I am Heidi Roesch from Switzerland.
Since my first visit to Israel at 1990, I love to be there and feel at home. So for all my holidays, I was drawn to this special country.
In 1998, I got very ill, but after holidays at the Dead Sea, I found that my health was much better and I was without pain. All my doctors advised me to stay at the Dead Sea for a longer time. The Lord opened the way to live in a Kibbutz at the Dead Sea. I arrived with almost nothing. After 6 months looking for some furniture and things to live in my little Kibbutz house, the Lord brought me together with Lena.
We both remember this first meeting very well. It was sisterly love from the first moment.
From then on, I always went from the Dead Sea up to Jerusalem with my car and helped Lena build up Machaseh (Psalm 91:2), which was a very small organization at that time. Her vision for Machaseh to be a refuge for women who experienced violence from their husbands was immediately on my heart also. I remember so well how I was able to accompany many women with their children and how we looked for protection, food, clothing etc. for them and always found those things. Many times, there were true miracles. With funding from Switzerland, we were able to help these families find new homes as well as fund other necessary things. We experienced firsthand how their eyes glowed with thankfulness and how their lives changed during the course of time. Many of them are now fully independent. Many injuries have been healed and in some cases, children who are now adults are taking care of their mothers, as I experienced last year when I was visiting, which was very touching. These three children are so thankful to their sickly mother and today want to give back to her what she did for them.
Machaseh has grown quickly and many additional task areas have been added. Many women, men and families with Jewish, Arab and Christian backgrounds seeking help have come to Machaseh because they did not receive help anywhere else. Today, quite a large team works together that consists of counselors, a psychologist, social workers and volunteers from Israel and the entire world.
Unfortunately, in 2009 I had to leave the country very quickly, because I did not receive a visa anymore. It was not easy for me, but I can still participate in what is happening at Machaseh, even if I am far away, and I am also a member of the board of the organization. It is truly a heartfelt matter for me to pray every day for all of the workers and the ministry.
Prayer Request Update
Thank you for your response to our recent request for prayer. We have good news to report!
We have been informed that the Distribution Center will remain open.
You also prayed for Dana, Lena's daughter. Dana completed IDF bootcamp and has been given the assignment she was hoping for: the Lebanon border.
Heidi with Machaseh volunteers at the Jaffa Gate.