Update
Boker Tov (Good morning) my friends,
It is 6 am in Israel, so about 11 pm our time, and I am up early because today we head over to Haifa to meet with a man who has some sort of underground youth ministry. Not many people are trying, or continue to try and have evangelical youth ministries here due to the law which I spoke of yesterday. Many have tried creative outreach ideas and done more damage than good.
In fact, I think thats what Im learning to understand the most over here. Christians, or Messianic Jews as most refer to themselves as, are somewhat hated over here. The Crusades and 1700 years of persecuting Jews and calling them Christ-killers has done some real harm. You have to remember that the elderly Jewish people here have lived within the time of World War II and remember how the Christians for the most part didn't stand up for what our team calls "The Apple of God's eye" (The Jews) and sat idly by as they were captured, killed, beaten and raped, all in the name of not disturbing the water.
They have also been around long enough to see Israel reestablished as a state. In 1948, Israel regained her independance and less then 20 years later, EVERY SINGLE NATION surrounding her deciding to join forces to overtake and conquer her again. However, the promise and power of the Eternal One proved far too powerful and in 6 days, Israel had won. There is such amazing national pride here. We have been a part of two national parades, one celebrating just that, the independence of Israel, or Jerusalem Day.
The youth however, are very welcoming and full of life. We'll go up to groups and when they find out we are Americans usually ask where we're from, (Mickey Mouse land) and assume that we're rich, which for the most part, we are. We then throw out something about being children of a King, and they go CRAZY, then we talk about God and surprisingly, they are all ears. It really isn't until we pray a blessing in the name of Yeshua that you see some draw backs, but I believe that if we were here full-time building relationships, this would be better explained.
We have handed out about 30 tracts already, and I ordered about 70 so I can't wait til my bag is empty. We pray for appointments, and to follow where the Spirit is going, but arrests seem pretty near in the future. We are the only people in Israel that are doing street evangelism, not that we are the only ones that have ever tried it. We are just the only ones that haven't gotten caught yet. Praise be to the Lord and His blinding power against the authorities.
My last bit of information is simply this: God moves.
The first night we were here, we marched in a parade and having prayed for conversations, literally had people flocking to us, youth and older folks, beginning conversations. We must have had conversations with 20 people, one after another, just walking back to the Church. We met one Jewish woman, very orthodox, from St. Louis who lived here now for 20 something years as a beggar. Her name was Sherry, and she told us she had a daughter that was a beggar as well. She didnt come up to us asking for money or food, but said that she saw us in the parade (of about 982735490874905 people) and could tell we were Americans (Thank you nancy wilson and her blonde hair) She told us about the incredible poverty situation and Ken got her some treats, Nancy got her some love and affection (which men are FORBIDDEN to do in any way, meaning if i shook her hand, she would be thrown in jail or disrespected) and I gave her some money. We were told that the 20 dollars I gave her provided food for her and her family for about the next week. Bread and eggs. As we talked about Yeshua, she begged us not too. Literally BEGGED us not to, as if the demons were terrified. She was from a sect of Judiasm that believes horrible things about the Lord and it was pretty obvious this was a cult. She wasn't having it but we left on good terms. We were walking on our way and I was explaining that I have never been in such a place that people, one after another, were iniating with US, and that it was crazy for me. As I was saying that and explaining that Nancy was annoited by God, we ran into another woman, about 20 minutes later. Guess who? HER DAUGHTER! We explained that we met her mom, knew her whole story, loved her and that she had some treats for her, and had a conversation (and handed out a tract concerning Yeshua) that was MUCH more openly received. It was amazing.
Today we are meeting with the National director of Palestine. I am learning a lot about the life of a believer and can't wait to share it with my family back home. I miss you all so much. My heart DOES ache in the slower times and I know how Paul felt as he wrote, My heart longs to be with you, and I pray for you continually. I do.
I love you all so much.
In Yeshua a Messiah,
Ryan
It is 6 am in Israel, so about 11 pm our time, and I am up early because today we head over to Haifa to meet with a man who has some sort of underground youth ministry. Not many people are trying, or continue to try and have evangelical youth ministries here due to the law which I spoke of yesterday. Many have tried creative outreach ideas and done more damage than good.
In fact, I think thats what Im learning to understand the most over here. Christians, or Messianic Jews as most refer to themselves as, are somewhat hated over here. The Crusades and 1700 years of persecuting Jews and calling them Christ-killers has done some real harm. You have to remember that the elderly Jewish people here have lived within the time of World War II and remember how the Christians for the most part didn't stand up for what our team calls "The Apple of God's eye" (The Jews) and sat idly by as they were captured, killed, beaten and raped, all in the name of not disturbing the water.
They have also been around long enough to see Israel reestablished as a state. In 1948, Israel regained her independance and less then 20 years later, EVERY SINGLE NATION surrounding her deciding to join forces to overtake and conquer her again. However, the promise and power of the Eternal One proved far too powerful and in 6 days, Israel had won. There is such amazing national pride here. We have been a part of two national parades, one celebrating just that, the independence of Israel, or Jerusalem Day.
The youth however, are very welcoming and full of life. We'll go up to groups and when they find out we are Americans usually ask where we're from, (Mickey Mouse land) and assume that we're rich, which for the most part, we are. We then throw out something about being children of a King, and they go CRAZY, then we talk about God and surprisingly, they are all ears. It really isn't until we pray a blessing in the name of Yeshua that you see some draw backs, but I believe that if we were here full-time building relationships, this would be better explained.
We have handed out about 30 tracts already, and I ordered about 70 so I can't wait til my bag is empty. We pray for appointments, and to follow where the Spirit is going, but arrests seem pretty near in the future. We are the only people in Israel that are doing street evangelism, not that we are the only ones that have ever tried it. We are just the only ones that haven't gotten caught yet. Praise be to the Lord and His blinding power against the authorities.
My last bit of information is simply this: God moves.
The first night we were here, we marched in a parade and having prayed for conversations, literally had people flocking to us, youth and older folks, beginning conversations. We must have had conversations with 20 people, one after another, just walking back to the Church. We met one Jewish woman, very orthodox, from St. Louis who lived here now for 20 something years as a beggar. Her name was Sherry, and she told us she had a daughter that was a beggar as well. She didnt come up to us asking for money or food, but said that she saw us in the parade (of about 982735490874905 people) and could tell we were Americans (Thank you nancy wilson and her blonde hair) She told us about the incredible poverty situation and Ken got her some treats, Nancy got her some love and affection (which men are FORBIDDEN to do in any way, meaning if i shook her hand, she would be thrown in jail or disrespected) and I gave her some money. We were told that the 20 dollars I gave her provided food for her and her family for about the next week. Bread and eggs. As we talked about Yeshua, she begged us not too. Literally BEGGED us not to, as if the demons were terrified. She was from a sect of Judiasm that believes horrible things about the Lord and it was pretty obvious this was a cult. She wasn't having it but we left on good terms. We were walking on our way and I was explaining that I have never been in such a place that people, one after another, were iniating with US, and that it was crazy for me. As I was saying that and explaining that Nancy was annoited by God, we ran into another woman, about 20 minutes later. Guess who? HER DAUGHTER! We explained that we met her mom, knew her whole story, loved her and that she had some treats for her, and had a conversation (and handed out a tract concerning Yeshua) that was MUCH more openly received. It was amazing.
Today we are meeting with the National director of Palestine. I am learning a lot about the life of a believer and can't wait to share it with my family back home. I miss you all so much. My heart DOES ache in the slower times and I know how Paul felt as he wrote, My heart longs to be with you, and I pray for you continually. I do.
I love you all so much.
In Yeshua a Messiah,
Ryan