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Jeremiah (31:8) foretold that in the last days the Lord would bring the children of Israel "from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither."
Today, almost 1.5 million Russian speaking children of Israel have returned "home" from the land of the north, the former Soviet Union. With them, as Jeremiah said, have come the blind, the deaf, the lame, the poor.
Great Commission Media Ministries president Hannu Haukka visited the Israeli city of Kiryat Yam on the coast, north of Haifa, in February.
The Mayor of Kiryat Yam was visibly moved upon hearing of plans by GCM to launch a collection to help feed and clothe the poorest of the poor.
The rate of returning Jewish families to Israel is greater than the government subsidies available. Kiryat Yam, one of hundreds of similar low income towns in Israel has 4,000 people living far below the poverty line.
Hannu Haukka reports: "We visited a home just as the Sabbath was about to begin. There were two loaves of bread on the table. Nothing else. Rafik, the father of the family of four, opened the fridge and it was empty. When we offered to buy food from the store down the street his eyes lit up. Then he hesitated and quietly said: "Thank you, but even if you buy the food we have nothing to prepare the food with."
The propane line had been sealed because Rafik had no money to pay the gas bill. We bought the family 10 bags of food, a hot plate (mini stove), a rag doll for the little girl (her first) and a soccer ball for the boy (his first).
It was like a bountiful Christmas meal they had never experienced. They had no words to express their thanks. The mother was stunned. The Father wiped tears from his eyes.
A gift of $50 a month will provide one family with food for every Sabbath of the month and more. A one-time gift of $200 will allow a family to provide for sweaters and other needed new clothes for the children and Sabbath meals for two months.
For thousands of families and their children poverty is real. They have never been able to provide most important day of the year for a child, a simple birthday party.
GCM also ministers to thousands of deaf and hearing impaired Jews of Israel. Our missionary Nadja has led many to Jesus the Messiah. She also translates our video programs in sign language for this neglected group of God's chosen people.
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