- What We Do
- Director
Hugs for Israel is a legally registered Israeli non-profit organization composed of concerned Christians and Jews from around the world and headquartered in Jerusalem, Israel which is dedicated to reaching out to Israeli children victims of terror. Our purpose is not to evangelize, but rather to come along side of these children... both Jewish and Israeli-Arab... who are in the midst of trauma caused by acts of terrorism (either directly or indirectly) and to apply the healing balm of the unconditional Love of God to their deep emotional wounds. To encircle them with arms of comfort as a refuge for them from their pain and fears. To restore the innocence of their childhood…giving them beauty for ashes…that they might be able once more to live…and laugh… and love. The day will come when those whom we are "hugging" now will in turn be able to reach out and to “hug” others... even those from the offenders... with the same comfort they have received. This is our prayer and our strong faith!
YES, at Hugs for Israel we are looking beyond...
• Hospital and home visits…listening, caring, and lavishing an abundant supply of hugs.
• Establishing on-going and regular follow-up with the child long after the media has moved on to other stories so that they and their families can be reminded of the LORD's Love and care for them.
• Matching mature Believers from abroad with a child victim in our sponsorship project called the Adopt-a-Grandchild Project.
• Expanding the child’s horizons and focus through the personal pen-pal project, called HugsPals, with children abroad.
• Linking Israeli community centers and schools with community groups and schools in the US and abroad in the “HugsAcrossTheSeas” (H.A.T.S.) Partnership Project.
• Reaching out to the communities to bless them as a whole by providing fun things for its children because we understand that when an attack occurs, the entire community is affected in some way.
• Meeting health needs of children victims with monetary assistance.
• Coupled with our hands-on approach, we most importantly endeavor to allow the power of faithful and fervent prayer to completely uproot the seeds sown of hatred and violence and to sow lasting seeds of Love and Compassion into the lives of this generation here in Israel…in preparation for the next.
Brenda Giles,
Growing up as an African-American on a small farm in northern Louisiana,
never in her wildest imagination could Brenda have imagined what the LORD
had in store for her life and the places He would lead her after she came
to Faith in the spring of 1988.
Since 1997, she has been a full-time Christian volunteer in the foreign field living by Faith. In addition to being the Founding Director of Hugs for Israel headquartered in Jerusalem, she is also the Founder and President of Hugs International, a US-based 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. These two organizations are unique in that they focus solely on children who have been injured, traumatized or orphaned as a result of acts of terrorism.
Originally from Grambling, Louisiana Brenda studied Political Science at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and received her BA degree in 1977 with plans to ultimately pursue a law degree. But apparently the LORD had other plans. Several years later in the spring of 1988, Salvation came and with it a redirection in her life. One year later, in the spring of 1989, the LORD began to stir her heart to move to New York City. Not knowing what to expect, she packed her bags and headed out. This then began her first lesson in going...not knowing.
Coming from a small rural town that move to the "big city" served as something akin to “spiritual boot camp” during which a lot of molding, refining…and YES, dying was taking place. Eight years later, the LORD called her to the foreign field full time in the unlikely place of St. Petersburg Russia. So once again she set out…not knowing, but going.
She lived in Russia for two years where she pioneered an outreach to street children. Just as she was beginning to come to grips with the brutal Russian winters and learning the Russian language, the LORD called her to a long fast. It was during this period that He began to reveal His Heart to her through His Word concerning Israel and the Jewish people. For days, all she could do was weep as she began to understand His ABSOLUTE and UNIQUE Love for them and His pain at His separation from them. It was now time for Him to reveal His ultimate destination for her, the one that would be the most dramatic of all…Jerusalem, Israel. So in September 1999, with only $600, she set out for the third time….going, not knowing.
One year after her arrival in Jerusalem, the current intifada broke out
in September 2000 with a continuous string of suicide bombings and numerous
other terrorist attacks. As she covered one horrific terrorist attack after
another and wrote the prayer alerts that went out around the world to Christians
who are praying for Israel, the LORD began to pierce her heart for the plight
of the children who were being affected, either directly or indirectly,
by these unrelenting terrorist attacks. It was out of this that Hugs was
birthed in December 2003. Its purpose is to bring comfort and to help to
facilitate emotional healing to these children victims of terror who have
seen and experienced unimaginable horror. But Praise the LORD that He has
a plan for their COMPLETE restoration. And Brenda is convinced it could
start with a Hug.
