Dear Y family and friends,
​
In 1992 a group of YWAM’s international elders met on the Red Sea. It was a pivotal time in our mission as God spoke clearly, directing us as a family to be more involved in the Muslim world.  But that wasn’t all God was saying.

He also said that we needed to ‘see clearly, with both eyes so to speak. It became obvious that we were not to participate in the acrimony that exists between Christians, Arabs and Jews.’ (1)

Over the years, thousands of us have read and signed the Red Sea Covenant, which has become one of YWAM's legacy documents. In that document are 7 commitments. At this time let us reflect on commitment number 4 where we resolve to…
“Be careful to keep our vision whole,  seeing both Jews and Arabs as God’s beloved”
In this time of conflict in the Middle East, when the world is taking sides, let us strive to honor our commitment to the Lord in the Red Sea Covenant, knowing that if we carry an offense in our heart toward either people group, we may limit our anointing to reach any of them for the Kingdom. 
Instead, let us …

• repent for any thorn of offense we may carry in our hearts towards any of the peoples of these lands and turn our energy into intercession for both Jews and Arabs as God’s beloved
• pray for the whole Body of Christ in the Middle East (Messianic and Arab and international believers) to stand together in unity and service as shining lights in the midst of the darkness
• pray for the work of the Comforter among ALL the peoples in the region who may be fearful, grieving, displaced, suffering or in pain
• pray for the establishment of God’s kingdom in the Middle East and be more impressed with God than the difficulties involved

​“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
 Red Sea Covenant (1992) https://ywam.org/about-us/red-sea-covenant

Dear Y family and friends,

It is now 2 weeks since the latest escalation of violence in Israel/Palestine. As the horrific images and video footage is broadcast across the world our hearts are broken for the suffering that is taking place among both Israeli and Palestinian families. Until now, our Y family in Israel/Palestine and the wider region are all ok and most are remaining in place.

With no end in sight to the current crisis, and with the conflict spilling across borders into Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, we would like to ask our family and friends to pray:

• for an end to the violence and bloodshed
• for the Israeli hostages and for the Palestinian people in Gaza
• that the conflict will not widen to the surrounding nations
• for the Y family serving across the Middle East north region to shine with the Light of Christ in their various towns and cities
• for the dwindling Christian community in Gaza who are burying their dead and still searching for bodies in the rubble on the property of the St Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza City
• for the Messianic community in Israel, who's sons and daughters have been called up for military service

We appreciate your prayers and will try to provide an update each week with some specific prayer points. 

​Let's keep our hearts aligned with God's heart and find comfort in the words of David in Psalm 34:18: 'the Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit'.

Thank you
the Y Middle East North family

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