A publication of Jewish Voice Ministries International
April 2014
Connections
Inside...
A Tribute to our faithful Outreach Opticians
Jewish Voice Connections
April 2014
Clearly Serving
The woman rose to her feet and danced. Right there in the Jewish Voice medical clinic! She danced so gracefully that other patients in the waiting room came to see. Bill and Maria Wojtaszewski (voi-ta-shefs-ski) have led the Optometry Department of JVMI clinics since 2006. For eight years they have traveled to Africa and India with us, loving people, restoring vision, and sharing the love of Yeshua. The woman in their “office” that day came for eyeglasses but couldn’t hear well. Maria decided to pray for her hearing first so they could then communicate about her eyesight. The woman’s hearing was restored and now she danced before Maria in gratitude! Both Bill and Maria were born in Poland and still carry their engaging accents. Each of their families had to flee the afflictions of World War II. Bill’s parents, imprisoned for helping Jewish People escape to Russia, escaped at the last minute before their execution, taking their family to Brazil. When Maria’s father was taken into the Polish army, her mother left for Germany with two-year-old Maria and her baby sister. After the war their father found them, and Maria was raised there. Eventually, Bill and Maria each came to the United States. Upon the arrival of Bill’s family, they were taken immediately to a church service and placed in the front row. There Bill saw a girl singing in the choir who captivated his heart, and they have been married for 54 years. Always in their hearts was a love for missions. Their first trip was to an area of Belarus that was formerly Poland, their homeland, where they shared the
Good News and distributed Bibles to children. Bill noticed how the children first held the pages close, and then stretched out their arms far. Near, then far. As an optometrist, he knew what that meant and his inquiries were met with the same answer: “I can’t see. I can’t see.” These words rang in his ears when they returned home, haunting him in dreams night after night. The Word of God in someone’s hands is of little use if they cannot see to read it. They knew they had to do something. Yet everything they tried resulted in closed doors … until it was God’s time. “When God opens the door, He supplies everything,” Bill says. “And His Word says no man can shut it,” Maria continues. “His timing,” Bill reflects, “His timing.” Bill and Maria worked with Operation Blessing for a number of years until opportunities began to dwindle. They were referred to Jewish Voice and have ministered faithfully with us since we began our outreach clinics in 2006. Their
“Praise and glory be to God that He could use someone like us. But God could use anyone who says, ‘Yes, I will do it.’” — Bill Wojtaszewski
Jewish Voice Connections
www.jewishvoicetoday.org
energy, dedication, and hearts for the people continue to bless everyone they meet. They have participated in over two dozen clinics in the past eight years, missing only two: one due to illness and one because their children surprised them with a 50th anniversary cruise. Friends and family urge them to settle down and take their retirement easy, but Bill and Maria won’t hear of it. In their seventies now, they still love what they do. “I can’t wait…to get there because I know I see miracles,” Maria says. “You get tired, especially at our age,” Bill says, adding that it takes them some time to rest after each trip. “But then after the third or fourth week, we start to get uncomfortable. It’s time to go. It’s time to go.”
Would you answer the call and join us? Jewish Voice’s medical clinic outreaches bring desperately needed free medical and dental care to poverty stricken Jewish communities of Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Along with physical healing we also bring the Good News of Yeshua, offering eternal hope for weary souls. Your smile, your touch, your skill and heart can make an eternal difference. The heartbeat of our outreach ministry is changed lives. Yours will be changed, too. We need both medical and nonmedical volunteers. Take a closer look at our 2014 Outreach opportunities and pray with us about coming along. There’s a place waiting for you.
2014 Outreach Dates Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Medical Outreach • April 25 - May 5, 2014* Buhera, Zimbabwe Medical Outreach • July 25 - August 4, 2014* Zimbabwe (New Location) Medical Outreach • August 21 - September 1, 2014* NEW! Ukraine Hear O’ Israel! Festival Outreach • September 19 - 29, 2014* Gondar, Ethiopia Medical Outreach • October 23 - November 2, 2014* *Dates subject to change.
For more information or to register: www.jewishvoice.org/outreach, email outreach@jvmi.org, or call 800-299-YESHUA.
From the heart of
Jonathan Bernis Shalom, Dear Friend! It was one of the hallmarks of Yeshua’s earthly ministry. More than any other type of miracle, it served to testify that Messiah had come and that the God who sent Him not only had power but was motivated by compassion. I’m referring to the way Yeshua restored eyesight wherever He went. In virtually every place, His proclamation of God’s kingdom was accompanied by the blind receiving sight. In fact, when the imprisoned John the Baptist sent messengers to Yeshua to inquire as to whether He was truly the long-awaited Messiah, He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight . . . the deaf hear . . .” (Luke 7:22). Today, because of your generosity, Jewish Voice is restoring sight through our medical outreaches and we’re opening the eyes of precious Jewish People to the reality that Yeshua is the promised HaMashiach—the One they’ve been waiting for. What’s more— as this issue of Connections reveals—we’re seeing extraordinary miracles, too. Please remember, your gracious gifts of support make you a part of all of this and so much more. Thank you!
Connections Jewish Voice Ministries International P.O. Box 31998 | Phoenix, AZ 85046-1998 www.jewishvoice.org | 800-299-YESHUA Jewish Voice Ministries Canada P.O. Box 476 | Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3P2 www.jewishvoice.ca | 1-855-7-YESHUA
Jonathan Bernis, President & CEO Jewish Voice Ministries International
About the Cover Bill and Maria Wojtaszewski are a vital part of our JVMI Medical Outreaches, having led the Optometry Department of JVMI clinics since 2006, and traveling to the remotest parts of Ethiopia, India, and Zimbabwe.
Jewish Voice Ministries UK Admail 4224 | London W2 4UN www.jvmi.co.uk | 1-855-9-YESHUA
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Enclosed is my special gift of: $_____________ I have enclosed $125 or more. Please send me the Ethiopian Bracelet. 3092 I want to help with my gift, but don’t want to receive the offered item. DS
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Jewish Voice Ministries International P.O. Box 31998 | Phoenix, AZ 85046-1998 www.jewishvoice.org | 800-299-YESHUA Jewish Voice Ministries Canada P.O. Box 476 | Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3P2 www.jewishvoice.ca | 1-855-7-YESHUA Jewish Voice Ministries UK Admail 4224 | London W2 4UN www.jvmi.co.uk | 1-855-9-YESHUA In the event this project becomes fully funded, the Board of Directors reserves the right to use all excess funds toward other ministry purposes. US: The Internal Revenue Code permits you to deduct the amount of your gift that exceeds the value of materials received.