Page 12 - Bridges For Peace Continuing Ed Module 1

Christians. And those Israelis who recognized the sincerity of these efforts were
creative in their use of the rather strange gifts that were arriving, such as using
the sewing machines to teach immigrant women to sew.

It was the unlikely concept of a food bank, however, that propelled BFP to
success in its attempts to build relationships between Christians and Jews by
actively meeting the needs of people. The idea was fraught with potential
problems, as basic as where to get the food and how to distribute it once it was in
hand. Many thought it was a project doomed to failure, but the leading of the Lord
seemed strong enough to warrant giving it a try. Little did anyone know that the
Iron Curtain was about to collapse and Jewish people from the countries of the
former Soviet Union were to pour into the country by the hundreds-of-thousands.
But God knew.

Patiently, He lead BFP through its early attempts at buying and selling dented
cans, trying in vain to get rid of a shipment of very ripe guava that could be
smelled for miles, and going door to door to find someone, anyone, who would
take a loaf of day-old bread. Problems were overcome, fears dispelled, and
expertise gained, and in 1990, the first BFP Outreach Center was opened in
Jerusalem. As Russian immigrants began to arrive, the BFP Outreach Center
became a shining light, providing food, other basic necessities, and badly needed
emotional support to those who were facing an often overwhelming future. The
center would undergo five major remodeling projects in the coming years,
providing additional space for new programs and food storage to assist
escalating numbers of those receiving assistance.

The Church Catches the Vision

Throughout the 1990s, the idea of biblically mandated support for Israel and the
Jewish people, partly through the efforts of BFP and other pro-Israel
organizations, seemed to take the western Church by storm. Although Christian
Zionism had been a part of the religious–political scene for centuries, it wasn’t
until that decade that it became a force to be reckoned with, with millions of
adherents worldwide. It is estimated today that there are a minimum of 50 million
such believers in the United States alone. Some think this phenomenon is the
result of the blending of certain evangelical Christian, end-times theologies with
neo-conservative political ideology. Others simply recognize it as a very specific
move of God, whose time has arrived. Regardless of how it is viewed, however, it
can’t be ignored. The idea that Israel has the right to exist in peace and safety in
her ancient homeland, with the support and friendship of those who believe in the
New Covenant, now affects the theology, financial giving, and political stance of
millions of Christians around the world.

For BFP, it was clear that God was on the move, speaking to His Church with a
voice they could no longer ignore. The need to provide a vehicle through which
these Christians could bless Israel became evermore apparent and developed