Our Parents were Murdered in this House

Volume 13, Number 2
www.ezrainternational.org
“Our Parents were Murdered in this House”
bathroom or running water and very
Natalia and Alyona are
little heat in the winter time. They
twins born in 1972 to a poor
had given up any idea of making
Jewish couple living in the village
repairs on the house. In the natural,
of Fastov, Ukraine in the Kiev
it looked like they had no way out with
region. These beautiful sisters
difficulties everywhere. But the God
lost their parents when they were
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew
young. During our recent visit
that
R their place was not in Ukraine
Natalia said, “our parents were
but in a country flowing with milk and
murdered in this house.” In
honey.
1996 a gang of gangsters were
Recently Natalia met an old
raiding residents of Fastov. Their
friend of their family who avowed
crimes included breaking and
Natalia, Alona, Sofia, David & Maria
that her parents were, in fact, Jewish
entering, robbery, rape, assault
Donnie Emengeger - their sponsor
and that grandparents were from the Jewish town of
and murder. Their targets were usually businessmen
Berdichev in the Zhytomry regions of Ukraine. Nearly all
and Jewish families.
of the Jewish people in that town were killed by the Nazis.
That fatal day, Natalia and Alyona were not at home.
Presently, the Ezra International staff in Kiev is
Only their parents and Natalia’s children Maria and David
working with this family and their children to find all of
asleep in their beds were at home. Early in the morning
the necessary documents needed for their aliyah. It is a
when their father went out of the house he was shot in his
costly process but God has already cared for that need.
stomach by the gangsters. He was then forced into the
During the visit in late September by the
house where he and his wife were shot in the head in front
team from America one of the team members, Donnie
of Maria and David. Natalia and Alyona felt as if the ground
Emengeger, committed to sponsoring this beautiful family
was crumbling beneath their feet. Natalia knew that she had
and agreed to pay for all of their expenses to ensure that
to go on for the sake of her children and her sister. She had
they could immigrate to Israel.
to remain strong. She knows that it was the God of Israel
This precious young Jewish family had suffered
that helped her through those terrible dark days.
enough.
It was now time for them to go home to Israel
Several years after the tragedy Alyona got married
where
they
could begin a beautiful new life filled with hope
and the two families lived together in their mother and
and dreams and laughter and God’s all consuming love.
father’s house. It seemed that everything was getting better
One kind giving person has now made it possible.
but one day both of their husbands decided to leave their
This is but one heartbreaking story of the 41,000
families almost as if they had planned this scheme together.
plus
Jewish
people that Ezra International is presently
This left Natalia and Alyona alone in their old
working
with
in 17 different countries. They are waiting for
house with Natalia’s two children and no income. Alyona
their
day
to
arrive
when they too, can leave for Israel. But
found work as a vendor on the local trains with very little
they
cannot
do
it
without
your help. Won’t you please give
pay. Natalia began breeding dogs to earn income. They
a
gift
of
any
size
to
Ezra
International
so more of God’s
tried to earn money in many different ways as they didn’t
precious
people
can
leave
for
Israel
and
experience their
have enough for food and they could buy only second hand
God
appointed
destiny?
clothes. The house was in terrible condition with no
Our Partners in Ministry
Bridges for Peace Ministry to Israel Zion Ministries
Father’s House Chesed International
Blessings Beyond Measure for the 2013
“Fishing Team” Members
Rev. Barry Wagner, Vice President of Ezra International, hosted the 2013 Jeremiah 16:16 “Fishing Trip” to Kiev and Odessa, Ukraine with a total of ten team members. During the team’s ten day program they visited several Jewish families that Ezra International is working with in preparation
for their departure for Israel. The team witnessed firsthand the terrible living
conditions of the Jewish people and the stark poverty in which they are living. The team members’ hearts were deeply touched as they listened to the Jewish families tell their stories in their own words. As each team
member embraced these needy families, for the first time in their lives they
experienced unconditional love and they wept tears of appreciation. It is so
This year’s team at the Israeli Consulate with Galina, hard for them to imagine that Christians from the other side of the world can in red, Ezra’s representative in the Odessa region
love them as much as we do.
and the Israeli Consol, Yuliad, in black
The team also visited several holocaust sites in Kiev and Odessa where thousands of Jewish people were massacred
by the Nazis. The team visited with the children of Father’s House, an orphanage that Ezra International co-sponsors outside
of Kiev which gives street children a wonderful opportunity for a good life filled with love, compassion and hope.
Barry’s team also visited the Israeli Consul in Odessa and learned firsthand how Ezra International is working hand in
hand with the Israeli government and the Jewish agency to aid their people
in their immigration to Israel.
This year’s team members were:
Kayron Allred, Crossville, TN
Donnie Emengeger, Melbourne, FL
Benjamin and Joanne Jaworski, North Haverhill, NH
Rev. Matthew Moore, Lithia, FL
Misti Price, Mt. Juliet, TN
Rhonda Rardin, Southport, NC
Ronald Sharp, Nahunta, GA
Barry Wagner with Dina, a stroke victim who is
Suzanne Whitlock, Lascassas, TN
completely paralyzed. One of the families the team
visited in Odessa
Below is one of the team member’s testimony of what this trip meant to her:
I would like to thank the Lord and you, Rev. Wagner, for this very blessed trip. This trip was very
fulfilling and uplifiting. I cannot get these precious Jewish families out of my mind. I have been praying
for them to be able to go back to their homeland. I know these “Chosen People” of God will go home to Israel.
The Lord will not abandon them. I have experienced what very few will ever experience. I do not know why the
Lord chose me, but He does know how much I love Him and His precious people. I have always had a
heart for His Chosen People.
Today is my first day back at work. I felt I did not belong here at work, that I belong somewhere else but I
know this is my calling. I was checking a 1st grader’s homework today that he did not finish. His parent
wrote, “Could not do this part of the homework because Danny does not have colored pencils.” How spoiled
and selfish we all are at times with so much need all around us. I just spent several days in Ukraine with
many children who have absolutely nothing. The Lord has blessed me so much and I feel Him by my side.
Shalom, Shalom
Rhonda
Instant Info:
Between 1939 and 1953 thousands of Jewish people were exiled by
Stalin in Magadan, Russia, the Siberia region of the Far east.
From the Four Corners
of the Earth
“And He will lift up a standard for the nations and will
assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the
dispersed of Judah from the four corners
of the earth.” Isaiah 11:12
Even the remote jungles of the Amazon cannot hide God’s chosen people from His face.
Iquitos is the city known as the capital of the Peruvian Amazon.
It is the 5th largest city in Peru with a population of over 420,000
and is situated in the north east of the country. Iquitos is unusual
in that it has no roads going in or going out of the city - it can only be
reached by boat via the Amazon River or by plane.
Jewish people mainly went to Iquitos during the rubber boom in the late
1800s and early 1900s. There is evidence of Jewish life there in the Jewish graveyard
and store signs displaying Jewish names.
Jewish people are now returning to Israel from this remote part of
the world as God is calling His people from the four corners of the earth!
When they leave Iquitos they are able to bring only one suitcase of 30kg per
Shop Owner person which means they arrive in Israel with virtually nothing. Many of those
Cohen
returning now will go to the city of Ramla, not far from Jerusalem. Ezra
International’s founder, Mel Hoelzle along with Ministry to Israel’s founder,
Michael Utterback, has worked hand in hand with the mayor of Ramla for their
city to receive these Peruvian Jewish families. However, they will go to empty
apartments and Ezra International, in partnership with Ministry to Israel, has committed $20,000 to help pay for some basic
household items for those returning, such as kitchen appliances, furniture and household items.
The first group arrived at the end of June this year; an additional 20 left Iquitos on August 18th and flew to Israel from
Lima a week later in three groups. The next group is expected to arrive after the Jewish Fall Feasts in October and then
groups are expected every month or so for the next year.
Michael Utterback, director of Ministry to Israel
with Peruvian Jews in Ramla, Israel
This migration of these Jewish families has only been possible because of
Christians across the USA and Canada standing with Ezra International financially
and prayerfully. There are so many more precious families just waiting in this
jungle city of the Amazon for their turn to leave for Israel but they cannot leave
until the necessary funds are available to assist them.
Will you prayerfully consider becoming a modern day Oskar Schindler or a Corrie ten Boom by sending your largest tax
deductible financial gift possible to Ezra
International today?
You need only to fill out the corresponding response form attached to
this article on the reverse side of this page and return it along with your check
or credit card information to: Ezra International, P.O. Box 120926, Clermont, FL
34712-0926.
May we thank you in advance on behalf of this young mother and
daughter for what you are about to do? Thank you so very much.
Rev. Barry L. Wagner
Vice President
Ezra International
Rescuing. Returning. Restoring.
Young Jewish mother of Iquitos, Peru
with Daughter
Two Churches
REPLY CARD
Yes, Barry I want to support Ezra International’s work of bringing the Jewish families
to Israel from the Amazon jungle city of Iquitos, Peru
Recognized For
Their
Faithful Support
Recently, Rev. Richard Wagner,
Director of Church Relations
for
Ezra International,
and his wife, Joan,
were blessed to take some time
away from their busy schedule
to honor
two churches for their
faithful support
of
Ezra International.
I would like to make a ONE-TIME GIFT OF $______________________
I would like to donate $______________________ EACH MONTH TO THIS PROJECT
My Credit Card Information:
Credit Card #:_________-_________-_________ Expiration Date: _______________
Name on Card: _________________________________________________________
My Card Is: AmEx________ Visa________ Master Card________ Discover________
Telephone: _____________________________________
Please send future copies of the Ezra News Letter via e-mail:
Name: _________________________________________________________________
E-Mail Address: _________________________________________________________
A13KJA
WINNER’S CHURCH
Richard & Joan Wagner with
Dr. Fred Shipman
Dr. Fred Shipman, pastor of Winner’s
Church of West Palm Beach, Florida, was
presented with a special award by Richard &
Joan Wagner, for his ongoing support and the
faithfulness of his congregation. This church
has been supporting Ezra International for
approximately six years on a monthly basis and
has assisted over fifty Jewish people to make
their return to Israel. God spoke to Pastor Fred
and impressed upon him to become involved in
this end time ministry. Winner’s Church is a
thriving church with a great heart for missions.
We are so thankful that Pastor Fred was obedient
to God and included Ezra International in their
missions giving budget. We also want to thank
their missions’ pastors, Don and Kay Trenschel
who have been key people in this commitment.
May God continue to richly bless this
church, its leadership
and its wonderful people!
SNEADS PENTECOSTAL
HOLINESS CHURCH
Richard Wagner and Pastor Jimmy Wright
In a special service in September,
Richard Wagner was blessed and honored
to present Pastor Jimmy Wright and the
members of Sneads Pentecostal Holiness
Church of Sneads, FL with a special award for
their ongoing support of the work and ministry
of Ezra International for over eight years on a
monthly basis. This congregation has helped
more than sixty precious Jewish people to
make their aliyah (immigration) to Israel.
Pastor Jimmy and his congregation have been
blessed financially, spiritually and numerically
since becoming involved with Israel through
Ezra International. They have also been able
to recently remodel their entire church.
Thank you Pastor Jimmy and
your congregation for blessing so many
Jewish people through your monthly
support of Ezra International.
If you would like to schedule a service with Richard, please call (904) 860-8113
www.ezrainternational.org
“My Children Are Always Sick --
because of Living in this Damp Basement”
During our recent visit to the family of
Dmitriy and Irina, this mother of three boys told us,
“My children are always sick because of living
in this damp musty basement.” Dmitriy and
Irina both have a higher education but it has done
them little good. Irina’s specialty is in the Russian
Language and literature. Teachers in the former
Soviet Union countries have extremely low salaries.
Irina recently lost her job due to staff reductions and
cut backs so now she has no work and no income
to help with family expenses.
Her husband, Dmitriy works at the National
Institute of Cancer hospital in Kiev. He is an
electrician by trade. The Institute doesn’t have
housing available for its employees as some
institutions have and this family cannot afford to
rent an apartment. For now the cancer institute
has allowed them to live in two small rooms in the
basement of the hospital but there is no kitchen or
bathroom. It is very wet, damp and moldy there. It
has affected the entire family’s health. Most of the
money that Dmitriy makes is spent on medicine for
the children.
In spite of their horrible living conditions
this precious Jewish family continues to hope for a
better life in the future. Dmitriy and Irina realize that
their three sons have no kind of future in Ukraine
and somehow they must get them to Israel. At
present they are unable to leave due to lack of the
required documents that will prove that they are
Jewish.
Sveta, Tiesa and the rest of the Ezra
International staff in Kiev are working tirelessly
on finding the needed documents in the archives
which is a daunting task but with God’s help it will
be accomplished. We all know that as badly as this
family wants to go home to Israel and as badly as
we at Ezra International want them to go home to
Israel, God wants it even more.
Will you please pray for this family, that all
necessary documents will be found and that funding
will be available to cover all of the costs of their
immigration? Together we can make it happen.
Thank you so much on this family’s behalf for your
love, your prayers and your concern.
Instant Info:
Grigoriy 14, Irina 49, Ivan 7 and Dmitriy 63
Mikhail 17 not at home
Genesis 12:3
“I will bless those who bless you!”
We would like to challenge pastors
to pray about becoming a monthly
partner with Ezra International as
many others have done.
No gift is too small.
Just $1.00 a day will bring one
Jewish person home in one year.
We appreciate everyone who has
invited us to speak in their churches
and who support us monthly and
give sacrificially to
this ministry!
Average temperature during January in the interior of Siberia is -36F. Many homes and apartments are without heat.
From Ezra’s Mailbag
It is always such a blessing to receive letters from the many Jewish people Ezra International
has assisted in their return to Israel. It is only through your
continuing financial gifts that make their new lives possible. Here are
two of those precious families
Thank-You For Your Kindness
You Are Truly Righteous Gentiles
“Clara and I, Vadim, would like to express
our big and sincere gratitude to Ezra International
represented by Nadezhda Chicherina for all of the
help with the preparation of our travel documents.
It so happened that we had great difficulties in our
family caused by the illness of our daughter. Thanks
to the much needed financial help your fund and the
American Christians gave us, we had the possibility
to realize our dream - to leave for the Promised Land
Israel.
Thank you so very much! We bow to the
people who are always ready to come to the rescue.
Each of you are truly righteous Gentiles.”
“We are sincerely thankful to Ezra Fund and
all the Christian donors for the spiritual and financial
support at that time when our family had great
difficulties. Your support given to us at just the right
time helped us to quickly prepare all our documents for
our repatriation to Israel.
We wish your fund and your donors prosperity
and good health. And we also wish you in the future
to have the possibility to help those people who are in
difficult situations but have a strong desire to leave for
their motherland Israel. We wish you every happiness
and we thank you for your kindness toward us!”
Yours faithfully,
Vadim & Clara (far right)
Daughter (center)
granddaughter & close friend
Olga, Sergey & Little Darya,
formerly of
Rybnitsa, Moldova
End of Tax Year is Just Around The Corner
December 31, 2013
With the end of the 2013 tax year just around the corner many wonderful people from across the country
find it much more satisfying, rewarding and more productive to give a sizeable last minute tax
deductible gift to charitable organizations such as Ezra International instead of
those extra funds going to the I.R.S. in the form of additional taxes.
Please be reminded that every dollar given to
Ezra International is 100% tax deductible.
At present, Ezra International is assisting over 41,000 Jewish people to make their aliyah to Israel.
There are so many families who are just waiting for the financial assistance that is so
desperately needed to make it possible for them to leave
for their “Promised Land.”
Will you prayerfully consider giving a special end of the year tax deductible gift to the work and ministry
of Ezra International so we can bring more of these needy families home to Israel?
Ezra News