Pastor William Devlin, driven by his faith and partnerships with various organizations, successfully delivered 23 tons of rice to Christians in Gaza.
These individuals had found refuge in local churches amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, which intensified following the attacks in October 2023.
Devlin’s Experience and Commitment
As the missions pastor at Infinity Bible Church in the South Bronx, New York, Devlin draws from his extensive humanitarian experience in Gaza, having made over 30 visits to the area.
Despite the challenges, he held onto the hope that divine intervention would aid in overcoming the obstacles to delivering assistance to this struggling community.
The initiative took shape when Devlin joined forces with the Order of St. John of Jerusalem Hospitallers in April 2024.
At that time, the organization had just delivered rice to Ashdod, Israel, to support those impacted by escalating strikes from Hezbollah, which had surged after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
The crisis forced many residents in northern Israel to evacuate, resulting in a desperate shortage of essential supplies.
The Delivery Process
In September of the same year, a leader from the Hospitallers approached Devlin with an idea: could they transport 23 tons of rice from Thailand to two churches in northern Gaza, the Holy Family Catholic Church and St. Porphyria Greek Orthodox Church? The proposal was born from his commitment to regional outreach and ministry.
Devlin revealed that the churches had been sheltering over 225 families since the conflict ignited.
Israel has reiterated its resolve to dismantle Hamas’s governance in the region and secure the release of more than 250 individuals taken hostage amid the chaos that unfolded in October.
The Hospitallers took care of the financial aspects, covering the rice purchase, packaging, and shipping costs, which amounted to around $35,000—about $27,000 for the rice and $7,000 for shipping from Bangkok to Ashdod.
However, Devlin encountered considerable skepticism from various faith-based organizations during his outreach for support.
After approaching over 30 groups, he often received responses indicating that transporting the rice into Gaza was impractical due to the ongoing conflict and fears of looting.
Faith and Perseverance
In a pivotal moment, he was reminded of a fundamental biblical truth: what appears impossible for humans is achievable through faith.
This conviction fueled his perseverance, leading to a breakthrough.
In November, he reconnected with Samaritan’s Purse, the humanitarian organization founded by Rev. Franklin Graham, which had been actively involved in relief efforts in Gaza since the escalation of violence the previous October.
Thanks to Samaritan’s familiar ties with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), they were able to facilitate the delivery.
On November 11, 2024, the rice successfully reached Ashdod and made its way to the designated churches in Gaza, defying the doubts expressed by others.
Devlin reflected on the entire experience as a remarkable testament to divine intervention.
Despite widespread skepticism from numerous organizations, the rice reached its intended recipients safely and without incident, demonstrating the power of steadfast faith in difficult times.
Source: Christianpost
