Tikvah Rabah

It is sad to think it has been thirteen months since our last blog post.  Pitiful.  You might be thinking TR just shriveled up and faded away.  Actually, it  is just the opposite! G-d seems to have us on a fast track and quite frankly, it is a bit hard to keep up sometimes!  As far as social  media goes, it is easier to keep up on Facebook and Instagram (Twitter is a distant third).  My goal is to brush off the dust on this blog and share on a more consistent basis.   So, here's a sleek preview of what has been going on in our world.  Shalom!  

Seven.  The number of completion.  Seems so fitting that our first shipment of quilts to Holocaust Survivors in Israel would be seven.   Thanks to all who participated!  There were countless hours of ironing, cutting, designing, pinning, tying, sewing and praying that went into this project!!   And we've only just begun.  Todah! The journey continues Sunday, October 19 1 - 4.

Our group of dedicated crafters met on September 14th to complete our first quilts!  The air was buzzing with excitement as we spread our efforts across TWO ROOMS in our congregation.   After each quilt was smoothed and ready, we offered heartfelt prayers to the Heavenly throne that Yeshua (Jesus) would use these gifts of our hearts to erase the pain in the Survivor's hearts.  May the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) wrap these Survivors in His love and reveal Yeshua to them.   We were blessed to have experienced quilters to help us figure out the ins and outs - and those of us with less experience quickly got into the groove.   We've only just begun ... Join the Journey - we meet again Sunday, September 28th 1-4.   All skill levels welcome.   (Enjoy these pictures by Heidi)

Quilting Update: We had a wonderful time on Sunday with our quilting project! Twelve wonderful ladies gathered to iron, cut, design and sew quilt tops. Our next regular quilting event is Sunday, September 14th at 1:00 pm. Now, for some news from Glenda: SAVE THE DATE!!!! Dudley and Raven Goff, founders of Israel Food Outreach which supplies dried soup mix to the poor and quilts for the holocaust survivors in Israel, are here in Portland and would like to meet with us! Tikvah Rabah, Rehoboth's ministry to the survivors and the poor, has partnered with Israel Food Outreach in making quilts for the survivors (see pictures from last week!). The Goffs and Nancy Hook (who we met previously) have made time in their schedule to meet with anyone who is interested in learning more about their ministry and of course, with our Tikvah Rabah crafters, on Sunday, August 31, at 2:00 at Rehoboth. Dudley very much wants to make this connection with us in person regarding th...

With all the gorgeous fabric we've been blessed with receiving, my mind is focused on quilts these days.  I listen intently to Glenda and Sally as they chatter excitedly about plans and strategies to set this new task of making quilts for Holocaust Survivors in Israel in motion. We are all VERY excited to roll out this project on August 3rd during our next craft-a-long and if you're in the Vancouver/PDX area we hope you'll join us at 1:00 pm.  We will watch a short video detailing the specifications set forth by Israel Food Outreach and Gleanings for the Hungry.   And with that said, here's a #throwbackthursday #tbt picture of a very sweet quilt Carol made for "our" adopted survivor, Yafim, that we sent for his birthday earlier this year.  

Glenda was blessed to find a yard sale featuring only fabric!  We got such a beautiful selection at a bargain price.  He IS The G-d who provides for our needs.   We're feeling very blessed as we move towards partnering with Israel Food Outreach and Gleanings for the Hungry in the Quilts for Holocaust Survivor Project.   We look forward to having  you join us on Sunday, August 3rd as we introduce the project! We meet at Rehoboth Messianic Congregation from 1-4.  Light refreshments served.   ** non- sewers welcome to come and bring their craft projects as well ** Rehoboth Messianic Congregation is located at:  3504 NE 49th St in Vancouver, WA.  

For nearly 6 weeks, we have been focused on producing dresses for girls in Israel. For the most part,the talented sewers of Tikvah Rabah have been stitching together some adorable dresses were made out of pillow cases.   A few non-sewers wanted to participate and so a few of the dresses were purchased new while others were purchased used.   It was an interesting walk in faith as the final dresses counted - you  wonder, how close did we get our goal of 100?  Oh Please, L-rd, let us get to 100!  It felt like when the L-rd multiplied the loaves and fishes, and I think I heard Him say "oh ye of little faith".   But, as so often is the case, the L-rd provided MORE than our expectations!   Thank you to all who assisted the project in any of the many ways.  Won't you please pray with us that the girls in Israel be blessed by our gifts of love and more importantly, that the love of Messiah will renew them as He calls them into His Kingdom? Drum roll,...

If you love Israel, your mind is probably tied up with the military action going on right now.   As we near completion of the dress project, I want to give you a moment to reflect on some beauty in this world - designed and created by Sally and Heidi.   Enjoy what is lovely today!  

We have several scheduling conflicts with trying to squeeze in a Craft-a - Long in July.  After careful consideration, we have decided to have our next event August 3rd 1:00 tp 3 or 4 ish. This will be an important meeting to attend as we reveal our newest project and I'm sure you won't want to miss it!   I have often felt that this ministry is gently unfolding - similar to how a tea bud reveals itself in hot water. The L-rd has taken our hands and slowly guided us step by step down what sometimes feels like our feet unsure along a rocky path.  But, as we know, (and I hope YOU do know) that Yeshua is our Safety Net and He never takes us where we "can't" go.  I've heard it said:  "Yeshua doesn't always call the equipped but He always equips the called".  And, when He finds us faithful with little, He gives us more.   As we wrap up the sewing of 100 pillowcase dresses for immigrant girls, and as we have gathered nearly 400 hats for H...

Here's five facts for this Friday: According to a survey in 2012 by the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims in Israel: * Tens of thousands of elderly Holocaust Survivors in Israel live in abject poverty, unable to afford basic essentials  * One in five Holocaust Survivors in Israel is hungry * 14% are financially unable to purchase necessary medications * More than 2/3 of the Survivors have incomes of half the median in Israel * 40% of Survivors often feel very lonely and rarely leave their homes for activities or entertainment.  Their number one complaint is simple loneliness as many of them have no living relatives.   The majority of the Survivors have lived their lives without understanding the love of their Messiah.  Our desire is to show them Kindness and Compassion, doing what we can to honor and bless them in tangible ways.  We can help them live out their remaining years with dignity, feeling the love of and care ...

Prayer and money.  The two most important things a ministry, especially a ministry in Israel, needs. But when we started Tikvah Rabah, we all had a desire to do something tangible to bless the Holocaust Survivors.  The L-rd led us to Brian Slater of Yeshua's Fresh Bread - a soup kitchen and food distribution center in beautiful Netanya, Israel.  Yeshua's Fresh Bread not only works with about 400 Holocaust Survivors, they also assist immigrants who are struggling to acclimate to a land and culture foreign to them.   For months, the dedicated crafters in our congregation Rehoboth Messianic Congregation, as well as the crafters from Minihaha Grange and Crossroads Community Church (all located in Beautiful Vancouver, Washington) have been knitting, crocheting, and sewing hats and scarves for the Holocaust Survivors.   Our first shipment of scarves and hats (30 each) were taken to Israel by a group of people from Tennessee - they go to Israel every year to work alon...