focal point is the Middle East, specifically how events there are shaping the future of Israel. On Sunday, Rosenberg delivered two sermons at Bakersfield Assembly of God Church with an emphasis on the church's involvement in the global Bridges For Peace program. 'Evangelical Christians are blessing the people of Israel, mostly the poor and needy, by distributing 50 to 60 tons of food a month to those in need,' said Rosenberg....Bridges For Peace was established about 30 years ago by Christian organizations to provide Israelis living in poverty a helping hand. Each year, the organization provides millions of dollars in food, education, and medical aid."

ANOTHER UPDATE ON GAZA SLAYING: Christians all over the world -- including Jewish believers in Israel -- standing with their Palestinian brothers

2007-10-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest email we've received from our friends at the Palestinian Bible Society:

"Rami Ayyad, 30, manager of the Bible Society bookshop in Gaza, was kidnapped on Saturday near his home in Gaza City. His body was later found near the Islamic University on Sunday morning. It is not known who is responsible for the killing. The attack comes six months after the Palestinian Bible Society bookshop was bombed, causing significant damage. Mr Ayyad leaves a pregnant widow, Pauline, and two children; George (2yrs) and Wisam (9months).

"The staff at the Palestinian Bible Society work against a constant backdrop of violence and conflict. They face the threat of attack daily. But they are dedicated to demonstrating the Bible’s life-changing message to the Palestinian people. Rami was no different, and the bookshop he ran was an oasis in Gaza City. His death is a tragedy. During the last two months, Rami received direct threats to his life, and was challenged to refuse his faith.

"The Palestinian Bible Society is in shock at the death of their colleague. 3 days of mourning have been announced, and a black flag has been erected on all Bible Society centers. All activities have been put on halt as a sign of grief. The Catholic Church with the Bible Society branch “Living Stones” in Bir Zeit has provided the chance for people to give their condolences today from 14:00 – 22:00 in the Catholic Church. A memorial day for Rami will be held in the coming weeks in Jerusalem.

"The media response has been much noticed. Daily newspapers are writing about the incident. However, some newspapers have been trying to manipulate the truth by saying that this was a robbery and that Rami was not tortured. Heads of churches in the Jerusalem and the West Bank have asked the PA to investigate the matter and find the murders. The response from the Christian community has been very powerful and supportive. We also received phone calls from Messianic congregations whom have also showed their love and support at this time.

"Labib Madanat, Chief Executive of the Palestinian Bible Society, said, ‘Rami was the most gentle member of the team, the ever-smiling one. He was the face of our Bible shop, always receiving visitors and serving them as Jesus would. ‘Please pray for Rami’s family, for the team and all Christ-followers in Gaza. We are sure that his murder was death was a result of his faith in Christ.’"

UPDATE ON GAZA SLAYING

2007-10-09T05:01:00.000-07:00

Please keep praying for our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters, especially those who live in Gaza. Pray that the would be "strong and courageous" and especially bold in loving their neighbors and their enemies, as Jesus commanded us to do. Remember that earlier this summer, radical Islamic jihadists blew up the Bible book store in Gaza, run by the Palestinian Bible Society. There is a concerted effort to intimidate and silence evangelical believers in the West Bank and Gaza. Let us, therefore, not cease to pray.

Here are excerpts from an email I received yesterday from a dear friend who works closely with our brothers and sisters in Gaza:

"Rami was targeted because of his heart for lost Muslims and was told that he was being 'watched.' Rami was one of the most gifted of the young leaders at the Bible Society. Saturday night he finished his work and then locked the doors of the Bible Society. One young woman from Gaza put it this way: 'He locked the doors and headed home. His earthly home was about 15 minutes away, but instead he was taken to his Heavenly home.' Rami was kidnapped and finally killed Saturday night. He was stabbed repeatedly and then shot. The Islamic terrorists threw his body from a car at 2 AM on Sunday morning. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility yet and Pastor Hanna says the details are still sketchy. One thing is clear, this dear brother would not be intimidated by threats, harassment, persecution, and even death. He stayed strong until the end and will be given a martyrs crown in Heaven. His funeral was today. He is with Jesus right now. Pastor Jack Sara in Jerusalem says that this is the first Palestinian martyr that they know of. The believers in Gaza have been experiencing all out persecution since Hamas took over the Strip. It looks like Islamic Sharia law is just around the corner in Gaza. Please pray for his sweet wife Pauline. Obviously, she is devastated. Pastor Hanna and the believers in Gaza have rallied together and are at her side. This is difficult since the Christian community in Gaza is laying low because of continual threats."

"Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."

-- Revelation 2:10

Rami has received his eternal crown.

DEFYING CHIEF RABBINATE, ISRAELI RABBIS JOIN CHRISTIAN RALLY IN JERUSALEM: 7,000 evangelicals march to bless Israel

2007-10-08T04:45:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from The Jerusalem Post story (October 7, 2007): "Despite the recent ruling by the Chief Rabbinate that Jews may not participate in any Christian events, Rabbis Shlomo Riskin and Benny Elon spoke in support of the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) on Sunday night at the Haas Promenade. Organized by Rev. Robert Stearns of the group Eagles' Wings and Dr. Jack Hayford of The Church on the Way, DPPJ united over 150 nations and more than 150,000 churches worldwide in prayer....'Our best friends in the United States are Christians, offering love, friendship, and partnership. We would be foolish not to take advantage of it, especially during these troubled times,' said Riskin. Both Riskin and Elon credited the Christian community with not only helping Israel survive, but also vanquishing the threat of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad and of radical Islam. MK Elhanan Glazer, representing the Christian Allies Caucus, also praised the mutual effort against external threats to Israel, saying that 'Christians support Israel because we have the same Book, the same God, and we both love that God more than all the oil in the world.'....Former Israeli ambassador to the United States Danny Ayalon stressed the extreme importance of reaching out to the Christian community, saying that they 'strengthen our faith.'"

* 7,000 Evangelical Christians March To Bless Israel In Jerusalem, but event highlights growing tensions

* NPR: Doubts Greet Evangelical Christians in Israel

PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN WORKER ASSASSINATED IN GAZA

2007-10-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

Press release from the Palestinian Bible Society (Gaza City, Gaza, October 7, 2007): "The Palestinian Bible Society announced today that Rami Ayyad was found dead near the Bible Society Bookshop in Gaza early this morning. Rami was kidnapped last night by an unknown group directly after he closed the doors of the bookshop at around 16:30. A day before, Rami noted that a car with no plate numbers had been following him. News of his kidnap was reported to the main office after his family received a telephone call from him at around 18:00 saying that he had been taken by a group of people and will return home late that evening. Another phone call was made carrying a similar message. The director of the Bible Society had informed the Police in Gaza of the incident. At 6:25 this morning, news was received that Rami's body had been found at a location near the Teachers Bookshop in Gaza were he had spent most of his time running the bookshop. Signs of bullets and knife stabs could be clearly seen on his body. Rami 26, leaves behind two young children, and a pregnant wife. The funeral is expected to take place at 16:00 today. No group or party has claimed responsibility. The Bible Society in Gaza has received previous threats and vandalism. However, the support from the community has been very well noticed because of the humanitarian role that the Bible Society has been taking the last four years in the strip."

Please pray for:

* Rami's widow and children -- for God's supernatural peace and comfort

* the leaders of the Palestinian Bible Society -- for courage in the face of jihadist attacks and for wisdom and boldness to know how to communicate the good news of Christ's love and forgiveness to all the Palestinian Muslims in Gaza and the West Bank

* all the believers in Gaza -- for courage to love their neighbors and their enemies, just as Christ commanded

The Joshua Fund is in contact with local evangelical leaders in Gaza. We will post more information and prayer requests as we get new information. We are looking at additional ways to assist the Palestinian Bible Society financially to help them use this tragedy to proclaim the gospel far and wide. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to "OPERATION EPICENTER" to help Palestinian Christians bless the people of the West Bank and Gaza in the name of Jesus, please click here.

[Photo: Rami Ayyad and his nephew]

COVERAGE:

* Jerusalem Post: Palestinian Christian found dead in Gaza

* Reuters: Prominent Palestinian Christian killed in Gaza

* AP: Palestinian Christian activist stabbed to death in Gaza

6,000 EVANGELICALS VISIT JERUSALEM TO BLESS ISRAEL DESPITE RABBI'S CALL FOR JEWS TO BOYCOTT EVENT

2007-09-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

Excerpts from an article in The Christian Post: "More than 6,000 Christians from over 90 countries are expected to make their way to Jerusalem this week to celebrate the 28th annual Christian observance of the weeklong Jewish holiday of Sukkot, or Feast of Tabernacles, according to the event’s organizer, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. However, the chief rabbinate urged Jews last week to not attend the event, warning them that some groups will attempt to convert them to Christianity. 'According to information that has reached the chief rabbinate, there are participants in this conference who convert Jews to Christianity and perform missionary activity throughout the year,' said Rabbi Simcha Hacohen Kook, the chief rabbi of Rehovot, according to The Associated Press. Kook emphasized that Israel bans missionary work and proselytizing, so 'the chief rabbinate is calling upon Jews not to take part in the conference.' The event’s organizers said they are upset over the rabbis’ call to boycott the massive celebration. 'It is disappointing to learn that some rabbinic authorities are trying to discourage the Jewish public from participating in this traditional march,' said the Rev. Malcolm Hedding, ICEJ’s executive director. “'he ICEJ has never conducted any missionary programs in Israel and we clearly instruct our Feast pilgrims against such activity during their stay here.' Benny Elon, a lawmaker who heads parliament’s Christian Allies Caucus, questioned why the rabbi was making such a call after the event took place for 27 years with understanding on both sides that missionary activity was prohibited....Sukkot is one of the three major holidays in Judaism where the Jewish population travels to the Temple of Jerusalem. The pilgrimage festival lasts for seven days with some people sleeping in temporary structures called Sukkah, where they reflect on their sins and God’s goodness in providing for all their needs. Sukkah are structures reminiscent of the ones the ancient Israelites dwelt in during their 40 years in the desert. The Book of Zechariah states that all nations will make pilgrimages to Jerusalem in the messianic era to celebrate Sukkot. Christians understand this scripture to mean that Jews will welcome non-Jews to join in celebrating Sukkot in Jerusalem.....The ICEJ Christian Sukkot gathering is not only the largest annual Christian event, but may also be the largest annual tourism event this year for Israel. The gathering this year is expected to bring some $15-18 million into the local economy and over 16,000 hotel room nights, according to the Israeli Globes newspaper.' On a regular basis, evangelical Christians make up one-third of American tourists that visit Israel, according to the country’s Minister of Tourism."

AP story: Israeli Rabbis to Shun Christian Event

EPICENTER CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN JERUSALEM IN 2008

2007-09-20T18:47:00.001-07:00

On Thursday, April 10, 2008, The Joshua Fund will host the first-ever "Epicenter Conference" at the international convention center in Jerusalem. Some 2,000 evangelical Christians from all over the world will gather to hear briefings from top Israeli political leaders and American evangelical leaders. Together, we'll celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel's dramatic and prophetic rebirth on May 14, 1948. We'll learn the latest on the geopolitical threats in the Middle East. We'll discuss these threats in light of Bible prophecy. And we'll share the "Operation Epicenter" vision of pre-positioning more than $120 million worth of humanitarian relief into Israel and the region in the advance of the next war. We'll post details here on this weblog in the months to come. To learn more, you can also go to www.epicenter08.com.

THANKS FOR HELPING NEEDY ISRAELI KIDS WITH NEW BACKPACKS FOR SCHOOL

2007-09-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Joel and the Joshua Fund:

Thank you so much for your generous donation to the backpack project that was carried out recently through cooperation between the Jerusalem Institute of Justice and activists from the Likud party. The project was a great success on all levels. We were able to distribute 4,500 backpacks filled with school materials to the most underprivileged children throughout the nation of Israel. The response was phenomenal and heartwarming. We received a flood of thank you letters, phone calls and positive media coverage. Gady Ariely, the Director General of the Likud Party, came to participate and encourage the Likud activists to get more involved in our projects. Please view this short video clip documentary of the backpack project by clicking here.

Sincerely,
Calev Myers
Founder and Chief Counsel
Jerusalem Institute For Justice

35.8% OF ISRAELI CHILDREN LIVE IN POVERTY

2007-09-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from a story in The Jerusalem Post (Sept 4, 2007): "Some 1.6 million Israelis lived under the poverty line in 2006, according to a report released on Tuesday by the National Insurance Institute. Social Welfare Minister Yitzhak Herzog presented the NII's poverty report together with the director general of the institute, Yigal Ben-Shalom. The report showed a slight decrease in overall poverty - the percentage of families living under the poverty line dropped from 20.6% in 2005 to 20% and the percentage of individuals living under the poverty line decreased from 24.7% to 24.5%. However, the percentage of children who suffered from poverty rose from 35.2% to 35.8%. According to the report, an estimated 404,000 families - 1.65 million people and 796,000 children - lived under the poverty line. There was a significant drop in poverty figures among the elderly - from 24.4% in 2005 to 21.5%. The fall was the result of an increase in pensions."

JOSHUA FUND: FIRST YEAR UPDATE

2007-09-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

* BLESSING ISRAEL: In our first year (August 2006 to August 2007), The Joshua Fund helped ship more than $1.5 million worth of humanitarian relief to Israel in the name of Jesus. We worked through such strategic allies as The Joseph Project, Bridges For Peace, the Jerusalem Institute for Justice, and many others. This aid included food, clothing, pots and pans, furniture, medical supplies, construction supplies, wheelchairs, toys for children, and more. During one project in Kiryat Shmona, a town of some 25,000 along the northern border with Lebanon that was hit with 1,000 missiles during last summer's war, we were able to bless about 3,500 needy Israelis -- including 700 elderly Jews. We were also able to help finance the distribution of more than 5,000 new school bags filled with study supplies to underprivileged elementary school students in Jerusalem, and a Passover 2007 project which distributed 620 food packages to needy families in the holy city.

* BLESSING ISRAEL'S NEIGHBORS: This past year, The Joshua Fund also sent nearly $200,000 worth of humanitarian aid to poor and needy Palestinian and Lebanese families. In Lebanon, for example, TJF partnered with established evangelical Christian ministries to provide relief packages for some 6,000 Arab families devastated by the war. The packages included non-perishable food items such as beans, rice, pasta, canned meat, processed cheese, oil, and powdered milk. In addition, each package contains basic supplies such as soap, candles, matches, and aspirin, and a JESUS film DVD in Arabic. TJF provided funds to the Palestinian Bible Society to feed needy children in Gaza after the Society's Bible bookstore was bombed by local radicals. TJF recently did a food distribution project with 110 needy families from the South Lebanon Army who have asked for political asylum in Israel. We helped a Palestinian radio station broadcasting Christian Bible teaching triple its range, enabling its broadcasts to be heard in English and Arabic all of the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. We have also provided funds to care for the families of three Turkish Christian workers murdered by jihadists earlier this year.

* "EXPANDING THE PIPELINE" TO GET MORE AID INTO THE EPICENTER: Currently, we are working to help them relief organizations in Israel expand their warehouse capacity, use their current facilities more efficiently, acquire trucks and forklifts and expand their capacity to pre-position more relief supplies ahead of the next war, as well as continue distributing humanitarian relief supplies to the poor and needy throughout the holy land. Nearly one-in-four Israelis currently live below the poverty level (only $800 a month or less for a family of four). A new report just released found that some 35% of all Israeli children live in poverty.

* WILL YOU JOIN US? In light of the latest troubling developments in the region, we would be deeply grateful for your prayers and financial help. To learn more about how to contribute -- or to donate on-line, please click here. The Joshua Fund is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization under IRS regulations. All donations are tax-deductible. We are currently applying for membership in the ECFA.

Thanks so much for partnering with us. May the Lord richly bless you as you bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus.

CITIZEN PROFILES THE JOSHUA FUND

2007-09-08T04:09:00.001-07:00

Blessing Israel
by Stephen Adams
Citizen Magazine

September 2007

Golan Heights, northern Israel -- On a quiet spring afternoon, 43 Americans stand at the edge of a cliff from which they can see Mount Hermon and, in the far distance, Syria. The gentle breezes and bird songs make it hard to believe that just a few months ago a thousand Hezbollah rockets from beyond the barbed wire along the border with Lebanon brought smoke and thunder to the nearby village of Kiryat Shmona.

Tomorrow or next month at this very spot, the Americans might see the rockets’ red glare for themselves, says their tour guide — Joel C. Rosenberg, political consultant, fiction writer and founder of The Joshua Fund, a ministry to the Middle East. “I’m telling you right now the nations of the world are converging around Israel. They are preparing for something very specific. The enemies of Israel are preparing for massive, massive war.”

Rosenberg lives in the Washington, D.C., area with his wife and four sons. His Jewish grandparents fled to America to escape Russian persecution in the early 20th century. He worked for Rush Limbaugh and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before writing a series of best-selling novels (The Last Jihad, The Last Days, The Ezekiel Option and The Copper Scroll). He’s addressed members of Congress and staffers at the White House, Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security.

Rosenberg joined Dr. James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family for a series of radio broadcasts in May on the threat of radical Islam and how Christians should respond. Those shows proved so popular with listeners that they are scheduled to air again Sept. 9-14.

Rosenberg visited the Golan Heights in May to deliver a message, but also to bless poor and needy Jewish and Arab families and those who are victims of war and terrorism.

He brought with him to the mountaintop members of Calvary Chapel of Rio Rancho, N.M. — the first American church to join him in a relief effort he calls The Joshua Fund.

“Historically, it is not normal that Gentiles want to love Jewish people,” Rosenberg told the church group. “God is beginning to cause Jewish people and evangelicals to make common cause, to become at least friends. And I don’t have enough experience to explain why now, except for the concept of the Last Days. I can’t explain it any other way.”

‘PILOT PROJECT’
The Last Days was Rosenberg’s second book, and he named his Joshua Fund after a fictional fund in the novel that invests in projects in the Middle East that bring Jews and Arabs together. The Joshua Fund is also an allusion to the biblical Joshua, whom God commanded to enter the Promised Land and to be strong and courageous.

He considers this trip a “pilot project” and will encourage more American churches to “tithe” a day or two of a Holy Land vacation for humanitarian-relief work.

“What Israelis are curious about is, do people who believe in Jesus love them?” Rosenberg said. “The Israeli people feel abandoned, threatened, undermined. They see a world that either wants to annihilate them or doesn’t care that other people want to annihilate them. And thus, Israelis are really asking themselves, ‘Is there anybody out there who is friendly?’”

Some of the beneficiaries of this trip in May were the 100-plus Lebanese families in Kiryat Shmona. Most of the men of the village are former high-ranking officers in the South Lebanon Army (SLA), Christians who in some cases have a price on their heads for having opposed Hezbollah, the terrorist militia that has become a major political force in Lebanon.

The Rio Rancho team assembled at a warehouse and formed an assembly line to fill 210 boxes full of food — flour, sugar, rice, pasta, tuna, pickles, hummus, cake mix, olive oil, crackers, red lentils, white beans and pineapple — which they handed out to the waiting families.

One of the people in line was Tereza Abu Morad, 17. Her father was a former battalion commander and SLA spokesman who would face the death penalty, she told Citizen, if he ever returns to Lebanon. Tereza, fluent in English, Arabic and Hebrew, said it has been a huge adjustment for her as a Christian Arab living among Israeli Jews, but explained that she has been accepted. In fact, after high school next year she plans to attend college on a scholarship in the name of a fallen Israeli soldier from the 34-day Second Lebanon War, Israel’s longest conflict.

Afterward, the Rio Rancho team moved on to another part of town and distributed boxes of food to about 100 Jewish families. Of the estimated 120 to 150 messianic congregations in Israel, about half reportedly are ethnic Russian. Today, there are about 15,000 Israeli followers of Jesus, up from a few dozen in 1967.

COMMON CAUSE
Rosenberg said last year’s Lebanon conflict gave the nation’s political leaders, as well as evangelical leaders worldwide, a “wake-up call.”

“It wasn’t the ultimate war, a prophetic war … but it was bad,” he said. “And it showed us a glimpse, a taste, of what could happen. Now The Joshua Fund is doing everything we can to pre-position relief supplies in Israel before the next war.”

Israelis are increasingly grateful for the love and support of evangelical Christians. The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, even formed an official outreach to evangelicals after a deadly Palestinian uprising in 2000.

“During the intifada, we saw the nations of the world one by one were being turned against us,” said Josh Reinstein, director of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus. “Yet, Christians were standing next to us. People here started asking themselves why. And we realized that we really had no other choice but to start working together and seeing how we could cooperate.”

Chris Mitchell, Jerusalem bureau chief for CBN Christian cable news, heartily agreed with Reinstein’s assessment. He said American evangelicals are coming to a realization, too, through the war on terror: “The war that Israel is fighting is the same war that we’re fighting.”

Calev Myers, partner in a high-powered Jerusalem law firm and a messianic Jewish pastor, told Citizen that Americans should target their giving through the local messianic congregations.
He and Rosenberg have joined forces to push a bill through the Knesset to exempt the hundreds of millions of dollars in charitable and humanitarian giving to Israel from the country’s 15.5 percent value-added tax.

“I believe the enemy knows that if the church can really get connected with the local body in Israel,” he said, “much will be accomplished for His kingdom.”

In his book Epicenter, Rosenberg explains why the Middle East will affect your future. To order your copy, go to the center of the magazine or call 800-A-FAMILY.

TAKE ACTION
There are plenty of ways to help Israel:

* Get your church involved with Rosenberg’s Joshua Fund. See http://www.joshuafund.net or write to Edward Hunt, director of operations, at edward@novembercommunications.com.

* Visit the Holy Land as a tourist, buy Israeli products and elect Israel-friendly candidates for national office. Israel is a major producer of machinery and equipment, computer software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals and textiles and apparel. For more information, visit

www.israelexport.org

* Support the important work of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice. Visit www.jij.org.il or write to: The Obed Project, c/o Jerusalem Institute of Justice, 1407 Airport Road, Monroe, NC 28110.

* Contribute to a project for the construction of bomb shelters in northern Israel. Visit www.israelalways.org.

* Support other organizations mentioned in this article: Bridges for Peace: http://bridgesforpeace.com/. Christian Friends of Israel: www.cfijerusalem.org. International Christian Embassy Jerusalem: www.icej.org; Knesset Christian Allies Caucus: http://cac.org.il/english/main-english.htm.

WHAT'S AHEAD THIS FALL: Dobson interview with Joel to re-air Sept 11-12

2007-09-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Rumors are that Osama bin Laden is planning to release a new video next week....Syria says it's ready for war after firing on an Israeli plane overnight...."Tehran's ambassador to Damascus says violation of Syrian airspace by Israeli aircraft is 'intolerable attempt to create tension in the region,' and adds that 'Israel must act reasonably and not cause another war.'....but Israel says it didn't attack....so, how was your summer?

It's been very full for Lynn, the boys and me....we've done a lot of traveling to speak at churches and conferences on the rising tensions in the Middle East and how Christians should respond....we had the privilege of meeting with many dear Joshua Fund supporters, and speaking about The Joshua Fund on many radio and TV shows....that said, here's a quick snapshot of what's coming up this fall.

>> The Joshua Fund

>> The Epicenter DVD (20% off at Barnes & Noble.com)

FALL SCHEDULE

* Sunday, September 9th: Pastor Raul Ries has invited me to be speak on Israel, Iran and The Joshua Fund at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs, California. (Services are at 8am, 10am, 11:45am, and 6pm)

* Tues/Wed September 11th and 12th: Focus on the Family will re-air the radio interview Dr. Dobson did with me on the threat of radical Islam to the U.S. and Israel and how evangelical Christians should respond in light of this serious threat. (Please check local listings for station and time in your area -- Focus shifted the dates from the 10th and 11th and this could happen again)

* Thursday, September 13th: Janet Parschall has invited me to be on her radio program from 2:15pm to 3:00pm eastern to discuss the Epicenter DVD and The Joshua Fund.

* Sat/Sun, September 15th and 16th: Pastor Ray Bentley has invited me to speak on Israel, Iran and The Joshua Fund at Marantha Chapel in San Diego, California. (Services are at 6pm Saturday, and 8:30am, 10:30am and 6pm on Sunday)

* Tuesday, September 18th: Pastor Chuck Smith has asked me to speak on the latest developments in the Middle East and The Joshua Fund's new "Operation Epicenter" as part of the 2007 Calvary Chapel Prophecy Conference. (Event begins at 7:30pm pacific)

* Sat/Sun, September 22nd and 23rd in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

-- 9am (Sat): Businessman's breakfast at Abiding Savior Free Lutheran

-- 7pm (Sat): Public forum at Elmen Center, Augustana College

-- 9am, 10am (Sun): Central Baptist Church

* Mon/Tues, September 24th and 25: Taping "100 Huntley Street" in Toronto, Canada (for airing in October)

* Wednesday, October 17th: Speak at the Pentagon (7am)

* Fri/Sat, October 19th and 20th: Address the Olive Tree Ministries prophecy conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota

* Sunday, October 21st
-- 8:15am/10:45am: Speak at Bakersfield First Assembly (Pastor Steven Hunt)
-- 7pm: Speak at Calvary Chapel Downey in Downey, CA (Pastor Jeff Johnson)

* Friday, October 26th: Speak at fund-raiser for Ministry Architecture, Inc., Denver, Colorado

* Sunday, October 28th: Speak at Greenwood Community Church, Denver, Colorado

* Sat/Sun, November 3rd and 4th: Speak at McLean Bible Church (Pastor Lon Solomon)

* November: Research in the Middle East for a new non-fiction book I'm writing called Revolution

* Thursday, November 29th: Speak at fund-raiser for E3 Partners, Dallas, Texas

* Sunday, December 2nd: Speak at Calvary Chapel Tucson

CBN NEWS REPORTS ON THE GROWING NUMBER OF SECRET BELIEVERS IN IRAN

2007-08-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

An Iranian friend of mine -- a Shiite convert to Christianity -- just emailed me this CBN News storry from inside Iran. Posted on YouTube, it tells the story of the "growing chorus" of secret believers in Jesus inside Iran, including moving footage from a secret worship service of Muslim converts.

Please be praying for courage and wisdom for these secret believers to withstand the persecution of the government, and for their boldness in sharing their newfound faith with fellow Shiite Muslims.

A revolution is underway inside the nation the Bible calls Persia. It is a revolution for Jesus, not jihad. Another friend of mine who works closely to strengthen the underground movement of believers in the Farsi-speaking world told me the other day that the number of Iranian converts is growing so fast, he and his colleagues believe there will be 10,000 new home churches planted inside that country this year alone. Let us stand with our brothers and sisters in prayer, especially as the clouds of war gather in the Gulf.

SECRET BELIEVERS A MUST-READ

2007-07-19T03:06:00.000-07:00

Last week, Lynn and I had the privilege of having dinner in Atlanta with Brother Andrew and Al Janssen, authors of a must-read new book about the spiritual revolution underway in the Middle East called Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe In Christ. How I wish you could have joined us. Much of what they told us was off-the-record, behind-the-scenes details of how they researched and wrote the book. But they also helped bring the stories in the book to life and we discussed ways of helping more people discover God's plan and purpose for the peope of the epicenter.

Bottom line: Secret Believers is powerful, provocative, scary at times, but always inspiring. It's absolutely a must-read for everyone interested in how powerfully the God of the Bible is moving to transform lives in the modern Middle East. Read the book, and give one to a friend -- ideally your pastor or someone interested in international ministry. Also, the authors have launched a new website -- www.secretbelievers.org -- aimed at helping build a global movement of Christ-followers who want to learn, pray, give and go.

Please be praying for Brother Andrew and Al that the Lord would continue to use them and this new book and website to help liberate the Muslim world in these last days.

Background on Secret Believers:

In his letter to his protégé, Timothy, Paul says, "I have fought the good fight." In Arabic, those last three words are translated "the good jihad." In this riveting true story of the Church in Islamic countries struggling to come to grips with hostile governments, terrorist acts, and an influx of Muslims coming to Christ, you will meet a group of men and women you never knew existed. The names and places have been changed to protect the real people in the real places. But the stories are true. In his most incredible and eye-opening book to date, Brother Andrew invites you to meet:

* Butros, Brother Andrew's protégé in the Muslim world
* Ahmed, a young Muslim terrified by nightmares until he is introduced to Isa (Jesus)
* Mustafa, a former leader in a fundamentalist Muslim movement that persecuted Christians
* Salima, a privileged young Muslim woman who is held captive by her family when they find a Bible in her possession
* and many more.

Secret Believers not only gives you a glimpse of the lives of these courageous believers, it also proposes four practical initiatives for Christians in the West to take in order to help our persecuted brothers and sisters. It calls us to join a new jihad, leaving vengeance behind in favor of forgiveness, radical love, and unyielding prayer. Ravi Zacharias says: "Brother Andrew and Al Janssen reveal the amazing stories of those who witness the love of One they once refused and passionately searched until they found Him, even in the face of great opposition. Theirs is a testament to meekness, grace, and triumph, and a call to every follower of Christ to mirror their example."

Author Information:

* Brother Andrew began taking Bibles to Christians behind closed borders in 1955. That work has since developed into Open Doors International. He is the author and coauthor of numerous books, including God's Smuggler, which has sold over 10 million copies to date. Brother Andrew makes his home in the Netherlands.

* Al Janssen has co-written or authored more than twenty-five books, including Light Force. He is a member of the board for Open Doors (USA) with Brother Andrew and is Director of Communications for Open Doors International. Janssen lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

PODCAST: "EPICENTER" RADIO SPECIAL

2007-06-29T03:27:00.000-07:00

Broadcast on June 3, 2007 -- live from the Empire State Building in New York City -- authors Joel C. Rosenberg and Skip Heitzig discuss geopolitical developments in the Middle East, Bible prophecy, and the role of The Joshua Fund in "blessing Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, according to Genesis 12:1-3." To learn more, or to listen online, please click here.

TODAY'S CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE EXPLAINS JOSHUA FUND GOALS

2007-06-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Excerpt from the May/June 2007 issue of Today's Christian magazine: "Rosenberg strives to place his money and his life where his theology is. He has launched a foundation, called The Joshua Fund, with the goal of providing $1 million in humanitarian relief to Israel and at least $200,000 in relief to Palestine and Lebanon. 'The Israeli government is actually asking Christians, Come and help us,' he says. 'I hope what they're seeing is that I genuinely love the country.'"

CRISIS IN GAZA: Please pray for courage for the believers as bloodbath worsens

2007-06-18T14:21:00.001-07:00

The situation in Gaza is going from bad to worse as Hamas and Fatah fight a vicious civil war for control. More than 160 Palestinians have been killed in just the past week, with more than 800 wounded. Hamas operatives have been executing Fatah leaders in the streets in full view of their wives of children. Palestinian Christians find themselves caught in the crossfire. Hamas operatives have blown up a church, attacked a Christian school and set Bibles on fire. That said, here are three emails I have just received from top Palestinian evangelical leaders in Gaza:

1.) "Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice. Hi all brothers and sister, I want to thank Our Savior God, He was and still faithful. Last days it was very hard days, no electricity for four days and there are fighting surround our house and building for 48 hours, it was between Fateh and Hamas, as you know I live in Gaza strip, my car was shoot many bullets and damage glasses and some bullets in the body of it. But I want to witness, how our God is faithful and how He command to save me and He was my rock and my refuge, delivered me from the hand of wicked. Nothing touch us and our house, the electricity came just before one hour at 11:00 night, the water came at 2:00 evening, the fighting stopped before two days. We live in the peace of God. I will ever praise you."

2.) "As you probably know from the news, the situation in Gaza is extremely serious, and it is just getting worse. The hope of a new cease fire is lost. It also looks like the unity government is being dissolved. In short; it looks like we are heading in to a civil war. So our hearts is indeed burdened for Gaza these days. The people in Gaza can not go out in the street because it is to dangerous. That goes also for the [our] team. We are very concerned for all the people of Gaza, but in this situation our main concern and responsibility is for our colleagues and their families. One of our colleagues in Gaza, [name withheld for safety], got a light injury yesterday morning, when a RPG rocket landed in his living room. He was hit from a few shrapnels in his back. But thank God, it was not a serious injury, and he and his family is doing ok. They moved to his parents in laws house, as their living room and kitchen is destroyed. We have in our organisational development project been working on crisis management. For Gaza we are now on “level red”: “Direct and proven threat to individual life or work process.” That means that we have to make an action plan on worst case scenario. May God forbid that anything happens to them! The team in Gaza is very committed and dedicated, and do want to stay in Gaza to serve God and the people there. But we have to prepare for evacuation if it gets to bad....please pray for: A) Wisdom and strength for [our team -- names withheld], as we are trying to take wise and right steps in a very difficult situation; B) The protection of [our team] and their families; C) All the Christians in Gaza, that they will be strengthened and be a testimony and comfort for the people around them; D) Peace for whole Gaza, and that God will raise up solid leaders that can lead all of the Palestinian people towards peace and prosperity."

3.) "Dear Friends: Greetings to you from Gaza in Jesus Name. Thank you very much for your concerns, your love & your prayers, we really appreciated. It's great blessings to have brothers, sisters & friends like you. The last several days were very difficult & dangerous. Last Sunday night I wasn't not able to finish my sermon because there were heavy shooting close to the church building while I am preaching & the people become very nervous & afraid, so we stopped the meeting. From Sunday night the situation become more dangerous one member from our church his apartment boomed, he slightly injured & his family is ok. Another family from the Christian community boomed But no one injured. We never thought the fight between the two groups will finish in several days we thought this fight will continue for long time & many many people will be killed, but we thank God it finished faster than we thought & not too many people have been killed (every person who died precious in the eyes of God). In the last few days the PA police took our church building as watching point .But this time they asked us to use the church hall & when we said no, they broke in & when I went today to check the place I found out they stole, the computer, two wireless speakers & the head phones we used for translation (it worth about $4,000). Most of the people in Gaza are watching & waiting what will happen, nothing is clear. All the borders are closed & we are in the biggest prison in the world. We are ok, our trust in Him & God still in control. We continue to experience the power of God's presence, His peace & love at this time. Please pray that God will continue to use us to reflect His love in Gaza. Please pray that God will help me to be the Pastor for my people at this difficult time. Please pray for our children & God help us to help them to over come this trauma. Please pray for stability in the region. Your brother in Christ & your friend."