“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Matthew 5:14
Standing inside an empty building requires faith. You have to look beyond unfinished walls and empty rooms and begin to see the lives that will one day fill them.
This week, I stood inside our new Lighthouse Humanitarian Center in Nof HaGalil. The rooms were still empty, construction had not yet begun, and much work still lies ahead. Yet as I walked through the building, I found myself imagining something far greater than bricks, concrete, and fresh paint.
I could almost picture families arriving burdened by fear and uncertainty, then leaving with renewed hope. I imagined Holocaust survivors being welcomed with dignity and compassion, new immigrants from Ukraine and Russia finding practical support as they rebuild their lives, and Jewish and Arab neighbours sitting around the same table, discovering that reconciliation is possible through the love of the Messiah. Above all, I imagined people encountering the love of Yeshua in ways they never expected.
Although the building is still waiting to be renovated, every room already has a purpose.
The entrance will become a place where families are welcomed with warmth and dignity. Our humanitarian center will provide food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and practical assistance to those facing difficult circumstances. The kitchen will become a place of hospitality where strangers become friends around a shared table. Meeting rooms will host Bible studies, prayer, and discipleship, while our congregation continues proclaiming the Good News of Yeshua. Every square meter has been envisioned with one purpose—to become a lighthouse of hope that shines throughout the Galilee.
What makes this project especially meaningful is that it brings together the two callings God has entrusted to our ministry. We are called to serve people through practical acts of compassion, meeting real needs with dignity and love. At the same time, we are called to be bridge builders, demonstrating that reconciliation between Jews and Arabs is possible through the transforming love of the Messiah. In a region where division so often dominates the headlines, we pray this center will quietly tell a different story—one of compassion replacing suspicion, friendship overcoming fear, and hope triumphing over despair.
Only a short time ago, owning a permanent home for this ministry seemed almost impossible. Yet God has faithfully provided every step of the way. Through His provision—and through faithful friends like you who believed in this vision—every payment has now been completed, and today this property belongs entirely to the ministry. What once seemed beyond our reach has become a testimony to God’s faithfulness.
Now we begin the next chapter.
Before families can walk through these doors, the building must be transformed into a welcoming humanitarian center and congregation. Renovation is now the urgent need before us. Every wall that is built, every room that is prepared, and every improvement that is completed will help create a place where people from every background can encounter practical compassion, genuine friendship, and the life-changing love of Yeshua.
Jesus told His followers,
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”
Matthew 5:16
Our prayer is that this center will become exactly that—a light shining throughout the Galilee, where people not only receive practical help but also discover the hope that is found in the Messiah. Long after the renovations are complete, we believe this place will continue serving families, building bridges, and pointing people toward God’s love for generations to come.
Will You Help Build This Lighthouse of Hope?
Your generosity has already helped make the purchase of this property possible. Today, we invite you to help us take the next step by transforming an empty building into a place where lives can be changed.
Every gift will help prepare a welcoming humanitarian center and congregation where Jewish and Arab families will be served with dignity, new immigrants will find compassionate support as they rebuild their lives, Holocaust survivors will be cared for with honour, and people from every background will have the opportunity to encounter the love of Yeshua.
One day, children will laugh in these halls. Families will gather around tables. Volunteers will prepare food parcels and hygiene kits. New immigrants will find encouragement as they begin life again. Jewish and Arab neighbours will pray together. And many who walk through these doors carrying heavy burdens will leave knowing they have encountered the love of God.
That is why we are renovating this building. We are not simply preparing rooms. We are preparing a place where God can continue writing stories of hope for many years to come.
Thank you for standing with us, praying with us, and believing in what God is doing in the Galilee.
Blessings and Shalom,
Pastor Saleem Shalash