Jewish people are suffering in Great numbers
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| Jewish home destroyed by Russians. | "Bombs came down like rain." Jewish survivor. |
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| My interpretor with Shalva Eterashvili. | Shalva's wife, Mzia. They lost everything. |
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| Barry Wagner with Anna Movelidze. | War refugees, Aleksi and Grigori Moveldze. |
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| Rows of out houses next to refugee shelters. | Refugee camp north of Tbilisi. |
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| Russian tank destroyed by land mines. | "My home is completely gone. We have nothing left." |
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| Neighbors rebuilding a bombed out home. | Grandfather & grandson unwilling to give up. |
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heart felt gratitude to each of our partners who responded so beautifully to the Georgia Crisis appeal letter seeking financial assistance for the many Georgian Jews that were affected by the invasion of their country in August. You have been a tremendous blessing to many Jewish families who have lost everything in the war with Russia.
Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to walk through many of the bombed out houses and apartments of several Jewish families that Ezra International is working with. Listening to their horror stories through tear filled eyes and shaky voices were heart breaking. So many of them escaped from the city of Gori, the epicenter of the bombing, with only the clothes they were wearing.
I met the Movelidze family – Aleksi, Anna, Grigori (12) and Ekaterina 14) in Tbilisi by Candle light. When their home in Gori was bombed they fled with only the clothes on their backs. Everything was destroyed! This was the second time their home was bombed by the Russians. It happened during the Russian invasion of 1992 and again this past August. Now they just want to go to Israel to leave this horrible life behind. They have taken shelter in an abandoned kindergarten building. They have one room, no toilet, no running water and no electricity. The building is housing twenty other families who were displaced by the Russian invasion of 1992. The other families have been living in these horrible conditions for over sixteen years.
Thanks to you I was able to give Georgi, our Georgia representative, money to buy this needy family much needed clothing, food and wood for their stove. On the Georgian flag Just over my head in the photo they wrote in the Georgian language, “We Will Survive.” What a survival spirit! They will survive and live to see a better day in Israel, thanks to you – our Ezra partners. Jesus said, “As you have done it unto the least of these my brothers, you have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40
Aleksi cannot find work due to the high unemployment rate in Georgia so there is no income for the necessities of life. The greatest help we can give this family is to assist them in their immigration to Israel. Your gift of only one dollar a day, thirty dollars a month, can bring an end to their suffering by making it possible for a new life in Israel. Please remember that your end of the year gift is tax deductible.
With funding from the IMF (International Monetary Fund) the Georgian government is in the process of building several refugee camps for the more than 65,000 refugees left in the wake of the war with Russia. I was able to visit three of these camps during my visit. The houses consist of two very small bedrooms and a kitchen/living room area. They do not have bathrooms. It will be several weeks yet before any of the houses are ready to be occupied and with the severe winter weather setting in, this creates another serious situation. Many of the refugees continue to live
in tent cities.
Ezra International is doing everything possible to bring relief to as many Jewish families as we can, but funding is so limited. Won’t you please seek the Lord’s leading as to what He would have you do for these suffering people? They are so thankful for the help that has already reached them but so much more is so desperately needed.
One day the physical scars on the homes and apartments caused by the falling Russian bombs and tank shells will be gone. Covered up with new blocks, wood, plaster and paint. But what about the human scars left in the hearts and minds of those who were fortunate enough to survive the bombs? The young children waking up in the middle of the night screaming because of the continuing nightmares the war has left them. The husbands and fathers who cannot find work to feed and care for their families. The mothers who have little or no food to prepare for her family only to watch her children going to bed hungry.
My dear friends we, the Body of Christ, have been handed an opportunity to save Jewish lives and to replace hopelessness with hope, despair with encouragement, sadness with joy and tears with smiles. Will you please pray and ask God what He would like you to do to help His chosen people who are in such desperate need?
After you hear from God please write the largest check possible and send it to Ezra International at P.O. Box 120926 Clermont, FL 34712-0926. Please remember to mark Your check or money order, “Georgia Crisis” so we know exactly where to use your gift. And please remember that your gifts are tax deductible.
Please allow me to thank you in advance for your generous response to this most urgent humanitarian need of our Jewish brothers and sisters. Please let’s not turn our back on them when they are so desperately depending on us!
Thanking you on their behalf,
Rev. Barry L. Wagner,
Vice President
Ezra International