This update is late because we were in the midst of some huge events taking place as far as our legal case is concerned. Also, since Sunday night we’ve had a team of 14 praying Greek and Cypriot spiritual warriors who have come to help us minister for a few days, and who have been staying in our congregational facility which is next door to our house. They are a blessing, and minister powerfully in prayer. They helped us with our youth meeting, and have been traveling a bit with David in the area, ministering to believers.
Victory in Court
The police have been in possession of the hard disk from our security cameras since the bombing which took place in our house on March 20, 2008. We were naïve, and in a state of total shock when we signed a release for them to possess the disk the day of the bombing. From that time, we’ve been able to see the pictures of the person who brought the bomb to our door only once, and the police have refused to give it back to us, stating that they need the original for evidence in court when the criminals are caught. Long ago we told them that they can give us a copy of the material, but they refused to do that as well. Moreover, as of today, they say there are no suspects and no progress in the case.
Our first hearing was last week. We sent a letter to the court to request that they order the police to return our hard disk. We arrived with our lawyer. The policeman who is the head of our investigation arrived without a lawyer. After presenting the judge with their claim and secret letters from their division and the secret services as to why the material shouldn’t be in our hands, the judge still pressed him further for the reason why our property shouldn’t be returned to us.
He finally said that they don’t want us passing the pictures on to the media, and he admitted that our case was part of a wider investigation which includes 3 incidents of bombs being planted before ours, and one after us. Before this hearing, they wouldn’t admit to us that our case was related to other cases.
The judge wanted several days to make a decision, and told us to come back this past Sunday. The police said that if the ruling was against them, then they would appeal to a higher court. We arrived at the stated time, but the police didn’t show up. The judge ruled that the hard disk be given back to us, but deferred to the police and said that the images can be shown only to our family. Our lawyer received a phone call today from the police stating that the copy was available, and could be picked up at the police station. We are satisfied with the ruling, and thank the Lord for His goodness, mercy and favor that He continually pours out on us.
Insight
A couple of days after the first hearing, our lawyer told us that he had an experience which opened his mind and heart to something he hadn’t understood before. He closed his finger in the car door, and the tip of his finger and the nail were completely black and blue. He went to the doctor, who said that he had to do a procedure under the nail, but it wouldn’t hurt because the nerves were dead. Well, they weren’t dead, and he said “I felt like I went down to the gates of hell”, the pain was so bad and intense. Then he said, “I was in such pain in my little finger, but all of a sudden I realized that Ami has felt this intense pain all over his body for this whole year. I suddenly felt empathy for him like I never did before - it went from my intellect to my heart”.
Family News and a Word from the Lord
Back to the home front - Ami is doing well. He surprised me by telling me that he wants to dye his hair green for Purim. I’m trying to escape Purim, and he’s dying his hair green!! It shows me that he has really been given the strength from God to overcome trauma - maybe more than the rest of the family. It is amazing to me.
This Thursday, my sons Natan and Ariel, (25 and 22) who have been at home for a few months to help out with Ami, Elad who is 20, and another son, Aaron (28) who has been working in the U.S. for several years, are taking off for Australia for a year. They said that they want to escape the warfare in Israel for a while, work things out in their hearts and minds concerning what we’ve been through this past 11 months, and some other goals that they hope to accomplish. It is interesting to me that they are all going together, but it’s difficult to say goodbye to four sons for one year! Please pray for healing and direction for them.
I was meditating tonight on a conversation that we had in a blessed Prayer meeting for Pastor’s wives this morning in another city nearby. We were talking about the present government, and what kind of coalition will be formed, and whether this or that possibility will be good for us as believers and our ability to spread the Gospel. I believe I received a word from the Lord. In 1 Kings 18 is the account of Elijah the prophet who challenged the prophets of Baal in front of the nation of Israel. What struck me is the impossible odds that Elijah himself set before the nation while challenging the false prophets. He was jealous for the true God and the scenario went like this…….
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”[ 32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
I believe that our problem is that we want to remain as comfortable as possible. We want to avoid suffering at any cost. However, I believe that as believers in Yeshua, no matter which government is in place, we must ask for the faith to believe the Lord for boldness, like Elijah, in our witness for Him. Elijah had an “in your face” type of attitude but his motivation was jealousy for the honor and glory of the true God. In the face of the opposition of the whole nation, he challenged the false prophets and the Lord answered by sending down His fire. May it be so in our day!
Blessings, Leah
Victory in Court
The police have been in possession of the hard disk from our security cameras since the bombing which took place in our house on March 20, 2008. We were naïve, and in a state of total shock when we signed a release for them to possess the disk the day of the bombing. From that time, we’ve been able to see the pictures of the person who brought the bomb to our door only once, and the police have refused to give it back to us, stating that they need the original for evidence in court when the criminals are caught. Long ago we told them that they can give us a copy of the material, but they refused to do that as well. Moreover, as of today, they say there are no suspects and no progress in the case.
Our first hearing was last week. We sent a letter to the court to request that they order the police to return our hard disk. We arrived with our lawyer. The policeman who is the head of our investigation arrived without a lawyer. After presenting the judge with their claim and secret letters from their division and the secret services as to why the material shouldn’t be in our hands, the judge still pressed him further for the reason why our property shouldn’t be returned to us.
He finally said that they don’t want us passing the pictures on to the media, and he admitted that our case was part of a wider investigation which includes 3 incidents of bombs being planted before ours, and one after us. Before this hearing, they wouldn’t admit to us that our case was related to other cases.
The judge wanted several days to make a decision, and told us to come back this past Sunday. The police said that if the ruling was against them, then they would appeal to a higher court. We arrived at the stated time, but the police didn’t show up. The judge ruled that the hard disk be given back to us, but deferred to the police and said that the images can be shown only to our family. Our lawyer received a phone call today from the police stating that the copy was available, and could be picked up at the police station. We are satisfied with the ruling, and thank the Lord for His goodness, mercy and favor that He continually pours out on us.
Insight
A couple of days after the first hearing, our lawyer told us that he had an experience which opened his mind and heart to something he hadn’t understood before. He closed his finger in the car door, and the tip of his finger and the nail were completely black and blue. He went to the doctor, who said that he had to do a procedure under the nail, but it wouldn’t hurt because the nerves were dead. Well, they weren’t dead, and he said “I felt like I went down to the gates of hell”, the pain was so bad and intense. Then he said, “I was in such pain in my little finger, but all of a sudden I realized that Ami has felt this intense pain all over his body for this whole year. I suddenly felt empathy for him like I never did before - it went from my intellect to my heart”.
Family News and a Word from the Lord
Back to the home front - Ami is doing well. He surprised me by telling me that he wants to dye his hair green for Purim. I’m trying to escape Purim, and he’s dying his hair green!! It shows me that he has really been given the strength from God to overcome trauma - maybe more than the rest of the family. It is amazing to me.
This Thursday, my sons Natan and Ariel, (25 and 22) who have been at home for a few months to help out with Ami, Elad who is 20, and another son, Aaron (28) who has been working in the U.S. for several years, are taking off for Australia for a year. They said that they want to escape the warfare in Israel for a while, work things out in their hearts and minds concerning what we’ve been through this past 11 months, and some other goals that they hope to accomplish. It is interesting to me that they are all going together, but it’s difficult to say goodbye to four sons for one year! Please pray for healing and direction for them.
I was meditating tonight on a conversation that we had in a blessed Prayer meeting for Pastor’s wives this morning in another city nearby. We were talking about the present government, and what kind of coalition will be formed, and whether this or that possibility will be good for us as believers and our ability to spread the Gospel. I believe I received a word from the Lord. In 1 Kings 18 is the account of Elijah the prophet who challenged the prophets of Baal in front of the nation of Israel. What struck me is the impossible odds that Elijah himself set before the nation while challenging the false prophets. He was jealous for the true God and the scenario went like this…….
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”[ 32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
I believe that our problem is that we want to remain as comfortable as possible. We want to avoid suffering at any cost. However, I believe that as believers in Yeshua, no matter which government is in place, we must ask for the faith to believe the Lord for boldness, like Elijah, in our witness for Him. Elijah had an “in your face” type of attitude but his motivation was jealousy for the honor and glory of the true God. In the face of the opposition of the whole nation, he challenged the false prophets and the Lord answered by sending down His fire. May it be so in our day!
Blessings, Leah