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Fishing for Jews in Eastern Europe

October 1, 2012

“Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth” (Isa. 43:5–6). We live in exciting times! The words of the Lord, spoken through the prophet Isaiah, are being fulfilled in our lifetime.

In His faithfulness, God is calling the Jewish people home to Israel from the four corners of the earth to return to the Land which was given to their forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Bridges for Peace has been partnering with God in this great endeavor through Project Rescue. In Jeremiah 16:15b–16a, God says, “For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers. ‘Behold, I will send for many fishermen,’ says the LORD, ‘and they shall fish them…’”

Jewish people are being located by Bridges for Peace “fishermen” in old deteriorating Soviet-style high rise apartment buildings in the major cities of the former Soviet Union. Many are found in small remote farming villages, some of them living in attics. Some have even been living in abandoned buildings with no running water, electricity, or toilets, making normal life, with even a hint of dignity, impossible. But, no matter where God’s chosen people live and in whatever conditions they are experiencing, they cannot escape the caring and loving hand of the God of Israel.

From the Coal Mines of Ukraine

One such couple that our team has been working with for many months is 39-year-old Igor and his wife of five years, 31-year-old Alda. They have a three-and-a-half-year-old son and a newborn infant. This beautiful Jewish family was found in the village of Chervonopartisansk, Ukraine, which is one of the major coal mining centers of the country situated near the Russian border.

The coal mine in Chervonopartisansk Both Igor and Alda have been working in the coal mines for several years. The coal mines of Ukraine have been listed as the most dangerous mines in the entire world. Igor spends 40 hours a week working at depths in the bowels of the earth as deep as 3,300 feet (1,006 meters) and enduring temperatures reaching as high as 130 degrees F (54.4 degrees C). Since 1991, more than 4,700 miners have been killed in mines of Ukraine. For every one million tons of coal brought to the surface, three miners are killed. For working in such dangerous life-threatening conditions, Igor is paid US $60.00 per week, and Alda was paid US $46.00 per week before she had to quit her job due to her pregnancy.

Showing his chest X-ray to our staff member, Igor explained that the black color covering most of the surface of his lungs is due to black lung, a deadly condition that affects nearly every miner in Ukraine. At the age of 39, Igor knows that his life span has been extremely shortened. Alda is suffering with the same condition.

The village of Chervonopartisansk is an extremely poor village. More than 2,000 work in the mine. There are no other jobs available locally, causing the unemployment rate to be over 35%. Due to the unemployment and the horrible living conditions, alcoholism, depression, and suicides are a common part of everyday life.

As our staff members were visiting Igor and Alda, they were shown around the two-room apartment this family calls home. Igor explained that they have no electricity, no heat in the winter time, and they only have running water for two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening. This precious couple’s life is extremely hard and difficult.

Oh, how we wish we could say that this story is an isolated one, but for every Igor and Alda, there are hundreds more Jewish families living in such conditions. When asked why they wanted to leave Ukraine and make aliyah (immigration) to Israel, Igor said through tear-filled eyes, “Alda and I and our children have no future here. The best our children could even hope for is to live a hard terrible life such as this one. This is no way for them to live.”

Help Us Change a Life

Dear Bridges for Peace friends and partners, we cannot sit idly by and allow this family, as well as hundreds of others just like them, to remain living in such terrible conditions. What kind of life will their young children have if they remain in Ukraine? Unfortunately, their misery would only be equal, if not even worse, to that their parents have experienced as they have spent their entire lives in bleak and comfortless surroundings.

Will you help us to help this family and many others like them by sharing some of the financial blessings that God has bestowed on you and your family? Your gift can change the lives dramatically. You can make it possible for Jewish people to leave for Israel—to begin brand new lives, lives of dignity, meaning, and purpose in the Land which God gave them so long ago.

If you can’t give the full amount needed, would you prayerfully consider becoming a monthly partner with Bridges for Peace? Whatever you are able to do, please remember that no gift is too small or too large. These families will be eternally grateful!

Together we can make a tremendous difference in the lives of so many of God’s chosen people living in the former Soviet Union. Families like Igor and Alda’s are waiting for their opportunity to begin their new life in Israel. Thank you so very much on their behalf. Yeshua (Jesus) said, “…inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matt. 25:40).

Blessings from Israel,

Rebecca J. Brimmer
International President and CEO