Afeks Park is coming along. This week we were able to get all the footings dug and forms set. We are hoping to get the cement poured on Sunday and maybe start the first pergola mid week. On Thursday the old wooden playground equipment was removed and preparations for the installation of the new equipment begin on Sunday.

We are still hoping that some of you will come along side with us to build the Hope Garden within Afik’s Park. We have had some plants sponsored but still have a ways to go to complete this part of the project. If you would like to be part of this garden of hope and want to make a statement of love to Ruti please click here. There is always the misconception that a gift of love has to be large and that is not the case. A perennial plant runs between five and ten dollars… two happy meals or a few cups of coffee. Two hundred people all giving a little, adds up to a whole lot.

Unit Yaron: We have received gifts from the people of Sderot to give to this new unit of soldiers; a television, couch, games, books, DVD player, even a microwave. The rec room is just about fully furnished.

We have also received the funds for thirty of the soldier bags and a promise for four more. We are still 90 bags short of fully equipping this unit with the needed items before they are deployed in the Jordan Valley.

You might recall Eric, the commander of the unit, and Matan and Ben, both trainers of the unit paid us a visited at the Moxson several weeks ago. They are hoping that Hope for Sderot could adopt this unit. Our heart was and still is to do just that, but it takes a commitment on our part and on the part of those who support us. Matan presented us with a list of items that they need help procuring. There were about twenty items on the list but he only asked for eight of the items; scarves, gloves, stocking hat, a warm jacket, a padded sling for their weapons and a back pack to put it all in.

The cost per soldier is 140 shekels or about $40. If you would like to support these young defenders of Israel please click here. As with the Hope Garden many small gifts add up to 106 back packs, so don’t ever think a small gift will do no good. Their basic training will be completed mid to late December and they would like to give each of these new soldiers these items as they head for the front line defending Israel. We will continue to keep you posted as the time draws near to their graduation and deployment.