The Friends of Israel in Action Jul/Aug 2023
Saving Lives in War-Torn Ukraine
This past winter was one of intense hardship for civilians in Ukraine. As the war between Ukraine and Russia has raged on, the Ukrainian people have shouldered the consequences: famine, civil unrest, destruction of property, and loss of loved ones.
But one difficulty of war we don’t often think about is the loss of government services, like reliable access to electricity. Posing a serious difficulty in the midst of winter conditions, the loss of constant electrical service in Ukraine has had an incalculable impact on those dependent on life-saving machines.
Our Eastern European team has worked hard since the beginning of hostilities to provide supplies to war-ravaged areas of Ukraine, especially to those with significant Jewish populations. As the need for generators and batteries grows, our team has been working to provide these supplies to some of the most vulnerable Ukrainians.
Recently, we heard the story of Victoria in southwest Ukraine whose need for a constant supply of electricity is a matter of life and death. Victoria has cerebral palsy. Because of her condition, she is permanently on a ventilator to sustain her breathing.
Victoria’s parents have continued to care for her through power shortages by installing a generator in their apartment. Unfortunately, this method of supplying power is unreliable because of gasoline shortages and the fumes it emits, presenting a health risk for the family.
When our workers heard about this family’s need, they were happy to jump in to serve. They searched for and secured an appropriate capacity battery system that can be charged while the family has power and supplies electricity to the ventilator whenever the power grid fails.
Victoria and her family are immensely grateful that our team stepped in to serve in this way, and our teams have continued to supply batteries and generators to other Ukrainian families that have been struggling similarly. These opportunities allow us to show the Jewish people of Ukraine that believers around the world love them and that Jesus does too.
While conditions for the Ukrainian people have been extremely difficult during this war, we are amazed to see how God continues to meet their needs in times of desperation and how He uses His people to be a light in the darkest places.
You can support our Eastern European teams of volunteers and field representatives or other FOI ministries like this around the world. Thank you for your prayers and financial support!
In Canada, please give here.
Equipped for Ministry in Canada
In the fall of 2022, our North American Ministries department officially launched The Friends of Israel (FOI) Equip internship with four students, one each from South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Oregon. In three short months, these dynamic young adults produced lasting spiritual fruit in their local churches and Jewish communities, expanding our ministry’s reach far beyond our expectations.
One of our Equip interns, Anthony Bucci, is a Jewish believer from Oregon. He feels called by the Lord to share his faith in Jesus with anyone who will listen, as he is “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).
Shortly after starting his internship, Anthony organized a Canadian ministry trip for himself. He set out to partner with our Canadian FOI staff in cities throughout the Land of the Maple Leaf. Like the apostle Paul, he journeyed from city to city, beginning in Vancouver. He traveled from the West Coast to the East Coast, with stops in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City.
After arriving in Vancouver, Anthony met up with FOI Canadian representative Ralph Lavallee. The two ministered together in the city, holding a sign that read “Free Prayer.” Several individuals approached them with prayer requests, which opened the door to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Anthony also connected with a local Chabad on Rosh Hashanah and spent time speaking with a Holocaust survivor in Vancouver.
Anthony then flew to the province of Alberta, where he partnered with another FOI Canadian representative, Larry Mitchell. Larry and Anthony ventured to downtown Edmonton to hand out gospel tracts. As they were sharing the gospel, a group of Iranians began protesting the treatment of women in Iran. By God’s grace, the Iranians willingly accepted Larry and Anthony’s Christian literature. The two were surprised to find out they distributed triple the number of tracts Larry expected.
In Montreal, Anthony ministered to Paul, a young man who had no interest in the Bible. However, after spending some time together, Paul went home and found a local church and young-adult group he could join to grow spiritually.
Anthony and the rest of our Equip interns wasted no time in the three months they served with FOI. Through the work of these four interns, the gospel was proclaimed throughout North America; churches were encouraged to see that God has a plan for Israel and the Jewish people; and our Jewish friends were comforted to know that Christians like Anthony love them.
You can support our FOI Equip program or other FOI ministries like this through our North American Ministries outreach. Thank you for your prayers and financial support!
In Canada, please give here.
Photos: The Friends of Israel Archives
