|
“Forget
the former things; do not dwell on the past. See,
I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do
you not perceive it? I am making a way in the
desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah
43:18 & 19
“We
found out there are Holocaust Survivors in our
town here in Israel!”
With one phone call, the Lord got my attention.
On hearing there were Holocaust Survivors in Israel,
the Lord grabbed my heart and squeezed - I knew
I had to go see them. For over a year I had been
asking the Lord to use me for His ministry –
“anywhere” I had said. Now was my
chance to fulfill my commitment.
For the next three months I prepared for departure
by moving out of my apartment, cramming my belongings
into a storage unit, parking my car at a friend’s
house and giving up my temp job. The Lord brought
me a number of new friends, placed them in strategic
places, and they gave out of their own lean pockets,
promising to support me for the short time I would
be gone. Just like Gideon, we were putting out
a fleece. I would give six months of full-time
ministry, the full length of a visa, and see what
direction the Lord indicated after that. I was
rather confident this was just temporary training
for the next phase, my REAL ministry, expecting
to be located somewhere in the United States.
For six months I visited Holocaust Survivors in
a town located in the Negev Desert. The Lord provided
my housing, food, translators and transportation.
I was blessed tremendously. The Lord had filled
my heart with His compassion and I had fallen
in love with the Holocaust Survivors.
At the end of the six months, I came back to the
US. During that ‘test’ period, I realized
I needed to return to Israel. Even though I was
surprised, most of my friends were not. For the
next two years I traveled back and forth between
Israel and America. Like chess pieces on a board,
we all watched as the Lord moved people into place
to carry-on, support and assist this ministry
in its formation.
I had begun a monthly newsletter from the first
day and have continued it right through the present.
What started with visiting a few Holocaust Survivors
in one town now reaches several towns from the
Dead Sea in the Negev to the Mediterranean Sea
and north of Haifa. In the beginning I was simply
fulfilling a request of the Lord to visit Holocaust
Survivors, but it has now grown into a non-profit
ministry, Desert Hope International. Our staff,
and people involved in blessing the Survivors,
are all volunteers and include Believers all over
the world.
Our visitation and adoption ministry has begun
its fourth year and we are amazed as we watch
the Lord build and expand His outreach. As the
Lord once said to me, “It’s about
the people; it’s all about the people.”
The focus of our outreach is just that, “the
people”, the Holocaust Survivors, the brethren
of Y’shua. After all, He is Jewish. Our
desire is to:
“share
our food with the hungry, provide the poor wanderer
with shelter, to clothe the naked and not turn
away from our own flesh and blood” (Isaiah
58:6&7, paraphrase mine).
We are all called to give ‘a drink of water’
in Jesus’ name to those who are thirsty.
For those who cannot go, we are providing the
means of taking it to them. For those brethren
in Israel who are feeling hopeless and alone,
who have suffered greatly in the past and need
the Messiah’s love, we here at Desert Hope
International feel the intense call to bring them
that Blessed Hope and Love. We want to extend
a hand of Friendship and Kindness to each one.
As
you visit the pages of our website, I pray you
will enjoy the journey through our history, be
amazed at our present and join us in our future.
Come be a part of Desert Hope International as
we seek to bless the people of Israel!
In His service –
Susan Heagy
Executive Director
Desert Hope International was founded by Susan
Heagy. It started with her obedience to go where
the Lord sent her. To read her story, click on
the index button "Our
Director".
|
