Thanks to all of you for praying for my folks and the situation in Gaza and Israel. Here's a note from my parents that was sent to all of their supporters:
Dear
Precious Prayer Partners,
We are
asking you to pray urgently and fervently for the situation in the Gaza Strip.
Tass and I are in Israel. It was surely God’s providence that we came out a few
days before all of this took place and that we decided not to go back in last
Saturday, as scheduled, but rather to complete our work in Israel before we move
completely. The situation is very serious. The following excerpt of information
is a good, concise timeline of events from our friends, ______ and ______, Jewish
believers who live here in Ashdod, and their prayer request sent out earlier
today:
By a daring operation of
digging a long tunnel from the Gaza Strip to directly under an Israeli military
unit guarding the southern border, a terrorist Palestinian group succeeded
Sunday to attack the Israeli soldiers, killing two, wounding five and kidnapping
one, who is being held by the Hamas's military wing. The whole country is
following the event with much prayer for the safe return of the kidnapped
solder. Meanwhile it was reported by the Palestinians that they have kidnapped
another youth from the settlers in the west bank. There is the danger that the
solder will be moved out of Gaza into Sinai where, according to a spokesman for
the Popular Resistance the "Zionist enemy cannot reach."
PM Olmert has promised
today to focus all effort in bringing the kidnapped soldier back and to fight
terror without negotiations, promising a "broad and ongoing" military offensive
in the Gaza Strip. "Our efforts are not intended to punish the Palestinian
people, but to bring kidnapped IDF soldier Shalit home. We don't want to harm
innocent people, but we won't let the Palestinians harm us." The IDF (Israeli
Defense Force) completed massive forces mobilization along the Gaza border
overnight Monday, to put pressure on the Hamas's armed faction, which was
believed to be holding Shalit. Nevertheless, IDF officials said they were still
pursuing a diplomatic solution to avoid, if possible a broad attack that could
threaten the soldier's life.
Spokesmen for Hamas and
Fattah militiamen said they had deployed thousands of their men in the streets
to repel any Israeli attack, vowing to turn the Gaza Strip into a "graveyard for
the Israeli army." Many Palestinians in the Gaza Strip began preparing for the
coming Israeli military operation by planting roadside bombs and car bombs along
major routes. Gunmen belonging to various groups took strategic positions and
others barricaded themselves behind sandbags and concrete
slabs.
Other nations, including
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak are urging PL authorities to exert heavy
pressure on Hamas and other armed groups to release the soldier to avoid an
Israeli military response, which in his words "would complicate matters and
endanger the soldier's life". The Hamas government blames Israel for the latest
escalation, noting that several civilians had been killed in recent weeks by
Israel, but ignoring the constant barrage of Kassam missiles on Israeli towns
close to Gaza.
We are asking you to pray
for the SAFE RETURN OF THE TWO KIDNAPPED ISRAELIS, WISDOM FOR THE ISRAELI
GOVERNMENT AND ARMY AS TO THE OPERATION IN GAZA TO AVOID ESCALATION AND MANY
CASUALTIES.
There is much going on very
near the area where we have taken a house and, of course our friend S. and
Pastor ________ and his family are there as well. Please pray for the new
believers in Gaza and that this will only strengthen them and not discourage
them. Pray that through this God will cause the church in Gaza to be
strengthened and that they will not be discouraged.
Thank you for your prayers
and concern,
In His steps,
Recent Comments