Written by: Vivienne Myburgh, National Director of ICEJ SA
Article Source: JOY! Magazine
On the 7th October 2023, Hamas unleashed the biggest and most brutal attack on Jews since the Holocaust with over 1200 men, women, and children brutally murdered, many raped, and 252 taken hostage into Gaza. The nation of Israel is still mourning the loss of their loved ones and is in trauma over those (age 1 to 86 years) still being held hostage ten months later, without any international organisation allowed to visit them or essential medications (sent by Israel) passed on to them.
Crucifying Israel
As Israel continues to respond to the brutal attack by Hamas, as well as ongoing rockets from Hamas and Hezbollah in the north, more young men – who are fathers, husbands and brothers – are losing their lives in this drawn-out fight and the trauma of the nation continues. The majority of the world and media crucify Israel for defending herself; the increase in antisemitic attacks world-wide are revealing.
A ambulance ICEJ donated to Israel.
Serving and ministering
It is NOW, more than ever, that Israel appreciates and recognises who their real friends are as Christians take up the biblical mandate to comfort the people of Israel. ICEJ is well positioned to play this role as we have been on the ground serving and ministering to the people of Israel since 1980, when we established an Embassy in Jerusalem, with the mandate to comfort the people of Israel – according to Isaiah 40:1-2, “Comfort ye, Comfort ye, My people” say the Lord! We are a channel to enable you to live this scripture out and also to fulfil the instructions in Romans 15:27, “For if the gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.”
Saving lives in Israel
The ICEJ provided crucial first responder equipment to the Gaza envelope communities before the attack by Hamas, which security personnel said potentially saved up to 3000 lives that day. This ministered deeply to the personnel on the ground and is a testimony of our love in action! Below are some of the areas that we have ministered to the Jewish people since the “Operation Swords of Iron” war began:
FOOD
ICEJ provided two delivery trucks to distribute food packages to evacuated and disadvantaged families, as well as providing 15 500 food boxes for evacuated families and supporting 150 families with food support.
SUPPORTING EVACUEES
• Basic needs for their children including games, mattresses, and first aid kits.
• Activities for 1180 evacuee children, some with disabilities, providing therapeutic activities and emotional support.
• Established 12 classrooms for children and provided computers, equipment, and books.
• Scholarships for evacuated children from Sderot to join school in Jerusalem.
• 250 bags of toys were distributed to evacuated families in Haifa.
• Funding the printing of 4000 children’s books to help traumatised evacuated children with resilience. The books will be printed at the Be’eri Printing House to help them in rehabilitating their community.
• Two indoor playgrounds and tutoring for the children of Kibbutz Be’eri and Alumim.
• 52 families of Nir Oz received financial and emotional support as victims of terror, replacing household items destroyed in the attack on October 7th.
• Parent/child trip/therapeutic activity for the evacuee children of Nir Yitzchak.
• Renovation of ten apartments for elderly evacuees.
• Six sets of firefighting equipment and other equipment for emergency response teams – (3) Hof Ashkelon & (2) Eshkol Region, (1) Lachish Region and a Savanna van for emergency response team of Eshkol Region Council.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
• Four life support ambulances (including one for the Haifa Home and one for severely disabled children), one medi-scooter.
• Three search and rescue teams (30 people in total) received equipment in the form of protective gear (bulletproof vests and helmets), search and recovery equipment, containment supplies for recovered remains, first aid, and medical intervention equipment.
TRAUMA RESPONSE
• ICEJ funded leadership/resilience training and support to 210 doctors and nurses responsible for at least 2625 medical staff.
• We helped establish a trauma centre in the north for IDF veterans/others to help them cope with PTSD.
• Renovated a PTSD treatment centre in Jerusalem so they could accept hundreds of IDF soldiers, veterans, and civilians suffering from PTSD due to the crisis.
• Support to develop virtual reality trauma treatment that will provide essential trauma treatment to thousands of youth and others at a minimal cost.
• 340 treatments for war victims to support their mental well-being and social/emotional support for 40 families in Ramle and Lod.
• Trauma treatment trips for reservists to help process the many difficult things they experienced to integrate back into society.
BOMB SHELTERS
Funded 21 protective shelters and renovated 167 bomb shelters.
OTHER GENERAL ASSISTANCE INCLUDES:
• Assistance to 85 vulnerable families in the southern regions of Ofakim/Ashdod/Ashkelon – practical aid as well as mentoring support to make their small businesses sustainable.
• Workshops aimed at rebuilding trust between Arabs and Jews.
Aliyah/immigration
Sadly, as antisemitism increases around the world, Aliyah/immigration to Israel is increasing and ICEJ continues to play a significant role in supporting this key prophetic fulfilment by funding flights and supporting integration programmes. Christians, through the ICEJ, have help fund over 185 000 Jewish people to come back home to Israel since 1980 and have funded 1300 olim this year already. 40 South Africans have made Aliyah in 2024 already with another 20 immigrating to Israel this August.
If you would like to partner with ICEJ, we invite you to connect with us:
office@icej.org.za | 021 8791788 | icej.org.za
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Date published: 08/08/2024
Feature image: Vivienne Myburgh, National Director of ICEJ SA
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