Pasteur Daniel

Raphaël’s Testimony Maalé-Adoumim – Israel)

I was born in France in 1959. My mother was an Algerian Jew and my father was French. He was Catholic by tradition. Both parents did not practice their belief.

My childhood was disturbed because my mother was often absent. I was obsessed by the idea that she was chased by the Nazis. This increased the Shoah shock. She had to be treated at psychiatric hospital where she spent most of her life.

At the age of 18, my mum at long last came back home declaring her faith in Jesus who had healed her. It was true but this miracle did not make us have faith in Jesus. My mother led her faith in secret.

At the age of 21, I left my parents’ house to a foreign country. I began to read the Bible during my journey to Senegal. That was the time I experienced the power of God that set me free from drug addiction through the name of Yechoua. I recognised the Saviour Jesus as the Messiah by reading the “new testament” and I discovered the history of my mother’s people (Israel) by reading the “old testament”. That was when I decided to be Israelite and believe in Jesus the Messiah and Saviour of nations.

Despite my attachment to Africa and affection for its inhabitants, in 1984, I decided to leave them and settle in Israel. It was only in 1988, together with my husband, that I made my “definite alya”, which means immigration.

We have 6 nice children and live at Maalé- Adoumim that means « Adoumim Hill» in English. It is a Jew city of 30 000 inhabitants located 15km from Jerusalem (East), towards “The Dead Sea”, which is located in Judea desert.

This city was built by the Israelites on a land conquered in Jordan in 1967, during the six day war. This place was a complet desert 20 years ago. Currently, it is a grassy area with parks, primary and secondary schools, shopping centers, cultural places, libraries, football parks and a swimming pool.

Nations call the city « Jew colony ». Palestinians claim the land so that they can add it to their future state. Actually, Palestine has never been a nation or an independent state. In fact, the word “Palestine” is a borrowed word that refers to Israel country! As such, there is no Palestine in Israel but it will be preferable to say there are Arabs that live in Israel state.

According to the Bible, the place where I live is located in between the tribe of Judah territory and the tribe of Benjamin territory. As such, it is part of the land that God gave to the Israelites (see the book of Joshua chapter 15 verse 7). I am Zionist but I am not involved in any political party.

I strongly believe through Bible scriptures that the Jews have the right to live in the land of their ancestors from which the Roman Empire sacked them 2000 years ago. However, the most important thing for me is to live my faith in YECHOUA Hamachiar (JESUS-CHRIST) who came to pay my debt of sins that I owed God by willingly offering His life on the cross. I always do my best everyday to follow His commandments of love, forgiveness and peace towards my neighbor.

In Israel, it is not always easy to love one’s enemies, above all when Moslem fundamentalists explode bombs among the people of Israel to destroy and kill hundreds of innocent people! However, there are few Christians among the Arab population in Israel that put their faith in Jesus. For instance, I am a friend to a Christian family who are Arabs by origin belonging to Bet-Lerem (Bethlehem) region that I help in two ways.

I understand their sufferings because they are prisoners in between two hostile worlds. Some Christian Arabs secretly told me that they prefer to live under Israel authority, which is more democratic and human, rather than to live under the Palestinian authority where there are corruption, violence, fanaticism and persecution. Nevertheless, they cannot talk about their opinions in public or their lives will be in danger. They will be considered as cowards and spies defending Israel’s benefit.

As a believer in Jesus, I know that this world is temporal. I am waiting for the coming of my « Adonaï YECHOUA Hamachiar Méler Israël » (my Lord YECHOUA the Messiah King Saviour of Israel) who will set His Kingdom of peace, justice, love, not only in Israel and in nations, but also in everyone that believes in Him and honours Him by trying to follow His ways in this violent world in decline.

My prayer is that God (YECHOUA) blesses the Jews, Arabs and all the nations, by giving them « grace » to recognise the One who is the only One that can save and give them « eternal life ».

It is written in the book of Revelation of the Apostle John chapter 5 verse 9 « Jesus sacrificed himself and purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation by His blood». Jesus will say about himself: « For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (The Gospel according to John 6v40)

I pray that « Elohim malei ahava ve raissed » (God full of love and grace) saves many souls and may His kingdom come quickly. Amen!

Raphaël