Friday, September 27th
7 sets were given.
A team of two were out on a sunny, warm day in a local residential area. The team went to the first home and were met by a man who appeared to be working from home. He was very engaged and listened intently as they presented the Tanakh and Brit Chadashah. He said that he was not very religious but was amazed to see the two women carrying these bags of books down the street. They replied that they wanted to bless the Jewish community by offering the free gift of the Scriptures. They told him that they attended a Messianic congregation and that Jesus, Yeshua was the Messiah and that He loved His people very much. They referred to the Scripture found in Luke 13:34. Noticing the neck chains that each team member was wearing, he said that he had also attended the March for Jerusalem and was happy to see that they had also attended. One of the team members mentioned that in the past nominal Christians had hurt the Jewish people but the real believers in Yeshua support Israel and pray for them as well. He took the set and wished them well.
A lady answered at the next door, but she remained behind the door as she motioned that she was ill and that the team shout leave the set at her doorstep.
At another door, an Orthodox man answered and exclaimed that he had already met them once before at a mall and that they had at that time, already given him the gift set. This time, he took the Book of Life pamphlet from them and thanked them for what they were doing.
Going further, the team came to the door of a lady who said she had a Tanakh but took the Book of Life pamphlet and the comfort card.
Then, they met another woman who was very happy to receive the set. She said she was busy and could not talk to them but was thankful for the gift.
At the next home, which was at the bend in the street, a Filipino woman answered the door wearing rubber gloves and said she was busy cleaning the house for the holidays. She stated that she was the nanny and had brought up the two sons since their birth and although the oldest was 18, she was still there looking after them as well as the mother. In response to the team’s offer of the Hebrew Scriptures she stated that she was Catholic. She was given a tract called “Steps to Peace”, and on behalf of the family she accepted the gift set. She was encouraged to read the Scriptures to the sons, and they encouraged her to speak about her own faith to the family. The team prayed with the woman before they left as she said she had need of prayer.
A woman answered the next door but was preoccupied with finding her autistic son who had disappeared from the backyard, and now suddenly popped up in the front yard to see who had come to the door. She quickly went to her son with a sigh of relief and took the pamphlet offered, thanking the team as she closed the door.
A French woman from Morocco “A” called to the team after the knock, asking the team to be patient, that she was her the way to the door. She explained that she had had a stroke and was living with her daughter. She accepted the gift set in French and took another set in English for her daughter. The team prayed for her healing and for a blessing over the family. They offered to visit her again and she was very touched at the offer saying that she would like that but only after the holidays and if her daughter agreed. She was then given the contact card and the names of the team members. She was thankful and stayed to wave goodbye to them as they left.
A young lady opened the next door and after introducing themselves, the team told her that they were volunteers with the Society that Distributes Hebrew Scriptures. She was offered the Tanakh and then the Brit Chadashah and they could see that she had been touched when the name of Yeshua was spoken. Wanting to lift the name of Yeshua higher, they told her of His other names like El Gibbor, Prince of Peace, El Shaddai and Counsellor. She was so happy to receive the set and the Book of Life pamphlet. She thanked the team for their time.
The team was so blessed by three of the conversations in particular and they ask for prayer for “A” because of her stroke. They also thank one and all who prayed for them as they felt the Holy Spirit’s presence with them.
Thursday, September 26th
3 sets, 1 Tanakh and 1 Brit Chadashah were given.
A team of two were out on a pleasant evening in another residential area. They stated that many did not take any literature but of those who took was an Orthodox Jewish man who was very pleasant with them, and they were so blessed by that encounter.
The first home that they came to was that of a woman. As she opened the door the cat scooted out, but she was not worried as it was an outdoor cat. They offered her a Tanakh which she took and was thankful for the gift. Her little daughter was beside her and her husband came to them both and took his daughter up into his arms. They were both smiling as they took the set and wished the team a good night.
Next, they met a religious man, dressed in black, who was coming out the door of his home. They offered him the Tanakh but he said he had one and that he believed in a rabbi who they knew was a false messiah. He showed them the picture of this man on his cell phone, and the team exclaimed that the man was not the messiah and asked him if this very man came from Bethlehem or if he was from the tribe of Judah. They warned him to be careful about this and to listen and read God’s Word. They were able to share Isaiah 53 with him. He was listening closely to what they said but he told them then that he had to leave as he was on his way to prayer.
At the next door, which belonged also to a religious family, a woman answered. She stated that she had 4 daughters and 2 sons, and they chatted about this for a moment. She was offered the Tanakh but she declined and so they asked her if they could give her a comfort card to which she also declined to take. The team was not ready to leave at that moment and so they asked if they could read a promise of God to her. Agreeing, they read from Zechariah and how Israel was the apple of God’s eye. One of the little boys wanted to have the comfort card and asked his mother if he could take it and to this she said yes. It was a touching moment for the team, and they said their hearts were filled with joy.
At the next door which happened to be on the side of the house, a man hearing the door bell called to them. As they offered him the Tanakh he said he would not read it. He told them he was not religious and so they were able to tell him that it was not about religion but about having a personal relationship with God. They shared about how sin separated man from God and that the Messiah was able to remove all man’s sins and therefore make him righteous before God. The man smiled then and they continued to speak to him for another 10 minutes. He took the set and thanked them. The team stated that at many of the homes they were able to share that they believed in Yeshua and that He was the Messiah and also about the Brit Chadashah being a holy Jewish book written by Jewish men.
At the following door, a young man in his 20s, wearing a kippa, answered. He listened to everything the team said, and they could see that he was very humble, gentle and quiet. They spoke about Yeshua being the Messiah and about many other things. He was thankful and made a comment on the fact that they were wearing neck chains about the hostages and the March for Jerusalem. He was very touched by that fact and the team expressed their love for Israel. It was a lovely conversation.
The team then spoke with a man for about 20 minutes. He had studied theology and the bible at McGill and had many questions for them. He said he loved the Word and understood that the other books which were not in the Tanakh were not inspired by God. He said that only the true words of God were in the Tanakh. They spoke of Yeshua being the Messiah and here he also had many questions. They spoke to him about the truth of the Word and he listened closely to what they were saying. He promised to read the Brit (did he take a set? it does not say) and he took the contact card and was encouraged to seek God’s Word and if he did, God would reveal the truth to him. The team said it was another special conversation.
A person at the next door received the Tanakh only.
At another door a man said he had many books but when he saw the Brit Chadashah, he wanted that and gratefully took it.
Finally, at the next door, the owner was not at home, but another man from Morocco answered. He said he was into the Kabbala and did not want the Tanakh. Surprisingly, he took the comfort card, contact card and the Book of Life pamphlet.
The team was thankful for such a beautiful evening and that they had many open doors! They were excited to have had such wonderful conversations and to see that the people were thirsty for the Word of God. They thank everyone who prayed for them and were in awe at what God was doing.