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David Yaniv was born and
raised in Israel. He spent two years in the Israeli army before becoming a
tour guide. During the course of one of his tours, he met Sheila, who
would become his wife. Sheila was born and raised in South Africa. In
order for David to meet her family, they traveled there for a visit, which
lasted 12 years. The Yaniv's were blessed with two sons during this time,
and when the boys grew older the family decided to return to Israel.
Upon arrival, they joined a moshav, which is an agricultural
community.
Three years into their
life on the moshav, David slipped and fell, injuring his back. Although
the doctors couldn't find anything wrong, the pain grew worse until David
was consuming 50 painkillers a day just to cope. Three years later, a
neurosurgeon discovered two strangulated hernias on his spinal cord.
Assured that a "minor operation" would make him well again,
David agreed to the surgery. However, when he awoke from the surgery, he
had no feeling from the waist down. The next morning, the doctor explained
that something must have gone wrong, and that David would be paralyzed for
life.
Seven and a half years
later, David began watching the Christian television program, The 700
Club. During one of the broadcasts, David gave his life to Yeshua/Jesus.
His wife was not happy to learn of this, but later she too accepted Yeshua as her Lord & Savior.
A few months later, the
Lord miraculously healed David of his paralysis! His body had been made
whole again, and David & Sheila were eager to share the wonderful news
to all who would listen.
Being a Christian on an
Israeli moshav proved difficult. In 1988, after a series of painful
events, the Yaniv's were voted out of the moshav and were given ten days
to vacate. The Yaniv's had lost everything; their home, their jobs, their
friends, and a relationship with their youngest son, all in one
month. The Lord
used this situation for the good, however, and David & Sheila were
presented with a full scholarship to "Christ For the Nations" in
Dallas, Texas.
After graduating and
spending some time as an evangelist, God revealed His plan for their lives
to David. He directed them to go to the Pacific Northwest; specifically
the greater Seattle area, and begin a ministry.
Roots Messianic
Congregation was born in 1995. Pastor David & Sheila have surrendered
their lives to the purpose the Lord has given them, which is to be a
bridge between the Gentile and Messianic Church, thus bringing Gentile and
Jewish believers together as one body in Christ. Pastor David & Sheila
are committed to the reconciliation of the Church of Yeshua under one
banner of Truth...."The new self allows no room for discriminating
between Gentile and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, foreigner, savage,
slave, free man; on the contrary, in all, the Messiah is everything."
Colossians 3:11.
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