In June AHI was pleased to host a team of students from Lexington Christian Academy. For one week they visited Survivors and met those whom they adopted. They built amazing relationships! Below is a letter from one student… more to come!
Visiting Holocaust Survivors by Amy Bridges
“I stayed with Abundant Hope for one week and it changed me forever. The organization gave me a priceless insight. To meet the survivors brought the reality of the Holocaust to life for me.
“Earlier this year, I went to Dachau concentration camp. The intense feelings caught me 
off guard and left me speechless; meeting the Holocaust Survivors made my memories of Dachau come alive. Not many people get to experience meeting a survivor, and time is running out. I am very grateful to be blessed by this opportunity.
“I was also able to meet my survivor, Sima. She was very generous to us and never wanted us to leave. I am excited to write her and start to know her better. I am grateful for the chance to develop a relationship with her. I believe she will teach me many things, and I hope to encourage her.
“Being at Beit Shalom was also a great experience. It was filled with love and peace. It was a great change of pace from home. Susan taught me a lot and I admire her and all she does for the ministry. I hope to hear and follow God like she has. I hope to spend more time with Abundant Hope and experience even more amazing th
We also have single Volunteers join us:
Hooked on Visiting Holocaust Survivors By Fran Mora
Arriving at AHI was a detour from God. I planned to stay a week but ended up staying a month.
My first day here I visited 4 Holocaust Survivors and giving out gift bags to many others. I was instantly hooked. The look in their eyes when I gave them a gift and said “God loves you” will never leave my mind. The four I visited broke my heart. Though it does not always happen, they told their war accounts through a translator from AHI. It was a miracle to see them sitting across from me after surviving the horrors and trauma they described from their childhood.
Now here they are in Israel living quiet little lives, trying to stretch each shekel, tormented with nightmares, battling depression and anxiety. Even so they still welcomed me into their homes and offered me food and drink. I also met and worked with a team of students and graduates from a school in Kentucky come and adopt a survivor and visit them. Talk about life changing!
As I stayed at Beit Shalom with AHI during the month I was amazed at how much work goes into serving Survivors; maintaining the Adoption Program; translating for volunteers and letters; making up gift bags for each visit; and working with volunteers who come to Beit Shalom to serve survivors.
I won’t be saying good bye when I leave… just ‘Until we meet again.’
Editor’s Note:
Amy and Fran were Volunteers at Beit Shalom in Akko assisting AHI with visitation of the Holocaust Survivors. If you are interested in joining us, we have a few openings left in Sep, part of Oct and Nov, 2015 and are also accepting applications for 2016. You can download the application on the Volunteer Page. Please allow a minimum of six weeks for processing. All Volunteer applications are considered on a first received basis.
