We are taking the Good News to a small city in Ethiopia. It will be our first Outreach there, although there are already 10 Messianic congregations in the region.

We have been praying to break ground in new areas, as we did in Chivi, Zimbabwe, a few months ago. This can be challenging work! However, with your prayers and the Holy Spirit’s help we look forward to what the Lord will do as we enter another new area, this time in Ethiopia. We need your prayers covering this Outreach in a region that desperately needs the ministry of Yeshua (Jesus), the Prince of Peace.

Please pray with us, starting now, for this Ethiopia Medical Outreach taking place May 19–29. You can help cover these dates in prayer by signing up on our Jewish Voice 24-7 Prayer Watch schedule and by using these daily prayer points. Please pray for:

Wednesday, May 11–Wednesday, May 18 | Proverbs 16:3

• The buildings we’re using to be fully prepared for our medical equipment and teams
• The Lord to go before us and prepare the spiritual atmosphere
• The hearts of the people in this new area to be prepared to receive Yeshua
• Any opposition or forces of oppression to flee in Yeshua’s name

Thursday, May 19 | Psalm 121:7-8

• Safe travels for in-country and international team members
• Protection of all kinds and good health now and throughout the Outreach, including timely negative COVID-19 test results
• Spiritual and physical preparedness for the rigors of breaking new ground through Outreach

Friday, May 20 | Ephesians 4:1-4

• Unity to develop and grow among team members all through the week
• A sweet time of fellowship and rest during the Erev Shabbat dinner tonight
• The Lord to speak to each one regarding how He desires to use them during the Outreach
• A protective covering from the Lord over each team member and their families back home

Saturday, May 21 | Isaiah 49:10

• Good weather in this season and location, mild temperatures and no rainstorms throughout the week
• Smooth orientations for the Clinic and medical professionals and all participants to be fully prepared
• The Counseling and Prayer volunteers to be well trained and spiritually ready to minister
• The protective presence of the Lord and His angel armies to push back forces of darkness and release the Kingdom of light

Sunday, May 22 | Deuteronomy 10:21

• Special protection for patients who may be coming from across the border for treatment at this Clinic
• Healing from the Lord for the many who come to be treated, even as they travel and stand in line
• Miracles, signs, wonders and salvations to begin today as the Clinic opens
• A new era of God’s shalom to be established among the various tribes in the region

Monday, May 23 | Matthew 10:20

• The good reports we’ve heard about this area’s openness to the Gospel to prove true, with the Word going forth boldly and many receiving Yeshua
• Powerful worship and prayer times each morning that glorify the Lord, strengthen the team and see God’s kingdom come in answer to prayer
• The Living Waters team to be anointed and effective each day as they go out and share about clean water and the Living Water, Yeshua

Tuesday, May 24 | James 5:16

• The Ethiopian pastor, a mighty man of God, who will be heading up the prayer tent and serving as trip chaplain
• Many people to receive ministry in the prayer tent, leading to salvation, healing, and deliverance
• A new unity among the local Messianic congregations as they work together

Wednesday, May 25 | Romans 1:16

• A fresh revelation that deeply impacts the Gentile Believers in the region regarding God’s heart and plans for the Jewish people
• Many Jewish people to come to believe in Yeshua
• Locally hired workers to see how wonderful the Lord is and be saved

Thursday, May 26 | 1 Corinthians 14:40

• The ability to see and minister to the maximum number of patients on this last half-day of the Outreach
• Order, favor, safety and shalom in closing and packing up the Clinic
• Safe travels to the capital city once the Clinic closes

Friday, May 27 | Matthew 25:23

• Each participant to hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
• A blessed time of testimony and fellowship around Erev Shabbat dinner
• The spiritual seeds that were sown to continue bearing fruit for eternity

Saturday, May 28 | Acts 9:31

• Safe travels and smooth transitions home, including negative COVID-19 tests and luggage arriving with travelers
• Local Messianic Believers and congregations to be encouraged and multiplied as a result of the Outreach
• Effective follow-up among all who were interested in learning more about Jesus and that the number of people who come to know Him multiplies
• The region to be marked by the presence and power of God, with testimonies of His goodness that will bear more fruit long after our team members have left

Let’s Pray

Lord, we long for the Jewish people in this region to learn of the love of Jesus, to be drawn to Him and receive salvation. We pray for salvation for their neighbors as well. In this area that needs You so much, we pray for Your Spirit to move and to make Yeshua known. Help us be Your hands of love and give us Your words of life to speak. We believe You truly have good news for this location. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

“The LORD gives strength to His people;
the LORD blesses His people with peace.” 
Psalm 29:11 (NIV)

Shalom, my friend & Happy Israel Independence Day!

Today, as we celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut with joy and festivities, my attention is turned towards the words of the Psalmist who acknowledges the reality of God strengthening His people – and blessing them with peace. 

With the war continuing in Ukraine, and the ongoing tragic loss of life – more than ever we need a supernatural measure of strength and peace.

Maybe you’re facing an overwhelming challenge in your own life.

I pray over you now that God will pour out upon your heart and mind the strength and peace to overcome.

And I also ask that you join me and everyone at Jewish Voice as we pray for God’s strength over His people, in Ukraine and around the world — and His blessing of peace.

Thank you for your special partnership.

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE IN EASTERN UKRAINE INTENSIFYING 

The Times of Israel reported late last week that Ukrainian officials stated the Russian offensive in Eastern Ukraine has picked up momentum, with several towns coming under intense attack as Moscow’s forces attempt to surround Ukrainian troops.

According to The Times of Israel, the General Staff of Ukraine’s military says Russian forces were “exerting intense fire” in several places as they pushed on with the second phase of their invasion.

Reports indicate that the fighting intensified after Russia suddenly cut off natural gas to two NATO nations last week, in what was seen as a bid to punish and divide the West over its support for Ukraine ahead of the potentially pivotal battle in the eastern industrial region of the Donbas.

The most intensive action, according to The Times of Israel, is around Donetsk and close to Kharkiv, which lies outside the Donbas but is seen as key to Russia’s apparent bid to encircle Ukrainian troops there.

FORMER RUSSIAN BANK EXECUTIVE JOINS UKRAINIAN DEFENSES IN KIEV

The Jerusalem Post reports that Igor Volobuev, Vice President of Gazprom Bank, the third-largest bank in Russia, fled Russia to join the Kiev territorial defense forces.

According to a recent interview, Volobuev, who left on March 3 – just one week after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine – said that he couldn’t stay in Russia.

“The Russians were killing my father, my acquaintances and close friends. My father lived in a cold basement for a month. People I had known since childhood told me they were ashamed of me,” said Volobuev, who worked at Gazprom for 16 years before holding Gazprom Bank’s top position for six years.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the former bank executive went on to say that the way the Russian President is acting is a crime.

International sanctions were imposed on Gazprom Bank – among several Russian banks hit with unprecedented sanctions – the day after Russia began its assault on Ukraine.

According to other media outlets and reports, including The Moscow Times, other top executives and officials known to have left Russia during the war include Sberbank's first deputy chairman of the board Lev Khasis, presidential envoy Anatoly Chubais, and Aeroflot deputy CEO Andrei Panov.

U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL CLAIMS SECURITY COUNCIL FAILED TO HALT RUSSIA’S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited towns outside the capital of Kiev late last week to review evidence of mass killings of civilians that were found after Russia’s retreat from the area.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Guterres told reporters during his visit, “The Security Council failed to do everything in its power to prevent and end this war. This is a source of great disappointment, frustration and anger.”

Russia is one of five nations that have permanent seats on the 15-member U.N. Security Council (UNSC) – having veto power. The Jerusalem Post reports that Russia has used its veto power to block any UNSC action against it on the war in Ukraine, thereby underscoring the need for UNSC reform.

When asked about reform, Guterres replied: “I have not the power to reform the Security Council. I have no illusions about the possibility to do it immediately, but I will do everything I can through making the U.N. as effective as possible in situations like these to at least compensate for a failure that I cannot solve. And you can be sure about [our] total commitment to support Ukrainian people in this difficulty and to our permanent voice asking for the end of this war.”

According to Guterres, the U.N. has provided aid to 3.4 million people inside Ukraine and hopes to increase that number to 8.7 million by the end of August. There are some estimates that indicate some 25 million people could need assistance by the end of the year.  

LET US PRAY TOGETHER

Please pray with me for:

• God to bring peace and safety to the situation in Ukraine, protecting the lives that could potentially be at risk
• God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give them the wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran
• God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel, who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies
• Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah

This year, the month of May holds three important Israeli civil holidays:

May 4 - 5: Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day

May 5  -6: Yom HaAtzmaut – Israel’s Independence Day

May 28 - 29: Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day

Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day

Israel declared her independence on May 14, 1948. Immediately, surrounding Arab nations and Palestinians waged war, confident they would defeat the newly reborn State of Israel. So, before Israel celebrates her independence, she honors those who lost their lives fighting to defend and preserve Israel’s freedom. 

Yom HaZikaron is a solemn day of remembrance that begins with a one-minute siren at 8:00 p.m. on the Hebrew date of Iyar 4. A national ceremony follows at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. At 11:00 a.m. the next morning (remember that a Jewish day begins and ends at sunset, so for Israel, it’s still Iyar 4), a second siren sounds for two minutes. It’s a signal to stand in silence, remembering those who paid for freedom with their lives.

Television and radio stations broadcast programming honoring the fallen. Some include a scrolling list of names, highlighting the fact that each one represents a valuable life with their own story.

At 1:00 p.m., a national service honors the victims of terrorist attacks. In the evening, a torch-lighting ceremony closes the day. Flags that have flown at half-mast all day are raised, and the celebration of Israel’s Independence Day begins.

Yom HaAtzmaut – Israel’s Independence Day

Fireworks light up the night sky on Yom HaAtzmaut, and the nationally prestigious Israel Prize is bestowed on selected individuals with outstanding accomplishments in various fields. The lifetime achievement award goes to someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the nation.

In addition to official ceremonies and religious services, Yom HaAtzmaut is a day filled with fun and recreation. All over Israel, people attend concerts, festivals, picnics, and barbeques, go hiking, to the beach and enjoy themselves in celebration of the country’s independence.

Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day

Jerusalem Day marks the anniversary of a united Jerusalem coming back into Israeli hands at the end of the Six-Day War in June 1967.  Until then, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan.

Tensions had been high in the region since Israel became a nation-state in 1948. In the first four months of 1967, Israeli farmers in northeastern Israel endured 63 attacks from Syrians on the Golan Heights above them. Then, Russia spread lies to Egypt that Israel was preparing to attack and wipe out Damascus, the Syrian capital. Egypt, being Syria’s ally, amassed troops at Israel’s borders. Other Arab nations staged hundreds of thousands of soldiers at Israel’s borders.

Despite messages of peace from Israel, the surrounding Arab nations would not stand down. Instead, they fanned the flames of impending war. Israel feared the loss of thousands of Israeli lives and determined their only recourse was to pre-emptively strike a disabling blow to the Egyptian Air Force. War was official.

Israel pled with Jordan to stay out of it, but Jordan attacked, hoping to gain complete control of Jerusalem. After six days of fierce fighting, Israel gained control over all of Jerusalem as well as the critical Golan Heights. After more than 2,000 years, Israel’s capital was once again intact and in her hands.

Today, Jerusalem Day is marked by civil ceremonies, prayers, concerts and other festivities.

As we consider Scripture’s command to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), this month provides a fitting opportunity to engage with the Lord over the safety of His people, the State of Israel, and the salvation of Jewish people everywhere.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Shalom, my friend.

God is in control . . . and thankfully we can cling to His promises and trust that He has a plan, though we may not see it or even understand it.

I pray you cling to this promise – as you navigate your own challenges and circumstances.

Thank you for your partnership in this ministry. Please remember Jewish Voice in your prayers this week – praying for God’s continual protection for our partners on the ground in Ukraine, in Israel and around the world. And for the salvation of the Jewish people.

ISRAEL TO PROVIDE KIEV WITH PROTECTIVE GEAR FOR RESCUE AND EMERGENCY ORGANIZATIONS

The Jerusalem Post reported late last week that Israel’s Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, and has agreed to provide protective gear such as helmets and vests.

The request from Kiev comes eight weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Following the agreement, Israel’s Defense Ministry released the following statement:

“This is part of Israel’s extensive effort to provide humanitarian aid, which includes the establishment of a field hospital, the absorption of refugees and immigrants, the provision of food and medical assistance, and more.”

According to The Jerusalem Post, Israel has been trying to strike a balance between Russia and Ukraine. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is said to have declined in February to sell weapons after he was asked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

As part of Israel’s aid to the embattled country, Jerusalem has set up a field hospital in Lviv and has donated several armored ambulances via the Magen David Adom rescue services.

Saying that he appreciates Israel’s efforts to bring an end to the war, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Korniychuk told Israeli reporters that the war “for us is genocide, not unlike your situation in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Unfortunately, we are dealing with a much stronger adversary and many more casualties, so thank you for your mediation attempts.”

PUTIN CLAIMS MARIUPOL “LIBERATED” AFTER AN ALMOST 2-MONTH SIEGE

According to YnetNews, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war late last week, declaring the port of Mariupol “liberated,” despite hundreds of defenders still holding out inside a giant steelworks plant.

In a televised meeting with his Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, inside the Kremlin, Putin is reported to have said that there was no need for a final confrontation with the last defenders who were boxed in after surviving nearly two months of Russia's siege.

“I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary,” Putin said. “I order you to cancel it. There's no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities. Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can get through.”

According to YnetNews, Russia’s Defense Ministry estimates that 2,000 Ukrainian fighters remained inside the plant. Putin called on them to lay down their weapons and surrender, saying Russia would treat them with respect.

Putin’s “declaration of victory” lets him claim his first big prize since his forces were driven out of northern Ukraine last month after failing to capture the capital, Kiev.

YnetNews reports that Ukraine officials estimate that tens of thousands of civilians have died in Mariupol. It says some have been buried in mass graves, others removed from the streets by Russian forces using mobile cremation trucks to incinerate bodies. The United Nations and Red Cross say the civilian toll is still unknowable but is at least in the thousands.

The intensified Russian campaign to seize large swathes of eastern Ukraine has further diminished the prospects of stop-start peace talks producing any rapid agreement to end the war.

UKRAINE RECEIVES WARPLANES FROM UNIDENTIFIED SOURCE

The Times of Israel reported late last week that Ukraine received fighter jets to help resist the Russian invasion, as Moscow intensified its offensive in the east.

According to the Pentagon, as reported by The Times of Israel, Ukraine recently received fighter planes and parts to bolster its air force. But the Pentagon declined to specify the number of aircraft and their origin.

Kiev has asked its Western partners, according to The Times of Israel, to provide MiG-29s, which its pilots already know how to fly, and a handful of Eastern European countries have. The fresh weapons for Kiev would also push to increase “Moscow’s international isolation.”

The request came because of Russia’s renewed push to gain control of Donbas and the besieged southern port of Mariupol — both would allow Moscow to create a southern corridor to the Crimean Peninsula that it annexed in 2014, depriving Ukraine of much of its coastline.

LET US PRAY TOGETHER

Please pray with me for:

• God to bring peace and safety to the situation in Ukraine, protecting the lives that could potentially be at risk
• God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran
• God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel, who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies
• Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah

Because of our many travels, we love Psalm 121:8, in which the Lord promises to watch over His people as they come and go. We are asking for your prayers for our comings and goings, including the places we have been and where we’re going now.

Scouting Trip Update – in a nutshell

Thank you for praying for our recent scouting trip to Africa. Our team has come home reporting success! Here are three big praises we experienced:

• Good connections with the Bembe people as we met with them and heard their story
• Successful meetings with the Yibir people in Ethiopia. We are deepening our relationships in the hopes of future opportunities to bless their community
• Significant progress pursuing a future, first-time Medical Outreach in Zambia. We are now on our way to securing permissions

Praise the Lord with us! These were our three main objectives, and it was very significant that the Lord enabled us to achieve all three. Thank you for your prayers that paved the way! Now…

• Please pray for future relationships and ministry opportunities among these peoples and areas
• Ask the Lord’s favor on us in securing favor and permissions for the Zambia Outreach

Messianic Leadership Training Trip

This trip is happening now! Every year, key members of our leadership team travel to Africa to spend time with the leaders of Jewish Voice-affiliated Messianic congregations. The primary purposes are to teach, equip, and engage with the leaders during interactive question-answer times together.

This year’s trip, including travel dates, will be from April 24 to May 8. The first week of training will be in Zimbabwe, with the following week in Ethiopia. Here are ways you can undergird this important annual teaching time in prayer:

• Safe and easy travels, good health, and protection of all kinds, including for our teams’ families at home
• Our two leaders, both of whom are Messianic rabbis, who will be conducting the training times and building relationships with the African congregational leaders
• A special Torah service in Zimbabwe where a Torah scroll will be presented, and the local Believers will learn how to conduct a Torah service themselves
• The guest speaker who is joining our two team members in Ethiopia. This gentleman was born in Ethiopia but now lives in the U.S. and will be ministering alongside our team in Amharic, the local language.
• Two groups of leaders in Ethiopia who have not been historically affiliated with Jewish Voice but whom we want to bless with the ministry training along with the three groups we have worked with there
• Every meeting, conversation and encounter in both nations to be marked by fruitful ministry and the presence of the Lord

You can cover these specific trip dates in prayer by following this link to our Jewish Voice 24/7 Prayer Watch and signing up for a time to pray from home.

Let's Pray:

Lord, we are filled with gratitude and joy at the way You opened doors of favor in each location of our scouting trip. Please allow these areas to now become open doors for effective ministry that will bear lasting fruit. Thank you for the fruit of godly leadership already in place in many Messianic Jewish congregations in Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. Bless our teaching team as they present truth, encourage leaders, and deepen relationships, all in the name of Yeshua. AMEN.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Shalom, my friend.

The Scriptures promise us that God has good intentions for His people – that no matter what we face, what we are forced to endure or the circumstances around us and the world – we can trust God’s plan. We can believe in the future He’s written. And we can lean on the hope He supplies.

This promise feels more needed now than ever.

We may not be able to understand what’s happening in Ukraine, in Israel or in the midst of any act of evil that’s happening around the world. But we can rest in the hope that God has a plan. And our responsibility is to simply trust Him.

As you pray your own prayer of trust today, I hope you’ll also pray for this work of ministry. For our partners on the ground in Ukraine, in Israel and around the world. And for the salvation of the Jewish people.

Thank you for your partnership.

RUSSIA COULD EARN BILLIONS FROM REVIVED NUCLEAR DEAL WITH IRAN

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) revealed last week that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) from 2015 – the nuclear deal in discussions with Iran – permits Russia to undertake civil nuclear projects in Iran worth billions of dollars.

According to the FDD, this runs counter to the attempts of the U.S. and other countries worldwide who’ve ratcheted pressure on Russia through sanctions they’ve implemented in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The FDD reports that last month, Russia forced a pause in the Vienna talks to ensure the protection of its financial interests. Moscow seeks to resume several civil nuclear projects in Iran that it previously carried out under the JCPOA, such as building two additional reactor units at the Bushehr nuclear power plant according to a $10 billion contract. The Kremlin also seeks to recoup a $500 million debt for past work. More broadly, Russia wants to avoid running into Western sanctions for any such nuclear work in Iran.

But the FDD indicates that there is no technical reason a nuclear deal with Iran should protect the Kremlin’s interests.

The situation now begs for a course correction, according to the FDD. There is no need for Russian firms to engage in uranium transactions with Iran. Under a restored accord, the Islamic Republic could comply with the deal’s limits on enriched uranium by simply blending it down to natural uranium. Washington and its allies, reports the FDD, should announce that they will rescind sanctions for all projects carried out by Russian entities and should threaten new penalties.

RUSSIA WARNS IT WILL DEPLOY NUKES NEAR FINLAND, SWEDEN IF THEY JOIN NATO

According to The Times of Israel, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned late last week that Russia would deploy nuclear weapons close to the Baltic States and Scandinavia if Finland or Sweden decides to join NATO.

Medvedev, now the Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, also said that if the countries joined, this would more than double Russia’s land border with NATO members.

“Naturally, we will have to reinforce these borders,” he said. “In this case, it would not be possible to talk any more about the Baltic non-nuclear status,” Medvedev continued. “The balance has to be restored.” According to The Times of Israel, his remarks indicate that Russia would be entitled to deploy nuclear weapons in the region.

According to The Times of Israel, Moscow’s military actions in Ukraine have sparked a dramatic U-turn in public and political opinion in both Finland and Sweden over long-held policies of military non-alignment.

Finland said this week that it will decide whether to apply for NATO membership within weeks, and Sweden is also discussing membership.

RUSSIAN BLACK SEA FLAGSHIP THAT ATTACKED SNAKE ISLAND SINKS AFTER BLAST

The Jerusalem Post reports that Russia said last week that the flagship of its Black Sea fleet – the Moskva – sank after being seriously damaged following an explosion that a Ukrainian official said was the result of a missile strike.

The Moskva was one of the two ships that seized Ukraine’s Snake Island on February 25.

Maksym Marchenko, the Ukrainian governor of the region around the Black Sea port of Odessa, said the Moskva had been hit by two Ukrainian-made Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles.

“Neptune missiles guarding the Black Sea caused very serious damage,” he said in an online post that The Jerusalem Post could not verify.

But The Jerusalem Post does report that the Snake Island incident included a small Ukrainian force of 13 stationed at the port of Odessa, where they were recorded cursing at a Russian warship after having been asked to surrender.

Initially, the Ukrainians announced that the 13 servicemen were killed in action, fighting to the end. The recording and story went viral in Ukraine and abroad and became a symbol for Ukraine's fight against Russia.

However, on February 27, it was announced by the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service that the servicemen could still be alive. Their capture was confirmed by the Ukrainian navy on February 28.

One serviceman was released from Russian captivity on March 28 and was awarded with a medal. It is unclear what the conditions for his release were and what the status of the other captives is.

LET US PRAY TOGETHER

Please pray with me for:

• God to bring peace and safety to the situation in Ukraine, protecting the lives that could potentially be at risk
• God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran
• God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel, who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies
• Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah

JVMI Outreach in Africa: Transformed from the inside out . . .

Liya* thanks God – AND YOU – for the extraordinary work in her heart!

Liya heard that Jewish Voice was hosting an Outreach in her area of Ethiopia. And after receiving medical attention, Liya asked for prayer and counseling. She was looking for something – ANYTHING – that would loosen the squeeze she felt around life. Her husband had left her. Her children were depending on her. Liya was barely making it – performing backbreaking work day in and day out. It felt like her family was falling to pieces, and her life was falling apart.

Liya cried out to God. And she gave her life to Jesus! When Liya returned to the Outreach the next day, her face glowed in wonder. Her outward appearance
showcased the inner transformation of the Gospel taking deep root in her heart. As our team approached her, Liya shared:

“I had to come back because I accepted Jesus. Immediately I felt a change on the inside. I got home and I gathered my children together and we prayed.
We all felt such a tangible change that we had a special feast of celebration together. I had to come back and say thank you!”

This is the kind of transformation you help make possible through your generosity. Thank you for being a part of God’s work to reach the Jewish people and their neighbors with the Good News.

* Named changed for privacy.

If we don’t go, who will?

Your gift today will help share the Good News with those
who don’t know about Jesus, the Messiah.

As Jewish people celebrate Passover, I’m convinced that in addition to Israel’s
deliverance from slavery in Egypt, the Lord was also using Passover to encourage Israel to look ahead. It is a shadow, the beginning of what would ultimately be fulfilled by Yeshua (Jesus) – Who is our Passover Lamb.

It’s that conviction that has driven this ministry for the last 55 years. And it will
continue to drive us until “all Israel saved” becomes a reality and Jesus returns.

And I want you to be a part of it. We can accomplish so much for God’s Kingdom
together. Nothing is more exciting than being a part of fulfilling prophesy and preparing for the return of the Messiah.

If, together, we don’t reach the Jewish people . . . who will?

What you hold in your hands right now is an opportunity to make an eternal impact. And I hope you’ll prayerfully consider giving another generous gift.

There’s so much work God wants to do among His people and their neighbors. And none of it will be possible without your help.

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

“For You have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.” 

Psalm 61:3 (NIV) 

Shalom, my friend.  

You know that we refuse to run away from dangerous situations when unimaginable darkness threatens the Jewish people and their neighbors. That’s why Ezra, Vice President of Global Ministry Affairs, and several of our executive team leaders joined me in spending nearly a week meeting with our partners on the ground in Ukraine and Poland.   

Watch this video we recorded that shares more about our exploratory trip into Ukraine. 

Our brothers and sisters – and the Jewish communities in the area – need our prayers. They need the presence of the Bright Light of the Lord during this dark hour.   

The Scriptures indicate that the Lord is a refuge for His people. That He’s a strong tower of safety and support. This was realized more fully in the death and resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus).  

That’s why we’re asking God to provide a fresh revelation and understanding of His safe presence to the people of Ukraine – to our partners sharing the Gospel on the frontlines and to those who are suffering.  

We also pray it over your life – with whatever you may be facing today.  

 
Thank you again for praying with us and for us in this work of ministry. 

TWO RUSSIAN MISSILES STRIKE RAILWAY STATION IN KRAMATORSK, USED FOR EVACUATING CIVILIANS

The Jerusalem Post reports that at least 39 people were killed and 87 wounded when two Russian missiles struck a railway station in Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine late last week. 

The station, according to The Jerusalem Post, had been used to evacuate civilians from areas under bombardment from Russian forces. And at the time of the strike, about 4,000 people – most of them elderly, women and children – were at the railway station. 

Multiple reports of the attack indicate that on one of the missiles were the words “for children.” 

According to The Jerusalem Post, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded on Twitter with, “Russians knew that the train station in Kramatorsk was full of civilians waiting to be evacuated. Yet they stroke [sic] it with a ballistic missile, killing at least 30 and injuring at least a hundred people. This was a deliberate slaughter. We will bring each war criminal to justice.” 

According to Ukrainian President’s Office adviser Oleksy Arestovych, Russia’s attack on the Kramatorsk railway station was preceded by thorough reconnaissance. 

In response, Eduard Basurin, press secretary of the pro-Russian separatist-controlled breakaway state the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), claimed that the rocket strike was not done by Russian troops or pro-Russian forces and was a “provocation” by the Ukrainian military.  

Russia’s Defense Ministry also denied responsibility for the attack. 

UKRAINE WARNS CIVILIANS OF “LAST CHANCE” TO FLEE RUSSIAN ATTACKS IN EAST 

According to The Times of Israel, Ukraine urged residents in the eastern areas of the country late last week to take their “last chance” to flee mounting Russian attacks. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia – which denies responsibility for the killings of civilians – was undeterred and continued “to accumulate fighting force to realize their ill ambitions in (eastern) Donbas.” 

“They are preparing to resume an active offensive,” he said, while officials in Donbas’ Luhansk and Donetsk regions begged civilians to leave. 

The Times of Israel reports that as of late last week, 1,200 people had been evacuated from Luhansk but that efforts were being hampered by artillery fire. 

The evacuation calls are being fueled by fears of fresh atrocities, after chilling discoveries in areas from which Moscow’s troops have withdrawn.

NEW EVIDENCE OF BUCHA MASSACRE DURING RUSSIAN OCCUPATION 

The Jerusalem Post reports that more evidence of the alleged Bucha Massacre was shared online by an independent Russian media outlet that obtained high-quality drone footage of the southern district of the city. 

The videos, taken between March 23 and March 30 by Russian national Sergei “Botsman” Korotkikh, who is fighting alongside Ukraine, allegedly showed the corpses of Ukrainian residents of Bucha, a city in the Kyiv Oblast near Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.  

It was determined that the bodies in the footage line up with the location of bodies found between April 1 and April 2 after Russian troops left the city. The videos also note military equipment used by Russian troops near the bodies. 

The implication, according to The Jerusalem Post, is not only that the Bucha Massacre likely occurred as Ukraine had alleged – but also that it occurred before Russian troops left the city. It also counters claim by Moscow, who deny that Russian troops were responsible for the mass deaths in the city. 

The Bucha Massacre was discovered by Ukraine after Ukrainian troops retook the city. 

According to Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk, around 320 bodies have been found in Bucha, with just around half (163) having been definitively identified. “These are the citizens of our city who were cynically killed, brutally tortured by the Russians,” Fedoruk explained. 

The alleged massacre has sparked widespread condemnation – with many accusing Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine.  

LET US PRAY TOGETHER

Please pray with me for:

• God to bring peace and safety to the situation in Ukraine, protecting the lives that could potentially be at risk 
• God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran  
• God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel, who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies 
• Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies 
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah