Despite Israel facing war on seven fronts and multiple airlines cancelling flights to Israel. about 400 Christians from 54 nations arrived in the Holy Land last week to attend the annual, week-long, biblical Feast of Tabernacles gathering hosted by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ).
About 35 of the pilgrims were South Africans who made up the second-biggest national group at the gathering after a group of about 50 from Germany, said Vivienne Myburgh national director of the ICEJ’s South African branch.
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SA evangelist and intercessor Suzette Hattingh was the speaker at the opening night at Kfar Hanokdim in the desert, Myburgh told Gateway News in a phone interview from Jerusalem.
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“So, South Africa has been very prominent, which has been really wonderful,” she said.
The ICEJ has been hosting Feast of Tabernacles — known in Israel as Sukkot — gatherings in Israel since 1980. This year’s group of about 400 pilgrims was small compared with the three to 4 000 visitors that have been typical in recent years. But it was, nevertheless, the largest solidarity mission to Israel since war broke out after Hamas terrorists invaded Israel on October 7 las year, she said.
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Until the attack, Israel had been enjoying a record tourism year – but from October 8 people started cancelling their trips.
“Our tour guide said the last time he guided a tour group was when he guided us last year. And Christchurch Guesthouse, where we are staying presently, say we are the first group there since the 7th of October,” said Myburgh.
“We continue to meet people on the streets who thank us and are just so grateful. They just burst into tears when we say that we are Christians from South Africa here to bless them.”
She said that in her opening night message Suzette Hattingh spoke of Gideon’s remnant army and said God sometimes uses a smaller group to be in a certain place at a certain time.
“So it’s actually a most significant time to be here when many Israeli people are turning towards God. Christians who are coming here to show them love at a time when nobody else is coming are playing their part in softening their hearts. And we see people are more open than ever to be comforted by us,” she said.
Sukkot is meant to be a time of celebration in Israel but with hostages still held by Hamas and the ongoing loss of soldiers, it is a bittersweet time for Israelis this year. “But they choose to rejoice,” said Myburgh.
She said highlights of their time in Israel have included a solidarity visit to southern Israeli communities ravaged during the October 7 attack, the Roll Call of the Nations at the magnificent Tower of David, and the colourful Jerusalem March through Sacher Park in central Jerusalem, concluding with a time of prayer for the nation and people of Israel in front of the Knesset Menorah.
The South African group also held a meaningful time of prayer for Israel and for SA at the Sucat Hallel House of Prayer in Jerusalem. “So, we believe and trust that it is a blessing for South Africa that we have come up to Jerusalem at this time,” said Myburgh.
In a video message of welcome to the visiting Christian pilgrims, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said: “In this time of so much grief, your gathering here says clearly and loudly: there is an answer to hatred, there is an answer to brutality, there is an answer to evil. Like so many Christian communities throughout the world, you have stood with the Jewish people in our hour of darkness.”
Myburgh said Israelis deeply appreciate the work of the ICEJ in their nation, including building over 200 bomb shelters, renovating over 200 shelters and bringing 188 000 people home to Israel from the nations.
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Thank you so much! God bless and keep you.
The sentence – “ Christians who are coming here to show them love at a time when nobody else is coming are playing their part in softening their hearts”.
Quite moving.