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On August 19, 2003, Ora and her husband, David, took their five children to the Western Wall to pray. On their way back, the bus they were riding on was blown up by a terrorist. Ora, her husband and all five of their children were injured in the attack. At the time their oldest daughter was seven, their son was six, and their other daughter was four. Their youngest girl was only eighteen months. And they also had a one month old baby boy.

Sara Burowich, from the NAVAH organization, took me to meet Ora and her family. My excitement grew as we walked up five flights of stairs to the apartment. Ora leaned over the balcony as she waited for us. Her excitement seemed equal to my own as she welcomed us into her home. As we sat at the table eating fresh melon and enoying other snacks Ora shared "her" story. Listening to the details made the tragedy far more real than just reading about it. She said the terrorist had entered the back door of the bus and was standing right behind her when he detonated the bomb. Ora's new born baby was ripped from her arms by the powerful explosion. While we were at Ora's home, she let us watch a video that had been made at the scene of the blast. The video showed the twisted wreckage and Ora crying for her babies as her bruised and bleeding body was carried away on a stretcher. When they asked her how many children she had, she replied, "I had five, but I don't know how many I have now."

The explosion killed 20 people and injured 110. As soon as the rescue team arrived they began transferring the victims to different hospitals according to the extent of their injuries. Ora, her husband, and three of their children were taken to one hospital. Her eighteen month old girl was taken to a different hospital. Ora's tiny baby was not discovered until rescue workers came to collect dead bodies (that's when his tiny cry was heard). He was then rushed to the hospital where his little sister had gone.

It took the hospital staff more than five hours to determine whose babies these were. All the while Ora was in the other hospital crying, "Where are my babies?" With the help of one of Ora's neighbors the little ones were finally identified and reunited with their family. Ora's joy overflowed when she discovered all her children were alive. Her husband had ear and facial injuries but he too survived.

"The only thing that kept me alive during that time," Ora said, "was the love people gave me and my family." She said several women came to the hospital and offered to nurse her baby. Since the time of the attack her little girl has undergone six surgeries to try to save her eye. In the beginning she could not see at all but now her eye sight is beginning to return. Some of her other children still suffer from nightmares and other post-traumatic symptoms. Please keep them all in prayer. Ora still needs surgery on her ear drums as they burst during the blast. Her teeth were also badly affected. Ora is originally from Iran; she misses not having any of her relatives in Israel. She said that is why she so loves and appreciates Sara and the NAVAH organization.

Before leaving I tiptoed to the bedroom and took pictures of the baby sleeping and her little girl laying on the couch. A short while later, her three other children came in from school and I gave them a string puppet; they loved it. I had hoped to take their pictures too but they were too shy. As I started to leave, I handed Ora 220 shekels ($48 US).

"No, no," she said as she pushed the money away.

"Ora, you have a birthday coming up," I responded. "Use the money to celebrate with your family." With great reluctance she took the money. After asking GOD's blessing on her family, I gave her a big hug and said I would like to stay in touch.

After our visit with Ora, Sara and I went to lunch. During the course of our conversation she told me that the NAVAH organization recently took some of the terror victims and their families on a field trip. It was the first time that Ora and her family had been on a bus since the attack. Her little girl said, "Ima (mommy) will this bus blow up too?"

Anat - A Place of Safety

Later that afternoon Sara and I went to the home of Anat. She and her four children were wounded in the Sabarro Restaurant terror attack that occurred in 2001. Although it had been reported that a terrorist was on the loose in Jerusalem, Anat was sure that she and her four children would be safe to go out and buy a few school supplies. When their shopping was finished, her oldest son wanted to go to Sabarro's for pizza. As they stepped into the pizza place, he kissed his mom and told her what a great day it had been. After purchasing their pizza they sat at a table near the window. They said their prayers and started to eat. Before the first bite could reach their mouths, a terrorist came into the pizza place and exploded the bomb. The force of the blast sent Anat's two year old flying through the plate glass window. A table and some of the chairs landed on top of her. In spite of her sons' injuries he immediately jumped up to rescue his little sister. The little girl suffered severe burns, cuts, bruises, and a torn eardrum. Anat's eight year old suffered second degree burns as well as injuries from bits of shrapnel throughout his body. Her seven-year-old son had third degree burns over most of his body.

In spite of her pain, Anat managed to call her husband on the cell phone. When he arrived, he found his baby's burnt stroller. He didn't know if his family was dead or alive. After three hours he located his wife and children at the hospital. Although their son still had pieces of metal imbedded in his body, he said, "Aba (papa), we are all fine." (Later when he saw how badly his brother had been burnt, he was very upset.

Anat said her oldest son has been very brave in trying to look after the whole family. He often has to remind her to lock the doors or turn off the stove as she has become very forgetful after the tragedy.

Although it's been three years now, Anat said that in hot weather the children's nervous system still goes hay wire. In addition they still have nightmares. Their immune system is also so low at times that they have to be hospitalized. She said that instead of going out to play after school, they have to take turns going to treatments.

One of the things that the two older boys have had to do as part of their therapy is create a model of a place where they would feel safe. One of her sons built a model of an island that only had animals on it. The other made a bomb shelter with a trap door leading to an underground shelter, with a big superman guarding it. The outside of the shelter was protected by a barb wire fence and other soldiers. Both models revealed the struggle they were still having.

My heart went out to Anat as she described the trauma her whole family is still going through. When she finished, I said, "What I want to know is, how is mama holding up?" As tears welled up in her eyes I felt her pain. Instinctively I began praying that GOD would give her peace and that her joy would be restored; afterwards I gave her a big hug. I told her not to feel bad about having taken the kids shopping because the attack could have occurred right where she was living. I didn't know how prophetic that was until she took me outside and showed me two gas tanks that were beside her kitchen door."

"Twelve years ago a terrorist planted a bomb there," she said as she pointed to the tanks. "Had I not notified the bomb squad this whole apartment would have blown up."

Before leaving I gave her 220 shekels. Like Ora, she didn't want to take it but I insisted. I told her to use the money just for herself. Later when I called her, she said that she had hired a woman to come in for four hours and clean her house so that she could have a break; I was pleased.

Summary

Since these initial visits, I have been able to visit with Ora and Anat again. What a joy it has been to fulfill the Scripture that says, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people," says the Lord (Isaiah 40:1). Right now Ora's greatest need is for domestic help, as the government does not provide this type of assistance.

If you would like to assist Ora or Anat, please email Alice or send a donation directly to NAVAH.