An Exciting Opportunity with Isam Ghattas and Manara International
The Blessed Olive Tree
On his recent trip to the Holy Land, Isam Ghattas of Manara International in Jordan was continually impressed by the Olive Tree – one of God’s best blessings. Here is how he described the experience and what he decided to do about it.
“We were privileged to see the Mount of Olives, where Jesus labored in prayer His final night before Good Friday. We witnessed fields of blessing with some olive trees dating back 2,000 years to Roman rule. The olive tree with its immense natural health benefits also signifies peace and plenty. The olive tree has created a new desire in me – an idea that I pray will also inspire you.
One of our dreams at Manara International is, with your help, to plant and grow a new Mount of Olives in Jordan. One thousand blooming new olive trees in Moab, the southern region, the land of Ruth (Daniel 11:41) and an adjoining mountainous property. One thousand beautiful new olive trees to herald the coming of one thousand years of peace at the return of Our Lord. One thousand fruitful new olive trees with all their healthy benefits for people and the environment within the next 3-4 years. On the land, there are already 200 planted trees, but our aim is to plant 800 more olive trees. We also have water storage of 220 cubic meters which is ready to irrigate the olive trees.
Our cost is $60 for each olive tree. After planting these trees of peace in your name, we will send you pictures of their progress along with our gratitude for helping us achieve this vision. I thank you, and even the honey bees will thank you, for being a part of a new Mount of Olives in Moab, Jordan. Thank you once more for your support in the past, and for continuing to serve with us at Manara International. Please feel free to participate in this new green effort which we pray will bring glory to Our Lord. You can send your gifts to the Hope Builders International address below or give here on the website. Simply put Olive trees for Jordan in the memo box.
Hope Builders International
PO Box 91359
Austin, TX 78709
USA
With grateful thanks and love in Christ,
Isam and The Manara International Team
This month, Manara was able to provide over 275 people with a hot meal; rice, sauce and meat, with a drink. They were invited to gather in a large church hall and enjoy eating their meal without worry.
The first summer camp of this year has started with great excitement and a lot of preparation. There are around 120 campers who are attending the camp and 35 volunteers who are able to serve the campers and lead them in these five days. The influence of Camp Gilead cannot be overestimated for during these summer weeks many Middle Eastern young people commit to following the Lord Jesus.
Our partners at Manara International are working on various projects that aim to comfort and support as many Christian refugees as possible. Thank you for your compassion and for your friendship. You are a constant encouragement to all those working with Manara and the people that they serve.
We are very happy to share this news with you! We were recently able to open a mobile clinic in Erbil. The mobile clinic has been opened this month and is ready to serve everyone who is in need of medical attention and cannot afford it. This mobile clinic contains five different medical specializations, general doctor, gynecology, pharmacy, lab and dentist. It is located near to one building where refugees are living in Erbil, Northern Iraq.
We thank God for his provision and we pray this clinic will be a source of comfort for those who are in desperate need.
This month, we were able to visit two different centers where a large number of Christian Iraqi refugees reside. They received a hot meal, food parcels, shoes, boots, warm winter jackets and toys for the children. Each child also received a special bag filled with various kinds of snacks.
The streets of Kurdistan’s largest city are lined with children begging for money, for food, for anything to ease their suffering. Displaced families are everywhere; in tents and churches and unfinished buildings.
Bandewya is a Christian village, population 800. Many people from Mosul ran away to this village for protection from ISIS. We arrived with two trucks filled with basic necessities. We were able to distribute mattresses, warm covers for winter, food parcels, and heaters. Soon, the snows will come, threatening the lives of those who are not equipped to survive.
The families were very thankful and appreciative; no one has ever tried to reach them before. They understood the risks we took to get there. They told us they can hear bombs exploding and the crack of rifle fire from the valley below and said they will have to flee to Erbil soon, because ISIS is getting closer.
Many churches have opened their doors to welcome them and help them with accommodations. This group of Iraqi Christians have been living in the Assyrian Church; the living and sleeping arrangements are very uncomfortable for them as they have to share their rooms with others families. Unfortunately, not all have rooms to sleep in; the church’s basement hall has also been turned into sleeping quarters. They have put up wooden dividers to separate between each area. They also share a bathroom made up of two stalls. They also shared their heartbreaking stories with us. No one has hope of ever returning back to their homeland, as one young man said “I would have never thought of leaving Iraq, now we have no place to go back to, no home, no business, no schools and no cars. 
Almost all of them do not have clothes for the winter season. Many need basic items for their children, such as diapers and personal hygiene items. Many need medicines that they can not afford to buy. So we took this opportunity to plan our next visit according to their schedule, which was the following Sunday. They were invited to eat a hot meal by another church. So we prepared boxes of clothes enough for 170 people, specifically winter clothes, for people of all ages so that they would at least have a long sleeve shirt and a coat to keep them warm. Children also received teddy bears and toys as presents. The future is unclear; they do not know where they will go and what will happen to them. Some wish to leave to Jordan and start a new life elsewhere while others do not want to leave and hope they can build a new life here. Until they are able to make decisions, they need our help and support to live a somewhat normal life. If the Lord leads you to share a special gift today to help us minister to those in need and demonstrate his love, you may send it to the address below or give online using the website link:
Isam Ghattas of Manara Ministries, phoned with joy as the container from Virginia bringing clothing, blankets, medical supplies and food arrived in Amman, Jordan. These goods are destined to help thousands of Syrian refugees who have been forced to leave Syria. Isam ministers to both Christians and not yet Christians who continue to suffer from this terrible tragedy which still has no end in sight. A second container containing shoes, hygienic supplies, cooking oil, soap and many other items left last week headed for Amman.
Besides this ministry of love, Manara is hosting its annual summer program of outreach to youth at Camp Gilead. This program, unique in the Middle East, brings the gospel to life for young people who need to know there is a God who loves them.
