House of Victory … a bold name for a rehabilitation centre in northern Israel that welcomes both Jewish and Arab drug addicts and alcoholics by Julia Fisher
House of Victory or "Beit Nitzachon" (its name in Hebrew) is located
in Haifa on Mount Carmel. David and Karen Davis founded Israel’s first Bible-based
rehabilitation centre in 1991 after the first Gulf War. Talk to David Davis
and he’ll tell you that the vision for this ministry has always been the
‘one new man’ in Messiah (Ephesians 2:14-16). I’ve visited faith based rehabilitation
centres (run by Christians) in the UK and abroad where the aim is purely
on breaking the power of addiction. But at Beit Nitzachon they are fighting
on two fronts – addiction and racial hatred - because to achieve the ‘one
new man in Messiah’ in Israel today involves demolishing the ancient wall
of enmity between Jew and Arab. In today’s political climate I wonder which
is the greater breakthrough.
Recently I visited Beit Nitzachon with a group of Christians from the UK.
Eric Benson, the Director, took us on a tour of the house. We watched a
DVD made by some of the men, former addicts, living there. It told the story
of everyday life at Beit Nitzachon. Men arrive almost dead. Some are picked
up off the streets of Haifa whilst others knock on the door asking for help.
Years of drug or alcohol abuse have reduced them to being homeless, thieves
and beggars. Having lost their integrity and pride, they are out of work
and incapable of caring or providing for their families (many are married
with children). The stark reality of hopelessness in the faces of these
men was painfully obvious.
However, equally stark was the difference in their eyes between the day
of their arrival at Beit Nitzachon and their condition a few days later.
An almost unrecognisable transformation had taken place as the power of
addiction had been broken. We saw how this is done – through prayer, reading
the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. We heard how marriages
and families have been restored and how many graduates of House of Victory
are now leading purposeful lives and some are working amongst drug addicts
in Israel.
As we toured the house we met and talked with the men living there. Some
were Jews, many from the former Soviet Union, whilst others were Arabs.
We didn’t sense any hostility between the two groups; indeed it was difficult
to tell who was who they seemed so well integrated! I asked Eric Benson
to explain how can this happen so quickly?
“Paul wrote to the Corinthians that we need to be wise master builders (1
Corinthians 3). A wise builder establishes his spiritual house upon the
rock (Matthew 7:24) through obedience. In order for our house to continue
to stand for the duration of time we need to follow this truth. We need
to be able to say as Elijah, ‘I have done everything according to your word.’
The step of faith it has taken to establish this work is for the glory of
God. As a result the presence of God dwells in our house. This obviously
separates us from any secular programme the government operates. Therefore
when a man comes into our house he is immediately aware that we are different.
This has a powerful impact upon those walking through our doors. The Holy
Spirit’s presence acts as a restraint. Men whose lives were once out of
control enter an environment they never imagined possible. Last year we
received a Muslim into our programme. He had a violent past and spent years
in prison yet today he is a new creation. There were times in the beginning
when he became angry. He shouted at some of the students in the programme
and even at the staff. However, he responded to our correction as we firmly
spoke to him in love. Today the fruit of the Spirit is emerging in his life.
What used to be a harsh character is now becoming gentler. A man who once
did not experience love is now being changed by it.
It has been touching to see him develop friendships with some of the men
in the house. One in particular is a former student, now a staff member
named Sergei. I have witnessed these men reading the Word of God together,
praying with each other and advancing the work projects in our house. It
is a testimony of walls and barriers breaking down between ethnic groups.
What a joy to hear men pray in Arabic for their Jewish brothers or in Hebrew
or Russian for their Arab brother. These are daily occurrences in our midst.
Over the years we have been able to establish a pattern in our ministry
that helps a man adapt to this strange, new and healthy environment. It
is called a river of love. Jesus promised there would be flowing from within
us rivers of living water. The Word of God in Romans 5:5 states that the
Holy Spirit will pour out love in our hearts. Together these promises produce
a river of love. As men begin to enter these waters the flow of the Spirit
begins to take hold of their hearts. The old ways begin to pass away and
the new comes.
If men are willing to follow this leading of the Spirit and to continue
in the word of truth, freedom will enter their hearts. It is because of
these promises a light shines upon each man in our house creating the hope
for a new life.”
It was from Beit Nitzachon that Kehilat HaCarmel (Carmel Assembly) emerged
in 1991, a Messianic congregation embracing Jewish believers and Arab Christians
as well as Christians from the nations. Here, inspired by the ‘one new man’,
they worship and pray together (often spending a night in prayer), and over
the years have developed a number of initiatives to help the poor people
(Arabs and Jews) living in the villages on Mount Carmel and in Haifa. Each
week, food and clothing are distributed. In the last edition of Sword I
wrote about the Or HaCarmel Women’s refuge founded and run by Rita Tsukahira
(whose husband Peter co-founded Kehilat HaCarmel along with founder David
Davis.) So it is clear that former drug addicts have played an integral
role in the life of this congregation.
David Davis told me, “One of my greatest joys as a pastor is to witness
once lost and addicted Jewish and Arabic ‘sons’ take their place in the
body of Messiah in Israel. Graduates of House of Victory include our youth
pastor, a home group leader, and media ministry leader, as well as workers
at House of Victory and Beit Yedidia, our community centre. One Arab graduate
is a fearless preacher of the gospel to Muslims in Jerusalem, Bethlehem,
and Jericho. Others minister in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Only Jesus can reconcile
Jews and Arabs, and He is doing it.”
I asked Eric why he is prepared to invest so much time in helping drug addicts?
“One element of faith is perseverance. The concept of time is found in this
word. The reality is that to change ones life a period of time is required.
In our work we need to understand this principle! As we give ourselves to
the men in the house, our time spent with them is an expression of love.
The world says that time is money; we say that time spent together in Godly
fellowship is transformation. The vision of being fruitful today and the
hope of raising up an army of disciples for tomorrow sustains us in the
midst of all the hardships we confront. To see men crossing over from death
to life is a worthwhile investment of our time.”
I asked David Davis, how the work of House of Victory relates to what God
is doing in Israel today?
“The drug and alcohol problem in Israel is of epidemic proportions, cutting
across all segments of society. House of Victory is the first Bible-based
rehabilitation centre in Israel. Today other similar ministries have followed
in Galilee, Haifa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Beer Sheva. Some of the Messianic
leaders of these newer ministries studied the House of Victory model before
launching out. The War on Drugs Authority in Israel has had minimal success
in curing the long-term affects of addictive behaviour. At House of Victory
the new birth in Messiah, prayer, the power of the Holy Spirit and being
discipled in the Word of God bring healing to the whole person -- body,
soul and spirit.”
I asked Eric Benson how Christians in the West can support this work.
“Believers throughout the world need to realize they have an important role
in what happens in the Land. Scripture proclaims that what God does in this
nation is for the sole purpose of glorifying His name throughout the world.
Hence, at House of Victory we are making our humble contribution for the
edification of the remnant in this land. It is from within this remnant
that God’s name will be revealed as Holy to the ends of the earth. To be
called together to participate in this miracle is awesome. We cannot accomplish
this task alone. We need to strive together in this wonderful miracle.
We encourage you to come and visit us whenever you are travelling in Israel.
To see the ministry face-to-face helps to establish our connection with
each other. It is our desire that more and more people request our monthly
prayer reports in order to stand together in the gap with us.
Also financial assistance is critical! Today, the harvest is plentiful,
but the labourers are few. We need to increase the amount of staff workers
on our team. The Word of God encourages us to raise up those amongst us.
A sign of the fruit of our ministry is that most of our workers are former
students. We need the testimony of these men to speak hope into the hearts
of those being rescued from the streets. We need to be able to provide a
salary for one or two of these faithful servants. Your help in this area
would certainly enable us to advance God’s work in our midst.”
If you would like to send a gift to House of Victory, then please send your
donation to me Julia Fisher at The Olive Tree Reconciliation Fund, PO Box
850, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 9GA. Cheques should be made payable to The
Olive Tree Reconciliation Fund.
The Olive Tree Fund is set up to support the work of Messianic believers
and Arab Christians living in Israel and the Palestinian Areas. If you would
like more information please contact Julia Fisher by email at enquiries(at)olivetreefund.org
or by writing to the address above.
__________________________________________________________________________________
DAVID DAVIS is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Kehilat HaCarmel (Carmel
Assembly) on Mount Carmel, Israel where his wife Karen serves as Worship
Leader. The Davises are also the founders of House of Victory rehabilitation
centre in Haifa where today ERIC BENSON is director.
For more information see www.carmel-assembly.org.il
JULIA FISHER is a writer and broadcaster. For more information see www.juliafisher.org
To build bridges of understanding and support, in a spirit of reconciliation, between believers (both Jewish and Arab) in the Holy Land (Israel and the Palestinian Areas) and Christians worldwide.
