Thursday, May 30th
Team 1
1 Russian Bible, 1 English gift set and 1 English Tanakh were given.
On a pleasant day our first team consisting of two ladies were at a local mall when they approached a man who was very thankful to receive a Bible in Russian. He said that his wife had died 5 years ago, and he attended an Orthodox church. While speaking with him it became clear that he was heavily burdened, and he shared personal information with the team. They told him then that God was calling him and that they were there to comfort him. They were able to talk to him about Yeshua and how He could remove his sins, that Yeshua can take all mankind’s sins away and that they can be justified before God through Him alone. They assured him that by turning to Yeshua, this would give him rest and peace with God. This news brought tears and several times throughout the conversation he cried. Showing him comfort, they hugged him and gave him the Beth Ariel contact card and encouraged him to join them for the Shabbat service on Saturday. They pointed out that the website on the card would lead him to the pastor’s teachings and advised him to listen to the Word and to understand the message of salvation. He said he was not close with his daughter nor his family and so they said they would pray for that situation. They also told him that his daughter was Jewish through her mother. Just to clarify, we believe that a child is Jewish when either the mother or the father is Jewish). They told him that there was only one Jesus and quoted John 14:6, that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and had fulfilled the prophecies in the Old Testament concerning His first coming and His return. He was very touched, and they were amazed how God searches for all those who are suffering. They advised him not to stay alone but to come to the congregation. It was a touching encounter.
They then met a Jewish woman who was grateful to receive the gift set in English. They wished her a Chag Sameach for Shauvot.
While taking a break in their car one of the members left the car to greet and give a woman the Shauvot pamphlet. She accepted a Tanakh for her nephew who she said was very religious, but she refused the Brit Chadashah. They explained that this was a book written by Jewish men and that it pertained to Yeshua but she still did not want to take it.
They met a woman from the Ukraine who worked for an elder care home. She received the anti-Semitism pamphlet and they spoke to her about Jesus. They explained that He was born in Bethlehem and that He was the only way to God. They had a great conversation.
Next, they spoke to a Spanish speaking woman who mentioned that she had met other team members previously and stated that she attended several synagogues in the area. The team was not sure how this woman understood faith in God. The woman wanted several anti-Semitism pamphlets and said she would like to visit Beth Ariel on Saturday. We pray she will come and get better acquainted with the Lord.
Another woman said she was grateful for the work the team was doing but suggested the team go to “people who were filled with hate because they were blind and driven by evil and cannot be spoken to”. She understood what the team had shared with her and was thankful. The team was thankful for all the prayers on their behalf.
Thursday, May 30th
Team 2
3 English sets, 2 bibles (1 French) and 1 Brit Chadashah were given.
On this hot day, this team of two was at a large shopping centre. The first set was given to a young lady wearing a star of David. They told her about the Messiah of the Scriptures, how He came and would return as explained in the prophecies of the Tanakh. A team member mentioned that she had worked in a local Jewish school and the woman being surprised said she had attended that same school many years before. It was a nice conversation, and she was thankful to receive the set.
The second set was given in haste to a woman who wanted to put her groceries in her car. She thanked the team and was pleased with her free gift.
A man was getting out of his car and was about to go into the store when they greeted him, giving him the anti-Semitism pamphlet and when he saw the gift set, he took it happily and thanked the team as he placed his gift in the car.
They then approached a Ukrainian woman who was on her lunch break and still had her groceries in her cart. They talked with her for at least 20 minutes. She took the offered pamphlet and bookmark and as she stood there a team member told her that she had spent a month in the Ukraine on a mission working with the children in different orphanages. She relaxed at this point and as she stated she was Christian, the team mentioned the importance of praying for Israel but she said she would pray for her country first. The team asked her about her faith, her walk and her relationship with Jesus. She said she was Catholic and sometimes prayed to Mary. The team emphasized how we are all sinful and need to be cleansed by Jesus, turning first to Him, confessing our sins and repenting. They explained how she could be born again and asked her if she would like to do that and pray the prayer of repentance and receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She followed along with the Scriptures in the small booklet given to her and said the prayer out loud, but the team could see she was not convicted as she did not see the necessity of repentance. It was clear she was not convicted by the Holy Spirit. They prayed with the woman for her mother who was in the hospital. She did take an English Bible and thanked the team for praying with her.
They met a Jewish lady who took the pamphlet and comfort card. She was offered the Tanakh, but she said she had one. Then she was offered the Brit. She was explained its content and prophesies and hearing it was a Jewish book she took it and put it in her purse, thanking them for the gift.
They approached a youngish Muslim man who was about to leave but as the car door was open, they offered him the anti-Semitism pamphlet. He took it and said he had many questions and would they mind answering them honestly. They spoke of sin, blood atonement and the Jewish viewpoint of Scripture. He was open to hear the differences between his faith, which he did not practice faithfully, and that of Judaism and the messianic view as well. One of the members spoke to him about God calling Moses to lead His people to the promised land because God knew well Moses’ heart. They spoke as well about the triune God and that Yeshua was present with Adam in the Garden of Eden. He said he had a hard time accepting that and would look into that further. He stated he had a cousin who had converted to Christianity, and they had had conversations about Jesus. They told him he could watch testimonies on One for Israel and was given the contact card to access the website of the pastor’s teachings. He was very touched, possibly convicted and thus the seed was planted.
There was also a small conversation with a couple who had arrived 4 months ago from Pakistan. They were there and using a sound box, they sang and played guitar in order to have money for food. The woman took a French Bible, and a small donation was given to them. They said their day was brightened with the conversation they had.
The team had many good conversations, giving praise to God and are very grateful for the prayers of the saints who stand with them.
Tuesday, June 4
On a very warm evening, two teams went to an area where there weren’t many mezuzot on the doors. We were able to give two sets, one Tanakh, and some literature. Most excitedly, a Catholic woman prayed for salvation with us.
Team One
A set was given to a woman whose daughter and her friend were at the door. We could see they were relieved when we said, “Chag Sameach” right away, undoubtedly due to increased anti-Semitism in the city. They were so amazed when they saw the set of Scriptures and received it with joy, as well as the tract on Shavuot (Pentecost) and other literature. The friend would have loved to have a set for herself, but she was underage. She lives in the area so we pray that we will be able to go to her house. The woman also pointed out that there was another Jewish home just beside theirs.
Then we went to another house and a woman answered. She already had the Tanakh, but refused the Brit Chadeshah and said to give it to someone else. However, she received all the literature we offered her.
Another woman opened the door and saw the Tanakh we were holding. She was shocked and skeptical that it really was one or if we were Jehovah Witnesses. So, she went to get her husband. As he was coming to the door, she also went to see her son to ask him about us. We were able to speak with her husband about what separates us from God since he said he didn’t know. We told him he could meet Yeshua as his Messiah or later as his judge. They did not take anything we offered after consulting the son.
At the end we went to a home where a man spoke French with us, but knew Spanish as well. As we began to offer him the Tanakh, his wife arrived at the doorway. Both were so thankful and joyful to receive both the volumes and all the literature.
Team Two
On our team, an experienced evangelist came to do door to door Jewish evangelism for the first time. We had an exciting night!
After leaving the first door where there was no answer, a kind, elderly woman crossed the street to speak to us and asked if we were sure we had gone to the correct house. When she saw the Star of David around the neck of the Jewish team member, she immediately said that she supported Israel in what they were experiencing. When asked if she herself was Jewish, she replied that she was baptized and raised Roman Catholic. Immediately, we asked if she knew she would go to heaven if she died that night. She said she only hoped to. We then showed her 1 John 5:13.
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” We explained that the name of Jesus meant salvation and that no work or sacrament on her part could atone for sin. She asked about sins committed later so we showed her 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We asked her if she wanted to pray for salvation right there and she grinned widely and said, “Yes!”. We all bowed in prayer, and she repeated a prayer after us. After assuring her of eternal life, we advised her how she could find good teaching from our radio broadcasts and web site. She also took a business card from one of the team members. When she then brought up the subject of prayer directed to Mary, it was the perfect opening for the new team member who came from a Roman Catholic upbringing before coming to faith. He gently told her that Mary also needed a Saviour and that all prayer needed to go directly to God, in the name of Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit who now lived in her. He also encouraged her to be immersed in the Scriptures.
The other team of two had gone past her house, but had not stopped there since there was no mezuzah. But God did bring this woman to us afterall and to Him most of all! Her name was that of a heroine in the Shavuot tract we gave her. She even had a great-grandson named David, so we pointed out the similarities. She acknowledged that there were no coincidences and happily went back home.
We praised God for this divine appointment!
Later, we gave a Tanakh to a couple who refused the Brit Chadeshah. In all, three homes received tracts on Shavuot.