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"It is the LORD who provides the sun to light the day
and the moon and stars to light the night,
and who stirs the sea into roaring waves.
His name is the LORD of Heaven's Armies,
and this is what he says:
'I am as likely to reject my people Israel
as I am to abolish the laws of nature!'"
(Jeremiah 31:35-36, NLT)
Walking through the Be'eri Kibbutz was sad and sobering. No one lives there anymore. Many of the homes we destroyed either by Hamas or by Israel's attempts to drive Hamas away. Before the Israeli army arrived, the carnage had taken place. The stories are horrendous. Rape, torture, and murder with such wicked sadism. For example, Hamas used human heads for soccer balls and let others die slow, horrible deaths.
One of the most moving experiences on this visit to Israel was to hear firsthand from some of the surviving hostages. Emily Demari is a British-Israeli who was held hostage for over 400 days. Thomas Howe spent 8 months in a tunnel. Another lady (I forget her name) was a hostage for over 50 days, but stated, "I choose light over darkness." Edan was kept 580 days as a hostage; he's from New Jersey. Keith and Eviva Segal (husband and wife ) were taken on October 7. One of the most memorable acts of heroism on that fateful day of October 7, 2023, happened when a man named Shahar defended many who were hiding in a building. He found a gun and fought until he was out of ammunition. Hamas threw 7 hand grenades into the building, and each time, Shahar threw them back at them. Before he was killed by an RPG launch, he shouted out to his attackers in English: "I am not your enemy." His heroism saved many lives.
We went to the destroyed home of Vivian Silver, a peace activist who loved the Gazan people. Here is one description of her life: "Silver was a dominant figure in several groups that promoted peace between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as a prominent Israeli human rights group. She also volunteered with a group that drove Gaza cancer patients to Israeli hospitals for medical care. On the one hand, she was small and fragile. Very sensitive. On the other hand, she was a force of nature. She had a giant spirit. She was very assertive. She had very strong core beliefs about the world and life." ( Source.)
Please pause and say a prayer for those whose loved ones have died in this horrible war. |
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