We leave for NY early tomorrow morning.

Let me start with an update from last week when I had no access to internet.

Last week we had interactions with people who were to busy doing drugs to care about anything we had to say.

However that being said the L-rd made us available to a few key people who really had questions about what we believed, and we ended up giving out multiple new testaments.

This last week we were on an All guys team. Hiking all around, it was a really great growing experience as well as a very difficult and dark time for us as I mentioned the people who didn’t want anything to do with us.

I will try to give more details in a different blog post, right now I want to talk about how amazing this trip has been after I tell you about this morning;

This morning we arrived in Delhi and I went to bed around 6am because our bus had just dropped us off. When I woke up I felt really Ill and cold, even though Delhi is a extremely humid and hot place. Thankfully I went back to bed, turned off our AC and Fans and put on really warm cloths and got up around 3ish, being all sweaty, and no longer being cold, but needing to put something in my body to give me energy because I felt very weak. So Praise Y’sh’a that this illness hasn’t been a very long ordeal (I think) I still feel a bit ill.

Now onto the partial unpacking of what happened on this trip.

This 10 week Journey has been a wonderful and great ride and I am really appreciative of the fact that it exists, and all the people who have helped it become what it is right now, I also look forward to where this trip will go in the future…

Many difficult and wonderful things have taken place on this trip, and through it all the L_RD has provided for me in each and everyone.

From the long grueling hikes we were on last week, to the adventures we had in Israel and the people we met and friends we’ve made both on this trip with me and the people we encountered along the way. I am truly glad that Y’sh’a called me to this trip this summer.

Although this trip is over, The season that follows when I arrive home will be another journey that I am excited and ready for, and I know it too has hardships along the path but I look forward to tackling them as they appear.

I am sad to be leaving the people who have become such an amazing family to me in these past 10 weeks but also and happy to part ways from them that I might see how this trip will allow their changed lives to bear fruit in the different paths all of us are about to go on.

I am happy that we are going back to the states but saddened by knowing that I will be leaving 6 wonderful friends I have made behind. As they continue on with the call that G-D placed on their lives for these next 4 months.

This trip has really opened my eyes and helped me gain a new perspective on evangelism, life, living a life of evangelism, and also shown me what I need to work on next in my LIFE LONG journey to knowing and growing closer to Y’sh’a.

It gives me great joy to know I have such an encouraging community behind me. And as hard as this trip has been looking back on all the things that have been accomplished for “The Kingdom” and in my life, make all the hardships that my community and I have been through, worth it.

Before coming on this trip I knew that I would be changed when I went home but I didn’t know that it would be so drastic, the next issue on this journey will be not falling into the boxes and routine things that I used to do.

I want to thank all of our Supporters who have been praying for us and helped us come on such an amazing Massah Trip.

I pray that all of you will be blessed imensely for all the support you’ve given us.

This post seems very unorgainized but I hope that joy I have from this trip and appreciation I have for you helping us on this trip comes across.

In HIS Divine and Perfect Mercy

~Jonathan

So we have recently been redivided as a teams for a few days after all visiting in &*%$^$. It was so refreshing! Now we are  in @*&K%!

(Did you cringe a little Abe or Daniel?)

Anyhow, on our first night here we were looking around trying to see where the Israelis might be. It is very European here so I have been able to use my French un peu.

Finally we came to our last attempt for the night to enter into converstaion after a lot of prayer to begin the night and throughout when finally there was a large group of Israelis that came to the restaurant we were in. Talia and I prayed again that G-d would provide an in into their conversation, and about 3 minutes later, I was sitting with them and finding out where they were from and their names. I was then able to share my faith wih a girl named Metaar, which was really interesting because she had had an unfortunate experience with other Messianic Jews in Israel. Hopefully G-d allowed that situation to be redeemed through our interaction. Then after that wall was torn down, she allowed me to share my faith with her, and I was able to fully lay out the Gospel with her. G-d is not letting her walk away thats for sure.

So thank you so much for your prayers, they are so important and so helpful in the ministry we are doing. We can do nothing without G-d and I am gently reminded of that daily.

Please keep on praying for us all.

Specifically for me please pray that I canbe focused ,consistent, and humbled.

Thank you so very much again!!

***this is officially yesterday***

We have been given the wonderful opportunity to lead a morning devotional. Each person has this same opportunity. So this morning we heard from Joshua N.

He spoke about, 2 Chronicles 7:14;

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Josh spoke about how the Jewish people are open to everything but Y’sha’, and how HE is the only way to the father yet, they stand and pray trying to speak to him but are missing the key “Piece”, and how every interaction we have with them is important.
it was a really good devotional, however I don’t really remember details right now as it is 1:20am two days later.

*today!*

We are placed in different groups each week with a team leader to help learn team dynamics and understand what our different skills are. So Today my group (Tamar (team leader), Rachel, Barry and I) were on dinner detail we cooked it and I thought it was very well made, details aside, something about the portion that I helped create, didn’t seem to be a big hit with people at dinner or at least that was my impression.

Time and time again so far on this trip different insecurities have been coming to light that I was unaware of. This happens to be one of them, so I found out tonight.

Being an artist when I work on a piece of art, if it is not well received it is a wound to my heart and soul since in my eyes it is a part of me, that I have poured part of myself into, no matter how small the project.

Rambling aside, I was trying to rebuke this insecurity after dinner because I find it to be a ridiculous and childish thing, (or at least the logic and reason side of me does).

In my life when insecurities appear or come to light, others that I am already aware of come back and they swarm me, so I start to think of myself as the victim. Which turns me into an introverted overly self analyzing person, who I don’t even want to be around.

And soon after dinner we are supposed to go speak with people about Y’sh’a. So I’m “trying” my best to rebuke these insecurities and we are soon leaving to go talk with people about our Y’sh’a, but I am attempting to keep myself stable.

Long story short G-d really provided as I didn’t want to talk with people tonight because I was trying to rebuke my insecurities, but my last conversation of the evening, went really well.

I spoke with a russian girl named Isabella, who told me a very interesting story about her going to an island just off Thailand, on a plane from a company who just had a plane crash 2 weeks earlier, and her jewish friend read to hear from the Psalms to help calm her down. She read that G-d will send an angel to guard you. So the plane landed, and they went to this motel, where this dog came and tried to Attack them. However another dog, came and interceded and protected them, but stuck around for 3 days at the door of their room just guarding them, it didn’t beg for water or food, it just sat there and guarded the door.

This led her to believe that there is something out there, but she doesn’t believe in G-d because she can’t see HIM. She had to run to meet someone but I just ask that you would pray for her and ask that Y’sh’a would reveal HIMSELF to her.

Thanks for your time and bearing with my rambling.

I know I say this every time but your prayers are very appreciated!

In HIS Sovereign Mercy and Grace,

~Jonathan

Please lift us up and ask that Y’sh’a and the Holy Spirit would help us overcome our cultural boundaries of jumping out of our comfort bubbles and talking with people. Also that G-d would show us the skills, giftings, and talents HE has sown into us that we may use them for HIS Glory! Todah Rabah!

*side thought*

Todah La EL (Thank the L-RD)
For putting this team together, and having your love and support on our Massah (Journey)
as we become broken and rebuilt in the mercy and grace of our L-RD Y’SH’A!

Today was quite eventful, I have met a total of 4 or 5 Jews who believe and Y’sh’a in the past 3 days. which is wonderful.

From people I’ve had the chance to speak with, there have been about 60% positive responses, or non-negative responses.

Today I spoke with a man who was unsure about christians and replacement theology, and it took about 10 or 15 mins to try to explain the error of it, how G-d sent Y’sh’a and that G-d still loves the Jews. He didn’t fully grasp it however he did take a gospel of John to read later.

Earlier in the sortie, Isaac, Talia, and I were sweeping, down one side of the street and speaking with people, when we started to approach a fountain area, but from afar Talia saw an orthodox man who was watching us throughly. so we kept an eye on him too, to see if he was going to get his phone out and call the Ya’d Lach’im (sp?), moments later he did pull his phone out so, with Isaacs swift leadership skills he had us dodge and weave on the left down a side area, where I got into a really good conversation with this woman who was very interested in the Gospel. however during our talk 3 people walked into her shop and she went in to tend with them but she asked me to wait she still wanted to talk all the while Talia and Isaac were keeping eyes out for the mass group of Ya’d Lach’im that the orthodox man called. Well they were waiting for me and there was nobody around they were both just praying like the flaming chariot coming to pick up Elijah.

Soon enough she came out to continue the conversation and I got her information and we moved QUICKLY, in hopes to avoid the people who were coming to harass us, so we went away from the area for about 20 or 25 minutes, then started heading back, once we walking up to the fountain again, we saw our friend from yesterday who called all the religious jews over “benny”. Instantly we turned around and went hte other direction to try and avoid having to deal with them and Praise the L-rd he didn’t notice us or follow us or cause us problems, but during our maneuvering, we had really good conversations with the people we encountered, all because something that we saw as a pain and potential problem sent us in another direction that we were meant to go down.

Overall there were many really blessed conversations tonight, with only a little opposition. Todah la EL!

Glory be to EL!

thanks for the prayers

Today we went out on a sortie in the morning, and ended up meeting some people while we were passing broadsides out. Then at one point a young man who knew our team leader (Peter) drove by and noticed us, proceeded to park and start taking pictures of us. Well it was interesting, I didn’t think much of it he was just one young boy no big deal. However the place we were at they had security guards to check your bags and keep the peace, so the security guard mentioned to me, “if they give you any problems I am here”. I was like wow, thats nice. A side note that he has a pistol ready to go at his side. So I was quite pleased at that. Come to find out later when we were finished that he is a Jewish Believer. (he told us while he served us nice cold water at the end of our time there)

We went out for a sortie later, where we had some good conversations, and interactions with people. We took a break between for dinner then continued on with the sortie. While we were going back the way we came, we encountered the same young boy who had been taking pictures of us earlier. While this time he called his friends, and 15 or more showed up, some adults some young men others boys.

On this sortie there were 6 of us (peter, abbie, talia, rachel, sean, and myself) Peter, Talia, and I were in the group that was farther down the sidewalk then the others, but just slightly.

Meanwhile I am still talking with a man and trying to explain to him that Y’sh’a came for more then just the jews because he thought Y’sh’a was only for the jews. Well needless to say. He didn’t fully understand what I was trying to say, when I noticed there was a large group of these religious jews to my left, when I saw them I was a little concerned because I hadn’t dealt with them before and looked around for peter and talia, but they were no where to be found. At that moment I, was a little disheartened but only for a moment and I decided oh well I will keep talking with this man and try to help him understand.

What I didn’t know was that Peter and Talia were in the middle of all these religious jews.

As I continued talking with this man one of them comes up and started yelling at me in hebrew, well I of course am not fluent in the language yet. so I say “Englit? Englit?”, “LO ENGLIT!” he responded so fervently when of course he knew how to speak english, or at least his face didn’t match his words with the smirk that I saw.

As he continued to yell, I told the man I would pray for him and decided to approach this very large, ominous group of jews, who didn’t really create any fear in me, I had this peace throughout the whole situation which I can only attribute to Y’sh’a.

Once I got there most hadn’t quite noticed me yet, but one did, and gave me a very angry look as I smiled back at him he approached me, and he too said something in eevret (Hebrew) but then he started counting in english I wasn’t sure what he was going to do but the look on his face and the fist in his hand didn’t seem very welcoming so I walked a few steps away. When I thought he was done with me he came back and grabbed all the broadsides I was holding and tried to rip them from my hand so I kept a nice grip on them but then he started to yell and create a fist again so I let him have them. Next he tried to rip them in half with his bare hands (about 40 total), and it didn’t work out very well for him.

Well this was going on Peter was yelling and arguing with the jews in hebrew. Well the younger boys started to circle us with singing and dancing which could have been very disorienting, scary, and frustrating if Y’sh’a hadn’t given me a peace in the situation.

soon after we started making our way back again, and trying to keep moving while these guys were harassing us, peter called the police, and it took them about 5 mins to show up, but while peter was talking with the police, the rest of our team were all in conversations about Y’sh’a with people who came up and wanted to know what was going on, and what the commotion was all about. I think each of us spoke with people who gave us their contact information which was really good.

After the police told the Jews to leave us alone, we started to walk away, and our good friend who originally called them was following us again. Then we tried to take a taxi closer to our residency and grabbing a taxi is not as easy as it would be in NY. After we finally get a taxi only 4 of us can fit, so Abbie, Talia, Rachel and I get in. and ride off. We sit in silence during the trip each dwelling on their on thoughts of what happened. (I think, or at least I was) As we are getting out the Cab driver notices the broadsides in abbies’ hand and asks her about them, come to find out He too was a Jewish Believer.

During this event that happened yesterday it reminded me of the thorn that was in Pauls side, that he asked G-d to take away but, was left there, because this same young boy, “benny” i think his name is. kept showing up to cause us problems. But as we could see by our great interactions after the police got there all things worked out for the good.

2 Cor 12:9-10

9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

So I ask that you would please do as paul said to the colossians

Col 4:2-4
2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Not that I am in chains in a literal sense but it seems like that with the opposition we are receiving when we go out.

Todah Rabah for taking the time to read this and May you be blessed by the Holy Spirit with strong faith and a boldness in words during times of opposition.