A Thankful Heart in the Midst of Suffering

One of the most rewarding parts of the work that we do at VFI is to hear the personal stories of how God is making an impact on the lives of His people. And one precious life that we recently had the honor to know and bless is Ruth.

In August 2023, the VFI team went to Rishon Lezion to distribute gift cards to families in need. Among these people, we discovered one very grateful woman who caught our attention, and her name is Ruth*. As she arrived at the distribution center and was informed that she was going to receive a gift card, a smile lit up her face. She was so happy and wanted to give thanks to VFI for the support.

That day we learned more about Ruth and her story. This precious woman lives all alone and is suffering from health issues caused by a hereditary genetic disease. As a result of the disease, her brother died at the age of 57, and her sister is currently in a very serious condition. This is a disease that has damaged the genome of her entire family. This chronic disease makes it difficult for Ruth to function on a daily basis, so she has not been able to work for several years.

She was undergoing rehabilitation, however, since the start of the COVID pandemic, she stopped receiving alternative treatments and special injections from abroad. And now, she is not able to afford these treatments to help her condition.

She really wants to recover and return to the workforce, but until then, she struggles through the pain of her disease and uses welfare to buy the special food that she has to eat. Even though Ruth has a very difficult life, she chooses to give thanks for the little things.

After Ruth shared with us about the challenges in her life, she continued with a grateful heart and said, “The gift card is very significant and useful because I cannot eat certain foods due to my medical condition. I really appreciate the donation from Vision for Israel, which is very helpful for the holiday.”

God impacted Ruth’s life through your support to VFI with a simple gift card, and yet, God also impacted us through her with the way she expressed thankfulness in the midst of her suffering.

So, as we pray for healing for Ruth and pray for the many others who are in need, let us remember to give thanks to the Lord even in the midst of our suffering.

There are so many others who are poor and in need here in Israel. Join us in making an impact in Israel by giving a gift to the poor today. Click HERE to donate and dedicate your donation to “Aid to the Poor”.




*Name has been changed to protect the identity of this woman.