JOSEPH PROJECT INTERNATIONAL - After a Decade in Captivity, Healing Begins: Avera’s Story

This is the story of Avera Mengistu, one of Israel's freed hostages - a story marked by profound pain, unimaginable loss, and the slow journey toward healing. It is also a story that reminds us why continued humanitarian support, prayer, and compassion is so important.
Hamas captured him and held him in captivity for more than ten and a half years, much of that time in underground tunnels.
Avera Mengistu was born in Ethiopia, the fourth of ten children, and immigrated to Israel with his family at the age of five. In 2011, following the death of his older brother, Avera began experiencing serious mental health challenges.
In 2014, during a period of severe psychological distress, Avera crossed the border into Gaza on his own. He was not a soldier and posed no threat. Hamas captured him and held him in captivity for more than ten and a half years - much of that time in underground tunnels.
During his captivity, Avera was interrogated and subjected to extreme physical, mental, and emotional suffering.
After the events of October 7, 2023, the family was formally brought into the Hostages' Families Forum and received representation to help advocate for Avera. In February of this year, after more than ten years in captivity, Avera was finally released.

His return was a miracle - but it also marked the beginning of a new and difficult chapter. Avera came home deeply scarred by years of captivity. He spent five months hospitalized, receiving intensive medical and psychological care.
Determined to give her son a place of safety and stability, Avera's mother used all her savings to place a down payment on a modest apartment. Unfortunately, the apartment required extensive renovations to meet Avera's needs and to become livable.

This is where the Joseph Project International stepped in - helping transform an empty, unlivable apartment into a place of dignity, care, and recovery. This support is not just about walls and furniture; it is about restoring hope, stability, and a future for a family that has endured more than most could imagine.

We invite you to watch the video and witness this powerful story of survival, compassion, and restoration. Together, we can continue to stand with those who need long-term care, healing, and hope.
Thank you for standing with families who lost everything. Your support turns devastation into hope and helps survivors take their first steps toward recovery.
“I will bless those who bless you.” Genesis 12:3

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