In these turbulent times, we are thinking of you and praying for you!

The video above is a message of encouragement for you from Jonathan Bernis.

Also, we want you to see and be able to stand on some of the specific scriptures we are praying for you. Read them, meditate on them, declare them over yourselves, your family and friends. These are promises to pray in turbulent times! May you be encouraged and strengthened in prayer by the faithfulness of God and the power of His Word.

Here are some of the scriptures we are praying for you:

• HEALTH – Jeremiah 17:14
• PROTECTION – Psalm 20:1 (Psalm 20:2 in TLV)
• FINANCES – Philippians 4:19
• NO FEAR – Isaiah 41:10
• PROVISION – Matthew 6:31-33
• FUTURE HOPE – Jeremiah 29:11
• PEACE – John 14:27
• STRENGTH – Colossians 1:11-14
• HEARTS AND MINDS – Philippians 4:6-7; 2 Timothy 1:7

For more comfort from the scriptures:

• Psalm 23
• Psalm 46
• Psalm 91
• Psalm 121

You may have learned in school that about 75 percent of the Earth’s surface is water. Looking at a world map confirms it, but did you know that of all the water on Earth, less than 2.5 percent is fresh? More than 97 percent of the Earth’s water is saltwater found in oceans and seas.

That 2.5 percent seems shockingly small. It gets even tinier when you eliminate the frozen water of glaciers and the polar ice caps. In the end, the best estimates conclude that less than 1 percent of the Earth’s water is drinkable (World Atlas).

Even this fraction is an overstatement when you consider that the water sources available to many people in developing nations are often contaminated. Today, 1 in 3 people around the world lack safe drinking water. In addition, each day, some 207 million people spend more than 30 minutes round trip to collect water from an improved source (WHO/UNICEF 2019).

But many people don’t have access to an improved source of water – some 780 million of them, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These people are forced to drink water from streams and ponds which animals walk in, drink from, and otherwise contaminate. It’s also where people wash their clothes and bathe themselves. The murky water is often infested with bacteria that cause chronic and sometimes severe, even fatal, illness.

About 485,000 people die each year from diseases that are directly related to unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene (WHO). Some 297,000 of them are children under the age of five. That’s more than 800 children dying each day from what are some of the most preventable diseases (WHO)  (WHO 2019).

They need safe drinking water. They need to know the importance of washing their hands.

When Jewish Voice Ministries International (JVMI) takes humanitarian medical aid to struggling and impoverished Jewish communities in Africa, we also take lifesaving water filters to improve the health of individuals. Along with this, we conduct hygiene classes that teach about the spread of disease through germs.

Here, many people learn for the first time the importance of clean water and washing of hands and face. At the end of one class, a woman stood up and said, “Thank you! Thank you! We have never heard any of this before!” When we return to an area with another Clinic, we often hear patients tell us they feel much better because of the water filters we provided the previous year.

JVMI Medical Outreaches are most often held in remote, rural settings of nations like Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, which have many outlying communities. In addition to the classes at our week-long Clinic sites, we often visit nearby villages to distribute LifeStraw® filters that remove 99.9% of harmful bacteria and parasites.
 

We can’t live without water. And if it comes down to a choice of drinking contaminated water or none at all, well, it’s really not a choice. And unfortunately, sickness and too many times, death follow. Clean water makes a world of difference. Will you join Jewish Voice in providing clean water to hurting Jewish communities around the world?

Were you ever asked to do something that seemed more daunting than you could handle? Something for which you felt inadequate, unqualified, and frankly, terrified? And, in time, you realized this task was from God Himself?

That’s what the young woman Esther faced. God had placed her in the position of queen of Persia, and then presented her with an opportunity to save her people from destruction. And it might have cost her life to try.  

A Jewish maiden

Esther had come to the position of queen through unusual circumstances. The realm of Persia’s King Ahasuerus stretched from India to Ethiopia. Among his subjects were Jewish people who had been previously taken captive into Babylon. Esther was an orphaned Jewish maiden who lived in the king’s city in the household of Mordechai, her cousin and guardian.

A beauty contest

One day, Ahasuerus summoned his wife, Queen Vashti, to a party where he wanted to show her off to his honored guests from throughout the kingdom. She refused to come. Embarrassed and angry, the King banished her and began a search for a new queen. He gathered lovely maidens from across his land to undergo a year-long beautification at the palace, and from among them he would choose his next queen.

He chose Esther.

A secret

Mordecai had advised Esther when she entered the palace to not mention her Jewish identity, and she kept her heritage secret even after becoming queen.

A hero

Mordecai was a God-fearing man. One day, he overheard a plot to kill the king. He told Esther, who warned the king in Mordecai’s name. The would-be assassins were arrested, and the event was noted in the king’s chronicles.

An evil decree

Later, King Ahasuerus promoted an officer named Haman to such prominence that everyone in the kingdom was required to bow in his presence. But day after day, Mordecai refused explaining that he was Jewish and bent his knee only to God. Haman was outraged, and he devised a plan to kill Mordecai and all the Jewish people. He persuaded the king to sign an irrevocable decree to pay citizens to kill Jewish people on a certain day of the year. Haman cast lots to determine the day, and it fell several months away. Later, Haman had gallows built next to his home so he could personally see Mordecai hanged.

An intercessor

When Mordecai found out about the decree, he pleaded with Esther to approach the king, reveal her Jewish identity and beg for the lives of her people. Esther was afraid; going to the king without an invitation could mean her death. Mordecai encouraged her that this could be the very reason she had become queen.

A fast

Esther steeled herself with courage. She agreed to go, saying, “If I perish, I perish.” She determined to seek the Lord in fasting for three days. She told her handmaids to fast as well and instructed Mordecai to have all the Jewish people to do the same.

An invitation

After her fast, Esther went to the king. He extended his golden scepter toward her, showing that he welcomed her. When he asked what she wanted, she invited him and Haman to a banquet the next day, saying that she would reveal her request then.

A deferral

The king and Haman attended Esther’s banquet, and when asked about her request, Esther invited them to a second feast the following day. There she would present her petition to the king.

An irony

That night, the king couldn’t sleep, and he summoned the chronicles of his reign to be read, where he discovered that nothing was done for Mordecai who had earlier saved his life. In the morning, Haman waited in the courtyard to address the king about hanging Mordecai. When Ahasuerus called him in, he asked, “What should be done for a man the king desires to honor?” Haman, thinking surely the king meant to honor him, laid out a lavish recommendation. He could hardly wait to wear the royal robe and be paraded around the city on the king’s horse while a nobleman announced the king’s favor upon him. Ahasuerus liked the plan and ordered Haman to carry it out – for Mordecai.

A feast and a plea

At Esther’s second banquet, the king again asked her request. “Grant me my life,” Esther said, “and spare the life of my people.” She explained that if she and her people had simply been sold as slaves, she wouldn’t have bothered the king, but their situation was much worse. She and they were destined for slaughter and annihilation. She begged for their lives.

A villain exposed

Ahasuerus was furious. “Who is he?” he asked, “Where is the man that presumed to do this?” Esther replied, “The man is this wicked Haman!” The king ordered Haman seized and immediately sent him to be hanged on the gallows Haman had built for Mordecai.

A counter edict

The king gave to Mordecai the authority that had been Haman’s and told him to do whatever he saw best to remedy the irrevocable decree. Mordecai wrote a new edict, empowering the Jewish people to defend themselves on the day of the intended slaughter. On the 13th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, the Jewish people fought back and overwhelmingly prevailed.

A celebration forever   

The Jewish people survived the plan to annihilate them, and on the 14th of Adar, they rested. Mordecai commanded the day be set aside to celebrate throughout every generation. He named the holiday Purim, which means “lots,” and prescribed four elements of observance: feasting, celebration, giving gifts of food to one another and giving gifts to the poor.

Today, Jewish people gather at synagogues throughout the world to hear the book of Esther. They enjoy festive costume parties and lively plays reenacting the Purim story. Audiences cheer at every mention of the story’s heroes and boo whenever Haman’s name is read. Celebrants stomp their feet and rattle noisemakers to completely “blot out” the name of Haman.

The most popular food tradition at Purim is hamantashen (HAH-men-TAH-shen), triangular cookies with tasty fillings and said to resemble Haman’s hat or his ears.

Oddly, God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, but His fingerprints are all over the story. In it, we see that He is faithful to place people in the right places at the right times to protect and care for His children. Like Esther, we can trust God when He presents us with a task, even when we feel inadequate for it. It’s possible He stationed us where we are “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). And we can know that if He’s the one asking us to do it, He will be with us as we do.

Our first Medical Outreach of the year begins in just a few days! We will be ministering in Enewari, Ethiopia, from March 5-15.

I hope you will join me in praying for many bodies and hearts to be healed in the name of Jesus. I also hope you will prayerfully consider the request I’m about to share with you — the timing is perfect with this first Outreach of 2020 about to begin.

Thanks to the prayers and support of caring partners like you, our Medical Outreaches have grown. Last year, we provided care to more than 90,000 people in Africa!

In even more exciting news — through our Medical Outreach efforts last year, 754 people told us they made a first-time profession of faith in Yeshua as Messiah!

Will you partner with us again as we continue our outreach efforts among Jewish people in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and other parts of the world?

We are prayerfully expecting the Lord to do wonders during our first Medical Outreach of 2020 in Enewari, Ethiopia. We chose to minister in this area of the Amhara Region because 75 percent of Enewari’s population is Jewish. The Messianic congregation of Addis Ababa, three hours away, is already engaged in this area, laboring for kingdom impact. Last year, several JVMI team members visited Enewari with leaders from the Addis congregation. Together they stood on a vacant lot. Recently, our team saw on that same piece of ground a beautiful new school that the Addis congregation had built for this rural area. The Lord is working!

Please pray with us that they can acquire the land adjacent to the school for a congregational building so worship meetings can begin. We are also asking the Lord for this Enewari Outreach to bring many people to faith in Yeshua (Jesus), people who can one day worship in the new building.

Will you join us in interceding for the Enewari Outreach, day by day, as well as for the 3-day LifeStraw® Outreach in another region afterward? Daily prayer points are below, and you can sign up here for a time slot to pray from home. Please pray for:

Wednesday, February 26–Wednesday, March 4 • Isaiah 45:2–4

• Smooth, timely completion of pre-Outreach set-up
• Good working relationships with staff from the local clinic and area officials before and during the Outreach
• God’s favor, intervention and anointing in opening the hearts of the community
• Wisdom and creativity in how to reach this area with the Good News

Thursday, March 5 • Psalm 32:7–8

• Our Outreach Partners as they pack, leave home and begin their travels
• Safety, protection and health while traveling and during the Outreach
• Smooth flight connections and all luggage to arrive safely with our partners

Friday, March 6 • Psalm 16:5–8

• The breaking, in Jesus’ name, of any spiritual resistance or opposition in the Enewari region

• Easy adjustments to new food, accommodations, culture and time zone
• Strong unity and fellowship during the Erev Shabbat dinner at the hotel and continuing all week

Saturday, March 7 • John 14:26

• Safe travel to the campsite, involving several hours on dirt roads
• An engaging time during the “Messianic 101” teaching today and Sunday’s training of the Spiritual Care team
• Discernment in hiring local workers to labor faithfully in partnership with Jewish Voice
• Accurate, effective communication that includes strong unity and precise understanding between our team and interpreters

Sunday, March 8 • Philippians 1:3–6

• God’s guidance during the orientation for medical professionals and the final phases of Clinic set-up
• A great start to the week of ministry as the Clinic opens Sunday for a half-day
• Tremendous favor with the community as we bring Yeshua’s love to the people of Enewari through loving kindness, medical care, sharing the Good News and prayer

Monday, March 9 • Mark 16:20

• Any local officials visiting the Outreach event to be blessed and ministered to themselves
• An outpouring of God’s grace that leads to miracles, signs and wonders
• The Lord to use every aspect of worship, prayer, love and ministry to shift the spiritual atmosphere in Enewari and expand the kingdom of light

Tuesday, March 10 • Romans 10:14–15

• Stamina and anointing for the Spiritual Care team to minister effectively to many all week
• Renewal in God’s presence during the Ethiopian-style worship time Wednesday night
• The daily, early morning worship and prayer gathering to take place without interference, resulting in focus and strength

Wednesday, March 11 • John 4:13–15

• The Lord’s guidance, favor and direction for team members visiting nearby villages to proclaim the Good News of Jesus and distribute LifeStraw® water filters
• Deep unity with the congregational leaders from Addis Ababa with whom we are partnering
• Many people each day to be open to the Good News and receive Jesus the Messiah

Thursday, March 12 • Ephesians 3:20

• Energy for the team and staff members to finish the week well
• The Lord to multiply efficiency and each person’s efforts among this relatively small Outreach team
• A good night’s rest and effective strategies for Friday as we end the Enewari Outreach Clinic

Friday, March 13 • 1 Corinthians 14:33

• A smooth and orderly Clinic-closing this morning and safety as the departments pack up
• Evidence that the Lord helped us do more than we are able, ministering to more than we thought possible
• Safe travel back to Addis Ababa and a refreshing, restful Erev Shabbat meal together

Saturday, March 14 • Matthew 25:23

• Each participant to experience the Lord’s “Well done, good and faithful servant”
• The Lord to continue sharing His heart for Ethiopia with our Outreach Partners as they enjoy time in the city
• The testimony meeting Saturday – that God’s glory and faithfulness will be proclaimed

Sunday, March 15 • Isaiah 52:7

• Journeying mercies as our Outreach Partners travel home
• Rest for team members – some of whom are staying longer – and the Addis Ababa congregation leaders who have served alongside us all week
• God’s guidance and effectiveness as the congregation leaders follow up on interest cards from the Outreach and continue their ministry to people in the Enewari area

Monday, March 16 • Psalm 91

• Safety, energy, protection and health for the few remaining JVMI team members flying to the Somali Region of Ethiopia and then traveling on rough roads today
• Wisdom and discernment in this mostly Muslim region, which also includes a Jewish population
• The Holy Spirit’s continued guidance in everything we do here (and everywhere we go)

Tuesday, March 17 • Galatians 6:9

• Good relationships with the local medical providers, authorities, and community members
• Enough LifeStraws® to bless each person who comes, giving them clean water in the name of the One who is Living Water
• This effort to open people’s hearts to the goodness of God through Jesus

Wednesday, March 18 • 2 Corinthians 2:15

• Safety for our team members traveling back to Addis Ababa and then all the way home
• Recuperation for each team member who, at this point, has ministered internationally for weeks
• The fragrance of Yeshua and the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit to continue to flow and bear fruit in both regions long after we leave

Let’s Pray:

Lord, we are so privileged to go where we go and do what we do, all at Your request and empowering. And all for Your glory! May these two regions, by these two different types of Outreaches, be saturated with the love of Messiah Jesus through the compassion, good deeds and Good News given in His name. May Your kingdom expand and Your body be built up as people receive care, and their lives are changed. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.