Lonely SoldiersThey stand on the frontline of the struggle against terrorism defending the borders of a country restored after two thousand years. The Israeli Defense Force is a citizen’s army. Most soldiers have the support of families but others, classified as lonely soldiers, have no one. VFI and the JST reach out to these men and women who serve their country. “Lonely soldiers in the IDF can be divided into two categories: Those who packed a suitcase leaving behind homes and families from various countries and came to Israel to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces. Additionally, we have soldiers who don’t have families or who are orphans. These two are considered lonely soldiers.” Nitza Soldier’s Home Chairperson
The perfect gift for lonely soldiers is a quality hiking-pack. VFI and the JST, with the support of donors from around the world, have given thousands of packs to these lonely soldiers. As soldiers return to their homes via public transport a hiking pack is of such great value. These are travel bags. What is nice about them is that it separates into two packs. It’s good because if you don’t want to be burdened with the big pack, you can just use the smaller one.
When we distribute packs to lonely soldiers; they allow them to carry all their belongings, in fact their entire household on their backs, as they travel to their bases. It is like their little home, away from home, where they put all their stuff in. It is a very practical bag. It is something that can be very useful. They also pack this bag with all their belongings like their toiletry items, tee-shirts, hats, scarves, socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes… VFI and the JST are trying also to reach out to these lonely soldiers during important holidays. We try to send them many vouchers, so they can go and buy essentials for the holidays so they have some means. They can then go to the store and buy food, or clothes, household items, or whatever it is that they need. Sometimes we get requests from lonely soldiers when they have just moved into an empty apartment, we try to go in and give them whatever we have at the storehouse, household items, whatever cleaning items that we can find and be a blessing to them. For the lonely soldiers of the IDF, let’s encourage them with those words: “Be strong and be of good courage.” |
Our organisation is prepared to join forces with other organisations and charities that are working towards the welfare of those soldiers that are in need in times of war, in times of crisis. Our hearts go out to them, because we know that when everybody else goes back to their families at a week end, those soldiers don’t have a family to go to. We need to give them much more love, much more affection and just tell them how we love them, how we embrace them and will support them.
VFI and the JST staff visit IDF military bases all over the country distributing thousands of hiking packs to lonely soldiers. What is important to us is their welfare. We see more difficult times ahead, but we want them to know that there are tens of thousands of people that we meet and talk to, Jewish and Christians, who pray for them and are supporting them, especially after a difficult and challenging war.
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