Every Person Has a Name: Hope and Tears on the Streets of Tel Aviv

Shortly after we stepped off the train in Tel Aviv, we met Aghsan.
As soon as she saw us, she burst into tears. Through sobs, she told us that just moments before, she had cried out to God for help and then suddenly, we appeared.

We’ve met her before. Her left leg is amputated below the knee, and she carries deep pain, both physical and emotional. Yet this time, something was different. She kept saying, “I want to wake up.” What she meant was that she wants to come off drugs.

She gave me her mother’s number, and we agreed to take her to a rehabilitation center in Petah Tikva next Sunday.
That is why we so urgently need a vehicle. When someone is ready to go, we must act immediately, because next time, they might not be.

While we were speaking with Aghsan, Nisreen stood quietly nearby. When we finished, she softly said that she also wants to leave the streets. We are planning to pick her up next week and take her to rehab too. Please pray for both women that their courage and desire for freedom will stay strong.

We also met Joseph, a man from Sudan who we see almost every week. He wants to go to rehab as well. He believes in Jesus, and every time we talk about faith, his eyes light up. We’ve grown very fond of him and trust that God is at work in his life.

Omar, from Turkey, came to Israel for work but lost his job. He isn’t on drugs, but he has no way to return home. We’d love to help him get back safely.

We also met Roman, a truck driver ready to enter rehab; Natasha, covered in flies and deeply neglected, who needs hygiene supplies; and Annie, whose baby Tom was taken away from her, a grief she can hardly speak of.

Along the way we met Anderago, Bachar, Adam, Emmanuel from Sudan, Viktor, Sergei, Offi, Pavel, Isaac, Pesach, Johnny, Said, Dera, Natalie, Mordechai, and Sardam.
Each one is a soul God loves deeply. Each has a name, a face, a story worth remembering.

Then came a miracle.
As we prayed in the park, some men approached us. They were from Aviv Ministries—a well-known ministry in Tel Aviv that runs a soup kitchen for the homeless. After hearing who we were, they said they immediately sensed peace and wanted to help us. They offered us the use of their building every Sunday—complete with a kitchen, dining room, prayer room, and bathroom.

That moment left us speechless.
We had been praying for exactly this, for a place where we could cook, serve, and pray right in Tel Aviv. Now we no longer need to make and transport everything from Jerusalem. We can prepare food locally, serve meals, and reach even more people.

The Aviv Center already feeds 30–40 people every three hours, and the location is well known among the homeless. It’s right where the need is. We’ll now be able to send part of our team into the streets while others serve food inside. Upstairs, there’s a prayer room ready to be filled with intercession. Truly, this was God’s provision.

Prayer Points

1. For Aghsan and Nisreen, that their desire for recovery will remain strong.
2. For Joseph, Roman, and others who are ready for rehab, to have the courage and faith to follow through.
3. For a vehicle to transport those who are ready to leave the streets.
4. For regular, reliable volunteers to help cook, serve, and minister.
5. For a safe house for women waiting for rehab placement, as there are far fewer options for women than for men.
6. For finances to cover the Aviv Center’s small weekly cost (150 shekels for electricity) and to provide food and clothing.
7. For dedicated prayer warriors to fill the prayer room.
8. For every person by name, Aghsan, Nisreen, Joseph, Omar, Roman, Natasha, Annie, Tom, Anderago, Bachar, Adam, Emmanuel, Viktor, Sergei, Offi, Pavel, Isaac, Pesach, Johnny, Said, Dera, Natalie, Mordechai, and Sardam. That each one will encounter God’s love and freedom.
9. For unity, strength, and protection over our team.

Every week I’m reminded of this truth: every person has a name.
Even those covered in dirt, those who smell of alcohol or despair, God knows them. He loves them. And He is not done with them yet.

This work is not glamorous, but it is sacred. Every tear, every prayer, every sandwich handed out in love matters more than we realize.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer, encouragement, and giving.