Since October 7, 2023, Israel has faced what some are calling a "mental health tsunami," with up to one-third of the population now experiencing post-trauma disorders.

As we discussed last month, in his New York Times bestseller, The Body Keeps the Score, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk outlines the profound impact trauma has on the mind, emotions, and physical body. Trauma can stem from a wide range of sources, including soldiers enduring the horrors of war, children suffering from neglect or abuse, and victims of rape, kidnapping, car accidents, or other life-altering events. Those affected often carry the heavy burden of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The societal cost of treatment, medical care, and rehabilitation is vast, but it pales in comparison to the cost in quality of life for these wounded individuals.

Thankfully, there is hope, like a lighthouse guiding through dark waters, at the National Leadership Center in Ariel, Israel. IDF soldiers, widows, children, and others facing trauma can come to the center to find encouragement, participate in therapeutic teachings and activities such as high ropes courses, and rediscover moments of joy and laughter.

As intercessors, we continually lift up the staff and participants of the NLC in prayer, asking God to heal the hearts of all who attend. Though we may not be present physically, we are participants through prayer and fasting, seeking to see God at work. Faith, hope, and love shine brightly, helping to extinguish the darkness. As Isaiah 60 reminds us, though deep darkness covers the earth, the Glory of the Lord arises even more powerfully.

WORSHIP WITH US...