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For Zion's Sake Ministries / FZS Ministry Updates  / Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…
IDF protecting Sderot with Iron Dome

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…

“Today I walked in that shadow”

Shalom from Israel,

Rob White and I (Bradley) are currently here in Sderot, southern Israel, visiting a wonderful brother, Stewart and his wife Eti. They have been living under direct rocket fire for the past 6 years, about 1 mile from the Gaza border. They operates a local charity called, “Hope for Sderot” an outreach to the needy in Sderot.

We have had some difficult days here, with 10 IDF soldiers killed in combat yesterday including a direct hit by mortar fire on a house. Throughout the day we heard intense fighting with over 40 Hamas rockets fired from just over a mile away from where we are staying. We also heard the loud sound of the Israeli “Iron Dome” missiles launched immediately afterward to try and intercept them. There was also much tank and artillery fire, shaking the windows here at the apartment all night long. We even had to run to the bomb shelter at 5:30 am. What a sad life for those people who live there! Just google “Shell Shock” and watch some black and white videos and you will see how some of these people are feeling.

Hamas rocket hits Israeli family house in Sderot Israel

Hamas rocket hits Israeli family house in Sderot Israel

On a hilltop not far from Stewart’s apartment we went to pray and have a look into the Gaza strip just after Israel knocked out the power station in Gaza city by air strike. As a result, the fire sent a huge plume of black smoke into the air for miles. As we were watching the planes fly overhead, we heard the “Red Alert” siren go off to warn us there that an incoming Qassam rocket was on its way! We ran as fast as we could to seek cover but there was nowhere to go except to just hide behind a dirt mound… that’s when we heard a fast whizzing noise like a jet propeller and then just 150 yards away from us the rocket exploded! We were in shock as the ground shook beneath us and quickly caught fire. All we could do is catch our breath and thank God that He protected us from the rocket and we got out of there fast! We both decided that our time of visiting that hilltop would be over for a while and we should not test the Lord’s mercy if not necessary!

There is an excellent app called, “Red Alert” that you should download for your Apple or Android to know where and when any rocket is fired at Israel for prayers…

On Sunday we were at Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, the main receiving/trauma center for the IDF, visiting those wounded in combat. With the help and blessings of IDF officers, we were given special permission to visit some of the soldiers to encourage them and offer them assistance through For Zion’s Sake Ministries. We hope to bring our next group of wounded soldiers to Schonegg just as soon as the wounds heal and the conflict ends.

(We were asked to not to show the faces of soldiers in photos because of the concern that the World Court in the Hague might try to convict IDF soldier as a war criminals).

       Rob and Bradley visiting with Uri who was just wounded in battle

Meanwhile, multiple Hamas terrorist were also successful in infiltrating into Israel via a tunnel also just a few miles from us. Disguised as IDF soldiers, the Hamas terrorist killed 5 soldiers before being neutralized. The tunnel situation as now become the main concern for Israel and the tough decision for Israel’s leads is should they continue the ground campaign is Gaza until all tunnels are destroyed?

         Hamas rejoicing in one of the “terror tunnels” that they built

Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made. (Psalm 7:15)

The following letter is now going around Israel in Hebrew. It is all true!

The soldiers in Gaza are switched out with other units in order to rest. This story was told by one of these soldiers

I and my friends captured a number of Hamas terrorists. When they were interrogated, we asked them, if you have so many tunnels that come into Israel, and that are built 25 feet under the ground and reach to Beer Sheva, why until now have you never used any of them for terrorist attacks? To kidnap or kill Israelis?

And this is what he answered:

For twelve years we have been building these tunnels and waiting for the right moment, when we were trained and ready. We decided that the time would be this year on Rosh Hashana, 2014. We chose Rosh Hashana because most of the soldiers get leave to go home and there aren’t a lot on guard duty, and it’s a two day holiday. All of Hamas would go through the tunnels we’ve built over twelve years and capture Israel. In every tunnel we’d send two, three dozen armed terrorists and kidnap civilians, women, children and bring them back to Gaza through the tunnels. And then Israel couldn’t bomb the tunnels because of all the Israeli civilians inside them. And in this way we would occupy the entire country and rule Israel and kill all the Zionists. For years we were planning this and it was going to happen in two months. Your attacks on Gaza destroyed our plans.”

The person who sent this to me added this:

Many religious people asked after our three boys were found dead what happened to all our prayers? So you see, this is what happened. God heard us. And because of these three martyred boys, all of Israel was saved from a terrible massacre. All the things that we have seen this summer are one miracle after the next.

Continue to pray and strengthen each other. And give thanks to God who watches over the Jewish people in the land He promised them forever!

Thank you for your continued and endless prayers for us and all Israel!

Am Israel Chi!
Shalom,

Bradley Antolovich

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