By the time you have read this newsletter, the team from Calvary Chapel Surfside, let by Pastor John Forsythe, will be comfortably resting in their homes in Florida, but not after experiencing eight hectic and busy days filled with hard work, joy and excitement.

The above verse from the Torah, was the scripture they had been studying and meditating on in preparation of the journey… I think it would be fair to say that they experienced the fulfillment of those verses, even in their short visit.

Last month I quoted a verse from Act 16, where the prison guard asks “What must I do to be saved”. Well, while we were assisting a local congregation in Bat Yam with their new shipment of clothing for the needy, Mikael, a Russian immigrant who had been attending the congregation, and happened to be there that day, basically asked Pastor Birnbaum in his broken Hebrew…”what must I do to be saved”.

This picture says it all. We feel he was provoked to jealousy and felt the love, compassion and work ethic he saw that day. He is seen here praying with the team from Surfside, including Pastors John Forsythe and Shmuel Birnbaum…WOW

For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. Ezekiel 36:24-25

What a perfect fulfillment of prophesy exhibited on this day with Mikael.

While we recognize that while Jewish people can come to faith in Yeshua while they are living in ‘exile’ among the nations, Ezekiel 36 suggests that Aliyah is a precondition for the fullness of salvation which is to come among the Jewish people.

Up in the Galilee, we worked with Joshua Aaron & “The Beautiful Land Initiative”, cleaning up one of the beaches, visited Capernaum, the new dig in Migdal, and topped it off with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

Another of the highlights, and maybe one of most laborious, was the planting of a tree that Alon, the coordinator of the “Bustan” in beautiful Ein Kerem asked if we would donate, specifically, a Jacaranda, to beautify the park that we have brought many teams to. Along with the tree he was also given a Hebrew version of “Isaiah 53 Explained”, courtesy of the Team. Please pray for Alon…that he will read it, and that the Holy Spirit will move in his heart to continue to seek Truth.

I will be returning to the park in two weeks with another group…Maybe Alon will want to know “what must I do to be saved!

We also served at Leket, a national food bank that “rescues” food from many sources as well as growing food, and then distributing it nationwide to over 200 locations who then in turn distribute it to the poor and needy. Like most countries, 1/3 of everything Israel grows ends up in the garbage. Leket is attempting to salvage 10% of what would end up as trash…given to the needy.

We were “assisted” by a group of orthodox teenage boys who would rather fight with each other than work. It reminded me of a time years ago when we attempted to teach Israeli boys how to play American football…I can relate to it biblically….”darkness, void, and confusion”.

Shown below is a group picture of “Team Surfside” after packing 24 pallets of food and other goodies at Joel Rosenberg’s “Joshua Fund”. We were filling orders from congregations from all over the country, including the Arab & Bedouin communities. They estimated that we packed enough food to feed 1,000 families.

We also found time to visit Ein Gedi, the Dead Sea, and the beautiful beach in Rishon LeZion, as well as Yad Vashem (Holocaust Museum), the Kotel (Western Wall), and of course shopping on Ben Yehuda.

It was a tremendous effort by tremendous servants…Thanks Team Surside…Job Well Done!

If you are interested in coming to serve with us, you can contact us at : larryandbess@gmail.com

Please hurry, we’re not getting any younger, and the Messiah is coming soon!!

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Blessings From Jerusalem

Larry & Bess