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Testimony of Gad & Jessica Ben-Avi |
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During a long ministry trip in 2003 Davit and Sara had a season in Switzerland and, although fruitful, were very relieved when they felt the release to move on to the UK - as the humanism and spiritual heaviness in Switzerland is in constant opposition to the simplicity of the gospel. However, to their dismay they got the call from believers in Switzerland asking for them to come back, and so they returned to Zurich and were no sooner invited to a dinner party by some unbelievers who had invited their host, and had said to bring the “South Africans” along. At the table that evening Davit felt to share God’s love and truth with all who would listen and especially to the owners of the house, Gunnar and Manu Hopf. It turned out that Gunnar had been in leadership in a charismatic church in Zurich but had fallen away from the Lord for 17 years through a series of circumstances including his divorce which had made him to harden his heart and live to the extreme outside of God’s boundaries. A wonderful story started to unfold and that night Gunnar recommitted his life to the Lord in prayer with Davit, and his wife, Manu who had never heard the gospel from her husband followed soon after in repentance and surrender to the Lord Jesus. Some days after, Jessica, Gunnar’s youngest child living and studying in America, called Gunnar to ask for guidance for her life and to get help with some major decisions. As she had big opportunities for further education but had in her heart a strong desire to work with orphans or to do social work. Gunnar asked Davit to speak with her and he invited her to come to the Alon Farm in South Africa. And so in January 2004 Jessica arrived at Alon as a total unbeliever although from the start she wanted to know the truth and was very open about her own need. A few weeks later she too committed her all to Jesus, making Him the Lord of her life. Davit and Sara’s son, Gad, grew up in the community and after school went on to do a DTS with YWAM and thereafter obtained his skippers licence having completed an international sailing school. He did long haul voyagers and became an Ocean Master Skipper and took on the role of skippering our ministry yacht, Tahlita. He also spent time in language schools in both Israel and Spain and so Gad was more often away from the farm in recent years. He was always the confirmed bachelor and one of his favourite sayings in Spanish was “Mi estado civil es soltero y estoy muy contento” [My status is single and I’m very content and happy]. However, on returning to the community for a season a beautiful relationship began to develop between Gad and Jessica. Something which he was not looking for but which was put together by the hand of God and from the beginnings it was under His blessing. The announcement was made and on July 30th in a very touching ceremony in the presence of God Gad and Jessica were married. It was a glorious day as Davit conducted the marriage under the ‘chuppah’ [canopy] which culminated with Gad crushing the glass under-foot and then it was time to celebrate at our wonderfully decorated Mosaic Restaurant … on the roof of Africa! Just after the wedding one of the community children, 13 year old Rebecca, wrote this poem: To Gad, all I can say is that it happened fast and for Jessica, this time has probably been a blast. But now the wedding is your past, And your future is what will last. I hope there’ll be a day, When you can look back and say: “I’ll never forget that wonderful day!”. |