1. Increase the feeding ministry. Poverty runs somewhere around 30% in Israel and many go hungry. We are committed to following the leading of the Lord in meeting this critical need.
2. Establish an Executive Director's job description and hire an Executive Director for the Israel work of RESCUE Israel in late February, 2007. The Executive Director will cross train with Union Gospel Missions in the United States and City Missions in Europe for several months and then return to Israel to begin the process of setting up the first godly Rescue emergency shelter program in Israel. This first shelter will be established in Tel Aviv where the greatest number of homeless resides at this time. Our vision is that the shelter established in Tel Aviv will become a model for other cities in Israel.
**In March, 2007 the board of RESCUE Israel's work in Tel Aviv selected Gene as our new director. More will be published on our website regarding this selection in the weeks ahead as we work out the details.. Also, we have modified our goal regarding shelter: we will begin with a men's addiction recovery program and move towards the opening of an emergency shelter as experience and funding allow us to do so.
3. Establish an emergency homeless shelter in mid to late 2008. The emergency shelter will become the doorway to other services and ministries. The first step is to get people "off the street". In the shelter these individuals will experience the love of God in practical ways, through loving, caring staff and volunteers and programs set up to help break the cycle of homelessness that many find themselves in bondage to. As those coming to the shelter begin to find help and hope, they will desire to make something of their lives.
Through this doorway individuals will be given the opportunity to study God's word and find that their Messiah lives. Those with alcohol/drug addictions can participate in godly, proven addiction recovery programs. Life skills programs will be offered to help with language needs, job training, family relations and many other needs.
November, 2007: the goal for an emergency shelter is delayed in favor of first establishing a recovery program for those with addictions. Gene, our new director needs time to establish a good foundation and build experience into his own life. This can be best accomplished through a small recovery program.
The eventual goal continues to be an emergency shelter.
4. Within the emergency shelter network, we will establish a medical/dental clinic for those who have no access to these services.
5. The long term goal of these programs is to help return individuals and eventually families to godly productive lives where they can contribute in positive ways to their society in Israel.
