By: Staff Writers

ICEJ branches impact the globe by building and showcasing support for Israel in the nations through various ICEJ events and activities. From Eastern Europe down to Africa and all the way across to the Pacific, read how Auschwitz escapees are honored, new leaders are appointed, Israel’s 75th is being celebrated and so much more.

Czech, Slovak Branches Host Memorial Walk to Honour Auschwitz Escapee

The ICEJ’s Czech and Slovakian branches recently held their annual memorial walk from Auschwitz to Zilina to retrace the journey of Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler, two Slovak Jews who escaped from the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp in April 1944 and gave eyewitness testimony for a report warning the Allies about the Nazis’ mass extermination of Jews. Several members of the ICEJ’s staff in Jerusalem joined dozens of other participants from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Zimbabwe, Germany and Holland for the week-long, 110-kilometer march through the fields and forests of eastern Europe.

Fresh Sounds from Thailand

In June, a new National Director of ICEJ-Thailand was officially appointed during a conference in Bangkok, with Dr. Mojmir Kallus representing the Jerusalem headquarters, Jehu Chan as the regional coordinator from Singapore, an ICEJ delegation from Malaysia, and hundreds of church and community leaders from all over Thailand. Pastor of Bangkok Praise Church, Poomwanetr Meteakrakul, now succeeds the former Thai national director, Pastor Krisada. The Board decided unanimously about the change of leadership and their presence at the event confirmed a good sense of unity. Worship teams from different churches blessed the audience with anointed worship times that drew a strong presence of God, while ICEJ-Thailand administrator Nuanlaor actively promoted the Feast of Tabernacles. Thailand brought the largest Asian delegation to the Feast last year and we are looking forward to welcoming them again for Feast 2023. The Christian population in Thailand is small, amounting to less than 2%, but the potential is huge. Please pray for the work of our new leader and his team, which have set as their main goal reaching and equipping the young generation.

Gabon Hungry to Bless Israel

In June, ICEJ Vice President of Operations Barry Denison travelled to central Africa to speak at an ICEJ Regional Conference held in Gabon that was organised and co-hosted by our national director Judicaël Mounguengui and the president of the Christian Missionary Alliance. More than 500 delegates attended the three-day gathering, including many pastors from some 20 denominations. During his visit, Barry also ministered in two churches, participated in a press conference, and was interviewed by the Gabon National News channel, as well as a national online news service. Barry was especially encouraged by the excellent teachings by local speakers and the tender hearts of the people shown towards Israel. A Messianic pastor with a network of churches in the region urged other pastors to join him in committing their fellowships to holding monthly prayer meetings for Israel and taking up separate weekly offerings to bless Israel.

ICEJ-Russia celebrates Israel’s 75th

ICEJ-Russia national director Howard Flower, who also serves as our Director of Aliyah, was a key organiser of a gala event to celebrate Israel’s 75th Anniversary held recently in the Hermitage Museum and Concert Hall in St. Petersburg. The celebration drew some 200 top Jewish community leaders as well as the Ambassador of Israel, the General Consul of St. Petersburg, Jewish Agency representatives, and the Chief Rabbi of the Grand Choral Synagogue. An earlier 75th anniversary event in St. Petersburg also featured the opening of an art show of paintings by Russian Jewish artists celebrating Israel’s diamond anniversary.

Jerusalem comes to the Gold Coast!

Recently, ICEJ-Australia and other regional ICEJ representatives joined together in supporting and attending the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast held in the city of Gold Coast. The event was hosted by the Mayor of the Gold Coast, Tom Tate, who welcomed Israel’s Ambassador to Australia and other dignitaries from Israel’s Knesset, the Pacific Islands nations, parliamentarians from across Australia, visitors from the USA, and the JPB’s international team. Representatives from 16 nations prayed for the peace of Jerusalem in English, Hebrew and several Pacific languages, while Bible portions also were read throughout the event. Inspiring messages also were brought by various speakers, including ICEJ-Australia’s Youth Director, Pastor Moises Vasquez, and indigenous leader Pastor Tim Edwards. Among the other highlights, ICEJ-Fiji national director Pastor Mikaele Mudreilagi blew the shofar as a call to the Pacific nations to join their voices in support of Israel. And Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka declared: “I stand here today knowing a new dawn is happening for Israel in the Pacific… We all want to be there in support of Israel as a unit.”

Meanwhile, ICEJ-Fiji and our other national branches in the Australasia and Pacific regions are gearing up for their third Oceania Conference which is expected to draw hundreds of Christians together from throughout the region to the Fijian city of Suva in mid-November. The Conference will be held in Suva’s Civic Centre, a premium venue overlooking beautiful Suva Bay.  Besides regional speakers and worship teams, the Oceania Conference will host three of the ICEJ’s senior leaders from the Jerusalem headquarters, Mojmir Kallus, Barry Denison and David Parsons.

Prayer Mountains in the Philippines

Dr. Mojmir Kallus

Masbate is an island in the Philippines mostly known for its gold mines. However, less known to the general public, a true spiritual treasure is being developed there. Mercy Cabiles, a Board member of ICEJ-Philippines, has invested in a piece of land and established a unique prayer center there. On the 12-hectar property, seven houses of prayer on seven hills are planned. The size of the project is impressive, and it is successfully moving forward. The first mountain was inaugurated in 2017, and I came for the dedication of the second prayer house. Atop each mountain will be a house of prayer, with accommodations and conference facilities which can welcome up to one thousand people. The vision is to build a center where people can come to pray, and churches can book their retreats. The prayer complex is called Mt. Moriah and Israel has been part of its DNA from the very beginning. It is evident that God is calling the Church to prayer, and this project could play a role in bringing various prayer movements together, even beyond the Philippines. Once completed, it could also host international prayer gatherings.