ISRAEL: God at work in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Ashdod (from Dov and Olga)

Ministry update – Tanya and other news

Dear praying friends, first of all I would like to share this verse with you; it has been a great encouragement to me recently: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

Last week we, believers who are helping Tanya in different ways, gathered together to discuss the developments in her life for the last half a year – since she left the shelter for victims of human trafficking and moved to Haifa. There were five people present at this meeting: a minister who is taking care of Tanya’s spiritual life (he and his wife hold Bible Studies at her home and bring her to church on Saturdays), another believer who gives Tanya practical advice in adjusting to her new independent life, two women from an organization that provides legal and social assistance to victims of human trafficking, and me (who is responsible for the financing of this whole project). Besides all of us, Tanya is also getting help regularly from a Christian psychologist and from a support group (organized by a secular organization that readily cooperates with believers).

During this meeting we all agreed that what we had heard from the very beginning was true: Tanya’s case is one of the most difficult ones. When she was just a teenager she lived with a rich man who abused her, but every time she ran away from him, her mother sent her back... At the age of 18 she got trapped into sexual slavery and was brought to Israel, where she, together with other women, was kept in a locked apartment that more resembled a barn than a real house. They were permitted to leave the place only for “work” and were always accompanied by “bodyguards” who made sure they would not run away. One day Tanya tried to escape, but the panders caught her and beat her up, breaking her ribs.

Sadly, these traumas of Tanya’s past still influence many aspects of her life… Nevertheless all those who were present at our meeting agreed that we did see changes for the better. Tanya loves the Scriptures and regularly attends church services and Bible studies (though we are not sure yet that she has been born again). She also copes with her everyday tasks and duties better. What seriously disturbs me, however, is that she failed to find a job and has worked very little for this half a year – though we all understand it is not easy to be hired without citizenship and without documents (and with little children who are in the kindergarten only till 1:30 pm). Tanya is trying to get Israeli citizenship to be able to receive a single mother’s allowance, but the process can take several years. Meanwhile we are the only providers of the family (that needs about $1000 per month), and will be fulfilling this obligation for another half a year, as we promised. This is going to be very difficult for us, though, since when we made this promise I truly hoped she would start working and earn at least half of the sum. We are not a mission or humanitarian organization and do not have much money at our disposal. So I am afraid if Tanya is still unable to support herself financially after this half a year is over, we will be forced to look for another women's shelter for her (though it would definitely be a “step back”). In addition, if Tanya does not get on her feet eventually, the authorities can still take her kids and deport her from the country. Please pray for this situation and for Tanya to realize its seriousness and do everything in her power to change it.

Please pray for the people from our Bible study group in Ashdod. About a year and a half ago we started weekly Bible studies with parents of drug addicts. The meetings went very well in the beginning, but then people started to leave (for different reasons) and in April the group broke up. One of the women, however, did grow spiritually during this time and says she is going to stay with us and even help us in our ministry to prostitutes.

Instead of this Bible study in Ashdod we are going to resume our table evangelism activities in Tel-Aviv (which we had to stop about a year ago because of the opposition from an anti-missionary organization "Yad Le-Achim" and for some other reasons). We will set our table with Bibles, tracts and other literature at a new location Tel-Aviv addicts have chosen for hanging out and we will witness to them – as well as to any passersby. Please pray.

Thank you and may God bless you all,
Dov and Olga Bikas