The heart is an organ that is not seen - unlike the hands & feet that are seen, and the voice that is heard. And yet without the heart working continuously to pump blood to the entire body, it could not function. While money can be a touchy subject, it is a fact that much of what we do to serve the people of Israel (like most ministries) cannot be accomplished without financial support. Therefore, the accounting department works as a heart to receive these funds into the ministry from the church body in the world - process them into funds that can be used - then send them back out to our ministry body to distribute as God has led those in outreach positions to the Jewish people.
My personal role in this process is accounts receivable - the intake of the funds from the church body around the world. I cannot express what an honor and a privilege it is to receive the financial support of our ministry from people all over the world. One of my favorite things to tell donors I communicate with is - "Thank you for CHOOSING to support Israel and the Jewish people." As we can see in the world around us, it's not always popular to support Israel - or the Jewish people. When people make a choice to send their money to Israel, I truly believe it is because they are being obedient to God prompting them to do so. And they will be blessed for their obedience, the Bible says so - "I will bless those who bless you..." Genesis 12:3. Like Jim and I, our ministry relies 100% on donations from those who support and believe in what we are doing - and I get to witness people obeying God in this every day!!!
Ever since high school, I have really enjoyed accounting. Yes - I even liked Algebra. Numbers are always exact, 1+1 will always be 2 - and if it's not, you figure out why. Math is something you either love or hate - God gave me a love for it - it's the way I'm made up, I've even come to realize how much I like everything in life to be in orderly little boxes. Living is Israel has helped me learn some balance with that, EVERYTHING is subject to change throughout each and every day without notice, and you must learn to deal with the ever changing situations.
I've always felt I've had a special relationship with my father in law. Maybe it is the way he loves to tease me....or how he got me to learn to love broccoli and to try new foods. But he especially proved his love and support of me early in our relationship when he encouraged me when I wanted to go to business school for accounting. Not only did he support me in this, but he even took me shopping - just the two of us - for my first business suit (a navy blue skirt with matching blazer) to wear to my graduation. It was these early beginnings that I now look back on knowing that God was preparing me for such a time as this - to serve in Israel.
I have my own little accounting world of people that I can "be a light to." Many of the people we work with are quite familiar with my "bank stories", for it's almost impossible to go to the bank here and NOT have something out of the ordinary happen - well....it may be quite ordinary for Israel, but unusual from what we are accustom to. I'm hoping I can remember a few to share what "normal" life in Israel is like on a daily basis amongst the people we serve.
One of the first relationships I formed was with a money changer. Sounds like in the Bible, huh? Well, just like in the Bible days, people pilgrimaged to Jerusalem from all over the world - they therefore, need to change their foreign currency into the local currency - the Shekel - yes, just like in the Bible, too. :) When I receive money orders from abroad, or currencies that our bank doesn't accept, I need to take them to the money changer. I'm not sure how I found the one I've been going to for the past 2 years, but his name is Moshe (Moses) and he came to Israel from NYC, so he is fluent in English.
Moshe and I had a rough beginning. He was always griping about how I needed to cash each transaction separately so I could have separate receipts, and many of them were small amounts, so it was not so convenient for him. One day, during Hanukkah, I was having an especially challenging day after having been at the bank for 2 hours(!!!). I still needed to cash some money orders with Moshe, and he started his normal ranting about how it didn't make any sense, blah, blah, blah...I was so upset, I cried all the way back to the office.
I decided I needed to form a relationship with this man, and be a light to him - he knew exactly where I was from (CFI) and I couldn't continue having this uncomfortable confrontation several times a week - and yet I knew I wasn't supposed to find a new money changer. Therefore, I baked some sugar cookies - shaped as a star of David for Hanukkah - and took them to him. I apologized for the difficult way in which I needed to do my transactions, asked for his forgiveness, told him how terribly upset I was and asked if he would like for me to find another proprietor. Wow - was he floored!!! He apologized to me, said he never meant to make me feel that way, and no, he didn't want me to go elsewhere.
Since that day, Moshe and I have had many conversations about Jewish holidays and what I believe as a Christian about these Biblical holidays. We discuss scriptures and what we see happening in the world around us. He tells me where I can get the best challah, candles, matzah, etc. And when I bring small money orders to cash, he says he knows it all adds up and it's all a gift. He is kind to everyone I send his way, giving them a good rate when they mention my name or CFI. Recently, we had a group here from Taiwan who "just happened" to use this money changer and say they were visiting CFI (I didn't tell them to go there). They told us of the money changer that was so kind to them when they mentioned CFI. They were even lost one day and couldn't find our building, so they went and asked him, and he brought them to us! Sometimes I'm in a hurry, and he wants to just talk and talk...and I engage him in these conversations, because I remember why I am here, and the people God has put in MY path.
I have soooo many bank stories, I could actually write one everyday - "adventures at Israeli banks." But I will just share some instances that really touched my heart. I always like to engage with the people I deal with - form relationships, get to know them, let them get to know me. When I go to the bank (2-3 times per week), I don't just walk up to one teller like I would in America. I drop the deposit with one person. I cash checks with another person (this can take 30-60 minutes!). If it's a really large check, I need to get approval upstairs, then go to a different person to cash it. I also need to pick up the bag from the previous deposit (from the check cashier). I then need to go upstairs to the business office to see if they have any paperwork for us, or if I have issues to discuss with them (this is 2-3 times per week as well.)
My bank adventure begins right at the front door. Every bank (and many other establishments) have security officers to check your bags before you enter. Since I am a regular, my daily routine has been a little different. The security has seemed to consist of mainly older Russian men - from a generation of genteel that is not commonly know nowadays. Therefore, with their very limited English, they stop me, take my hand and kiss it - looking me in the eyes and saying, "I love to see you every day." I was a little uncomfortable at first with this...until I realized the only intent was kindness.
I've gotten to know well the other people I deal with on a regular basis on the first floor, and we share hugs and smiles and jokes, and yes - sometimes frustrations :) All the while, they know exactly who I am and where I volunteer. Which leads me to my upstairs relationships. One day, I needed to wait on someone to get me some paperwork, so I sat down to another woman while she ate her lunch at her desk. I don't remember how the conversation began, but I told her all about what we do at CFI, and she was amazed! Every time someone would pass her desk (including her supervisor) she would stop them and tell them what we are doing. They said to me that they could not believe how much we were doing to help their people - even sometimes more than their own government. This department sees the larger donations that are transferred to our account from around the world, and now they learned we are using it to help their people. They were astounded.
All these relationships have also had me find favor at the bank - getting called up to the next teller, even when it's not my turn....willing to do favors for me immediately instead of waiting....smile & hugs with sincerity. One day, I had a small question in the upstairs office about how to obtain a copy of a transaction. All of a sudden there was 4 people working on it for me all at once! I tried to apologize if I had caused any problem....the answer back to me with a big smile was, "You did - but we love you." My heart melted.
I could tell you more, but I will end with something that happened just last week in my office. I receive in the mail a rather large check from a European country that was designated to a specific terror attack victim that our ministry has helped. I went to share this news and get specific instructions on processing the gift with the outreach coordinator and the supervisor. I wish you could have seen their faces - in amazement of how good God is! The last time the coordinator visited this recipient, they had to explain that although their needs are very great, we can only help so much as a ministry. But you know what - GOD knew this family's needs - and He spoke to this person in Europe, and He shared His heart for this family with them - and THEY OBEYED His prompting to help. This is what I am privileged to experience each and every day - people being obedient to God's promptings, God supplying people's needs, prophesy being fulfilled.
I thank you with my whole heart for your encouragement, love and support of what Jim and I are doing here in this Nation at this time. Thank you for allowing us to be vessels for Him to work through - in and out....in and out. We say we are blessing others, but truly WE are the ones blessed - but that's GOD's way. I realize this was a long blog....and no exciting pictures. Many people may not even read it - but thank you!! For hearing my heart.....
FROM JERUSALEM WITH LOVE
Linda, this is such a beautiful writing... and so inspiring! God Bless you all on your walk with Him.
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