Friday, January 24th
6 sets, 2 Tanakh, 1 Brit Chadashah and 1 Russian Bible were given by both teams.
On this sunny but cold day three women making two teams were out at a local shopping mall.
Each team gave their separate report.
The first team consisting of two women gave out 1 gift set and 2 Tanakh. They first met an elderly man who listened in a kind and respectful manner. They told him about how he could find comfort in reading the words contained in the anti-Semitism pamphlet and then offered him the Tanakh. It was evident that he was very happy, and they then showed him the smaller book, the Brit Chadashah. Explaining briefly what the small book was about, he exclaimed, “Oh how interesting”. They told him briefly about the prophecies of the Messiah being fulfilled and showed him the bookmark with the list of verses regarding His comings and that he could read these in the Tanakh. He took everything and was very thankful.
Next, they met a young Jewish man who accepted the Tanakh, and they spoke to him for several minutes about the Scriptures and the prophecies regarding the Messiah. He eagerly took this book but at the presentation of the Brit, he stated that although he was thankful that they offered it to him, he would start by reading the Tanakh first. He was very kind and thanked them for the gift.
Then the team spotted a young Jewish man striding across the parking lot and tried to reach him quickly before he got into his car. He wore the religious tzitzit under his winter jacket. He stood quietly as he was first presented with the anti-Semitism pamphlet and then the Tanakh. He was filled with emotion as he realized the impact of accepting the Tanakh from them and he kept turning the book over and over in his hands. They told him about the prophecy of the coming Messiah and how they were Messianic believers who by faith and through the Word, understood that Yeshua was the Messiah who had come and that He would return to reign and rule in Jerusalem. One of the team members shared about her family connection to the Jewish faith and how the parents of her uncle, who were Jews from France, both died in a concentration camp. This touched the young man, and he softened after hearing this testimony. They offered him the Brit Chadashah stating that it was authored by Jewish men who were witnesses to the life of Yeshua during the time of the Second Temple, prior to 70 AD. He did not reject the Tanakh upon hearing this but did not accept the Brit stating that he could not take it into his house. He thanked them for the Hebrew Bible and wished them well.
They next met a man of Irish decent who was Catholic. He was offered the anti-Semitism pamphlet and seeing the cause of the pamphlet told the ladies that he had Jewish friends. He thanked them and left but later on the team saw him again as he was leaving the mall and offered him a bible. He said he had one and thanked them for what they were doing.
Near the end of the outing the teams switched up and one of the ladies went to the car to warm up. The other two continued on and met a young Jewish lady who was astonished as she received the gift set from them. First, she received the pamphlet and then took all the literature and was thankful (this report is given further down by other team member).
They then met a Jewish lady who said she was spiritual, and she too received the set with gladness along with hugs from the team.
The three team members met a Russian speaking man who did not understand nor speak English but did know a little French. They showed him the gift set in English and asked him to wait. As their car was close by, they quickly returned with a Russian gift set and an Isaiah 53 leaflet in Russian. The man was very moved and thanked them in his native tongue.
Report from 2nd team who was on her own.
A set was given to a woman who was a Holocaust survivor, and the meeting was quite touching. The woman accepted the whole set and for awhile they spoke together about Yeshua, and how this was the Jesus as written in the Scriptures. She was told that only He could make her righteous and give her eternal life. The woman told the team member that she was not sure she wanted to have eternal life and so she was told that that life would not be like life here on earth, but that it would be a life with God where there was no more sin, nor tears, pain or sorrow. The team member reported that it was truly a pleasure to meet this precious survivor who appeared to have no bitterness in her in spite of what had happened to her. They hugged each other and parted.
Next, she met a man who was well dressed and was likely on his lunch break as he was holding a sandwich in his hand. She approached him and gave him the anti-Semitism pamphlet and a comfort card. She offered him the Tanakh, but he said he already had one as well as many other books. She then presented the Brit Chadashah, stating that the book concerned the Messiah and the fulfilled prophecies of His first coming. He said he would accept that book and so the team member removed the Tanakh from the gift bag and placed his sandwich in there instead thereby giving him food for thought. He was very grateful.
She then met a woman who was with a friend who left just as the team member approached her. The woman was offered the gift set and a contact card and she took everything and was grateful and surprised.
Then the member met another woman who was with a friend at their car. She was given the anti-Semitism pamphlet and when offered the Tanakh, the other woman told her that she had received the same Tanakh the previous year. When the woman was given the Beth Ariel card
where she could listen to the messages, her friend wanted one too.
The team then gave a set to a well dressed, beautiful woman. As they spoke to her at the car, the husband opened his window and asked her to hurry. She continued to listen to the team and was very touched by the encounter, as was the team. They were touched seeing this woman’s desire to stay and hear more.
There was also a conversation with a man who received the pamphlet who asked why there was so much suffering. One member spoke with him about sin, rebellion against God and how God gives free will to man to make a choice to come to Him or stay in sin. It was a good conversation.
At the end when the three members were back together, a French set was given to a woman who was near her car. She was surprised to receive the literature and was grateful and thankful.
The three ladies were very thankful for the beautiful day despite the cold, and that there was no opposition. They praised God for His faithfulness and grace and for the prayers that were offered for them.
Sunday, January 26th
3 sets and several pamphlets plus 1 English Tanakh and 1 English bible were given.
On this very windy and cold day a team of two women were out at a local mall. Two gift sets were given out simultaneously. One team member went to a woman with children while the other went to a single woman.
The one team member approached a woman who although surprised took the set and the literature including a contact card. The other gift set in English was given to a woman with a child. She was Hungarian and was pleased when the team member spoke some words to her in her mother tongue. She said that her father was Jewish and she gratefully took the set. They talked about the Brit Chadashah being a pure book and about the Messiah being able to make her tsadik. She said she could not read Hebrew but was told that only the Messiah could remove all sins. This Messiah was the son of David, from the tribe of Judah who would return to reign and rule in Jerusalem. It was a beautiful encounter.
The team met a couple and offered the anti-Semitism pamphlet and while doing so the wife walked right past them, but the husband stopped to talk. He told the team that he was Jewish and did not think the pamphlet was for him but was told that indeed the pamphlet was for Jewish people and gave him the comfort card saying that it was a special gift to commemorate what happened on October 7th. He was then shown the gift set, and he was shocked. He was told about the pureness of the Brit Chadashah and the Messiah being the son of David. He told the team, “This is my lucky day” and they replied, “God is calling you and your family”. He was given the contact card, and he said something kind to them as they replied it was a blessing to meet them both.
The team left this mall and went to a second shopping center where it was less windy and they gave out another set, 1 Tanakh in English and 1 English bible.
One Tanakh was given to a young mother who was first given the anti-Semitism pamphlet and comfort card. She was offered the English Tanakh only as they were concerned that she would not take it if she was offered the Brit as well. This Tanakh had to be fetched from the car by the other team member. She was very happy to receive this gift.
A set was given to a beautiful, young woman who had converted to Judaism. She stated that her husband was Sephardic. She took the anti-Semitism pamphlet, comfort card as well as the Tanakh and said she would be happy to read it. She remarked that she had not read this book before and explained that she had come from a non-religious home but later on had become a born-again believer in Christ. She was excited as she listened to the team tell her about the Tanakh and the Old and New Testament relationship and Jewish viewpoint. She was then told that Yeshua was the Messiah of Israel, the Redeemer who Jewish people are actively seeking, but that the interpretation of the Word had been twisted by many. She told her it was a pure book and that there was a blood atonement for sin and how on Passover they remembered how the blood was placed on the door posts and how the placement of the blood resembled a cross. She went on to say that this tav was a symbol used in the Tanakh to point to the redemption of man. She also spoke about Ezekiel where he placed a tav on the foreheads of the Jewish remnant before judgement fell upon this people group. She referred to Leviticus 17:11 and the blood atonement as well. She was given the Beth Ariel contact card, and she encouraged her and her husband to listen to the messages. They embraced and gave thanks for such a joyful occasion. Please pray for the salvation of this couple.
She met a man who said he did not go to church very often but took the English bible. She asked him if he knew where he would go after he died and if he knew if he would enter heaven. His answer was that good works played a big role, to which he was told that good works were empty if man was not reconciled to God beforehand. He was informed that only by grace through faith is one saved and that no amount of works would give him passage into heaven. He was asked if he understood the Jewish connection to the New Testament and they told him that the Scriptures were written by Jewish men through the Holy Spirit. They pointed out that Jesus, the Messiah, came from the tribe of Judah and only He could remove sins. He was then invited along with his family to visit Beth Ariel, and they gave him the contact card for information.
They met two young men who were given the anti-Semitism tract. They spoke about sin and the difficulty for young people today and shared that God wanted them to have an abundant life as He had planned for them and that they could have peace, rest and joy through Jesus. They took the contact cards offered and the team wished them well and that they would turn to God in obedience.
They thanked everyone who prayed for their outing and praised God for the joy in their hearts as there is joy in His presence forevermore.