“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
We all experience hardships from time to time. The Lord challenges us all in unique ways, and sometimes we must endure suffering as we walk daily with Him. Though some pain is normal in this life, certain individuals and families are subjected to horrors that no human being should ever have to suffer through. Terror is not a challenge from God, but rather an abomination of man.
A horrific event is what happened to Yo’el* and his family. He, his wife, and his son endured unthinkable trauma at the hands of others, and the experience will never leave them.
A few years ago, a terrorist attacked Yo'el while he and his wife were at a playground with their son. The terrorist intended to murder him and his family. Though the murderer was unsuccessful, he managed to slice Yo’el’s stomach open with a knife. As Yo’el lay on the ground, his entrails spilling from his body, he was forced to watch his body crumble before him. Like a farm animal led to slaughter, Yo’el felt as though he was powerless to fight the intruder who aimed to take his life and his family away from him. As he quickly lost blood and energy, Yo’el began to think that his time on earth was coming to a close. His son huddled in the corner, crying out of fear of what was in front of him.
Yo’el’s wife, however, did not lose her fight so quickly. Taking a branch from a tree, she began to beat the intruder who was trying to rip her family apart. Even as the terrorist cut her arm and hand, she continued to fight for her family, despite the terror that was unfolding in front of her.
Where did this woman find the strength to fight a murderer? In moments like these, God gives us the strength to fight. Yo’el’s wife had no time for fear or intimidation but rather drew on God to act quickly. Her faith in God saved her and her family in a time of unthinkable crisis.
Though we would like to think that this is not the world we live in, the truth is that our world is full of fear. Physical and spiritual terrorism happens every day, every hour, and we all wake up each morning to face it. That simple truth, knowing that the world is full of terror and fear, is a challenge to the spirit. When you see it firsthand, as Yo’el did, it can be hard to carry on. Many victims of terror internalize their fear, and it ruminates into trauma that can ruin the rest of their lives. This trauma breaks apart families, ruins futures, and can even fracture faith in God.
Vision for Israel is building a core group of special instructors in the arts to reach out to people who suffer from post-traumatic syndrome disorder. The goal is to give them counseling sessions and rehabilitation workshops to help them recover and re-enter society. These programs provide the hope necessary to bring the survivors healing in their wounded hearts and minds. With the help of the program, they will have the tools they need to overcome their daily challenges.
The cost for an individual counseling session is $75 per person. Each person will need about 10 sessions, which comes to $750. Our goal is to provide this vital recovery therapy for a minimum of 40 people.
Thanks to partners like you, we are able to provide these life-saving programs. Your generosity and compassion enable tremendous change and growth in these dear people. You provide music, art, and counseling rehabilitation to those who need it most, and there is truly nothing more impactful for their quality of life.
Your power to help is incredible—and the impact of these workshops and programs is ongoing; the more donations we receive, the more impact we can have. If God is calling you to this cause, we ask that you make an ongoing charitable donation today.
May the Lord bless and keep you.
Blessings,
Batya and Barry Segal
*Name has been changed
