"I couldn’t live with myself if someone died because of me..."

We want to share with you a deeply touching story from our recent trip to Kiryat Shmona, a small city located at the northernmost edge of Israel, just before the closed military zone. Most residents of Kiryat Shmona have been evacuated, but not all. Those who could not evacuate face relentless challenges, enduring daily rocket attacks, sometimes multiple times a day.

In the midst of this, we met Natalia, a 75-year-old woman who lives alone in her apartment building. For over a year, Natalia has been the sole resident left in her building; all her neighbors evacuated to central Israel. She couldn’t leave due to serious health issues.

Natalia’s apartment doesn’t have a bomb shelter, so during rocket attacks, safety protocols require her to move to the stairwell and descend several floors. Tragically, during one such attack, she suffered paralysis while on the stairwell, leaving her too afraid to leave her apartment. Now, when sirens sound, Natalia goes to her kitchen—the safest spot in her home without windows—and lies on the floor by the wall, waiting for the attacks to end.

The loneliness she endures is unimaginable. Her only regular contact is with a young woman who occasionally takes her grocery shopping. This kind helper once offered to bring Natalia groceries to avoid the trip altogether, but Natalia refused. She knew it was too dangerous to drive around the city, because a young couple had lost their lives during a rocket attack just a day before. "I couldn’t live with myself if someone died because of me," she said with tears in here eyes.

This is the heart of what we encountered—a resilient spirit yearning for connection, love, and hope.

Thanks to your generous support, we were able to spend time with Natalia, listen to her stories, and offer her meaningful encouragement. We brought her gifts for the holiday, prayed with her, and reminded her that she is not forgotten. The simple act of being there brought light to her darkened days.

Your partnership in this mission is what makes moments like this possible. Thank you for extending a hand of compassion to those in the evacuated northern cities of Israel. Your kindness is a lifeline, bringing hope and love to people like Natalia who live on the border’s edge.

May the Lord richly bless you for your generosity and care.