On January 6th, 2002, three years to the day that we left the U.S.A., Ruti and I met two Gentile men from Hungary and an Israeli woman (who loves one of the men). Their ages are 27 for the men and 25 for the woman, and they are being drawn to Messiah, all of them. It's beautiful to see their hearts open up as they hear and feel our love for them and sense Messiah's Love for them. Their names are Zoli, Austi and Penina (I call them ZAP; like in, Zap'm Lord! : ) Please pray for their salvation. They so much need to be set free from the kingdom of darkness. Ruti and I believe that they are His lambs.

I had just come back from a walk and was stretching out my legs. In the park just before me were three people whom I would come to call, ZAP. The men were using the children's straight 'monkey bars' to do their pull ups. That's what I was supposed to do next before I returned home. (These straight monkey bars are the bars that one holds unto and swings to the next bar, like a monkey, going from one bar to the next.)

I walked over to them and said, 'Shalom!' Penina was sitting on a swing a few feet away. They greeted me back and I watched as Zoli did some pull ups. Then Austi. Then I did some. And Zoli asked me, 'What do you do?' I said, 'I teach people about God.' I could see the smirk on their faces as Zoli translated into Hungarian for Austi. We all did some more pull ups and then the boys left to get something to drink and Penina and I began to talk. We spoke for about half an hour and then I asked her if she'd like to come and meet my wife, Ruti, as I was concerned that Ruti would be concerned about me being gone longer than usual. Penina came up and we spoke for a few hours, prayed for her and found out their need for food so we took Penina to get about $200 worth of food. We brought it back to their apartment but the boys weren't there. When they returned and saw all the food we got them, Penina would later tell us that they broke down and wept for gratitude and thanksgiving. They had never had anyone do anything like that for them.

When Penina was with us, we prayed for her ankles. They were swollen and there was a poison in them that caused her to lose her previous job (she could hardly walk on them now). Ruti and I prayed for her in the Name of Yeshua. Ruti and I both sensed that Yeshua would heal her ankles as she slept, and we told her so. The next day she came back to us and much to our delight, told us that she had no problems with them at all and that she had gotten the best sleep that she had gotten in years. And not only were her ankles healed and the poison gone but her left arm, which had been shattered at the elbow many years before and could only move or rotate to a certain degree, was made supple enough for her to be totally surprised. She was able to stretch it out and into positions that she had not been able to for many years. Thank You, Yeshua!

Our time has been filled to the full with Austi, Penina and Zoli. The boys are hungry for Jesus and His Word. Penina is just the opposite, causing much strife. She has a lot of anger and rage within her (and is justified for having it, as she was abused physically and emotionally by her mother, and sexually abused by an older brother while growing up). All their stories would make you weep.

None of them were able to find jobs. It was winter in Eilat and jobs become very difficult to find as Eilat is a tourist city and with the Palestinian terrorist war going on, tourists had virtually stopped coming.

On Shabat, the 9th of February, they were here from 1:00 to 8:30 P.M. We fed them and loved them and opened the Word but Penina derailed us. Human compassion is worthless in situations like this. I have prayed for her this morning and will continue to pray for her and the boys. Penina will be 25 in May. I thank Yeshua that He always hears our prayers.

We had the three of them over on Thursday, Feb. 14th for spaghetti and meat balls, etc., and they loved it. It was Zoli's 27th birthday (actually the 15th of Feb.). We didn't have money to take them out to eat or to buy him a present but Ruti came up with the idea on Wednesday to have a special lunch for them here on the 14th. She also made a tapioca pudding with a lemon flavor for dessert. It was good!

Penina left to run some errands and I thought it'd be a perfect time for Bible study (we've started in the book of John and you should see Austi. I can tell the Spirit is dealing with him and with Zoli. It's good to see). But just a few minutes after she left, Zoli got a call to do a massage. He's very good at it and has made his living from it. So, I guess that just wasn't the time.

On Shabat the 23rd of February we had them over again. From 1:00 to 5:30 P.M. we sat at the table, eating first and then sharing the Lord's love with them and then praying for them. I asked Zoli if I could pray for him by placing my hand on his forehead. He said yes. I asked because we had been talking about Yeshua healing our hurts and this is the second time that he has begun to have tears in his eyes when we would speak of being hurt and Yeshua able to heal them. My heart just melted for him.

I began to pray and asked the Lord to minister to Him and lead him into His Kingdom, etc. I prayed for a few minutes, Ruti was praying at the table too and Austi bowed his head. Penina was in the bathroom at the time. Halfway through the prayer she came out and was very distractive, not intentionally, but I had to ask her if she would be arranging the glass and the silverware at the table if she was in the midst of the Orthodox praying. She had been doing that and it was distractive to all of us and I know the Holy Spirit as well. She sat back and was quiet and I continued to pray for Zoli.

When I sensed a release from the Spirit, I was led to lay my hands on Austi's head. I prayed for him for a while and then I felt that we needed to pray for Penina. Just at that time, Ruti asked if she could and I told her that I was confirming that need. Ruti prayed for Penina and Ruti began to weep and cry. Penina asked why she was doing that and Ruti told her that many times when she prays for a person, the Lord allows her to feel the pain of the person that she is praying for. This didn't affect Penina. She can be very hard, even though she has a tender heart.

After we were done I ventured to ask Zoli if he felt anything. He said that for the first two minutes that my hand was on his forehead, it was just my hand. But after that he felt as if Someone took him by both wrists, in a firm way, not hard and not soft, and that from the top of his head something began to flow down to his body.

I was overjoyed that Yeshua had touched him and related to him that it was Jesus, by His Spirit. There was such a peace in his face. This was the first time that we had prayed for Zoli. Then Ruti said that when I was praying for Zoli, she could 'see' the Lord Yeshua's Hands resting on him. Thank You, Yeshua!

Then I asked if Austi had sensed anything when I prayed for him, and Zoli, interpreting for Austi who doesn't speak English or Hebrew (only Hungarian), said that he felt something but not as strong. Again I was delighted. Before we could get to asking Penina, she had created a strife with Zoli about their relationship. She would eventually leave a half hour before the boys and none of us knew if we'd see her again. She was very angry and in 'attack mode' with Zoli. I intervened and told her that it wasn't right to threaten Zoli. She had mentioned something about if the argument continued that she would be 'forced' to tell everyone something that she knew would embarrass Zoli. So she 'egged him on' with it. There was much pride and anger there, masking pain and hurt.

Later that night Ruti felt very impressed to call Penina. She had gone back to her place which she shared with Austi and Zoli and had taken all her things and was looking to return home to a city in the north. She had begun walking away from the apartment and it hit her: she had hurt Zoli and Austi (and us), by her words. This is something that she is slowly coming to see; how abusive she can be. She began to cry very hard. She had asked God for a sign, if she should go home, stay or what? And at that exact moment, Ruti called. Ruti's first words were, 'Penina, I love you.' They talked and Penina was very repentant and Ruti comforted her and told her to call Zoli and talk to him and tell him what she told her. She did and they are back together again.

We ordered some Hungarian Bibles for Zoli and Austi and they came today (25 Feb), so we're looking at giving them to the boys. Actually, they get two each. One is a Hungarian Bible, Old and New Testaments. The other is a New Testament in Hungarian and Hebrew. They each get a set. I've placed a 200 shekel note (about $45), within each (whole) Bible for them, a late birthday present for Zoli's birthday. I'm also helping Austi with English. Ruti and I continue to help them with groceries till they get on their feet.

On Monday night, Feb. 25th, Penina came over and we listened to her anger against Austi. She believes that because of him, her and Zoli are on the rocks. Ruti read a testimony of Rose Price from Sid Roth's book that moved both Ruti and me to tears. Penina was untouched. Rose went through the Holocaust and hated the Nazis for murdering her family and relatives (about 100). A moment afterward, Penina mentioned something about hate being Rose's theme. Penina used the word hate many times (about hating Austi), before Ruti read Rose's testimony. Rose's testimony ended with saying that only Yeshua can help us to forgive those whom we hate. But Penina was closed to wanting to deal with her own hate, as immediately she got on her subject again (thrashing Austi).

The Lord had led me, before Penina came, to just listen to her and empathize with her, which was not hard to do as much of the time she was crying and blowing her nose, as she related how her dreams with Zoli have crashed (because of Austi). This is not the first time that Zoli and Penina have been 'on the outs'. But this is the first time that she has blamed Austi for all her problems. It is rare that she sees herself as part of the problem as Ruti and I have previously spoken to her; about her living with a man and not being married and about her own anger, rage and emotional abuse of Zoli. But as we've come to see, she is not at the point of perceiving and accepting her part in this failure, even though at times she says, 'Perhaps I am stupid', or 'This might be happening to me because I hurt other people.'

There also seems to be some criminal activity with Austi and Zoli. Like stealing things to sell to have some money for food, etc. Penina just shared with us that there is thievery involved as well as occasionally working for those who deal with pimp's. Austi's arms, chest and back are covered with tattoos of demonic faces. As Ruti said, he didn't get them for no reason. Austi's about six foot three and very strong. A likeable and good looking fellow with blond hair. I can see that he is capable of much love, as well as much evil.

Ruti and I are more determined than ever to pray and believe. We want these three souls and are looking to storm the gates of Hell to get them. We are here to bring them to the Rock:

'and upon this Rock I will build My called out ones and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it' (Mt. 16:18b; my translation).

Yeshua is that Rock, Deity manifest in Flesh and we know that we are to storm those Gates to release those whom Satan has enslaved in his kingdom of darkness.

On Thursday, February 28th, 2002, Ruti and I gave the Hungarian Bibles and the Hungarian-Hebrew New Testaments to Austi and Zoli. Ruti said, 'Happy Birthday!' to Zoli (even though it was a little late), and told Austi that we wanted him to have a gift for Zoli's birthday too. Austi figured out what they were as the wrapping paper we put them in was thin. He said they were Bibles before he unwrapped his. We had been telling them that we had wanted to get them some.

Austi was also the first to see the 200 shekel note that I placed in the Hungarian Bibles. The look on his face was one of genuine gratefulness. I was very touched. He got up and came over to me and gave me a hug and thanked me.

Penina and Zoli were sitting on the couch and Zoli hadn't noticed the money. He was busy unwrapping his gifts. When he got to his Bible he only checked out the first few pages so I leaned over and said , 'You need to look through the Bible' and flipped a couple of pages. He did and he saw the 200 shekel note. He was very appreciative too. He got up and hugged me also. Oh, I wish you were here to see their expressions. Tender and loving toward Ruti and me.

When we had given Penina her Hebrew Bible (Old and New Testaments), a few days before, we hadn't the money to place anything in it but today we gave her a 200 shekel note too. She was excited and thankful saying that now she could get some clothes that she needed. She had just started working the night before as a bar-tender on a casino boat that works in the Gulf of Eilat. She was telling us that the owners weren't bad men but that early in their lives, they had gotten in trouble with the law and so had some criminal records. 'They were alright now.'

She told us of a lawyer that gambled away $100,000 that night. And after it was over, he told his friend that he was tired and that he was going to bed. That's $100,000 cash, American money. Penina had been appalled that someone could lose that much money. She said he could have given it to the poor. I told them that he did what his heart led him to do. He didn't want to give to another because he's trapped in greed.

Austi also started a job last night, working for a disco, as a bouncer. He was up till 6 A.M. and when we went shopping today, for food for them, he looked pretty tired.

Now they have some spending money along with some food. Hopefully, in a short time, they will be on their feet financially. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I wanted to tell you that when they opened up the gifts, both Austi and Zoli began reading their New Testaments. Ruti and I were so glad. Penina on the other hand, was going back and forth (between Ruti in the kitchen and Zoli on the couch), bothering Zoli about keys to the apartment, etc. She wanted to go back to their apartment and make some food for Ruti and me called kubah. It's a dumpling with meat and spices in it that's fried and is a favorite dish of the Jews from North Africa (Morocco, etc.). It's very tasty. Penina's ancestry comes from Morocco.

Austi asked me the first question from the Bible. It had to do with Jesus. In Matthew, the first chapter, they both had begun reading and Austi was wondering if Jesus had any sons as the wording in the first verse threw him off.
Matt. 1:1: 'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.'

He wasn't quite sure what to make of that as Jesus was also listed at the end of the genealogy:

Matt. 1:16: 'And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.'

I explained to him that the first verse was like a chapter heading, explaining what was to follow. But the really interesting thing is that even before he asked me that question, he said, in English, that Jesus had, 'a big family tree.' I was very pleasantly surprised, not only that he could say that in English but that he could understand that, it being the first time that he had ever read the New Testament. I told them that as they read on their own, if they have questions, to write them down and when we get together, we'll discuss them.

On March 2nd we invited Austi, Zoli and Penina over for Ruti's home cooking (brown rice with chicken and sweet potatoes, salad, and bread with humus). They just love it and we love giving it to them. It's quite a Sabbath treat. But today at 1 P.M., only Austi and Zoli were able to come as Penina was working on the casino boat. The table was so peaceful! I thought of making a comment about it but I didn't want anything to get back to Penina that she might think was negative so I held my peace. I enjoyed the atmosphere as we spoke of Yeshua, or Yea-soush as He is called in Hungarian, and how He is so very real.

When we were done eating we sat in the living room and opened an English Bible for Zoli and I gave my 'extra' Hungarian-Hebrew New Testament to Austi. When I bought the Bibles I got this 'extra' one so that if they came here without their Bibles, there'd be one that had Hungarian in it (at least for the New Testament). It worked out beautifully today as we read about how Adam and Eve were created (Gen. 2), and how they sinned (Gen. 3) and then we went to Luke 4 and read of Yeshua being tempted but not giving in to sin like Adam and Eve.

Somehow we got to speaking about the Holy Spirit and so we turned to Acts 2 and read that to show them that the Holy Spirit is real. We shared that belief in Jesus is not just a mental thing 'to believe in' but God gives us His Spirit. And then we read John 14-17. It was so very good.

We could have gone on but Austi, having worked till 6 A.M. again and only having gotten two hours sleep, was very tired. So we concluded for the day and they went home to get some sleep as Austi was going to work in the evening and Zoli hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. It was good to open the Word and be able to read it (in their language). The only drawback is that the translations are in 'old' Hungarian. They were able to make it out for the most part but there were times when they had to laugh at the archaic words that were being used. It was good that Zoli had the English NKJV (that we have here), and that he knows English fairly well and can translate for Austi at those places where the Hungarian is ancient. We also gave Zoli a NKJV Bible that he has at his place to read not only for the Scriptural content but also for the English. He only began learning English two years ago when he came to Israel but he is very good in speaking and understanding it. If he were to live in the States for six months his English would be fluent.

On Tuesday, March 5th, 2002, our phone rang and it was Zoli. He asked how we were and then told us that he had been reading the New Testament for the last three days and had finished it. I was delighted and so glad that we were able to give him the Bibles, and that he had the desire to read it. Thank You, Yeshua!

On Wednesday, Ruti and I were able to do something that we had wanted to do for some time. ZAP rents an old, 'furnished' apartment. With the apartment came some forks, knives and dishes etc., that one could say, with some imagination, were usable. Ruti and I bought a set of plates, bowls, spoons and forks and brought them over to the apartment. They were so grateful. Later that night, as Ruti and I went to bed, she reminded me of what Penina had told her when we had bought the first of many groceries to them. The boys had wept. They were so overwhelmed that someone would do something like that for them. Their hearts are precious.

On Thursday, Ruti and I went back to the store where we had gotten the dishes from. I had forgotten all about knives! So we picked up the mates to the forks and spoons and we saw some glasses and we got them too. When we came to the apartment, Zoli and Penina were there. Austi was working now, both night and day. He had taken a day job washing cars, and at night he worked in the disco. There were glad for the glasses and the knives.

We sat down and talked for a while and then we could see that Zoli was in some kind of back pain. He had taken a bath towel and wrapped it around his waist to relieve some pressure. I asked him if Ruti and I could pray for his back in the Name of Yeshua. He said that he'd like that. We prayed and much of the pain went away. We thanked Yeshua. Ruti got a word that part of the pain was from the stress that he is carrying. Zoli is in the middle and very sensitive. Austi is Zoli's friend from school days in Hungary and Penina is Zoli's Israeli girlfriend. As one could expect, when three non-believers are living together, there is going to be some tension as to who does what and, 'Who left the towel on the floor?!', and who should do the dishes?! Zoli is a natural peace maker and so finds himself caught in the middle of the conflicts; hence the stress that he 'carries on his back.' Ruti prayed for the Peace of Yeshua to come upon Zoli and I prayed for healing. Zoli experienced some relief.

Something happened last month that I have to share with you so that you'll know a little more about where their hearts are at, especially concerning money. Someone might say that we 'are being taken by them.' Or that we are doing too much for them, helping them with rent and food and dishes, etc. I don't think so. One has to be in a situation to sense the other people. I have been taken for a ride a number of times in my life and because of that, I have come to have a sense when something like that is happening. I also continually 'check in' with Yeshua and Ruti. As Ruti and I see it, we are extending God's Love toward them in a very real and needful way, along with giving them the Word of Life.

Last month we had reached a place where Ruti and I didn't have any money for food. That's not a big deal for us (as we had food in the house; we just couldn't go and get some additional food that we could have used). Usually, something will come in so that we can get the groceries that we might need. It didn't. For a couple of days we waited but still nothing. And then a day or two after that. One day, in a time with the three of them, it came up that we didn't have any money for food and hadn't any for a few days. Zoli whispered something to Penina and Penina told us that she had to go back to the house to get something and would be back soon.

She returned and gave something to Zoli. Zoli extended his hand to me and said that they wanted to give us something. Into my hand came the only money that they had: 200 shekels (about $45). The Lord had allowed us to go without food money for a while so that we could see their hearts toward us. We were so grateful, and not just for the money.

On March 10th, the tension between Austi and Penina reached another peak and Penina came over and told us that she couldn't take it any longer. Austi was jealous of the relationship between her and Zoli and was causing some problems. Zoli at this point was leaning toward Austi and so Penina was feeling betrayed. We shared with Penina that the situation she was in was not godly, as she was living with a man outside of marriage and God calls that sin. We told her that it was not the way that God would want her to live. We didn't come down heavy on her. She felt our love and concern for her. We needed to share that with her so that she could see that she wasn't as 'good' as she might think she was, and that before God, there was a need for forgiveness of sin, which is why Yeshua came.

On Wednesday, March 13th, 2002, Ruti and I took Zoli, Austi and Penina out for lunch. Zoli needed to go after that as he had a number of massages to do. We then took Austi and Penina to the Mall to get Penina some glasses. She hasn't had a new pair in six or seven years. She needs them as her left eye has changed so much, that she is bumping into table legs and walls, etc. She was so excited and grateful that we would do that for her.

Then we went upstairs in the mall and all of us got some frozen yogurt and went back downstairs and got Penina a new pair of shoes. She didn't have a good pair of shoes. Austi wanted to go see Zoli, who gives massages right on the beach (which is next to the mall), and so it left just Penina and us. We picked up some cashews and macadamia nuts and went outside to sit down on a bench in the shade. Penina thanked us again and told us in tears that no one had ever done anything like that for her. She said that as much as the gifts meant to her, what really meant the most was that we had a heart to do it for her. We thanked her and told her it was Messiah Yeshua loving her through us.

The next day, Thursday, March 14th, Penina told Ruti that the night before, she took her shoes out and put them on the table and just looked at them for about an hour. She was so overjoyed with them and the glasses that she said she was going to sleep in them! We had wanted to get Penina some shoes and a pair of glasses for some time and on Wednesday, we were able. It was such a joy for us. Thank You, Yeshua!

We spent about three hours with Penina. It went very well. I wept a little as I related how I lost my sons when they were only four and two years old, to their mother who took off with them in February 1989. Penina and Ruti both wept too. I told Penina that it was part of the price that Ruti and I have paid for being in Israel, for Penina, Zoli and Austi. (Zoli, who had found out about it before, had told Penina that it wasn't easy for us to be here with our children in the States.) We spoke of how much Yeshua loved her, for Him to send us here so that we could be their 'parents' and love them. Zoli actually told something like that to Penina before she met us today. He said that, 'God sent them to Israel for us.' I thought that was so precious. Zoli is speaking and reading more and more about God and Yeasoush.

On Shabat, March 16th, Zoli and Penina had made up and had come over to be with us. We fed them and spoke more about Messiah. On Sunday, March 17th, a catastrophe happened that Yeshua would turn around. Zoli and Penina are now working together on the beach, Zoli having trained Penina in massage. Zoli has a table set up in the shade of a bar on the beach and has been doing massage there since last year (with a break during the winter).

At this particular time, he left Penina to attend to something else. Some city officials came to Penina and asked about her license to work there, which of course, she doesn't have. They said that she'd either have to get a license or shut it down. They asked about Zoli. Penina said something about him being her boyfriend and that he helped her sometime. This made it seem like she was the boss or owner, with Zoli just helping out occasionally.

Zoli (and Austi), have not been able to renew their visas (because Israel has taken a tougher stance on foreigners who work here 'illegally'; going past their visa date), and so if the men had come when Zoli was there, they could have taken him to jail and deported him. Penina was very distressed. She told Zoli and he called Austi and shared with him what had happened. After talking it over with Zoli, Penina went to the city and asked for a license. She was told to wait as the boss was out and couldn't be reached by cell phone. As she waited she would tell us that while there, she prayed out loud to God, asking Him to do this for her, if Yeshua was the Messiah. Finally the man came in and told her, 'No.' He wasn't going to give her a license to work on the beach. Penina was devastated.

They came over and Zoli wept. He has been waiting all winter to begin massage again on the beach. He had his hopes set on making a lot of money so that they could move out of their apartment into something nicer and eventually, he's wanting to go to New Zealand. I got up, approached him, and motioned for him to rise from the couch. I held him for a while and comforted him as a father would comfort a son who was hurt.

I asked him if we could pray. He and Penina were open to that. We told them that Yeshua is bringing them into a time of testing, to see what path they will follow when their backs are up against the wall. We prayed that the Lord would strengthen them and take them by the hand and lead them into His Kingdom. We also told them that we had begun to fast and pray that day, and that we would continue into Monday, lifting up their need for work, etc.

On Monday morning Penina felt she needed to go back and talk to the manager again. At first he was adamantly against giving her a license, as he had been the day before. But as she spoke of it being a source of income for her, and that she didn't want to work on the casino boat, he began to soften up. By the time she left, he told her that she would have the license in a week or two. A few hours later he called and told her to come in. He would give her a temporary certificate till the new one came in two weeks. This way she could work on the beach that day.

Zoli and Penina were elated! As Penina shared the story with us over the phone in the afternoon, she was well aware of what she had asked God the day before. With the door very much closed to her, the Lord opened it the next day. The Lord Yeshua. Ruti and I were overjoyed too! Thank You, Yeshua for working in their lives!

On Wednesday, March 20th, we were told that Austi had been let go at his car wash job. It's not that he wasn't working hard but that they had too many men for it. Austi liked working there as it was outside and it brought in some money with tips. Most of the time, like in the States, one doesn't get money from work until one works for at least two weeks. And as Zoli has shared with me, many times the Israeli bosses have stiffed him, knowing that the don't have the right papers. When pay time comes, the boss would say, 'Who are you?! I don't know you!' It's very evil and reveals the wicked heart of many Israelis (who need Yeshua).

Penina wouldn't get paid on her casino job till the end of the month, or actually, she would have to work the month of March to get paid on April 10th. (That's the way they do it in Israel. One gets paid once a month, for the previous month, on the tenth of the next month. It's awful to have to wait so long for one's pay.) Penina would buy some needed immediate grocery items with money that she would make on tips. Not much money either. She would say, 'How could a man lose $10,000 in one night and not give her anything for a tip for all the drinks that she had brought him?' She said that 'small' people, the ones without money, who came on the boat just to try the one armed bandits, they would leave ten shekels (about $2.12). But now, with Penina working massage, she has quit the casino job. Good for her! They worked her seven days a week. (And these were the good guys : )

I phoned Zoli that day and asked him how his food situation was. Zoli is a little like me. He doesn't like to tell anyone about his needs. He asked if I would speak to Penina. She got on the phone and said that they didn't have much left. I told her to come over with Zoli and that we'd go shopping. At the store I told them that funds were tight for us but that we could get about $50 worth of food. They were grateful. At the check-out counter the bill came to $94. Penina wanted to put some things back but I said that it was alright. What they got they needed. In paying the bill it left Ruti and me with about $10. We had some cash in the bank in the States, but we were looking to save that toward our rent which would be due on April 1st, just a few days away.

At the check-out counters in Israel now, the clerks ask you if they want to buy some things that are on sale. Most of the time it's a waste of time, holding up people on line. If I wanted something I would have gotten it before. It only holds up the rest of the people on line but the stores want you to buy more, even if everyone is inconvenienced. Well, the day before I had gotten some groceries and noticed that if one bought 100 shekels (about $21.27) worth of groceries, some toilet paper was on sale for eleven shekels (about $2.60), much less than the normally high price of 30 shekels. At the counter the girl asked about it and I told her that we wanted it. Penina looked astonished. 'How did you know we needed toilet paper? I forgot to pick it up', she said. 'We haven't had any for three days.' (That's a 'good' indication of their financial situation and food in the house.) I shared with Penina about knowing the toilet paper was on sale and that I remembered how long ago it was that we got some for them before. I told her that I thought that they could use some about now. Ruti shared with Penina that she needed to let us know when things like that were needed.

As we got into the cab to take them and the groceries home, Penina said that it felt like the first time for her again. She was referring to the first time that we had gotten them groceries and the deep feeling of thankfulness that she and the boys had felt. Again she said that no one had ever done anything like this for them, not even their parents. She related how she would ask her mother for ten shekels (about $2.50) when she was younger, so that she could get to work (by bus). Her mother berated her saying, 'What?! All the time you want money from me! Go away!' And that when she would ask her father (who was divorced by her mother when Penina was four years old), he might help her once and then the next time turn around and say, 'You've got to learn to get money for yourself!' Penina said that here we were (Ruti and I), 'strangers' and that we were helping them and that we were asking them if they needed help! She wanted to take all the things that we had gotten for her, all the receipts, and show them to her mother and her father so that they would feel ashamed. I told her that if they didn't want to help in the first place, they probably wouldn't feel ashamed but scream at her to leave them alone. Penina, like most children, just wanted some loving parental attention and care.

On Thursday night, March 21st. Zoli and Penina came over and told us that in the morning, water had come through the ceiling of their apartment, and that when they turned the water on in the shower, it didn't smell good. They have been battling with ants and cockroaches (even though they keep the place clean), and now, they were wanting Ruti and I to go looking with them for an apartment. I asked them if they had enough money to put down on an apartment if they liked one. They didn't. I said that unless they had money, it was futile to see one they liked, only to be told that they would need a deposit. And just looking for and at apartments cost money to get there by taxi. And we really didn't have it for that either.

I shared with them that as much as we would love to help them financially, we didn't have any money for that right now. We would need to pay about $850 for two months rent on April 1st ourselves and we had only $250 of it. So we were praying for that and for money to help them as we had (with groceries, etc.). We wanted to see them out of their apartment but we weren't in a position to help now. They explained that Austi didn't come with them as he was working on the beach selling something. But they had wanted him to come 'as a family' so that we all could look for a place. Zoli told us that there was now some tension between him and Austi as Austi wasn't as 'clean' as Zoli and Penina. Austi would leave food and clothes out and wouldn't wash his dishes after he ate. Things like that put an added strain on them. And Zoli said that Austi was now getting defensive, thinking that they were coming against him.

They spoke of their options of going on with Austi, of finding a place with him or not. Austi said that he could live alone. He also said that any place they found would be good for him. I said that if Austi would chip in and do his share, the three of them could get along. But if Austi wasn't going to do that, then the tension would get worse. Zoli, as much as he loves Austi, said that he didn't think that Austi would change. That's just the way Austi is. He is just not that concerned that everything is clean and in it's place.

They were here for about four hours. After the initial time with the 'apartment' we began to speak of Yeshua. We are being drawn closer and closer together, and they closer to Yeshua. It was a very divinely intense time; emotionally. Penina shared how her mother told her that she wanted to kill her while she was still in the womb by soaking in a hot tub filled with alcohol and some kind of herbs. And how when older, Penina tried to commit suicide and we could see how the mark of her mother's continual violent rejection of her has effected her soul. Penina took her mother's valium pills that day. Her mother found her and began to beat her and scream about how worthless Penina was. Penina was in no condition to do anything but because of the mother's screaming, a number of neighbors came over and took her away to the hospital, her mother spitting on Penina as she left.

We spoke of Satan and his demons being the ones who were animating her mother with all that rejection and vile. And how Penina's mother is 'bound' by them. The Lord has Penina's attention now. Penina spoke of hearing voices that would encourage her to go into the sea or to walk off the edge of a building. We dealt with that by telling her of the demonic powers that seek to destroy Yeshua's lambs, and that we believed that she was one of those lambs, and how Yeshua is stronger than all the demons in Hell. At the end, we prayed specifically for Yeshua to protect and to heal Penina. She has a spirit of fear. She needs to be delivered from it as well as a soul that needs mending.

Zoli too has a mother similar to that, and a father that is a fitting counter-piece to his mother. These kind of 'parents' are so evil and so devastating to children. It breaks Ruti's and my heart. We prayed for both of them before they left. Penina is more open to Yeshua than ever before and she could see her need for Him in the healing of her broken and torn heart. She said, 'I really need Him.' This is just incredible.

This is some of the Work that Ruti and I have been called to do. Even in the States when we had a congregation, we referred to it more as a field hospital on the front lines than a typical 'congregation'. There are so many desperate individuals in need of His Love. It must have been about 10:30 P.M. when Ruti hugged Penina and I hugged Zoli and we said our good-byes. It was another divine evening.

Right now as I write, on Friday, March 22nd, Ruti is taking Penina, Zoli and Austi's wash off our clothes line. The line is attached to the outside of the building. We're on the third floor with a view of the mountains of Jordan and the Jordanian city of Aqaba. We have a small glimpse of the Red Sea (as the apartment building next to us cuts it off from a full view). It's nice but it's just another place to live to be able to serve Him who first loved us.

Penina and Zoli brought a few loads of wash over last night and Ruti did two of them and hung them out while they were here. Today she did the third load and will put it up after taking down and folding ZAP's dry clothes.

On March 23rd, Zoli and Penina came at 1:00 P.M. for the weekly Sabbath meal. We spoke of Messiah and after eating, opened the Bibles to look at Revelation and the end time. I also wanted to show Zoli about Yeshua in His Glorified form now. From there we went to Ezekiel and the Gospels and we had a wonderful time. Penina, very tired, fell asleep, which is not the first time that that's happened when talking about Yeshua. But we were able to concentrate on Zoli.

Ruti asked Zoli where he was at with Yeshua. He told us that when he gets up in the morning he thanks God for another day and when he sees a flower or a pretty scene, he thanks God for that too. He told us that in his country 'everyone' believed in Yeasoush and went to church but that after church, they were fighting and arguing. We told him that many people 'believe' but that they don't ask Yeshua to come into their heart to forgive their sins and to deliver them from their sins so they can walk like He walked, in God's love, and come to know Him. He said that he was learning more and more about Yeasoush but that he was scared about giving Yeasoush the future as he wanted to do certain things and go certain places, and he thought that if he gave his life to Yeshua that he wouldn't be able to do that.

We thanked him for his honesty and shared with him that we understood what he meant. I told him that it comes down to trusting someone we know. When we really know Yeshua, we can trust Him with our future. And so we talked and spoke of Yeshua and Zoli is learning about His Savior.

Austi came at 5:00 P.M. and we all sat down with him to eat our second meal. He was hungry and very tired. After dinner I asked him if he'd like to lie down on our bed and he liked that. He laid down about 6:15 P.M. and needed to get up at 8:15 P.M. to go back to work at 9:00 P.M. (till 6:00 A.M.). When Austi got up to go back to work, Zoli and Penina left for home. All in all, it was quite a day.

Passover! Ruti and I sat down to the Passover ceremony about 6:45 P.M. on Friday night, March 29th. We were about an hour into it, when there was a knock on the door. It was Austi! Of course, he didn't realize that it was Passover and that we couldn't celebrate with him because he doesn't yet believe in Yeshua. He speaks Hungarian with just a little English. It was just another Friday night to him and he comes here to eat, in between work. We had told Zoli and Penina to relay to Austi that we wouldn't be able to do our Friday night because of Passover, but it didn't seem that he got the message.

We pulled out a fold-up table and set it up very nicely a few feet away from our table in our small kitchen-living room. Austi ate some lamb and other assorted things from our Passover table. We sat with him and 'conversed' as best we could. It was very good. He was here for an hour and then just before he had to leave to go back to work, Penina called. She only wanted to know how we were doing and if they might be able to come up; her and Zoli.

Austi left and about five minutes later, Penina and Zoli came in and sat at the same table that Austi had. Now there were two place settings instead of one. They hadn't eaten all day and so they were very appreciative of the food. We talked with them till about 12:30 P.M. and then Penina realized that they had 'interrupted' our Passover ceremony and that we hadn't even eaten yet. We told her that it was alright as we loved them so much, we didn't want them to leave.

About 1:00 A.M. we continued our Passover ceremony, Penina and Zoli having left, with much hugs and love, and by 3:00 A.M. or thereabout, we ended. It was great! Not because of the ceremony but because we put aside our God given agenda (Ex. 12; Matt. 26; 1st Cor. 5:6-8), to feed and meet the needs of 'lambs in the making.' And this was His agenda for us. We were overjoyed. But we were also totally worn out. By 3:30 I think, I told Ruti we had to go to bed. And so, even though we didn't stay up the whole night, it was a beautiful Passover. As we sank, and I do mean 'sank' into bed, I asked Yeshua to forgive us for being more like the Apostles that night, than Him. He stayed up all night but they were too tired (Ex. 12:40-42; Matt. 26:36-75).¹

On Sunday, April 14th, Penina was contemplating suicide and was very angry, speaking of revenge against Zoli and Austi. Zoli had broken up with her. Ruti and I prayed on Sunday for the spirits of revenge, suicide and self-pity to be bound in the Name of Yeshua and for Yeshua to release the Holy Spirit to minister to Penina.

Penina was here from 6 P.M. to 9 P.M. on Monday, April 15th. We fed her and she shared what happened to her yesterday when she went back. She said that after we prayed for her, 'something came over' her and her desire for revenge gave way to wanting to do something nice for Zoli and Austi. She began to clean the apartment, starting first with Austi's room and was almost done with the whole apartment when the boys came home. Thank You, Yeshua!

Austi was very touched by what Penina did and this opened up a time of communication between them, Zoli acting as translator. (Austi speaks Hungarian with a pinch of English, while Penina speaks English and Hebrew, with a pinch of Hungarian, and Zoli speaks Hungarian and English, with a teaspoon of Hebrew : ) Penina shared that she didn't hate Austi but couldn't live with him because of his sloppiness. It went well, except for Zoli who has been very hurt and was trying to distance himself from Penina. He said that what she did didn't change anything between the two of them. Penina responded kindly and said, 'OK.' I think it's been very overwhelming for Zoli, being caught in the middle of this triangle.

Monday morning when Penina got up, just before she woke, she said that she felt as if there was this Hand on her head, stroking it gently. She said that it made her feel very good and that when she got up she did so with 'a smile.' Penina 'never' gets up with a smile on her face. Thank You, Yeshua!

When Penina was already out of our apartment Monday night and halfway down the stairs, she looked up and asked if it was alright if we could pray for her. She came back into our apartment and we prayed much for her. Ruti sensed some demonic oppression within her chest (Ruti gets this many times in cases like this; the Holy Spirit alerting her to the demonic presence with a tightening of her chest, like there were bands around her chest, constricting it), and as we prayed, the demonic presence left. The Holy Spirit was very active within me as I prayed for Penina. I asked that Yeshua would reveal Himself to Penina and that she, like Father Abraham, would become a friend of God. Thank you for your prayers for ZAP! Zoli, Austi and Penina.

On Tuesday, April 30th, after we had gone shopping with them for food, they went to their place with the food and we went to ours and got their wash for them. Penina got into it with Zoli. She later told us that she couldn't contain the anger any longer. We understood. It brought a major rift between them, with Penina (again) packing all her things and saying that after the party we were going to have for her, she was going to go home.

This relationship is related to a metal known as mercury : ) Or using an Oklahoma metaphor, 'it's like the weather. Don't like it? Stick around for 15 minutes, it'll change!' It may be that enough of it will be thrashed out between Zoli and Penina so that Zoli will be able to attend the party. (We're giving Penina a birthday party on May 2nd. It's her 25th.) Austi wasn't involved in the rift and he is excited about the party for Penina as he has bought some gifts for her.

Zoli just may come anyway, whether it's worked out between them or not, in deference to Ruti and me. We have seen him swallow his pride and be here with Ruti and me (and Penina), because of his love for us. Or it may be the last straw and he may not feel he can show up. Either way, Yeshua is what all of them need; today Lord! We will be seeing what the Holy Spirit has for them and for us. May His Faith and His Love shine brightly in and through us all.

Penina has developed a sort of soft boiled egg-like material on her left eye in the lower left hand corner about a quarter of an inch in size. We took Penina to an optician after the blow-up, the one who fit the glasses for Penina. She said that Penina needed to go to a specialist. She seems to think that something got into her eye, causing an ulceration and that it needs to be taken out.

Penina will have it checked out in Afula, the city where she is from, and where she is registered with the medical profession (Israeli health care). That's another reason for her to return home as soon as possible. Afula is about a six hour bus ride from here in Eilat. As the crow flies it's about 220 miles.

Ruti and I both sensed, independently from each other, that we shouldn't ask Penina if we could pray for her eye (and Penina never asked us either). Ruti felt that the Holy Spirit was telling her that Penina does not believe and that it would be a fruitless endeavor.

At these points, I wait till the person has exhausted all medical treatments and then they may be open to truly asking Yeshua to heal them. Before that they look to the medical profession 'as God' and so they don't need God Himself.

With a major blow up between Penina and Zoli just a couple of days before, Ruti and I didn't know if there'd be a birthday party or not, or if Penina would leave Eilat and go back to Afula. But by her birthday, Penina and Zoli had patched things up. Somehow, it didn't totally surprise Ruti and me. We're getting used to the roller coaster. We had gotten some turkey and salami meat and cheese and bread and Ruti had made some potato salad for lunch and we had some cake and ice cream and it went terrific. Austi had bought Penina a big, stuffed doggy and she liked that. It was soft and cuddly. And also a type of purse-gym bag. It was nice and the love he expressed for her was genuine.

Zoli had gotten Penina a 'special' necklace made of rawhide with a kind of medallion on it that I think had once been part of a tree. There was a pink color to the middle of it and it had been glazed over. It was pretty.

When Zoli gave it to her, he began to weep. Penina later asked him why and he said that it was times like this, when we took on the aura of a family, that touched his heart. Zoli is very sensitive and sweet. Even though they all had parents growing up, that are like orphans looking for a family they never had. It seems like the Lord is providing them with one.

We told them that at birthdays, we like to give gifts to everyone, so that everyone feels joy.² We were able to say that we were giving them each 500 shekels for clothing. That's $102 with the shekel where it's at today. They couldn't believe it. (It's like getting a paycheck for almost a week's work.) They were so grateful. It turned out that Austi and Zoli didn't need or want any clothes but, 'Would it be alright to spend it on or toward a disk player?' We thought it would be alright for them but for Penina, who also wanted what the boys wanted, we said that she really needed to use it for clothes. She didn't have much.

We also said that we were going to go, like a family, and each one was going to get what they wanted, with all the others being with them. It really turned out just wonderful as we went from place to place, Austi 'going first', then Zoli, getting what they wanted, and then the birthday girl, Penina. It was our way of saying that we loved them all equally and we wanted to see them all 'blessed' at Penina's birthday.

Halfway into getting Penina some pants and shirts, Austi had to leave to go to work. We all hugged him, he not wanting to go but having to, and then there were only four of us.

We were able to get Penina three pair of pants and four shirts, going 'slightly' over the 500 shekel mark, but realizing that she needed it and Yeshua had provided. We spent 818 shekels on clothes for Penina that night and were overjoyed to do it. (That's about $167.)

Penina was so grateful. No one had ever done anything like that for her; the birthday party, the gifts, and the love. Thank You, Yeshua!

On Saturday night, May 4th, 2002, about 8:30 P.M. we went to the mall to buy a few more clothes for Penina. In one of the stores we came upon a woman sales clerk named Esther who is about 55 years old. She was very quick to point out to me that my tassels that I wear on my belt were not biblical tassels or tzit-tziot (plural for tassels). Why? Because they needed to be on a part of my clothing, attached to a four cornered garment. I've had this conversation before : )

I could see that explaining to Esther that the tzit-tziot were the part of the Commandment that Yahveh was concerned about (Num. 15:37-41), and not the four cornered material (Deut. 22:12), would prove fruitless so I just said that 'for me', they were tzit-tziot. That 'satisfied' her and so I asked her a question. 'What will you say to the Lord on Judgment Day, that He should allow you into His Heaven?'

She replied that she had been good and had followed the Commandments. I asked her if she read the Bible. She told me that she did, saying that she followed the weekly Torah portions and the commentaries on it. 'Good', I said. 'Now tell me where God says that because you are good and you follow His Commandments that you will have Eternal Life. She said that there wasn't any place like that.

I told her that what the Bible declares is that we must have a blood sacrifice to be forgiven of our sins. How can we enter His Presence under our 'goodness' if we haven't received forgiveness for all our sins? She replied that there wasn't 'any Temple or sacrifice so how can that be?' 'Good question', I told her.

I said that God has sent a Sacrifice for us. I asked her if she has 'ever heard that Messiah has come?' She knew immediately where I was going with that and said that some people believe that Messiah came before but that she was still waiting for Messiah. This is a typical Jewish answer to get around dealing with Yeshua as Messiah as they say that they are, 'still waiting.'

I asked her if she had 'ever heard that there were two Messiahs?' Much to my surprise and delight, she not only told me that she had, but reeled off the names of them: Messiah the Son of David, and Messiah the Son of Joseph. I told her that perhaps one in a thousand Jews knows this. She was pleased with that. Then, holding up two fingers, I said, 'The two are one', and closed my fingers to emphasize their oneness.

'God sent His Son, our Messiah, to die for us that by His Blood Sacrifice we might be forgiven now, and in God's Presence on Judgment Day. And with belief in Messiah we come to know our God by His Spirit. Ezekiel the Prophet, in chapter 36 verses 22 and following tells us that God would bring us Jews back from all the lands that He scattered us. He would then sprinkle us with clean water, taking away all our filthiness and sin. He will take out our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh and fill us with His Spirit so that we can know Him and walk in His ways. Only through Messiah Yeshua can this happen.'

She was still fighting this but really had nothing tangible to go on. She grimaced when I told her about Yeshua being God's Son, for I also said that He was God in the Flesh. I didn't get into that but I could have told her of Gen. 2:24, where it says that a man and his wife are 'one flesh'. Why can't the Messiah and the God of Israel be 'one' in that sense? They each share deity, just as a man and a woman share humanity and are 'one' having the same nature.³

We spoke for about 20 minutes and it was very interesting. As a sales clerk, she must have been interrupted about six times and at any one of those, she could have turned to me and said, 'I've got to go, goodbye.' But she didn't. She hung in there with me and that is to her credit. Eventually, she really did have to go but she actively listened and discussed Messiah Yeshua with me all that time.

I intend to go back to that store soon and offer her a few chapters of John in Hebrew. I've written them on my computer so I can print them out to give to Israelis who might normally not want to accept a full Hebrew Bible (from Genesis to Revelation), or a New Covenant. If she takes it, reads it, and is still interested, I will offer her a Bible so she can read more about her Messiah.

Thank you for praying for Esther. She's very knowledgeable about her Judaism and Bible. She is a rare find, not only among Jewish women, but also Jewish men! I thank Yeshua that we felt led to buy Penina some more clothes.

He came to heal the broken-hearted, and Penina, Zoli and Austi so need His Love, tenderness and LIFE. They are family to Ruti and me.

Last night (May 15th, 2002), Zoli told us he was reading the Bible that we gave him and he was so impressed with the crucifixion and what pain Yeshua went through for him. Many times he has told us that he'll go to sleep reading it and get up in the morning with it still in bed with him. And the day before yesterday he told us that the Bible is so 'heavy'. He said that he can't read it like it was just another book. He can only read a page or so and then he has to stop and think upon what he read for 15 minutes to half an hour. Talk about convicting me! How many times do I just 'read through it' and not take that kind of quality time and effort to seek the Lord on its deeper meaning. And Zoli hasn't even given his life to Messiah...yet.

He is so close. A few days ago he said that he doesn't know what it is but 'something' is 'in front of him' and he can't make out what it is. I wonder Who that could be? Zoli is so close.

And Penina, bless her deeply insecure heart. She so much loves us and is amazed that we love her, and love her, and love her. She knows that fear has made her life one which she must be 'in control' of at all times, and realizes that it also brings her the very things that she fears. She wants to be healed.

She told me last night that she knows that Ruti and I are 'good' but sometimes she's afraid cause her mother's image and anger is always before her. I asked her if Ruti or me were causing that. In other words, if Ruti or I acted like her mother to make her feel uncomfortable and she told me that it was not us but her. She was feeling the anxiety, not because it was a relationship problem between the three of us, but because of her own heart. She has expressed before her fear that she'll do something to turn us away from her. It's that fear that says that she doesn't deserve us, that she's not worth our attention and love, and that soon it'll be all over and she'll be rejected again.

I told her that we'd always love her and that with Ruti and me, she has an opportunity to walk out of those fears. She wants to. She needs your prayers.

She accepts correction from me and is changing, 'slowly, slowly,' as they say here. I told Ruti that it will take Penina her whole life 'to change' but in moving toward that goal, her life will be continually better. And of course, the Changer is Yeshua.

Our relationship with the three of them has proved to be very much like a soap opera. It's an emotional roller coaster. Ruti and I both thank Yeshua for His Strength and His Love to share with Zoli, Penina and Austi and to be here for them. This is our heart and if I am seeing clearly, the Lord's heart too. We desire to bring other 'rejects' and broken-hearted ones to the Master. He will heal them. Just a wonderful family, the way it should be all over.

Endnotes

1. For more on why we need to be awake on Passover, see www.seedofabraham.net/feasts2.html

2. I started this practice with my sons, Zavdi and Yoel. Whenever either's birthday came around, they both got gifts. This way everyone was happy for the 'birthday boy.'

3. For more on Yeshua being deity please see www.seedofabraham.net/yeshua.html