Michael Natt- Israel updates

Our FSI Prayer Coordinator has completed a 40-day prayer journey in Israel and will be returning home shortly. Below is his most recent email update.

My wife Cheryl and I spent six weeks in Jerusalem in 1976.  Life in Jerusalem became very ordinary for us, so we didn’t take many pictures.  48 years later, I wish we had taken more.  Thank God for lessons learned, and an iPhone, which has enabled me to do a better job of recording memories this time around.

Now that I am four weeks into my journey, I can divulge to my wife that I saw the Iron Dome defense system intercept a Hezbollah rocket during my trip to Sefad three weeks ago.  Sefad is currently the northern edge of Israeli habitation, as more than 80,000 people have been forced to vacate their homes in the towns on Israel’s northern border.  This is out of the ordinary for me, but it has been the way of life for my friend David who grew up in the northern town of Kiryat Shmona.

I am living with Glenn & Coralie Rowbotham and other guests at the Elohim House of Prayer (ELHOP) located in the Druze village of Isfya on Mt. Carmel. We meet mornings and evenings for prayer five days a week, and each gathering has been extraordinarily unique.

We also meet twice a week for worship gatherings at Kehilat HaCarmel (The Congregation of Carmel).  I have met and built relationships with many extraordinary people there.  Everyone has a unique story of how the Lord led them to make Aliyah (immigration) to Israel.  The word ‘Aliyah’ literally means ascent.  Although life is challenging here, no one descends to the Land of Israel; it is an ascent, an upward calling.

I have met native Israelis Arabs like Johnnie (formerly called Jihad) who was delivered from hatred and addictions and is now serving other men seeking deliverance in the House of Victory. And native Israel Jews like Dani Sayag, Senior Pastor of Kehilat HaCarmel, who encountered Yeshua while serving in the Israeli military.

Although I am a sojourner in the Land of Promise, I have been on a journey of ascent.  To quote Alex Haley, author of the book Roots, who said when he discovered his tribal roots in Gambia, "Kunta Kinte, I found you!" I too have found my roots in Eretz Yisrael, and they have grown deeper in this Land.

And, I have met other sojourners from the nations.  Like 21-year-old Natan whose father is an Ethiopian Jew, and his mother is from South Africa.  They all live in Sweden.  After completing his military service, Natan decided to spend several weeks in Israel volunteering before beginning his studies at the university.

Lorena was born in Chile, and moved to Australia when she was three years old.  She has four sons with her husband Ian.  They now live in Thailand where they serve God in worship and outreach ministries.  They were moved by God to sojourn in this land for several months.

We are all walking this journey and worshiping together in these extraordinary days at the Elohim House of Prayer.

If you would like to receive Michael's newsletter email updates, please contact him at mikenatt@aol.com.