Wednesday February 21
It was a nice evening to be going out because it was not too cold and not too windy. We thank God for safety that night and that there were no larger icy places. A team of two women set out, excited to be going door to door again. A total of three sets, one Brit Chadashah and much literature was given.
The first street was entirely Jewish except for three homes. The first set was left at the door, according to the instructions of the gentleman inside who accepted. He heard that the New Testament was one of the items.
We spoke to an Israeli man whose last name was Cohen (his vehicle had his name on it), but when we offered the Brit Chadeshah, he gave back the Tanakh that we had given him and didn’t even want any literature. He said the British Chadeshah was not Jewish but Christian. Then we offered him the anti-Semitism tract which he took. He said he did not know how he would recognize the Messiah when he came but did not want the bookmark.
Another Israeli man lived across the street spoke to us in Hebrew and refused everything we had.
There was a very sweet, elderly woman in her 90s who came to the door all bent over and with a medic alert around her neck. We spoke at length with her as she described all the homes on her street that she knew, and who was in each one. She told us who was Jewish and who was gentile. We spoke to her for quite a while. She said she already had a Tanakh, but she readily took the Brit Chadeshah and other literature from us. We spoke to her about the radio show as well, and she took a business card with the showtimes and days. She was very welcoming, and we wish we could have taken her along to do the whole street with us. Very sweet.
There was a very nice man whose home was filled inside and out with plants like the garden of Eden. We used that as a springboard to conversation. He said he didn’t know if he believed if there would be a Messiah, but he took a full set and invited us to come back for plants in the summer.
A young father accepted a full set, but was very busy getting his children to bed and so we had no time to really have a conversation with him.
The surprise of the evening was to have met the sister-in-law of a well known messianic leader in the US. One of the team members knew of him. We had recently prayed for his outreach to a group of ultra orthodox, who had invited him to speak. The woman asked us fairly rapidly if we were messianic to which we answered yes. We explained that we were biblical Jews when she said she was conservative. She said she was not messianic. One team member said she used to be conservative, and now was a biblical Jew. The other team member reminded her that being Jewish is to belong to a nation, and not a religion. We hope that she feels brave enough to believe what her brother-in-law has probably told her for many years. She did not want any Scriptures from us, but she took the tract on antisemitism for which we are grateful.
At other homes we were able to sometimes give out anti-Semitism tracts and cards with promises from the Hebrew Scriptures.
We praise God for this wonderful evening. It was great to be back at the doors.
Thursday, February 22nd
Team #1
4 English gift sets, 1 English bible and about 12 sympathy cards were given.
A team of two were out at a local mall on a very cool and cloudy day. The team first gave a set and then another set to a Jamaican, Jewish woman. This woman was walking by the team at a point when one team member had offered a sympathy card to another woman who abruptly rejected receiving it. The Jamaican woman walking by stopped and asked the other team member why the woman was refusing the card. She asked, “What have you got that is making her reject the offering?” The team member answered her saying that she was not interested in receiving a blessing or sympathy for the terror attack on October 7th. The Jamaican woman immediately put out her hand and asked for a card and said that her mother was Jewish, and her father was Jamaican. She said she would give the card to her friend. Sensing then that the woman would accept the gift set, she was offered it to which the woman being curious asked to see the gift. Showing her the Tanakh and then the Brit Chadashah, her eyes lit up and she was thrilled to take it. She said that she goes to a local synagogue every Shabbat and took a set for her Jewish friend as well. Stating that she was so blessed that day, she left almost skipping with joy.
A young Jewish lady, dressed as orthodox, stated she was well acquainted with the Torah. She had a long conversation with the team about the Messiah, Israel and prophesies concerning His coming to reign in Jerusalem. She listened as the coming of the Messiah was unfolded before her from His first coming to save the lost to His return when He would set up His kingdom on earth to reign from Jerusalem. She was explained why the Messiah had to come as she was not familiar with this and was given the gift set with the Isaiah 53 pamphlet and the bookmark. She took it happily and consented for the team to pray for her right there. She asked for prayer for her three friends as they do not seek God. The team prayed in the name of Yeshua, Jesus and yet she accepted this and said, “Amen”.
Another young woman did not want to accept the card as she thought she had to give a donation but after explaining about the card, she took it and a gift set as well.
A young Jewish Orthodox mom, holding her infant in her arms, smiled and received the sympathy card. She was in a hurry to go to the bank but received a bookmark on her return from the bank.
Finally, the team had a long conversation with a tall, unkempt man who was standing in the parking lot. Although he appeared to be Jewish, he was not but stated that many thought he was and that although there were Muslims and Indian Hindus in his family, he told them he was an atheist and believed in the scientific viewpoint concerning origins. Despite this, he listened to the team speak of the One true God, Creator of heaven and earth. Each time he would listen he would bring it back to science. Still listening the team spoke about the Holy Spirit and the existence of our souls, about man’s sin and that God required atonement for our breaking His rules. He listened intently as if this was a new concept and was told the saying in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” because of unrepentance. They told him that religion and worship was good but only the righteous man, the sinless Son of God, could forgive him of his sins. He was given an English bible at this point as well as a bookmark and an Isaiah 53 leaflet. He wanted to ask more but his wife returned. It appeared that the Lord delayed her arrival because she was visibly upset that he was speaking to the team and when he offered her the gift set, she abruptly refused and got in the car. Somehow this man managed to gather some personal fortitude and told her he would take it. The team thanked the Lord as they left, knowing that He had kept the wife just long enough to allow her husband to listen to the truth about Jesus, the Messiah. Please pray for “D” as he searches through his own personal bible for the truth.
Team #2
The second team was out on the same day. They distributed:
4 sets (3 English and 1 French), 16 cards (1 French and 15 English), 20 English pamphlets.
One French set was given to a man who was very thankful. The team spoke to him about the prophesies of the Messiah and that He had come and would return but not before many false messiahs would come and try to reign and that one would try to reign in the temple, but much chaos would follow. They informed him that the 3rd temple would probably be constructed alongside the Dome of the Rock. However, this would not be the true Messianic temple that would stand at the time of the Messiah’s reign. They assured him that the Messiah was going to return and set up His righteous kingdom, reigning from Jerusalem and from the highest mountain there and that the glory would be for the Lord only. He was very thankful for the encounter, the talk and for the gift set.
A Jewish woman also received the set and appeared shocked to receive such a beautiful gift.
Unfortunately, it was very cold that day and nearly everyone hurried away to seek indoor shelter.
The teams want to thank everyone for their prayers. It did not snow nor rain and the team was able to spend some precious time with those who received the scriptures and literature. Most of all, they thank God for His protection over them.
Monday February 26
It was a beautiful evening as two team members went door to door in a Jewish part of a neighborhood in Montreal. One full set, one Tanach, and one English only bible was given along with pamphlets on antisemitism, Purim and comfort cards. There were quite a few non-Jewish homes on this street and at the Jewish homes, many did not answer or refused the sets. We did leave pamphlets on Purim, antisemitism and comfort cards in some of the letter boxes of those who were not home, or of those who did not want to answer but agreed to us leaving the pamphlets.
A Jewish man from Morocco answered the door, and though he was barefoot, and gently complained twice that it was a bit cold, he stood there with the team for at least 10 minutes as the conversation went from Israel and the hostages, to the Yom Kippur war (of which he was a veteran). He asked where is God in all of what is going on. He was told that God is always there with us, that God is afflicted in our suffering, that its in suffering when we see God’s presence and that the Lord is sounding the trumpet for people to return to Him. He complained about the unfairness that the religious do not go to war and they all agreed that there is a definite misappropriation of power given to the religious. He was told about the need to search the Scriptures for that right relationship with God. He was told that Isaiah 53 points to the nature of the Messiah. He was also given the Isaiah 53 pamphlet.
We met a young woman, around 22 years of age who was outside her door, on the porch, finishing a cigarette. One team member began introducing the reason for their visit, that they had the scriptures for her. Assuming she was Jewish the full set was given. She then went on to tell the team that she was Muslim, but that just before we came, she was praying to God to help her and to answer her needs. She herself said, “I was praying, and then you came”. We all marvelled together at the appointed timing of God. The team explained that the truth of who Jesus is would only be found in this bible and not in the Koran or any other book. She was very gentle in spirit and said she suffered from some depression. She was told that God gave His life for her, that He loved her and that He heard her prayers. She kept repeating how touched she was. We prayed with Iman that God would reveal Himself to her as she read the Scriptures. She was given a business card and was invited to call anytime if she had questions. Let’s pray she begins reading and gives us a call.
An orthodox woman, French speaking, was very nice. She opened the door with her kids buzzing around in the background. She was very kind and took the Tanakh and was then offered a Purim pamphlet and comfort card, which she took.
Thank you for praying and being there with the team, on their outing.