Thursday, January 16th
4 sets (2 English, 1 French, 1 Russian), 2 Tanakh, 1 French Brit Chadashah and 1 English Bible were given.
A team of two went to a small mall that has a large French community. One Tanakh was given to a man who received it but did not want to take the Brit Chadashah. He was thankful for the gift, and they took time to speak about Yeshua and His messiahship. He was given the contact card to listen to the online teachings.
A man received a Tanakh but refused the Brit. He said that he thought that he was pure enoough. They told him that only the Messiah could make mankind tsatik (righteous). This man said he read Hebrew so they told him to read Isaiah 53 as he would see that it spoke of the Messiah being the One who could make man righteous, that this Messiah came and would return to rule and reign in Jerusalem. They also told him that it was very important to be reconciled with God; that it was written in Isaiah 9:6 that this Messiah would come as a child but would be called El Gibbor and Avi Ad (Mighty God and Everlasting Father). They brought out Daniel the prophet who spoke about the two options left to man; to be reconciled to God and have everlasting life or to go to everlasting shame. After hearing this, the man took the contact card.
After this, the team decided to go to another mall where they handed out three sets. The first set was given to a man whose wife was Jewish. He received it gratefully and the team discussed Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah, with him. He also received a contact card to listen to the online messages.
Next, they met a woman who read Russian and requested to have a Russian/Hebrew set. She stated that her husband was from Israel. She was surprised to hear that she could listen to the Word being spoken in French on the internet. She took the contact card. The team had a short conversation with her.
The team quickly approached a man who was walking towards his car. A set was given to him in English, along with all the literature. They spoke about Yeshua and the prophecies in the Tanakh, about His first coming and pointed to the Brit which contained fulfillment of those prophecies. As he was in a hurry, the team did not take much of his time and he quickly left.
While they were standing in the parking lot, they saw a police car arrive and waited for the officer to leave, which he did after several minutes. However soon seeing the police once again, they chose to leave this place.
The team returned to the small mall once more and gave a set to an elderly man who said he had many books. His wife, he said, was active in the Jewish community and so they had all they needed concerning books etc. However, when he saw the Brit Chadashah he asked to receive it. They gave him the Brit in a gift bag and began to tell him that Yeshua was the Messiah and surprisingly he decided to take the entire set. The man had said that he was from Casablanca, and they informed him that their teacher/messianic leader came from there as well. They gave him the Beth Ariel contact card and told him that he could listen to the online messages. Sweetly, this man wished them well in this good work.
An English bible was given to a Muslim man from Morocco. He really wanted to have a Bible and received the one offered as well as an anti-Semitism pamphlet. The team spoke to him about Yeshua being the Messiah, the Christ for everyone.
A Brit Chadashah was then given to a man who already had a Tanakh but gladly took the Brit. He was a jovial man who said he liked to make people laugh and so they had a short conversation about the Scriptures with him.
It was a beautiful, mild day and the team was thankful for God’s direction and protection. They were thankful for all the sets that they gave out as well as the pamphlets and thanked everyone for their prayers.
Friday, January 17th
The same team went out the following day to three local malls. They went to the small mall they were at the day before and gave a set to a very sweet woman from Morocco. She was thankful to receive it along with the literature and was surprised to hear about Yeshua as they offered her the Brit Chadashah. They had a short conversation about Isaiah 53 and spoke of the true Yeshua from the Scriptures. She said, “I did not expect to get a gift today; please continue the good work and good courage!” The team gave her a hug as she went on her way.
One Tanakh was given to a man who did not want to take the Brit Chadashah. He too was surprised to receive the Scriptures and despite it being a short encounter, he wanted to give a donation but was told it was a gift. They told him it was their desire to have him read the Scriptures and to listen to the messages. He also received the contact card.
One man was offered an anti-Semitism pamphlet, but he refused to take it at the time. He went in to do his shopping and when he came out, he approached the team and began to say that they were missionaries and should not be there on Shabbat. He told them that they were the anti-Semites and took out his phone to take a picture saying that he was going to send it to the Jewish community. He then continued to threaten them. The team reacted by quietly walking away from him and then waited until he got into his car and left. They were very thankful for God’s protection and decided that they would not return to that mall for a while.
They then went to another mall and gave a set in French to a woman who said that she had studied the Torah. She was from Morocco and her parents owned a restaurant there. She also spoke of Israel, but the connection was not clear to the team. When they offered the Brit Chadashah she took it. They told her about Isaiah 53 and how the Messiah could make her tsadik. It appeared to the team that she was acquainted with the passage as she was not surprised by it, and they could see that she was moved as she thanked them for the gift. They gave her the Beth Ariel card and informed her that their teacher/leader at the congregation came from Casablanca. She asked if the members were Jewish and one of the team said that she was. Many pamphlets were given out at this mall but as an employee of the store was busy going back and forth, collecting the shopping carts, this hampered their activity (as they did not want to draw attention to themselves and have the employee take notice of them) and so they left to go to another mall.
At this new mall, they met a woman who was in tears as she received an anti-Semitism pamphlet and comfort card. She spoke about the hostages and the team sympathized with her saying it was horrible what was going on and they were waiting for them to be released. It was a touching conversation.
Then they met a woman who took the pamphlet and comfort card but asked them if they were at the hostage walk. They affirmed that they had been attending and recognized her from there. They told her it was nice to meet her and told her that they planned to go until all the hostages were released. They offered her the Tanakh, but she did not take it as she already had one. The team marvelled how God had led the team and this woman to the same place, and that she would come to learn that they were Messianic and believing that Yeshua is the Messiah.
A French Tanakh was given to a man who said his son was religious, but that he was not. He took the Tanakh but refused the Brit Chadashah. He did take the contact card, and they spoke about the Messiah and how only He could make man righteous. He said that he did not believe that Yeshua was the Messiah and was waiting for the Messiah to come. They then told him that only God could reveal the truth to him. He thanked the team and appeared very grateful for the gift.
The team said it was a wonderful outing, and they thank everyone for lifting them up in prayer and they ask that people pray for those who received the Scriptures from both days. They want all the glory to go to God for only He is worthy of man’s praise.