A group of 29 children and 8 adults from North America came to Israel to meet other Israeli Jewish and Arab children. The ministry organization is based in Korea, but the group that came to Israel this past July was comprised of children who are currently living in New Jersey, New York, Texas, California, Seattle, Vancouver, and Toronto.
Heather, one of the leaders of the children’s group, said that the goal is for the children to make friends.
The children visited both Hebrew-speaking and Arabic-speaking Messianic/Christian congregations in Israel. They even learned a little Hebrew and Arabic before the trip. Heather said that the children want to tell the Israeli believing children that “there are other kids out there who have the same faith, who are praying for you, that they aren’t alone, and that we are one.”
The children also performed skits and sang songs on the streets of Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities. When asked what was the reaction of the Israeli public, Heather said that “the children said the people are really nice and open to talk and that we are having way too much fun in Israel.”
This is only the second time that the North American children’s group has come to Israel, but many groups from the ministry organization in Korea have visited Israel in the past. Heather said that another outcome of the trip is that “the eyes of the children are opened to see that what they see about Israel in the media is not everything.”