Summery 2008
Summery 2008
As we draw to the end of the year 2008 we would like to thank the Lord for this year which has been fruitful in so many ways. We are excited to share that many babies have been saved from abortion, thanks to their mothers choosing to keep their precious lives. Besides these babies and mothers, we were able to help many single mothers that needed help with baby clothes, food and furniture, by humanitarian aid. It is always exciting to see how the mothers are touched when they hear that somebody from New Zealand knitted the baby socks or somebody from Finland sent these beautiful blankets, sweaters or clothes. Usually the parcels contain clothes from all over the world. This is made possible due to your effort and support in helping us in this ministry.
News about the shelter: Gili, baby MaryAnn and the grandmother left the shelter after staying here for a month and a half. It was an intensive time of counseling and discipleship yet very fruitful and encouraging. They moved into a nice little apartment in the Haifa area. Gili came to visit us and will continue as we will follow up on our disciple ship training time with her. Baby Marry Ann is growing beautifully. Later in this special year Gili reconciled with the father of MaryAnn and they got married. It was a joy to go to there wedding and see the way the Lord can restore life and touch the broken hearted.
On July 1st, 2008 was four years since the day we received the key and entered our current house. Eight people have already lived in our home on a long term basis. This summer we were a total of 11 people living together here. What a blessing it was to be able to help those who are in need of a shelter. We have seen widows, orphans, pregnant women and aliens living in our home. All of them are fulfilling our vision and calling of this home.
Roei, Ishai's nephew, stayed with us for the past 5 months. A few weeks ago he joined the Israeli army. Roei is alone in the land. His family is in Canada and he will live with us during this period of time.
We want to thank the Lord for the carpentry work that was done in the shelter. We now have a large wardrobe for all the baby clothes built.
We want to thank the Lord for the carpentry work that was done in the shelter. We now have a large wardrobe for all the baby clothes built.
Shiri was born in February of this year. Even though the economical situation of this family is so difficult her mother chose not to have the abortion. Shiri is the sixth child born into her family. There are 8 people sharing only 2 bedrooms. When we wanted to supply them with furniture for the baby, we realized that there was not even space in the house for this basic need. The baby sleeps in her stroller and we could help them with food and lots of baby clothes.
Suli (alias name) was working in prostitution and using heavy drugs until the time she was giving birth. It was amazing to see that she chose life for her baby and not abortion, her baby boy was born with serious lung problems. After a few days he died. Suli is back to prostitution and drugs.
The doctors told Rina (alias name) that there is a chance of 1 to 375 for her baby to have Down Syndrome. The general chances are 1 to 475. That night Rina began to panic and could not sleep. The report from the doctors showed that the baby is not developing well. However after extensive tests it was found that the baby is healthy. Later in this year Rina gave birth. She had a cesarean section and gave birth to a baby girl. Thank you Lord. It is a miracle because this was one of those cases were the mother wanted to abort the baby at all cost.
Tina is a believer, she became pregnant out of wedlock. She is not considering abortion, praise God, but her way of life has to change. Tina now stands at a crossroads, will she marry the father who is not a believer or will she become a single mother until the Lord will decide otherwise?
As time goes by, the cases that we deal with become even harder. For a long time we sensed that the Lord is calling us to get involved with women who are victims of sex trafficking, as well as with prostitutes. Reports about these women come from my friend, S., who works among prostitutes. We believe that when women who work in prostitution give birth, we, as an organization are called to enter in to the picture. It is always hard and so difficult to think about the health and conditions of the babies as they are born. It is so painful to see these women being drug addicts, and working in prostitution until the time they give birth.
Since June of this year we are doing outreaches in the south Tel-Aviv area to women who work in prostitution and who are drug addicts. There is nothing routine or regular about these outreaches. Each time we go out we do not know what to expect. The geographical area where prostitution is practiced is a place filled with drug dealers, pimps, crime, violence, and diseases. Many of the women are skin and bones, and live in the most unhygienic conditions imaginable. Last year some died and could not survive the winter there. Our heart breaks for these women. We had the chance to lay hands and pray for many of them, asking the Lord to intervene into their situation and give them a breakthrough in their miserable lives. Two women prayed to receive Jesus into their hearts last week. In the area where we visit, three babies were born recently, and we see other women who are possibly pregnant now. The babies are usually taken to foster homes. We took two other women to rehabilitation centers but one ran away after 3 days and the other after 4 days. It is not easy to see how the addiction has such strong power over them. To our big surprise we discovered two newborn babies living with their single mothers above the prostitutes’ rooms. What a great joy and surprise it was to see these babies, yet what a great sadness it was to see them live in such terrible living conditions. These particular mothers are not prostitutes, but refugees from Ethiopia in this Land. They do not work, nor do they have stable lives. Our contact with them developed and we could also share about the Lord and pray with four of them to receive Jesus into their hearts. We are in great measure of need for wisdom to see how we can further help in this place.
Since June of this year we are doing outreaches in the south Tel-Aviv area to women who work in prostitution and who are drug addicts. There is nothing routine or regular about these outreaches. Each time we go out we do not know what to expect. The geographical area where prostitution is practiced is a place filled with drug dealers, pimps, crime, violence, and diseases. Many of the women are skin and bones, and live in the most unhygienic conditions imaginable. Last year some died and could not survive the winter there. Our heart breaks for these women. We had the chance to lay hands and pray for many of them, asking the Lord to intervene into their situation and give them a breakthrough in their miserable lives. Two women prayed to receive Jesus into their hearts last week. In the area where we visit, three babies were born recently, and we see other women who are possibly pregnant now. The babies are usually taken to foster homes. We took two other women to rehabilitation centers but one ran away after 3 days and the other after 4 days. It is not easy to see how the addiction has such strong power over them. To our big surprise we discovered two newborn babies living with their single mothers above the prostitutes’ rooms. What a great joy and surprise it was to see these babies, yet what a great sadness it was to see them live in such terrible living conditions. These particular mothers are not prostitutes, but refugees from Ethiopia in this Land. They do not work, nor do they have stable lives. Our contact with them developed and we could also share about the Lord and pray with four of them to receive Jesus into their hearts. We are in great measure of need for wisdom to see how we can further help in this place.
Noa is 26 years old. She fell into drugs and has been working as a prostitute since she was 19 years of age. She gave birth to a baby boy, Yoni. Yoni will be in an incubator for a long time. He was born 1,700 grams. At the moment he is going through withdrawal from the drugs. We are able to help Noa by taking her to the hospital to visit her baby, and bringing her back to her working place. As she shared her life story with us she said that she feels like a grandmother instead of a young woman. We have heard many stories through the years but this one is one of the hardest. It is so special to see how connecting with her child brings light to her face. By now Yoni is 5 month old. He is healthy and we still bring his mother to see him in the hospital. Soon Yoni will be taken to a foster home in Israel.
Miri became an orphan at the age of six. By the time she was 19 she had her first child and the government took her boy away from her when he was 3 years old. He was put up for adoption. She has 2 daughters now age 6 and 5, whom the government has taken away from the mother too. They have been placed in a boarding school and will go to foster home soon. Miri is now 9 month pregnant with her fourth child. She has requested that I join her during her labor which will take place at any moment. Miri tries to fight her difficult conditions and her tremendously difficult background. Will she be able to raise this child? We do not yet know. Miri gave birth to a baby boy Rani and is now managing to raise him by herself. Her conditions are still not easy but it looks like she is doing much better then before. Praise God for that.
Liran is pregnant. When she read the leaflet from the outreach, she called for help and counseling. She decided to keep her baby but needed help and encouragement. We met her in Tel Aviv, ready with food bags, and will continue to help her with other needs during her pregnancy. Her family rejected her and do not want to see her anymore. The boyfriend is also out of the picture. Thank God for a good woman she met who was willing to let her live with her, and is taking care of her. Her due date is in March.
Liran is pregnant. When she read the leaflet from the outreach, she called for help and counseling. She decided to keep her baby but needed help and encouragement. We met her in Tel Aviv, ready with food bags, and will continue to help her with other needs during her pregnancy. Her family rejected her and do not want to see her anymore. The boyfriend is also out of the picture. Thank God for a good woman she met who was willing to let her live with her, and is taking care of her. Her due date is in March.
The post abortions seminar: Another seminar just finished. This was definitely one of the most amazing ones. The way the women expressed their feelings towards their aborted babies was so special. One woman wrote a poem, another woman made a 4 and a half minute video presentation using the ultrasound picture of her aborted baby. Another woman wants to plant a tree in the spring in memory of her baby. Out of that seminar, we now have a small group that shares the testimonies of their abortion experiences and the way the Lord healed them.
The baby shoes monument has begun. I will collect 150 baby shoes to the memory of the 150 babies that are aborted every day in our land. Each pair of shoes has an attached note from the mother of the baby whom she aborted. One of the woman wrote "Ellnatan (the Lord gave) the Lord gave you life but I took them from you sorry, mommy." Another woman wrote: "I will hold you in heaven"…
The baby shoes monument has begun. I will collect 150 baby shoes to the memory of the 150 babies that are aborted every day in our land. Each pair of shoes has an attached note from the mother of the baby whom she aborted. One of the woman wrote "Ellnatan (the Lord gave) the Lord gave you life but I took them from you sorry, mommy." Another woman wrote: "I will hold you in heaven"…
Outreaches:
We had a few outreaches to the city of Sederot. The city of Sederot is located close to the border of Gaza. For the past 8 years kassam rockets have been falling in their area. Lately the situation has been intensified. The rockets that are falling, also reach other cities and areas. There is loss of life, injuries and traumas. When we went there we could identify a little bit with the people. They were sharing with us about their difficulties to keep a normal life under this heavy stress. We had opportunities to share about the Lord. Some people were open to hear, but we also experienced opposition from the religious group.
During these outreaches we sensed the urgency to intercede for our people and to stand for life in the physical and spiritual realms. The Lord allows our enemies to get stronger against Israel. He wants the people of Israel to turn back to Him. He is calling us, the believers, to be the salt of the earth and to stand in the gap.
There had been many opportunities and open doors to serve the Lord through teaching at congregations in Israel and in prayer groups abroad. We also had opportunities to share with youth groups. Our time in Finland was a great blessing. Along side of sharing about standing for Life in the physical realm (against abortion) and spiritual realm (salvation) we shared too about Israel and the mercies of God for our people. Anat was able to dance a prayer dance asking God for mercy upon His people.
During these outreaches we sensed the urgency to intercede for our people and to stand for life in the physical and spiritual realms. The Lord allows our enemies to get stronger against Israel. He wants the people of Israel to turn back to Him. He is calling us, the believers, to be the salt of the earth and to stand in the gap.
There had been many opportunities and open doors to serve the Lord through teaching at congregations in Israel and in prayer groups abroad. We also had opportunities to share with youth groups. Our time in Finland was a great blessing. Along side of sharing about standing for Life in the physical realm (against abortion) and spiritual realm (salvation) we shared too about Israel and the mercies of God for our people. Anat was able to dance a prayer dance asking God for mercy upon His people.
We would like to share Ishai's testimony of healing through his visit to Poland, prior to our trip to Finland:
"My father was a holocaust survivor during the 2nd world war. He lost about 50 relatives during the holocaust. In the last few years, the Lord has started dealing with me regarding my past. At the end of May 2008, by the grace of God I was able to visit the village of Dubienka in Poland, where my father grew up. I was guided by two believers who were instruments of the Lord during this time .Being in Dubeinka was very touching for me. We met an old woman 94 years old, who remembered part of my family who lived there. The Lord brought me to a place of releasing my past to him and to forgiving those who destroyed most of my family on my father's side".
As a result of the visit that Ishai had in Poland at the end of May. A contact was made with the Polish public television. Next week will be a break in our routine, and also very exciting, as 5 people from T.V. Poland will come to do a documentary film on Ishai. They want to concentrate on his background being a second generation son of holocaust survivor, his salvation in becoming a Messianic Jew, and the ministry of Abundant Life. They will film three days in Israel. A week later Ishai will go to Poland where they will film in Dubienka, the village of his father. They will also film in Warsaw as he attends a meeting with Polish believers. This opportunity arose unexpectedly and we see the hand of Lord in it.
We would like to use this opportunity to thank the Lord for the following:
We would like to use this opportunity to thank the Lord for the following:
- The 3 lovely volunteers who helped us from Finland and for the volunteer that we have now from Canada.
- Sima is our new full time worker in the ministry. She started to work with us last month and she is already a great blessing to the ministry.
- Diana came to volunteer in the work. She came to help us in the ministry for two months. Diana had been helping Anat with housework and is getting involves in the outreaches. She is a great blessing to us in every way. It will be hard to say goodbye as she leaves us in the middle of December. The outreaches are expanding to new places and this is very encouraging for all of us.
- Diana came to volunteer in the work. She came to help us in the ministry for two months. Diana had been helping Anat with housework and is getting involves in the outreaches. She is a great blessing to us in every way. It will be hard to say goodbye as she leaves us in the middle of December. The outreaches are expanding to new places and this is very encouraging for all of us.
- The outreaches continue to take place in various parts of Israel. They are expanding to new places and this is very encouraging for all of us.
- The process of upgrading the website that is developing and moving forward.
- For your commitment to pray and support us in Abundant Life. Thank you all.
In September of this year we went to the ‘March of Life’ in Berlin, Germany. This march took place in East Berlin. It is a silent walk with 1000 white crosses in memory of the 1000 babies that are aborted each day in Germany. This march of standing for life was meaningful to us as workers in the field of saving lives, but also in making a statement of life as Jews, in Berlin. During one of the meetings, Ishai was sharing about his background. He told the Germans that he forgives the German people for what they did to his family during the Holocaust. (50 people from Ishai’s family were killed during the war). This turned out to be a catalyst for the meeting. It was a time of reconciliation and speaking forgiveness to each other. Many tears were shed and pain expressed. Thank God that He reconciles us first to Himself, and helps us to be reconciled with each other. The other special thing for us in Berlin was for Anat to dance a prayer dance asking for the mercy of God for Israel. This dance took place beside the monument where Euthanasia began in Germany. This time Anat dedicated this dance for the mercy of God to Germany.
In His love,
Anat & Ishai Brenner