Jewish Voice
2013
From the heart of
Jonathan Bernis “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is My disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” —Matthew 10:42
Outreach Stats India
Manipur
Clinic Dates: May 27-31
7,239
Patients Treated
123
Salvations
Shalom, Dear Friends! We are so blessed by what God accomplished at our first-ever medical clinic to the Gefat community in Hosanna, Ethiopia. And we sincerely thank everyone who participated, either by volunteering at the clinic or standing with us faithfully through prayer and financial support. We will pass along more good reports to you soon from the historic launch of the only Messianic congregation in the region! To reach the remnant of Israel in these last of the Last Days is a very special privilege that God has entrusted to Jewish Voice and to you, our partners and friends. Together, we are working with Him as He pours out His love on His own—even in the most remote locations in the world. Only a few short weeks after the Hosanna clinic, we headed back to the Bnei Menashe of Manipur, India, where we treated some 7,239 patients, prayed for 3,462 of these precious people, distributed 3,203 pairs of eyeglasses, and performed 51 eye surgeries. We have so much more to report from our India medical outreach, so be on the lookout for stories from the field in our October issue of Connections. I can hardly believe that we are already through the halfway point on our outreach schedule. Soon, we will be heading to Mberwenga, Zimbabwe, to serve the Lemba. Please be praying for us as we continue this full 2013 outreach schedule. We need God’s divine rest, His wisdom, His mercy, His skill, and His resources to serve this Jewish community and make a lasting difference for Yeshua our Messiah.
Ethiopia
Hosanna
Clinic Dates: April 29-May2
9,402 3,324 Salvations
Ethiopia
Addis Ababa
Clinic Dates: Feb. 25-March 1
8,708
Patients Treated
3,795 Salvations
Jewish Voice Ministries UK Admail 4224 | London W2 4UN www.jvmi.co.uk | 1-855-9-YESHUA
Year to Date: Jewish Voice Ministries Canada P.O. Box 476 | Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3P2 www.jewishvoice.ca | 1-855-7-YESHUA
A publication of Jewish Voice Ministries International
Report From the Field The Land of 4,000 Thanks “We have never heard any of this information before. Thank you! Thank you so much!” The older Gefat woman stood up to proclaim her gratitude to JVMI team members in Hosanna, Ethiopia. To us it’s common knowledge that clean water and proper hygiene prevent disease. Yet for the Gefat people of Hosanna, this information was brand new. For four days a JVMI team of six conducted classes, teaching 85-100 people at a time that clean drinking water prevents waterborne diseases and that clean hands and face prevent bacterial infections. Four thousand people in those four days were taught the most basic principles of infectious disease prevention. Four thousand LifeStraws® and bars of soap were distributed as well. LifeStraws® are personal water purification devices designed to prevent waterborne diseases. Each has the capacity to filter approximately 264 gallons of water, affording each user many months of healthy drinking water.
Jonathan Bernis, President & CEO Jewish Voice Ministries International
Jewish Voice Ministries International P.O. Box 31998 | Phoenix, AZ 85046-1998 www.jewishvoice.org | 800-299-YESHUA
Connections
Patients Treated
Your partner to reach the Jew first, and also the Nations,
Connections
August 2013
25,349
Patients Treated
7,242 Salvations
Clean drinking water is a given here where we live, but it’s a huge gift in many parts of the world—a life-saving gift. It’s hard to even comprehend a life without safe drinking water available at the turn of a tap, yet in poverty-stricken Ethiopia, water is always a problem. Most of the people we meet have no running water at all and must haul water to their homes from sometimes quite a distance. And while maybe they didn’t know much about waterborne diseases, they know clear water from not-so-clear water. Everyone wants clean, fresh water to drink. “Desperation was the basic tone of the people,” Linda Gross, a member of the teaching team, described. “More than once, people
Photos by Rusty Clarke
Connections thronged, nearly stampeded, the tent where we held classes.” Armed now with a LifeStraw®, soap, and new knowledge, these people also received the gift of hope—hope for healthier lives less susceptible to the illnesses they so frequently experienced. “As people were leaving each class, they wrapped us in warm hugs and kisses,” Linda stated. “There was so much appreciation.” On the fourth day, as the final class was ending, there was a sudden rainstorm, “a deluge,” said Linda. Just as suddenly as it began, the rain stopped. “As we exited the tent, walking through mud and steaming water, we saw a full rainbow stretching across the sky. The sun made the trees and plants glisten. An amazing ending to an amazing week!”
The Power of Eight Without IV fluids he would die. The baby boy appeared to be about six months old, but in truth he was 2 years old. His mother brought him to the clinic just in time. Badly malnourished and severely dehydrated, the boy was 24 hours from death. His mother was so malnourished she could hardly nurse. Poverty and the area’s inadequate water supply had taken their toll.
Derinda, a volunteer nurse with JVMI, said the tiny boy’s veins were like threads inside an arm the size of her thumb. Adept at placing IVs in difficult veins, Derinda had never seen anything like this. His situation was truly urgent as she used the smallest needle made, trying two, three, four times. Just as she was successful, the scared and hurting baby snatched his arm away. His fragile vein tore, forcing Derinda to search for a new one through which to save his life.
Aster: Living in a House Divided
This poor little guy needed an IV for another reason, too. It’s hard to imagine his condition being worse, but it was. He had been burned by a combination of boiling water and the pure meanness of some older boys. His little legs were raw with painful burns. Derinda knew he needed a hospital and that both his dehydration and burns would require IVs.
At 15 years old, Aster is caught in the middle. Her father is married to two women and within her home are two distinct households. One is Christian and one is entwined in witchcraft. Professing Christianity as her faith, later that day in the Prayer Room, Aster manifested signs of trauma, torment, abuse, rejection, and fear. Her behavior was such that, to not interfere with other prayer circles, she was taken outside where intense prayer continued for well over an hour.
Five, six, seven tries. On the eighth try, Derinda got it. Finally the boy could receive critical fluids to bring him back from death’s door. With treatment begun, an Ethiopian nurse drove the boy and his mother to the nearest hospital. “I know in my heart that baby is alive because of us,” Derinda said. Without our intervention, he would soon have experienced the failure of his vital organs, and ultimately his heart. Derinda believes his outcome will be good. “I had to stick him eight times, but I finally did get an IV,” she reflected. “Do you know eight is God’s number for new beginnings?” she added.
“Nurses Station to Prayer Room. Can someone come pray for a patient?” Two members of the prayer team arrived to find Aster, apparently unconscious, receiving an IV. They prayed much over her and eventually Aster sat up with smiles. This was just the beginning of our interaction with the sweet and tormented girl whose sister brought her to the Hosanna medical clinic.
As the day came to a close, because Aster and her sister had come from so far away, they were invited to stay overnight at a local congregation. That way Aster could return to the clinic the next day for both medical and spiritual follow-up. The next day while team members Rachel and Ronna fasted for Aster, they learned she was in the medical tent. When they entered, they saw Aster lying on the floor. The doctor joined them in praying for Aster until she was able to sit up and again return to the Prayer Room. It was clear her bandaged leg was hurting her as she was assisted on the way. Inside the prayer tent, Aster collapsed unconscious on the grass. Using what was on hand, the prayer team lifted her face from the grass and gave her what semblance of a pillow they could: protein bars in a plastic bag. Again, fervent prayer was ignited for Aster. With worship music playing over a cell phone, prayer continued for hours. How does Aster’s story end? Happily! Miraculously! Our medical team treated her health issues, our prayer team ministered to her spiritual needs, and God delivered her from her torment. Aster left the clinic with a joyful heart and a smile on her face. Praise God for the work He does through the partnership of JVMI volunteers who participate in our medical outreaches and donors who help send them! Please pray for Aster. She still lives in the turmoil of a house divided. Pray for her physical and spiritual protection and that God will firmly establish her faith in Him.
Jewish Voice Connections
August 2013
Jewish Voice Connections
www.jewishvoicetoday.org
Connections thronged, nearly stampeded, the tent where we held classes.” Armed now with a LifeStraw®, soap, and new knowledge, these people also received the gift of hope—hope for healthier lives less susceptible to the illnesses they so frequently experienced. “As people were leaving each class, they wrapped us in warm hugs and kisses,” Linda stated. “There was so much appreciation.” On the fourth day, as the final class was ending, there was a sudden rainstorm, “a deluge,” said Linda. Just as suddenly as it began, the rain stopped. “As we exited the tent, walking through mud and steaming water, we saw a full rainbow stretching across the sky. The sun made the trees and plants glisten. An amazing ending to an amazing week!”
The Power of Eight Without IV fluids he would die. The baby boy appeared to be about six months old, but in truth he was 2 years old. His mother brought him to the clinic just in time. Badly malnourished and severely dehydrated, the boy was 24 hours from death. His mother was so malnourished she could hardly nurse. Poverty and the area’s inadequate water supply had taken their toll.
Derinda, a volunteer nurse with JVMI, said the tiny boy’s veins were like threads inside an arm the size of her thumb. Adept at placing IVs in difficult veins, Derinda had never seen anything like this. His situation was truly urgent as she used the smallest needle made, trying two, three, four times. Just as she was successful, the scared and hurting baby snatched his arm away. His fragile vein tore, forcing Derinda to search for a new one through which to save his life.
Aster: Living in a House Divided
This poor little guy needed an IV for another reason, too. It’s hard to imagine his condition being worse, but it was. He had been burned by a combination of boiling water and the pure meanness of some older boys. His little legs were raw with painful burns. Derinda knew he needed a hospital and that both his dehydration and burns would require IVs.
At 15 years old, Aster is caught in the middle. Her father is married to two women and within her home are two distinct households. One is Christian and one is entwined in witchcraft. Professing Christianity as her faith, later that day in the Prayer Room, Aster manifested signs of trauma, torment, abuse, rejection, and fear. Her behavior was such that, to not interfere with other prayer circles, she was taken outside where intense prayer continued for well over an hour.
Five, six, seven tries. On the eighth try, Derinda got it. Finally the boy could receive critical fluids to bring him back from death’s door. With treatment begun, an Ethiopian nurse drove the boy and his mother to the nearest hospital. “I know in my heart that baby is alive because of us,” Derinda said. Without our intervention, he would soon have experienced the failure of his vital organs, and ultimately his heart. Derinda believes his outcome will be good. “I had to stick him eight times, but I finally did get an IV,” she reflected. “Do you know eight is God’s number for new beginnings?” she added.
“Nurses Station to Prayer Room. Can someone come pray for a patient?” Two members of the prayer team arrived to find Aster, apparently unconscious, receiving an IV. They prayed much over her and eventually Aster sat up with smiles. This was just the beginning of our interaction with the sweet and tormented girl whose sister brought her to the Hosanna medical clinic.
As the day came to a close, because Aster and her sister had come from so far away, they were invited to stay overnight at a local congregation. That way Aster could return to the clinic the next day for both medical and spiritual follow-up. The next day while team members Rachel and Ronna fasted for Aster, they learned she was in the medical tent. When they entered, they saw Aster lying on the floor. The doctor joined them in praying for Aster until she was able to sit up and again return to the Prayer Room. It was clear her bandaged leg was hurting her as she was assisted on the way. Inside the prayer tent, Aster collapsed unconscious on the grass. Using what was on hand, the prayer team lifted her face from the grass and gave her what semblance of a pillow they could: protein bars in a plastic bag. Again, fervent prayer was ignited for Aster. With worship music playing over a cell phone, prayer continued for hours. How does Aster’s story end? Happily! Miraculously! Our medical team treated her health issues, our prayer team ministered to her spiritual needs, and God delivered her from her torment. Aster left the clinic with a joyful heart and a smile on her face. Praise God for the work He does through the partnership of JVMI volunteers who participate in our medical outreaches and donors who help send them! Please pray for Aster. She still lives in the turmoil of a house divided. Pray for her physical and spiritual protection and that God will firmly establish her faith in Him.
Jewish Voice Connections
August 2013
Jewish Voice Connections
www.jewishvoicetoday.org
Jewish Voice
2013
From the heart of
Jonathan Bernis “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is My disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” —Matthew 10:42
Outreach Stats India
Manipur
Clinic Dates: May 27-31
7,239
Patients Treated
123
Salvations
Shalom, Dear Friends! We are so blessed by what God accomplished at our first-ever medical clinic to the Gefat community in Hosanna, Ethiopia. And we sincerely thank everyone who participated, either by volunteering at the clinic or standing with us faithfully through prayer and financial support. We will pass along more good reports to you soon from the historic launch of the only Messianic congregation in the region! To reach the remnant of Israel in these last of the Last Days is a very special privilege that God has entrusted to Jewish Voice and to you, our partners and friends. Together, we are working with Him as He pours out His love on His own—even in the most remote locations in the world. Only a few short weeks after the Hosanna clinic, we headed back to the Bnei Menashe of Manipur, India, where we treated some 7,239 patients, prayed for 3,462 of these precious people, distributed 3,203 pairs of eyeglasses, and performed 51 eye surgeries. We have so much more to report from our India medical outreach, so be on the lookout for stories from the field in our October issue of Connections. I can hardly believe that we are already through the halfway point on our outreach schedule. Soon, we will be heading to Mberwenga, Zimbabwe, to serve the Lemba. Please be praying for us as we continue this full 2013 outreach schedule. We need God’s divine rest, His wisdom, His mercy, His skill, and His resources to serve this Jewish community and make a lasting difference for Yeshua our Messiah.
Ethiopia
Hosanna
Clinic Dates: April 29-May2
9,402 3,324 Salvations
Ethiopia
Addis Ababa
Clinic Dates: Feb. 25-March 1
8,708
Patients Treated
3,795 Salvations
Jewish Voice Ministries UK Admail 4224 | London W2 4UN www.jvmi.co.uk | 1-855-9-YESHUA
Year to Date: Jewish Voice Ministries Canada P.O. Box 476 | Maple Ridge, BC V2X 3P2 www.jewishvoice.ca | 1-855-7-YESHUA
A publication of Jewish Voice Ministries International
Report From the Field The Land of 4,000 Thanks “We have never heard any of this information before. Thank you! Thank you so much!” The older Gefat woman stood up to proclaim her gratitude to JVMI team members in Hosanna, Ethiopia. To us it’s common knowledge that clean water and proper hygiene prevent disease. Yet for the Gefat people of Hosanna, this information was brand new. For four days a JVMI team of six conducted classes, teaching 85-100 people at a time that clean drinking water prevents waterborne diseases and that clean hands and face prevent bacterial infections. Four thousand people in those four days were taught the most basic principles of infectious disease prevention. Four thousand LifeStraws® and bars of soap were distributed as well. LifeStraws® are personal water purification devices designed to prevent waterborne diseases. Each has the capacity to filter approximately 264 gallons of water, affording each user many months of healthy drinking water.
Jonathan Bernis, President & CEO Jewish Voice Ministries International
Jewish Voice Ministries International P.O. Box 31998 | Phoenix, AZ 85046-1998 www.jewishvoice.org | 800-299-YESHUA
Connections
Patients Treated
Your partner to reach the Jew first, and also the Nations,
Connections
August 2013
25,349
Patients Treated
7,242 Salvations
Clean drinking water is a given here where we live, but it’s a huge gift in many parts of the world—a life-saving gift. It’s hard to even comprehend a life without safe drinking water available at the turn of a tap, yet in poverty-stricken Ethiopia, water is always a problem. Most of the people we meet have no running water at all and must haul water to their homes from sometimes quite a distance. And while maybe they didn’t know much about waterborne diseases, they know clear water from not-so-clear water. Everyone wants clean, fresh water to drink. “Desperation was the basic tone of the people,” Linda Gross, a member of the teaching team, described. “More than once, people
Photos by Rusty Clarke
Yes! Jonathan, I want to share in the Genesis 12:3 blessing and help transform lives around the world! LifeStraw® (#2050) Imagine having the miracle of clean drinking water for an entire year within your reach. This is possible with the LifeStraw®. Each gift of $60 or more will allow us to provide four LifeStraws® for JVMI Outreaches, and we will also send you one as well.
Enclosed is my special gift of: $_____________ I have enclosed $50 or more. PleasePlease send me the me Jewish and Traditions Set. 1404 I have enclosed $60 or more. send theHistory LifeStraw®. 2050 I want to help withwith my gift, but but don’t want to receive the the offered items. DS DS I want to help my gift, don’t want to receive offered items.
There are 3 convenient ways to give: Print and mail this page with your gift, call 602-971-8501, or click anywhere on this page to give online!
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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.