The Chosen People | MARCH 2020 7
THE JOSHUA INITIATIVE IS IN FULL SWING!
Chosen People Ministries held its second annual Camp Kesher Winter
Weekend in northern Maryland. More than thirty campers ages 8–16
joined us for a wonderful time of fun camp games, indoor swimming,
rock wall climbing, and amazing worship and time in the Word. Our
theme for the weekend was “Squad Goals,” where we took the kids
through many of the “one another” commands in the New Testament
and focused on how we can be a community that loves, cares for,
encourages, and builds one another up in Jesus. It was really a great
time for our campers to reconnect mid-year and get some spiritual
refreshment. We also hosted our very own gathering of Chosen People
Ministries staff members who are less than forty years old in our
Brooklyn Center. We had young staff members from all over New York,
California, Chicago, and even from England in attendance. This turned
out to be a very special time of worship, fellowship, brainstorming, and
encouragement for our younger staff. We discussed a variety of trends
within the Jewish community and how to minister the gospel in light of
them. We talked about the challenges we face in Jewish ministry, and
we spent time in prayer, asking the Lord to bring salvation to Israel, to
raise up new missionaries, and to move by His Spirit among His people.
NEW ZEALAND MINISTRY CONTINUES TO REACH ISRAELI
BACKPACKERS
It is currently summertime in New Zealand, and what a summer this
has been! New Zealand is still shaken from the horrific loss of life at
the White Island volcano. Storms also ravaged both North and South
Islands and closed many roads. Connecting roads on both coasts were
*Names changed
impassable. This weather chaos affected travelers drastically. Many
had to rearrange their plans and find emergency accommodations!
Thankfully, Israelis could stay at Chosen People Ministries guesthouses
such as the Zula Lodge, the Homestead, or take refuge in the homes
of Christian hosts. One such couple, Irit* and Yaakov,* found their
scheduled trip to the West Coast now impossible, so they called staff
member Teresa for help. Teresa put them in touch with the Johnsons,*
a host family in Admiralty Bay, which is known for seals and some
dolphins! Irit and Yaakov loved their stay with the Johnsons and came
back to stay with Teresa and her husband again before flying home. Irit
told Teresa about their time while fishing on the Johnson family boat.
Irit expressed to the family that she is proud to be Jewish, but does not
consider herself to be religious. She is frustrated with the “rules and
regulations that made it impossible to serve God and made it difficult
for them to even want to know God.” Teresa was just about to say to
her, “Yeshua had the same frustrations” when Irit said to her, “And you
know what Bill* said? He said, ‘Jesus had the same frustration as you.
You have a lot in common with Him!’” Teresa laughed and shared with
Irit that she was just about to say the exact same thing, and was then
able to continue the conversation, sharing that it is a relationship with
God that we all need, through Yeshua! Irit was very inquisitive and
continued to ask questions all through the evening.
JEWISH WOMEN COME TO FAITH IN CHICAGO
Chicago staff member Roy has been meeting with Dot,* a Jewish
woman in a nursing home who recently came to faith. Dot is thankful
for the weekly visits and for the time they spend studying the book
of Matthew. She, like most Jewish people when they come to faith,
knows very little about the New Testament and how Jewish it is. Each
week, Roy takes Dot through a chapter, and now she can see how the
Jewish prophets spoke of Jesus and his ministry. Melissa,* another
Jewish woman, also has come to faith and has begun to attend Roy’s
Bible study in Highland Park. Melissa is eager to learn how Old and
New Testaments link together so that she will be able to share with
her parents her new faith. She wants them to understand that she has
not stopped being Jewish but has found the promised Jewish Messiah.
Please pray for these two ladies as they grow in their understanding of
the gospel and are strengthened by their faith.