Volunteers
for Israel
(Sar-El)
The following communication is from Marilyn, one of our WindowView Associates, who has experience in traveling to and freely making a working contribution to Israel. The motivation for this is rooted in the Harmony that we address within the Window. Here is an active form of testimony focused on present events in a context that concerns a Jewish and Gentile body of persons ... a body of people foretold in Scripture and today assembling before our very eyes. You are alive to see this for yourself, open the Window and look...
To: WindowView
From: Marilyn
Date: January 2003
Volunteers
for Israel... click on the link to read more about this program. |
|
Of the return of Israel to the Land: "I will say to the north, `Give them up!' And to the south, `Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth" Isaiah 43:6 |
|
The remnant of a people previously dispersed, now regathered: "But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase." Jeremiah 23:3 |
|
This will happen: "For behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, `that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,' says the LORD. `And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.'" Jeremiah 30:3 |
|
One who looks over and embodies all: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus)." Galatians 3:28 |
When the violence broke out against Israel during the latter part of the year 2,000, the following verse came to my mind:
"If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?" James 2:15-16.
I then prayed asking the Lord to show me if there was anything that I could do to help Israel. Less than a year later, I met a couple who had been a part of a Christian group that participates in the Volunteers for Israel program. When they told me about this organization and their participation in it, I immediately sensed that this was the response to my prayer. I knew that this was how the Lord wanted me to help.
In April of 2002, I spent 3 weeks in Israel working side-by-side with Israelis. The Lord opened a door again a few months later, and I was back in Israel in November of 2002 for another 3 w were one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of my life!
As volunteers with Sar-El, we worked 5 days a week, 8 hours a day at a military base. We wore uniforms like the soldiers but did not carry weapons. During the work-week (Sunday through Thursday) we stayed at the base and slept in the barracks (about 4 to 6 to a room). All of our meals were provided at the base, and I liked the food very much.
Because the volunteers are expected to leave the base on weekends, we stayed at hotels and went sightseeing on Fridays and Saturdays.
One of the things that most struck me during my trips was the gratitude of the Israeli people. The outpouring of gratefulness was such that I hardly knew I was working! More than anything, I felt showered with love and attention. They made me feel so special!
During both of my trips, our group saw no trouble whatsoever. The weather was wonderful (warm during the day, cool at night), and it was more like a vacation than work. I made wonderful friends both times, and we still stay in touch even though we are scattered in different states and countries.
The most rewarding experience was being able to see that the Lord has brought and continues to bring to the Land of Promise Jewish people from all over the world (Isaiah 43:6, Jeremiah 23:3 and 30:3). I met Jewish people from Russia, Argentina, Ethiopia, Yemen, Australia, Canada, Europe and other countries. We were seeing Bible prophesy being fulfilled right before our eyes!
As a member of a messianic congregation, I've enjoyed the wonderful fellowship of Jews and Gentiles together for many years. My volunteer trips added a new dimension to this experience. Being in the land of the Bible and seeing the Lord's work of restoration in these latter-days was like seeing more pieces of the puzzle coming together. The Lord is creating for himself a body of Jews and Gentiles that is one in Messiah (Galatians 3:28).
If you are interested in writing a note, you can reach the author of this page by sending an e-mail to:
response @ windowview . org
We consider this page to be copyrighted, however, we will freely grant permission — upon request at the e-mail address indicated above — to all who wish to make additional copies for sharing on a reasonable basis. We encourage sharing Marilyn's story as well as other portions of this web site. We'd like to hear about your response to these resources... the WindowView.org contact addresses are to be found on our Response Page.
References of Interest
