26/10/2023
𝟭,𝟭𝟭𝟮 𝗣𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗟 𝗜𝗡 𝗚𝗔𝗭𝗔 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬. MOST OF THEM, FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIFE. AND YOU KNOW WHY……..
Our three Palestinian Sunday school volunteers spent most of their Saturday visiting as many kids as they could, inviting them to Metro Sunday School in the Jabalia Refugee Camp today. They knew the risks, but they knew the reward was a lot greater than the risks that may come against them.
Our Israeli team member, Andrew, talked to a supermarket owner in Israel when he went to get food to feed the kids. The Jewish owner was very moved by what our team was trying to do. Even though he is not a Christian, he decided to donate some leftover fish and some two-day old bread for the Palestinian children.
Andrew only had a small van. He had no idea how much food he could get and how much of that food could fit in the van. Eventually, they connected to the Palestinian volunteers at the border, and the food made it to the refugee camp.
The Sunday School lesson was great. They taught the kids about 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗥, just like our Metro Sunday School in New York did this week, “𝗚𝗢𝗗 𝗛𝗔𝗦 𝗚𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗣𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗥”. I am sure you know that fear is so real for them here in Gaza as they’ve been living in the refugee camp for a long time and now the situation has been intensified in the middle of this conflict.
The parents of the kids were shocked. Most people don’t want to go outside at all now. But because they knew our team, they trusted us.
Deir, our 17-year-old volunteer, told me that he had faith to know that God is with him. He said he would keep telling kids about Jesus and keep feeding them. As they started to hand out the food at the end of the Sunday School, it didn’t look like we would have enough.
He said, “𝗪𝗘 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬.” As they were giving out the food, the leftover fish and the old bread, you know what happened…….
𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘, 𝗔 𝗠𝗜𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗟𝗘. 1,112 kids were fed and heard the word of God. IT REALLY WAS A MIRACLE!!
The team just kept reaching into the boxes, and the food just kept coming out. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘! Sounds pretty biblical, doesn’t it? Our team knew that most of the kids won’t have anything else to eat until we bring more food back to Sunday School next Sunday.
It all started years ago, when some Christians handed a Bible to one young Jewish man and one young Palestinian man. I guess one person really can make a difference, and that was how Metro Sunday School was put into motion over 8 years ago.
One of the parents asked one of our volunteers, “Why are you all doing this? You know what happened to Ahkmed. We know you, but you have to know anything could happen if you keep doing this? You know if the wrong people hear you and see what you’re doing, YOU KNOW…….”
Dier said it so well, but he actually spoke for all of us. “This is the only thing that is going to change our Palestinian children who have been indoctrinated from birth to hate Jewish people. The ONLY THING can change a generation of Palestinians is Jesus Christ.”
“So, we’re going to lay down our life if we have to, to make sure these kids know Jesus. For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. We’ve got to teach these kids, because it’s the only hope our Palestinian children have…….”
After Sunday School ended and he was leaving for the day, he told the kids and parents, “𝗜’𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗡𝗘𝗫𝗧 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗬.”
I hope all of you know what you are a part of. As I’ve always said, we’re your missionaries. We really are! But do you really know that 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗨𝗦, 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠, 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗗𝗦 in the refugee camp in Gaza Strip this morning? Do YOU REALLY KNOW THAT ?
It was only some leftover fish and old bread… but YOU WERE THERE, 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗗.
And this is just one more story of 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗗𝗢 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪, 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨’𝗟𝗟 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗢. I’ve preached that for years, but one more time today. It’s just true. If you really do what you know, then you’ll really know what to do.
Thank you for knowing…… 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨…. Thanks for everything……
We’ll see you next Sunday.
