ISRAEL, August 13, 2007 — “Helping needy people to experience the love of God is the best thing we can do.” This was the comment of Albert Yacoub following a visit he made with two colleagues from the Palestinian Bible Society to Sudanese refugees living in Eilat, Israel’s southernmost city. As well as taking Scriptures and relief supplies, the Bible Society team spent time entertaining and talking to refugee children who are being taught in temporary accommodation in one of the city’s hotels.
The Bible Society’s first visit to Sudanese refugees living in Israel was to Beer-Shiva in June (see Latest News # 427). This experience left a very strong impression on those involved.
“It is amazing how quickly we have become attached to serving these Sudanese refugees; we feel a calling to minister to them in any possible way,” said Mr Yacoub, who is responsible for the Society’s distribution work.
Photo: Palestinian Bible Society
John Pex, pastor of Eilat Messianic Congregation, with a Sudanese refugee child during a visit by the Palestinian Bible Society in July 2007 to distribute biblical materials and relief supplies. Mr Pex and his wife run a shelter for needy people in the area.
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The decision to make a second trip south, this time to Eilat, was prompted by a telephone call to Mr Yacoub from Pastor John Pex, who leads the Eilat Messianic Congregation. Mr Pex was calling to request biblical materials in Arabic. When he arrived in Jerusalem to collect these materials and some second-hand clothes donated by Christians in northern Israel, he explained that more materials were still required. The memories of the plight of the refugees in Beer-Shiva still fresh in his mind, Mr Yacoub offered to organise a visit to Eilat by the Bible Society. As well as bringing biblical materials and clothes, the visitors would also entertain children being taught in the city’s Red Rock Hotel.
Mr Yacoub set off on July 27 with colleagues Nadine Kirreh and Tony Samaan on the four-hour drive to Eilat. Waiting for them at the hotel were Mr Pex and around 30 Sudanese children. As well as bringing Scripture materials and clothes, the team sought to meet the children’s need for comfort and reassurance in otherways. Ms Kirreh spent time talking to them in an Egyptian accent (some of Israel’s Sudanese refugees entered the country through Egypt), while Mr Samaan put on a clown show which was very warmly received. “The children particularly liked Tony the Clown’s story about the ‘new heart’ that experienced a change after meeting Jesus,” says Mr Yacoub.
Mr Pex was equally touched by this story and he asked the Bible Society team to perform the show again that evening at the shelter he runs with his wife for local needy people.
“We had been planning to return immediately to Jerusalem, but we agreed to attend the evening meeting and put on the show again for some more children, and adults too,” explained Mr Yacoub. “The evening meeting was tremendous. There were Jews, Arabs, Sudanese, Cubans, Chinese, Russians, Dutch, British and Ukrainians. It was so powerful to see all of them praising Jesus, each in his own language.”
The following morning, the team finally returned to Jerusalem.
“On the way back,” he said, “we passed the wonderful views of the wilderness, the mountains of Jordan beyond the borders, the blue skies and the multicolour sands all around, while the melodies of the hymns from the previous night still sounded in our minds. The depth of the joy of having this tremendous experience, spending time among the sons and daughters of God in the oasis of faith, was just overwhelming. Even in that terribly hot weather we felt refreshed and exhilarated while serving the Lord there.”
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