Working on a Joshua Fund food distribution project for the poor and needy in Israel.
“An annual report submitted by National Council for the Child to President Shimon Peres on Wednesday indicates that one out of every three Israeli children is poor,” reports the Jerusalem Post this week. “The report claims there is an increase in the number of children who have fallen victim to physical and sexual abuse, but the number of youths who have committed acts of violence has dropped….The number of children living below the poverty line in 2010 reached 889,500 (35.3% of the entire child population). The past three decades have seen a sharp rise in the number of poor Israeli children – from 8.1% in 1980 to 35.3% in 2010. The report said 65.8% of Arab-Israeli children live in poverty, almost three times the amount of poor Jewish children. Some 430,000 children are known to welfare services, an increase of about 50% over the past few years.”
“We mustn’t give up on even one child,” commented Israeli President Shimon Peres. “The State of Israel is committed to the welfare and education of its children, who will be the (backbone) of the country’s future.”
I agree with President Peres. Every child in Israel — and each of their families — is precious, and the Bible directs us to love them and care for them and bless them in real and practical ways. That’s precisely why The Joshua Fund has opened a warehouse in central Israel, and expanded the number of food distribution centers we fund and supply around the State of Israel from zero five years ago to 12 today. Please pray for us as we seek to expand the number of poor and needy children and adults that we can care for in 2012. Please pray that we can show unconditional love to each of these precious people, and to do all of this in the name of Jesus and in His love. And please pray about how the Lord would like you to be involved! To read more about how your prayers & financial support have made a difference in recent years, please click here.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11 – “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the LORD against you, and it become sin among you. You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’” (NKJV)
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