A pastor remembers the day well. He, his wife, and two sons awoke to sirens and heard gunfire outside the window of their apartment. They prayed together, but even so, his youngest son began to cry. More gunfire followed and they saw Hamas militants pass by outside. These terrorists tragically killed some of their neighbours, while the pastor and his family hid in their apartment for three days until the attack was over.
“God, keep Israel. God, keep the City of Zion.”
The pastor speaks of how he guides his sons during this trying time:
“We teach them to pray for Israel—for other people and not for themselves, because when they pray ‘God protect us, protect us, protect us,’ they are focusing on fear. When they start to pray for other people’s protection it [will] also come for them, but they not focusing on fear.
“They are small heroes in our eyes. So, this is our prayer. God, keep Israel. God, keep the City of Zion.”
Even though the attacks were months ago, life has still not returned to normal in their community of Sderot, located just east of the borders of Gaza. People who had jobs before the war began, today, sit at home and have no way to provide for themselves as war continues to rage.
The pastor partners with Samaritan’s Purse to bring food parcels and other relief to the people of his community. He is also paying the rent for families who are without work due to the war.
Still, his congregation continues to grieve. Almost everyone knows someone who was either killed or injured on Oct. 7.
“Pray for the residents of Sderot,” said the pastor. “Pray for the residents of Gaza.”
