Yesterday, I received an email from Dr. Shmuel Tzangun, the director of the Premature Babies Unit at Ashkelon Hospital. You might remember that during the war, you donated close to $100,000 so they could build a new bombproof area for the premature baby unit. I had met Dr. Tzangun a few months earlier, in July. He told me about the $10 million project and said that the government had to cut funding. They still had to raise $3 million.
I explained to him that it’s tough to raise funds for such a project when there’s no direct threat. Of course, Hamas would send rockets every now and then, but the Iron Dome seemed to be doing its job. I told him that I would stay in touch. As I write, I am looking at my WhatsApp; we were in touch all through July, August, and September. We were going to try and do something, but I did not think we could do all that much.
Then, October 7th happened. I thought of those precious babies. You see, when the siren sounds that there are incoming rockets, it is impossible to move those premature babies. We only have 30 seconds before impact. It is too risky for their health. I have pictures of parents covering their babies with their own bodies as if it would do any good if a Hamas rocket hit the building. This is why Dr. Tzangun urgently wanted to see a bombproof building erected.
I texted him on October 8th in Hebrew and explained that we were stuck in France. “We are in shock. I want to send you some funds immediately. I saw that the hospital was hit by a rocket.” I told him that we had lots of generous donors that I had already reached out to you for help. (I’m rereading these texts for the first time since October 8, 2023.) Our first gift was $20,000. He was so grateful. We were able to give another $20,000 on October 23rd. Because of your generosity, we donated roughly $87,000 to the new premature baby unit.
So why am I talking about it? Because it is finally opening! Unfortunately, I will miss the opening on March 27, because I will be flying to Germany to minister at a leadership conference. But Elana will be there to participate and take pictures.
This is just some of the work that you have done for Israel in her time of need. Your gifts over the past year and a half have made an impact in the Holy Land. On behalf of every Israeli whom you have touched, I want to thank you.
I mentioned at the beginning of this letter that I was stuck in France on October 7. We were in Marseille ministering at a church for the Feast of Tabernacles. Ironically, tomorrow, I will get on a plane and head back there, where I will be speaking three times over the weekend at the same church. The pastor and his wife, Bjorn and Brita, gave us their bedroom for a week until we could get home. They were amazing. Elana and I spent most of the week in tears.
Israel is still not entirely through this ordeal. But you have been with us every step of the way, and I want to thank you and acknowledge your sacrifice. You were showing the people of Israel who Yeshua really is!
