December 2024 - A Blessed Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas! The message of Christmas - God became a man and dwelt among us - it’s a message of Light to a dark world; a message of love in a world of hate, and a message of hope to a world looking for answers. Jesus, the Word of God became flesh to give us hope and salvation.
It was a tough year of wars in the Middle East, yet we still had great opportunities to witness and to bring hope. Breaking news is that of more turmoil in the Middle East with the overthrow of Assad’s regime in Syria. We need to pray that good and just leadership will come in to fill the void.
In the Holy Land there are many people who lost their loved ones and had their homes and livelihoods destroyed. Many Gazan people were in the West Bank or elsewhere when the war in Gaza started, and they are now displaced or refugees. War is terrible but God is in control. He can turn things into sweetness and we can show the love of God and have opportunities to present Jesus and offer to them the salvation He gives.
My going into Bethlehem this Christmas season will bless and put smiles of the faces of the refugees and the local people whose businesses have been closed and where tourism has been cut off. We will invite them to a Christmas feast to celebrate Jesus. Many do not feel like celebrating but even in sorrow the joy the Lord shines through. We will pray the war will end and pray for a harvest of souls. Christians in the Holy Land are a minority within a minority, but they are trying to shine the Light and we need to stand with them, comfort them and bring the good news that God has not abandoned them.
I will have Christmas outreaches in Nazareth, Cana, and in several churches in the north Galilee where missiles have been fired and it is under constant threat. The highlight will be in the Bethlehem area. One evangelistic campaign will be in Beit Sahour (the area of the Shepherd Fields) and another in Bethlehem where we are anticipating 800 to 1000 people to come for a free Christmas meal and I will share a Christmas message of salvation. Many Gazan people will be invited to come.
To give you some info about the Holy Land: There are roughly 9 million people living in Israel. The majority are Jews from various countries and backgrounds. 20 % of Israeli citizens are Arabs, with the majority being Muslim and with 160,000 Christians of various denominations. Of this, 4000 are evangelicals. A wonderful report is that there are more than 12,000 Messianic Jews. In the West Bank there are 40,000 Christians (Mostly nominal), and 700 Samaritans. In Gaza there were more than 2 million people with the vast majority being Muslim and only about 700 Christians. It is hard to know the numbers now since the war began.
Let us commit to pray! We continue to pray for the suffering people Lebanon. Thank you to all who gave toward helping the needy people of Lebanon on Giving Tuesday! I will send a report soon of how we provided aid.
We also continue to pray for the people of Gaza both inside and outside the region. We pray all hostilities in the Middle East will cease. The only answer and the only peace comes from Jesus, the Prince of Peace of whom the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth!” It was in the skies above the manger where the baby Jesus lay, that the angelic host proclaimed the Good News of the promised Messiah’s coming. It is sad that today in the same region there is no peace, yet in the hearts of the many believers Christ’s peace reigns. We pray for many more this Christmas season to accept the Lord Jesus into their hearts!
As we near the end of the year, please remember to contact us with your best donation. All donations received before midnight on the 31st will be issued a 2024 income tax receipt. Since we are still having a postal strike in Canada, may I suggest you go online to donate? Our website donation link or you may E-transfer your donation to LFAN@LFAN.COM.
I am so thankful to the Lord for helping us this year! 2024 was a year of many trials, but we have overcome! God is so good! Thank you so much for your support, both by monetary giving and by praying for us. We truly are victorious through Christ!
May God bless you abundantly and on behalf of the Light For All Nations team - Joseph, Manal, May, Mina, Ellen and many others, may you have a wonderful Christmas with your family. May God bless you with health, peace and joy!
Your Brother in Christ,
Nizar Shaheen
