Dear friends

isn't it amazing, how fast things are about to change in our world today?

As we just began to recover a little from the pandemic which has restricted our lives considerably, something incredible happened: A war started in the eastern part of Europe and nobody knows what consequences it will have for us.

Thousands of new Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine already arrived in Israel. Before the current war with Russia approximately 80 000 Jews were living there (we don't know the exact numbers) and many of them will emigrate to Israel.

Around 70 % of the members of the Messianic congregations in Israel originally come from  former Soviet Republics like for example Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan and many others more. These congregations have already been very active in the past helping the new immigrants to deal with their daily life in Israel by for example joining them when they have to go to local administration offices, trying to find appartments, language courses and everything that is needed to start a new life in a new country. However, there is not only this practical aspect, our brothers and sisters in Christ also want to show them a new perspective: It is the God of Abraham, Isaak and Jakob who called them to return from far away into their promised land. And this God of Israel has got a son, the promised Messiah Yeshua Hamashiach. Everybody in Israel shall know that salvation by this Messiah has already taken place and that the people don't have to wait for him any longer.

Our mission as Philippus-Dienst is to support the Russian speaking congregations in Israel in their activities as much as we can. We want to help raise their arms with our prayers and donations, that they can do what God called them to do. We want to help the refugees from the Ukraine to establish a new life in Israel.

You will find a special report of the congregation „Blessing Israel“ in Haifa in this newsletter.

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There was a saying in Israel: „Wherever you put a stake in the soil in the Ukraine, you will have a congregation“. During the past 30 years the Ukraine has been a field of spiritual revival and also many Jews came to the Lord. Let us pray Psalm 31 together with our brothers and sisters over there:

„Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

Love the Lord, all his faithful people!

The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full.

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.“

    Susanne Wustl