Prayers of the Saint's are Working: Ami Update

We want to thank you for your prayers for Ami, the Jewish Israeli teen who last Thursday, March 20, was critically injured by a bomb that was disguised as a Purim gift package. Many of you have written and asked for more details regarding how Ami and his family are faring, as well as wanting to understand the circumstances that might lead someone to devise and carry out such a horrendous act.

Ami's family is extremely grateful for the love and care that the world-wide body of Messiah has extended to them throughout this past week. Ami's physical progress is generally improving, however, there are still some major concerns, such as one of his lungs being collapsed and full of metal bolts. Doctors have operated on his right eye and saved it, thanks to their skill and the power of prayer.

Initially, Ami had been placed in an induced coma, but he is now fully cognizant and having to fight through the physical battle. He, as well as his family, are also fighting through the emotional and spiritual battles that accompany an event such as this. For Ami, processing the trauma has only begun. He's had only a couple of days to begin dealing with what must be a flood of emotions coursing through him, with the physical evidence to survey, as well as the pain that must seem to come from every square inch of his body.

Ami is having trouble sleeping because he is having flashbacks of the explosion. His blood-pressure is high; he has a fever and the pain is increasing as they slowly reduce his medication. Besides the much needed prayer for Ami's ongoing healing, we need to pray that no anger and bitterness will take root in his precious young life or in the hearts of his family.

A Brief History:

Ami's father is a pastor of a small congregation in the Jewish city of Ariel, located just inside what many refer to as the West Bank. Ami's mother is a Jewish believer and most of the congregation is Jewish. However, as we shared in the original update, much of his father's ministry has been to Muslims and he has been blessed to have led many to a life set free through Y'shua (pronounced Y'sua by Arabs). Because of his work among the Muslim Arabs, Ami's father and the others that serve alongside him have over the years been subject to beatings and retaliation by members of the Muslim community.

Ami's father and the congregation have also impacted the Jewish people within their own community and have been blessed to see Jewish men and women come to know Y'shua as their Messiah.

"Missionary" is a derogatory term in both the Jewish and Muslim world, so much so that most Believers here in Israel completely avoid using this word. The Rabbis have convinced the general population that anyone living in Israel who believes in Y'shua is a "missionary", even if you are an ordinary citizen working a normal job and not involved in any evangelical activity.

It's fairly safe to say that most, if not all, secular Jews do not condone any type of violence toward Jewish Believers in Y'shua; even most religious Jews would probably agree as the Torah does not allow for such deeds. However, most religious Jews are convinced that if a Jew believes in Y'shua, he is no longer a Jew and his soul is condemned to hell.

For centuries, certain Jews have been able to reflect upon many acts of persecution leveled against them by those who called themselves "Christians". This has tended to inflame their feelings of betrayal when one of their own becomes a follower of the "Christian" Messiah.

Over the last couple of decades, the believing community in Israel has been subject to periods of harassment and violence at the hands of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish/anti-missionary groups. The most common types of aggression has been tire slashing; fire-bombings; intrusions into places of worship; protesting outside of the homes of Believers; posting pictures of Believers on walls, in pamphlets, through the mail and the Internet; slander; cursing; spitting; and video taping of Believers in public places. All are meant to intimidate and humiliate.

In recent years, these Ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups have been outraged by Ami's father's openness in sharing his love of Y'shua and they have used some of these tactics against the members of this congregation. Eventually, Ami's family was able to convince the local police to set up a surveillance camera to help determine who was involved in this harassment. Because of an image captured on this camera, the police now know who left the Purim gift package at the front door of Ami's home. The investigation of this atrocity has been referred to the Shabach, Israel's internal general security service. They have determined that the perpetrator is connected to a radical Jewish religious group. Thankfully, the authorities are working to apprehend the perpetrators.

Judith has asked me to be the point person in Israel to be sure your donation goes where it is needed. Our goal is to prayerfully and discerningly help those in need.

We will continue to do our best to keep you updated on Ami's recovery and on the welfare of his family.

Again, many thanks for your prayers,
Lisa

Donate to "Lydia" World Outreach Project: Contact lydiaproject@michaelroodministries.com