DEAR FRIENDS,

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT 25 YEARS

AGO I WENT TO ISRAEL AS A
MISSIONARY. I WAS 21 YEARS OLD

and had been serving Jesus for less than three years. I
sensed God’s call strongly on my heart to go to the land
of Israel to share the Gospel with the Jewish people.

THE SIX MONTHS

THAT I SPENT IN
ISRAEL WERE VERY
GOOD TIMES BUT
ALSO INCLUDED
DIFFICULT TIMES.
I remember praying with one of my
Jewish friends for salvation, and before I
knew it I was ostracized by most of the
people where I lived. I ate many meals
by myself and was ridiculed openly in
front of people because of my faith in
Jesus Christ. But the greatest thing that I
learned in Israel is that Jesus is my best-
friend. He is with me through any
situation I am facing and He loves me
unconditionally.
This truth has helped me over the past
28 years that I have been a Christian.
While on the last trip I met my team in wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel with four guys.
Turkey and spent a few days with them as we sought to share It was encouraging to hear that, after sharing the Gospel
the Gospel with the Turkish people. We also had the privilege with them, one, a Jewish man, started reading the Bible for
of visiting the ruins at Ephesus which is one of my favorite the first time and another, a Mormon, started reading a
places in the whole world. We met a brother who is working Christian book.
to share the Gospel with the Turkish people and he told us
Please pray for an Iranian brother who has put his faith in
that more Christians died in Turkey than ever died in Rome.
Jesus Christ. He and his family currently live in Turkey and
One morning we sat near where the Apostle John was buried their lives are in danger from the Iranian religious police as
in Seljuk, Turkey. From this vantage point we could see the they are seeking to execute him for his Christian witnessing.
ruins at Ephesus and prayed as a team to thank God for the He has baptized over 300 formerly Moslem Iranians. He has
Christians who have gone before us and gave their lives for also helped many Iranians who have come to faith in Jesus
Jesus Christ. We spent some time worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ by providing teaching and training for them so that
in praise and worship. We thank the Lord for giving us a God can use them in the ministry. His work is vital to the
Church in Iran. God is at work in Iran as many Moslems are
repenting of their sins and putting their faith and trust in
Jesus Christ alone.
Please pray for him and our Turkish contact as well, for he
was recently informed by the police that he must close the
Church that they are pastoring. This brother has been
arrested numerous times for sharing the Gospel with the
Moslems and has been physically assaulted as well.
After visiting Ephesus, I headed to the central part of Turkey

to visit Cappadocia. In this area there are thousands of caves

dug into the limestone in which Christians lived and
worshipped during times of intense persecution in Turkish
history. We even visited a Church which was part of an
underground city; the Church is located four floors below the
ground. It’s amazing the price people have paid to serve our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
After returning to Istanbul for the night, I flew to Israel for
eight days, spending the first night in Tel Aviv which is not
unlike most modern cities around the world. The next week I
spent in Jerusalem and had some really good times of prayer
the night to pray as I’m travelling. I believe as we see
and fellowship with the Lord Jesus. I told the Lord that I
increased turmoil in the world we will have greater
wanted to be obedient to do only what He wanted me to do
opportunities to pray and minister the truth of Jesus Christ.
and go to the places He wanted me to visit. One of my
favorite places in Israel is the Garden Tomb where it is I SPENT SEVERAL HOURS ON
believed that Jesus may have been buried. When I sit in the
garden overlooking the empty tomb, I’m in awe of my Savior THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
and what He has done for me. OVERLOOKING THE OLD CITY
When I lived in Israel 25 years ago, I tried to visit several of ASKING GOD TO WORK IN THE
the religious sites in the Old City and was disappointed to see LIVES OF THE JEWS, MOSLEMS
the attitudes of some of the religious people. This time I
sensed God’s authority and went to the Western Wall where AND ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS.
the Lord met with me during great times of prayer. I was One day a friend and I went to Bethlehem and prayed at
asking Him to remove the veil over the Jewish people’s hearts various places asking God to work in the hearts of the
and minds. Palestinian people to bring them to salvation. We also prayed
that God would work in the hearts of the Messianic Jews and
THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS PUT ON Arab Christians to bring reconciliation. We stopped and
MY HEART AN INCREASED prayed for a Bible School in Bethlehem that has seen much
opposition because of their work for our Savior.
AWARENESS FOR THE NEED TO
One night I sat outside the Christian guesthouse and prayed
PRAY MORE AND TO BE MORE for the many Orthodox Jews that walked past. My heart
FOCUSED. The Lord has been waking me up during aches as I see lost people and I desire that they know Jesus as
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Lord and Savior. While sitting there I met a man from Spain
who immediately opened up and I was able to share the hope
of Jesus Christ with him and prayed for him. He thanked me
and promised that he would start reading the Spanish New
Testament that he had just bought in Madrid. It seemed like
the whole trip was filled with divine appointments with
Moslems, Jews and religious people.
The last day before leaving, I went again to the Western Wall
and, while praying, I started to quote Isaiah 53. I’m so
grateful that the wall between us and God has been broken
down through Jesus Christ. I was amazed at how easy it is to
pray in Jerusalem. When I was in Jerusalem I felt like I was at
home. Truly Jerusalem is different from any other city in the
world. God’s presence is very real in this city.
Please remember to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. It is
important that Christians stand with Israel and that we Israel is standing with you.” Please pray for us as well here in
support their right to exist. God promised to bless those who the ministry.
bless Israel and He will curse those who curse her. While I God Bless You!
was in Israel I saw a t-shirt that said, “Don’t worry America, Patrick and Staff

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” Psalms 122:6