Hope on the Streets of Tel Aviv
These last two weeks were full. We prayed, we worked, we walked long streets, and we met people whose lives are hanging by a thread. Some moments were heavy. Some were bright. All of them reminded us why we keep going.
Preparing for the outreach:
We started on Friday afternoon in the Old City. We bought the food and drinks for the outreach and made sure we had everything ready. On Sunday morning at 7:30, nine volunteers met in the kitchen. We prepared seventy sandwiches in a simple chain.
One cut tomatoes and cucumbers.
One cut the rolls.
One spread the hummus.
One added the vegetables and cheese or cold meat.
One wrapped each sandwich.
Then we divided the food, cold drinks, and sweets between the backpacks. The men carried the heavy bags. The women took smaller bags and refilled from the men as needed.
At 8:15 we sat down to pray. We called each person by name that we met in the past weeks. We thanked God for the donated car and blessed Tom for giving it. We prayed for insurance, fuel, rehab openings, and more volunteers. After this, we took the 9:10 train from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv.
The volunteers:
These two weeks we had helpers from many places. Three came from Holland, two from the USA, one from Mexico, one from Scotland, and one from South Africa, besides our own team. We could not have done half of the work without them. Their hands helped, but their prayers and love carried the whole outreach.
Stories from the street:
We met many familiar faces and several new ones. Each story stayed with us.
Alex:
He knows Jesus and wants to get off methadone. He took our number and asked for help with rehab. When we returned this week, he was gone. We pray we meet him again.
Daniel:
He came to us on November 9 and said he wants to leave the street. He showed us photos of his life before addiction. He looked strong and full of joy. He once had a stable job and a good home. Now he wants a way back, but he has an elderly dog he refuses to leave behind. We need to find a rehab that will accept them together.
Aschan:
We found her on her way to the hostel. She is a young Arab woman with an amputated leg. She begged us to help her leave the street again. We explained we need insurance for the car and a safe Christian rehab for women. These are rare and costly.
But we also saw her progress. Being in the hostel helped her more than we expected. She is cleaner, calmer, and has hope again. Someone gave her glasses and she can see clearly for the first time in years. She told us how dangerous the hostel can be for a woman in a wheelchair. She is scared. We pray we can move her to safety very soon.
Johan:
On November 16, Johan from Russia cried without stopping. He used to be a boxer. He said his body now looked like one of our team members but “without any muscle left.” We planned to take him somewhere safe. We asked him to wait for us. When we returned, he was gone.
Biping:
He said he would wait with Johan for us to come back. But the moment passed, the chance slipped, and he was gone too.
Batyan:
She asked for prayer. Her health is getting worse quickly. We sat with her and prayed.
Uri:
He asked for prayer for deliverance. He has been to rehab three times already and still fights the same chain. He looked tired and desperate for freedom.
Achsan:
Later that day we met her again. This time she looked so much better. The hostel helped her recover a bit. She told us she is ready to go to rehab as soon as we can arrange insurance and transport. She shared how unsafe she feels at the hostel because she cannot move fast in her wheelchair.
Seeing her progress gave us hope. She is clean and steady. She sees a future again. Her new glasses were a small sign of that hope. I often wake up thinking about her. We pray we can move her off the street very soon.
What we learned:
Some people take steps forward. Some vanish before we can help them. Some are stuck between fear and desire. Every meeting matters. Every prayer matters. We see how addiction holds people, but we also see how one small act of love can open a door.
What comes next:
• Insurance for the car
• Funds for rehab placements
• A safe Christian rehab for women
• Strength for our team
• Protection for the people we met
• Wisdom for the next outreach
We thank every volunteer who came. Their love, their time, and their prayers shaped these two weeks. We are grateful to every person who prays for us as we step back into the streets of Tel Aviv.
We also thank our generous donors without whom none of this would be possible. Your support pays for the food, the transport and every small need that comes up on the street. You help us show real care to people who feel forgotten. Your giving keeps this work alive week after week, and we are deeply grateful.
If you would like to support this work, you can make a donation through our giving page. Your help allows us to keep showing up, keep feeding people, and keep walking with those who ask for a new start. Thank you for standing with us.
