Shalom Family and Friends,
Yes, you read the title correctly!
I have an interesting story to share of my day yesterday.
I got to visit a military base right on the northern border of Gaza, and here's my report...
I was invited to go on an outreach visit through project "David's Shield" at CFI, which is our IDF soldiers outreach. We provide care packages for soldiers as well as new winter fleece jackets which are much-needed but too expensive for the soldiers to purchase themselves. Yesterday, we were going to a military base on the northern border of Gaza to hand out 600 fleece jackets and tour the base of the Givati Brigade (a specialized and highly respected military unit of the IDF). We left at 7:30 in the morning and began our drive across Israel and through the city of Ashkelon to the military border of Gaza. We were on military roads that were numbered and we could see into Gaza through the buffer zone. On one side of us was the power plant of Ashkelon and on the other side was Gaza.
We were given clearance to enter the base and we were greeted by a captain named David and another soldier named Hani. They were very friendly and talkative and said they would give us a tour of the base before we handed out the jackets. The first place they took us was the inside of the surveillance room where they were monitoring the border for infiltrators. I have only read of such places or seen places like these on TV, but to actually be inside such a high-security area full of flat screen TV's, satellite images and computers with cameras aimed at every angle of the Gaza border was amazing (for lack of a better word)! Each station was set up with a soldier with communication devices for the men out on the field, two computer monitors, one satellite image flat screen and cameras panning their portion of the Gaza border. This was a 24/7 surveillance room. These soldiers (all women) pull shifts of four hours on, four hours off, four hours on and eight hours to sleep for eleven days at a time and then they receive a three day break. They must memorize the terrain of their specific area with precision and their eyes cannot leave their screens for the entire four hour shift. It is then their responsibility to report terrorist sightings to the men on the field so they may take them out. But the terrorists are smart... they try to infiltrate by giving bombs to children or shepherds to blow up the border fence so that the security cameras will not pick up the suspicions as easily. One soldier showed us images of animals and terrain and showed us how to tell the difference between an animal and a person crawling on the ground. Next, they showed us a recent video of two Gaza terrorists sneaking across the border and how they were crawling on their bellies to try to infiltrate. The audio was in Hebrew but you could hear the tension as they reported the situation. Then, we saw an explosion that wiped out the two terrorists. It was astonishing. What was more astonishing was when we were told that at least two terrorists a day try to sneak in through this section of the border. Can you imagine monitoring the border knowing that each day you will have at least two attempted infiltrations? These soldiers, by the way, were all between the ages of 18-21 years old. They are literally the eyes and ears of Israel, protecting the rest of us from evil terrorists. Pray for these precious young men and women as Israel's security rests on their shoulders.
The next room contained additional giant flat screens of satellite images that higher-ranking IDF officials would monitor. There, they would make calls to the men on the field to organize operations and different necessary security preparations.
After this, we were taken to the barracks, the kitchen, the military vehicles area and the classified weapons and ammo supply containers where more soldiers came to greet us. Then they pulled out at least eight different classified weapons and assembled them for us to see! We even got to look through the scopes of sniper rifles! I know I am not a guy but I can't think of a greater thrill than staring through a sniper rifle aimed at the Gaza border! I have held dis-assembled weapons at museums and things, but I have never held an actual sniper rifle in my hands that was for active use in the IDF! I thought I would faint from the excitement!
After we saw other areas of the base, which this is a new base (one and a half years old), we rounded a corner and saw a large group of soldiers standing in a square. I thought they were performing a drill but when we actually walked up to them, we realized that they were standing there to thank us for coming and to receive their new fleece jackets. I began to tear up as I saw their smiles and their grateful expressions. We stood in the middle of them and David announced who we were and why we wanted to bless them. One by one, each soldier came up to the table, was given a new jacket and they shook each of our hands and thanked us. I was so moved and it was almost a surreal feeling to know where I was standing and what I was seeing take place.
All of the men were extremely grateful and they all tried on their jackets and checked them out. They were so thrilled over one gift of a jacket, it really touched me at how much we take for granted. It was like we gave them a new car. My friend Carina and I started to tear up again because it was so moving...
At that time, we were informed that a Kassam rocket had been launched from Gaza directly over our base by Gaza terrorists. It was aimed for the power plant behind us, but we thank God, the Great Keeper and Guardian of Israel, that it only landed near it and not on it. I am so thankful that God truly does defend and protect His people and we have nothing to fear when we are in His will.
I want to pause a moment and share what these experiences mean to me personally. My heart is truly sold out for this tiny nation of people who struggle daily to survive against an incalculable and overwhelming evil that surrounds them. As I looked into the eyes of these young men who have lived through more than most of us will ever have to deal with, I became broken again. So very few things matter... what really matters is not what you know but who you know.
I had to shake my head and realize that I was standing in a place where very few people will ever have the chance to go. Not because I am someone "privileged" or "special", but because I chose not to be the status quo. No, nothing else really matters... your job, your bank account, your clothes, your friends or your status... your church doesn't even matter.
What matters is who you know. And I hope you know the One who gave up His very life that you may live eternally. And I hope you do all you can to spread this message to those who need to hear it.
I am not impressed with what the world considers impressive, likewise, I am not an impressive person.
I am cool with just giving my love and support to people who deserve it and being who God has created me to be.
After all,
"It's not about us, it's about them."
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.
Psalm 3:6
This is Erin reporting LIVE from Israel...
If you are interested in becoming a financial supporter of my ministry to the Jewish People of Israel , please contact my mom at kcmather3@aol.com for information on how to donate. Your support in any amount is critical and received with much gratitude and is used to go directly toward my necessities as I serve as a volunteer through Christian Friends of Israel www.cfijerusalem.org
