Dear <<First Name>>,
It has been a quiet month and sometimes the Lord brings these seasons into our lives to give us the time to see in a different way. We are in the Hebraic month of Av, the fifth of twelve months of the Jewish Calendar. The name AV literally means “Father”. The month of Av was originally intended to be the month that Israel entered the Promised Land. A month to celebrate His goodness and faithfulness for the fulfilment of His promises for our inheritance. However, instead of listening to the voice of God, the people listened to the voice of unbelief as their eyes were fixed on the giants in the land. Their negative confession caused them to draw back from the fulfilment of the Lord’s promise and instead of being a time of blessing, it became a time of cursing. Many destructions have come to the people and nation of Israel in the month of Av, especially the 9th of Av, being the day they turned back from entering the Promised Land.
God’s purpose is that Av is a month of blessing and celebration of His goodness. Av is a month that presents us with a CHOICE! So receive His promise and mix it with FAITH this month. It will cause you to move forward in His purposes as your future opens up according to His Word, Will and Promise.
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WORD FROM JERUSALEM
By Norma Sarvis, Trustee of Zion Ministries and a Leader at Succat Hallel, Jerusalem.
This month I would like to share the story of our long-time neighbour from Holland. M has lived in Israel for over 30 years, adopting and fostering over 20 Arab children. She is a single woman who first came here as a nurse at Hadassah Hospital. M is now retired but continues have a strong relationship with all her adult Arab children and their children.
In October 2016, M was on a bus after a visit to her medical doctor. She noticed two unusual Arab men on the bus and wondered why the driver had allowed them to enter. A few minutes after she got on, one of the Arab men stood up and yelled and came to her and started stabbing her. She cried out ‘Jesus’ in Dutch and he ran to the back of the bus and began harming others. M was afraid to move but at some point she noticed that the door of the bus miraculously opened, and she stood up and exited. M began walking down the street and two Arab boys in a car yelled at her to get in. They were laughing at her, so she continued walking about 50 meters. Then a Jewish man in an old car drove by and picked her up. He took off his shirt, wrapped her wounds with it and called an ambulance.
By the time she got to the hospital, she had a collapsed lung and needed surgery. She also had five stab wounds in her arm and shoulder. On the same ward was her attacker in another room! Her children called her and asked, ‘Mama, do you hate us now?’ Of course she assured them of her love.
After her discharge from the hospital, the national insurance sent her to a psychologist to deal with her trauma. They told her she would need at least 15 sessions. After five sessions, the psychologist dismissed her as healed! M quickly forgave her attacker and began praying for him. Her religious psychologist was quite taken with this and also with the fact that she rode a bus again, one month after the attack. She has had interviews with newspapers and television in Israel, Holland and the US. She always speaks of Yeshua and forgiveness. That is her message!
Since her stabbing M has been meeting with me once a week to pray. I am so encouraged by her walk, her humility and transparency!
Praise God for his faithfulness towards His covenant people.
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Breakfast Club moves beyond borders!
This month has been one incredible month in blessing others. Last week Breakfast Club sent to Tonga a few hundred rugby jerseys, which were kindly donated by St Kentigerns College and facilitated by one of our contacts in Wellington. This week Breakfast Club had a request from schools in Samoa asking for help in supplying sports clothing. God's provision is amazing! As a result of His abundance, St Kentigerns College was able to donate over 100 individual pieces of sports clothing ranging from tracksuits to polo shirts. Wow! There are going to be some very happy children in Tonga and Samoa.
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Luke 6:38 says: "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Zion Ministries and Breakfast Club operates by this everyday and the scripture rings true every time! Last week one the schools that sponsor us was having a food drive for the poor of Auckland. Breakfast Club donated all of the groceries that were received that week plus 30 boxes of Abe's Bagel Crisps. Within minutes of donating that food, Breakfast Club received calls from Kiwi Harvest who wanted to give 4,272 frozen french sticks, along with food donations from two of our supermarket sponsors who donated a lot more food than what we had just given to the drive. God is awesome!
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TeAhiwaru signs big!
We want to wish TeAhiwaru, one of the rugby boys we sponsor, a huge CONGRATULATIONS! TeAhiwaru has officially signed with the Crusaders Academy and will be based at the Tasman Mako's next year. Three years ago Breakfast Club was asked to look after TeAhiwaru as his family was still living in Te Araroa and he needed support up in Auckland. Without a flinch the answer was YES. With sponsorship from Breakfast Club, Shoe Clinic Manukau/Sylvia Park and BLK TeAhiwaru has grown and developed as a rugby player and his hard work has paid off! We couldn't be more proud of him. Watch this space!
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