“Whoever welcomes one such child in My name welcomes Me.”
Matthew 18:5
Over these past weeks, our Back to School project has been moving forward, and children from families in need are already receiving backpacks and essential school supplies for the year ahead.
For me, one of the most meaningful parts of this project is seeing what happens when a child receives something as simple as a new backpack. To us, it may look like notebooks, pencils, and school supplies. But to that child, it means walking into the classroom prepared. And to a mother or father who has been wondering how they would afford everything, it can mean one less burden to carry.
Through our Humanitarian Aid Centers, we are continuing to help Jewish and Arab families, as well as new immigrants who are rebuilding their lives in Israel. Some are facing financial hardship after years of rising living costs. Others have arrived in the country with very little and are starting again from the beginning.
Their circumstances may be different, but the parents we meet want the same thing: for their children to have a good start.
This is why our goal of helping approximately 400 children is so important to us.
As the project continues, backpacks and school supplies are being distributed to children who need them. Behind each one is a real family and a real story. There is a child excited to see what is inside. There is a parent relieved to know that another important expense has been taken care of. And there is a simple message being communicated through practical compassion:
You have not been forgotten.
Our humanitarian assistance is given freely to people in need regardless of their background or beliefs. We believe every person who comes through our doors should be treated with dignity, respect, and genuine care.
Our faith in Yeshua is what motivates us to serve in this way. He taught us to see the person in front of us, to care for those in need, and to love our neighbor not only with words, but through our actions.
And sometimes those actions are wonderfully simple:
A backpack.
A few notebooks.
Pencils and school supplies.
A child who can now walk into school carrying the same things as the children around them.
These may seem like small things, but when a family is struggling, small things can carry enormous meaning.
Help Us Reach the Children Still Waiting
Our Back to School project is already underway, but there are still more children and families we hope to reach before the new school year begins.
- $50 helps provide essential school supplies.
- $100 provides a quality backpack filled with school supplies.
- $220 helps fully equip one child with school and educational essentials for the year ahead.
If the Lord places this project on your heart, your partnership will help us continue reaching children while there is still time.
Our desire is simple: that every child we are able to help will begin this school year feeling prepared, valued, and encouraged—and that every parent will know that in a difficult season, they did not have to carry the burden alone.
Thank you for helping us put hope into the hands of children throughout Israel, one backpack at a time.
May the Lord richly bless you.
Shalom and blessings,
Pastor Saleem Shalash