Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2007

Subject: demonstrations in Israel

Dear friends and supporters,

Praise the Lord that your many prayers were answered concerning Saturday's demonstration against Jewish believers in the Messiah in Israel.  I don't have reports yet from cities other than Arad.  In Arad 3,000 Ultra Orthodox demonstrators arrived in town by bus Friday afternoon before Shabbat.  They stayed overnight for two nights.  During Shabbat the congregations were able to meet.  The believers there say that they had an unusual spiritual calm and that none of them felt afraid.  They were all able to sleep peacefully.  The usual practice is to become violent two days after the planned demonstration.  That is TODAY for this one.  This morning there were more than usual harrassing the people at the chess club, but our ministry was still able to hand out free clothing, Bibles and books.  People were harrassed and cursed as they entered and left the building.  At the exact moment that I am writing this approximately 250 very noisy men, who have been worked up into a frenzy, are amassing in front of the private house of Polly.  The local police say that they have NOT given a permit for this demonstration--BUT the Israeli Supreme Court has.  Actually, since the Supreme Court passed down a decision against the haredim (Ultra Orthodox) when they filed a petition for 700 demonstrators to gather in front of this very house.  The court decision wasn't clear enough and these people have apparently found a loophole.

Polly is a quiet widow, the mother of three boys and foster mother to children from Christian families who have placed their children with her.  Her only crime is that she is a very strong believer in Jesus as her Messiah.  Today, Polly has left the area and the demonstrators are gathering in front of an empty house.  They will only succeed in annoying the neighbors.  There is at least one news team and some private people who are on the scene to take videos and report on what is happening.

Thank you for praying.  Now is not the time to relax, but to move forward in the name of Jesus the Messiah.  Please continue to uphold the believers in prayer.  We are seeing results.  Continue to pray that the Lord will reign and be glorified.  Pray for the leaders of these demonstrations that they will accept their own Messiah.

Shlomo and Mendel are the leaders in Arad.  They are very wealthy men, who have received their money from Evangelical Christians who continue to support "Christian" organizations who are allowed to operate freely in the country by giving a portion of their income to these groups.  Pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to Shlomo and Mendel.  Pray also for Alex Ortovsky, the leader of Yad l'Achim, the main cover organization for all of the anti-missionary movements in Israel.

Vincent