U.S. Evangelicals on Mission in Israel
Pastor Dale Morgan
U.S. Evangelicals on Mission in Israel*
By MATTI FRIEDMAN
The Associated Press
Thursday, October 26, 2006; 4:17 PM
ASHDOD, Israel -- After 35 days at sea, a group of American evangelicals
traveling on a creaky World War II-era cargo ship landed in Israel on a
solidarity mission only to run aground in red tape, with long delays in
unloading their cargo of clothes, toys and medical supplies.
Still, the crew was unfazed Thursday, keeping a positive attitude in a
demonstration of the growing alliance between evangelical Christians and
the Jewish state.
"The Bible says, 'Who blesses Israel will be blessed,'" said Don Tipton,
the group's leader. "We believe that."
The Spirit of Grace steamed into the Israeli port of Ashdod in early
October from Louisiana, flying an American flag and a huge banner
reading "Jehovah" in Hebrew letters. Three weeks later, the ship is
still docked, its 900-ton load of goods bound for local charities stuck
on board as the gears of Israeli bureaucracy slowly turn.
The evangelicals are treating the delay the same way they sailed their
weather-beaten cargo ship through three fierce storms in the Atlantic
Ocean: with a cheerful faith that their mission is God's will.
"It's taken a bit longer than we expected, but it's given us more time
to tour the country, and we're having a great time," said Sandra Tipton,
Don Tipton's wife.
Julio Lieberman, the group's Israeli shipping agent, said the delay was
due to paperwork the government requires for charitable donations from
abroad. "It's taken far too long, but it should be sorted out in a few
days," he said.
Yigal Ben-Zikry, a spokesman for the Ashdod port, said workers could
unload the ship "in half a day" as soon as government approval comes
through.
The Spirit of Grace _ formerly the USS Pembina, a 62-year-old Navy ship
that saw action in World War II _ is operated by a foundation run by the
Tiptons, born-again Christians originally from Beverly Hills, Calif. The
group owns four other ships, as well as landing craft and a helicopter,
all based at a facility dubbed Port Mercy in Lake Charles, La.
Like the Spirit of Grace, the vessels are staffed entirely by volunteers
and used to deliver supplies donated by Christians to disaster-struck
countries around the world.
But the mission to Israel is different.
"This is not aid, it's an expression of friendship and love," Don Tipton
said. The members of his crew, like many other evangelical Christians,
see supporting Israel as a divine commandment. They were further spurred
by this summer's war against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, he said.
"After the war, we saw that Lebanon was getting lots of aid and
friendship, and I thought, hey, they're not the ones who just got
mugged," Tipton said. He then sped up preparations for the trip, which
had been planned before fighting broke out.
The voyage reflects the growing support among American evangelicals for
the Jewish state, with Christians becoming more vocal politically and
more generous financially on Israel's behalf.
One of Israel's biggest and most accepted charities is an
evangelical-funded group, the Chicago-based International Fellowship of
Christians and Jews, which distributes $30 million a year to projects in
Israel.
"We love and admire Israel _ we tell our congressmen and senators this,
and we stand behind (President) Bush," said Tipton, 62. "We won't let
anything happen to Israel."
The friendly feeling has generally been mutual in Israel, despite some
Israeli hesitancy about the evangelicals' religious beliefs and
political agenda. The Christians support the extreme Israeli right-wing
position which opposes any territorial compromises to the Palestinians.
Despite the lengthy delay, the evangelicals said they have been warmly
received at this busy port, where their vintage vessel and
blue-and-white "Jehovah" banner stand out among the huge cargo ships,
grimy tankers and Israeli naval craft. Workers have invited them for
dinner in the port's cafeteria and the port has waived some of its usual
tariffs, Tipton said.
"We had to be nice to these people," port spokesman Yigal Ben-Zikry
said. "They're more Zionist than any Israelis I know."