New Shoes . . . and Hope!

Karen and I pray that you are doing well! This is a tough time, but we will get through it! God’s grace is multiplied daily to his children. As he said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

One of the honors and joys of following Jesus is to have people placed in your path whom you can help. Such dear lives are not part of some great strategy or ministry; they are simply people that Jesus loves.

In Gaza in 2017 with my friend Shady Najjar, a leader in the Gaza Baptist Church, I met these two kids (left.) Their family faced tough challenges. Their father was disabled in a work-related accident. Their mother, who has a college degree, cannot find work, for there simply is none. Their two kids both had problems with their feet, making it difficult to walk. At that time, they had not been able to start kindergarten.

Jesus said that even though two sparrows can be purchased for a penny – that is their existence seems of little value – God’s eye is on them.  And so, God’s eye was on these little lives in Gaza, much more precious than sparrows, and he placed them in our path. We had shoes made for them in early 2018.  Last week with Shady’s help, we were able to find them and have new shoes made for them again. 

I share these photos with sensitivity, not trying to objectify these kids, but so that you can know you are making a difference in the lives of  people who are totally off the radar. Thank you! A simple gift such as new shoes can change the course of their lives.

We appreciate your prayers during this travel ban into Israel. While we are awaiting travel to resume, we are continuing the development of our program for the Bethlehem Institute of Peace & Justice, coordinating weekly with the Dean of Bethlehem Bible College via Zoom. We are working on incorporating a conflict resolution and trauma recovery component into the program. Thankfully, our productivity has not been set back. Working virtually during this time of preparation has continued to be productive. Please continue to pray that we will be able to travel to Israel before long.

With love always,

Andrew & Karen