Back in January I helped our coworkers Shmueli and Jenna lead Outreach Brazil – a missions trip in Rio reaching Israeli backpackers with Gospel. The trip was a huge success! 

My favorite part of the trip was joining 15 Israelis for a full day tour of Rio. Our team quickly befriended them and had great conversations about Jesus as we visited the Christ the Redeemer statue and other sights around the city! At the end of the tour, we invited all our new friends to join us for our Shabbat dinner. Half of them came and heard the Gospel again that night.

Altogether, we were able to have Gospel conversations with about 20 Israelis throughout the trip! One of my favorite conversations was with Yosef*, whom I met on the tour. 

As we were standing in line to see the statue of Jesus, Yosef asked me what I do for a living. I got to tell him about my mission to unite the Jewish and Christian communities, to help Christians overcome lies they’ve been taught about the Jewish people, to fight anti-Semitism in American churches, and to help Jewish people overcome lies they’ve been taught about Jesus, the Bible and God. 

He was amazed and intrigued by my job and asked many good questions. He was open to hearing about my faith in Jesus because he was so grateful for my part in fighting anti-Semitism and supporting Israel. Yosef did not come to salvation that day, but I consider my conversation with him a victory. 

I have heard it takes an average of six or seven times of hearing the Gospel before an unbeliever comes to faith in Jesus. Though they have heard of Jesus, most Israelis have never heard the Gospel! For most, it will take more than this first encounter with the truth about Jesus for them to understand and make a decision of faith.

Yosef is closer to believing in Jesus now than before I met him, and that is a huge success! Because, I am now friends with Yosef on Facebook, I will be able to continue this Gospel conversation with him in the months and years to come, and will be reminded to pray for his salvation every time I see his posts.

Please pray for the salvation of Yosef and all the other Israelis who heard the Gospel through Outreach Brazil.

Blessings in Messiah,

BJ, Carissa and Ari

*name changed