Please heal Ammi, Lord Jesus

Received this email today:

Dear Friends,

David and Leah Ortiz' 15 year old son, Ammi, (Hebrew for 'My People') was critically injured by a booby-trapped Purim basket on Thursday afternoon. (See attached articles from Jerusalem Post and Ynet). Police are saying that it was the work of religious fanatical 'Anti-Jewish Believers'. David and Leah are Leaders of Ariel Messianic Congregation in Ariel, Israel.

Ammi was rushed to Beilinson hospital where he underwent surgery for at least 7 hours. Please pray for the Lord to preserve his life and to heal him.

Please remember David and Leah and their other 5 children at this extremely difficult time. They ask that the prayer request be circulated as widely as possible, believing that the Lord will answer the prayers of His people.

http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,3521768,00.html

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1205420741251

Blessings and shalom,

Richard and Yardena Frieden
Jerusalem, Israel

--- end of email ---

ARTICLE

The scene of Thursday's explosion in Ariel.

Son of Ariel pastor injured in blast

ANOTHER ARTICLE

Family of American-Israeli Pastor Targeted in Bomb Attack

source

Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Jewish or Muslim extremists may be behind the bomb blast that wounded the 15-year-old son of a prominent Israeli-American Christian pastor here on Thursday evening, media reports said on Friday. The boy was seriously wounded by shrapnel when he opened a package -- disguised as a gift basket -- delivered to the family's home. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the bomb blast, at the home of the boy's parents David and Leah Ortiz, is considered a criminal act, but he added that all possibilities are being considered. The Ortizes, who are dual Israeli-American citizens, are well known in their West Bank community of Ariel where they have lived for more than 10 years. Leah Ortiz and her children are Messianic Jews -- Jews who believe that Jesus is their promised Messiah -- something that infuriates some religious Jews. "Messianic Jews suffer a lot of harassment and other types of violence -- burning down meeting places, pestering [us] at home, the publishing of announcements featuring our pictures and more," a family friend named Roni was quoted as telling the Israeli internet site YNET. Caleb Meyers, a local attorney, was quoted as saying that there is a "campaign of harassment against the Messianic Jewish community by radical religious organizations that are trying to create dehumanization -- especially in religious newspapers." There are about 15,000 people in the Messianic Jewish community in Israel. David Ortiz has been threatened many times in the past, including by a Muslim preacher during a Friday sermon on the Temple Mount several years ago. He works primarily in the West Bank with Palestinians, telling Muslims about Jesus. Some of those who become Christian come under severe persecution in the Palestinian Authority areas.

ANTHER ARTICLE
Update: Bombing Victim Son of Prominent Pastor

ANOTHER ARTICLE

Israeli pastor's son injured by parcel bomb

Mar 21, '08 4:31 AM for everyone

Israeli pastor's son injured by parcel bomb
Mar 21, '08 4:31 AM

On 20th March, the day before the Jewish festival of Purim, David Ortiz, the pastor of a Messianic Jewish congregation in Ariel, Israel, received a powerful parcel-bomb. His fifteen year old son Ami opened the parcel, which a source in Ariel said appeared to be a Purim basket full of goodies of the kind Jewish people traditionally send to each other at Purim. The bomb exploded, shaking the whole apartment, shattering all the windows and damaging two cars parked in the street. Ami was rushed to hospital with serious burns to his head and neck, and shrapnel buried in his back and neck. Early reports suggest that Ami may have lost an arm. Ami was a keen basketball player and very popular in Ariel. His family, however, is very unpopular because they are Messianic Jews.

The Israeli press has reported the parcel bomb. Ynet quotes suggestions the bomb may have been the work of "a cult", while The Jerusalem Post says the police have not ruled out the possibility that the blast was a "terror attack". None have opted for the most obvious suspects: Orthodox Jewish anti-missionaries, who have a long and violent track record of opposition to Messianic Jews and Christian missionaries. This latest attack on Jewish believers ought to send a clear message to the Israeli authorities that they can no longer continue to allow the routine harassment of and hysterical demonization of Israeli Messianic Jews by the Orthodox.

Call to awake to Missionary menace at Purim

The ever-present and increasing danger of the mission was addressed by a leading rabbi before Purim, who called the religious public to "awake and pray on the Fast of Esther [the day before Purim] in the face of the decree of destruction [apostasy] and the growth of the mission" (HaModia, February 28). According to the report, the missionary threat is posed not only by its extension to all the cities in the country but also because the missionaries "disguise themselves as Jews, even as Orthodox" and thus deceive and capture many Jewish souls. (Source: Caspari Media Review)

source

Please pray for Collin's healing in Jesus name

4/3/08 FINAL UPDATE - THANK YOU, LORD JESUS!:

From Julie:

This is the final update on Collin. Thank you everyone for your prayers for him.

Julie

PRAISE GOD, it was a pre-cancerous tumor, it was caught in time. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and concerns. Collin called me himself this morning with the wonderful news and to tell me that he had his stitches removed.

This is a great day the lord has made...let us rejoice and celebrate.

Blessings and Love to all, Patty


3/25/08 UPDATE:

From Julie:

Hello Everyone,
I am passing on the email that just came in today from my Aunt Pat. Keep the
prayers up for Collin. Blessings to all, Julie

Surgery is set for this Thursday. Doc thinks it looks good from CT scan, it will be an outpatient surgery at this point. If anything further is need after the biopsy is complete, then there would be a hospital stay.....kepp up the prayers, also thanks to my wonder church for the beautiful prayer shawl. I will take it to Collin on Thursday.

Love Patty
Look for another update thurs evening or Fri. morn.....til then........PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--- end ---


3/22/08 UPDATE:

Today's email from Julie:

Hello Everyone,

I have attached a picture of Collin that was taken back in December. He looks just like his Daddy did when he was little.

Keep up the prayer support and I will keep you posted on the outcome.

Love, Julie

--- end ---

3/21/08 UPDATE:

Received this email today:

Hello Everyone,

Great news. My Aunt Pat sent an update on Collin and sound like God has been listening to all of your prayers. Thank you so much for your caring prayer support.

All I can say is Praise God for His loving kindness. I am so excited about these answers. I will continue to pray until the surgery is over so I will let you all know how he comes through.

Love, Julie

The following is the email from my Aunt:

I did not mention the detail of my cousin Scott and his ex-wife Jill (Collin's Mom) have been divorced and fighting a custody battle over him. Aunt Pat mentions the second prayer answered in the second answer.

THANKS FOR ALL OF THE PRAYERS, TWO HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.......

#1. THE THIRD OPINION IS FROM A DOCTOR WHO HAS BEEN DOING THESE SURGERIES FOR 21 YEARS AND REFERS TO THEM AS ROUTINE AND COMMON. HE SAYS HE CAN CLEAN IT OUT WITHOUT DISTURBING THE TEETH, OR CAUSING THE NUMBNESS. HE ALSO SAYS HE DOSEN'T BELIEVE HE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE JAW EVEN IF IT IS CANCER..........THANK YOU FOR ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS MY LOVED ONES.

#2. I ASKED MY PASTER TO PRAY FOR THE SOFTENING OF THE HEARTS AND THE GIFT OF PEACE BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES. THIS MORNING WHEN I CHECKED MY EMAIL JILL' EMAILED ME AT 3:00 A.M. (APPARENTLY SHE COULDN'T SLEEP) SHE
APPOLOGIZED TO ME AND ASKED THAT THE TWO FAMILIES GIVE COLLIN THE GIFT OF PEACE...........THANKS BE TO GOD.

The CT scan will be on Tuesday with this Doctor, keep those prayers going. I will send the next update after the CT scan.

Love Patty

--- end ---

3/20/08 UPDATE:

Hello Everyone,

As I was getting information last night concerning Collin, I did not get all the facts right. So here is an email that I received with better details. So please continue to keep praying for Collin as this is not an easy thing for a little boy to be going through.

I will send a picture of him as I receive one via email. The picture will possibly be one not so recent. But at least you will have a face with his na me .

Thank you all very much for your prayers as many of you have responded already that your prayers are going up for Collin.

The Lord hears your prayers and may God give you strength as you pray for Collin.

Love, Julie


There seems to be so me confusion in the communication concerning Collin's condition. He does have two tumors wrapped around a nerve that goes to the brain. They have to be removed whether they are malignant or not. Best case scenario, they remove the tumors and have to cut the nerve to the brain. The result, in all probability, will be permanent numbness of his cheek and lips.

If the tumors (either one or both) are malignant, they may have to remove his jaw bone. (Don't know how that got confused with the chin but that's what Patty told me.)

He's having more tests this week and then going to a third specialist before surgery is scheduled.

Such a beautiful little boy - both inside and outside - with one of the most loving Fathers I have ever known. I'll try to locate those pictures and send them to you.

Prayer definitely is in order.

Love ya

--- end ---

ORIGINAL POST

My friend Julie who lives in the Atlanta area sent this email today:

A prayer request to all my family and friends,

My Dad called me this evening to give me an update on my Cousin Scott’s little boy. Dad said he wanted to call me and ask me to pray and to ask everyone I know to be in prayer. My cousin’s little boy’s name is Collin. He is around 9 or 10. Collin has a tumor on his chin and they are going a third ti me as of tomorrow March 20th to get another opinion. As of now it looks as though Collin is going to have to have surgery. They said that the surgery could cause the left side of his face to become paralyzed for the rest of his life due to the tumor being intertwined in so me nerves. Or he may end up needing to have his chin removed.

So pleeeease pray for Collin.

Thank you in advance and I will keep you all posted in the outco me .

Sincerely,

Julie

--- end ---

Dear heavenly Father, we thank you for young Collin and ask for a miracle healing for him in Jesus name. The Scriptures say that by your stripes we are healed and that you sent your Word and healed our diseases, so we stand on these promises for Collin. We come against all fear, worry, unbelief and doubt and say GO in Jesus name. We say TUMOR - GO IN JESUS NAME! May faith rise up to fill us overflowing to trust You for a wonderful miracle we pray! Thank You Lord God for Your tender mercies and loving kindness. May souls be saved in the midst of all this we pray in Jesus name - AMEN!

Update on the Cheryl Dunlap case

Please continue to pray for Cheryl's family.

Death Penalty Sought For Gary Hilton in Florida Hiker Murder

Atlanta, GA 2/29/2008 07:47 PM GMT

Prosecutors in Florida are seeking the death penalty for Gary Michael Hilton who has been charged with the death of hiker Cheryl Dunlap. He was indicted on charges of murder, kidnapping, and two counts of grand theft in Dunlap’s death last year.

Hilton, 61, is already serving life in prison for the murder of Georgia hiker Meredith Emerson in January of this year. He met Emerson hiking on New Years Day. After he confessed to her murder he led police to her decapitated body in North Georgia mountains in exchange for prosecutors not seeking the death penalty. He received life in prison in Emerson’s case.

Dunlap’s body was found in a Florida national forest. No details have been released on how the 46-year-old died. Authorities say Hilton was in the area at the time of the murder as a forestry agent ran his tag through police database.

Assistant state attorney William Meggs says Hilton is “very worthy of [the] death [penalty.] Prosecutors are hoping to have Hilton moved to Florida within the next few weeks to face the charges. The investigation is on going.

Hilton is also a suspect in the death of two North Carolina hikers. John and Irene Bryant disappeared while hiking in Pisgah National Forest. Their bodies were found in the forest.

reporter: befound@finditt.com