You help Jewish people come to know their Messiah, Jesus
When Jesus walked the earth, He displayed great compassion for those broken in spirit, soul and body. In village after village, He healed the sick and freed captives from both physical and spiritual bondage.
As God led Jewish Voice to minister to the “Lost Tribes of Israel” in Africa, beginning in 1999, we invited you to partner with us. And you have faithfully stood with us through your giving and prayers. You are changing lives in the name of Jesus and reaching some of the most spiritually neglected communities in the world.
Meeting critical physical needs – whether it be medical and dental care, clean water or food – shows our compassion and opens the hearts and minds of the people we help. As our President & CEO Jonathan Bernis likes to say, “People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.”
We serve the Jewish people and meet their needs to earn the right to share our faith because our vision is “to transform lives and see all Israel saved.”
Thank you for partnering with us in this great work. You are caring for God’s Chosen People and you play a crucial role in drawing them back to Him through a relationship with God’s Son, their Messiah, Jesus.
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
Romans 1:16 (NIV)
Called to Ethiopia: how outreach began in Africa
Your partnership is changing lives and sharing the hope of Jesus with Jewish people
During a 1998 trip to Ethiopia, Jewish Voice President & CEO Jonathan Bernis was moved by the dire circumstances and needs of Jewish communities – members of the “Lost Tribes of Israel.”
This led to our first Outreach in 1999. Jonathan says, “The need was so great. It was absolutely chaotic. Still in the midst of the chaos, we were able to help several hundred people with medical care, simple dental care and medicines.”
Within a few years, multiple Outreaches were being held each year to meet physical and spiritual needs, and we had expanded to reach “Lost Tribes of Israel” communities in Zimbabwe.
Today, Jewish Voice is a registered legal entity in Ethiopia with an in-country support staff.
As a result of our many Outreaches, we have helped plant 170 Messianic Jewish congregations that meet every week throughout Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
Over the past 22 years of Outreaches in Africa, more than 500,000 people have received critical physical help – medical and dental care, clean water and food. But most importantly, they have had the chance to receive prayer and hear about their Messiah, Jesus. And more than 45,000 men, women
and children have said yes to Jesus!
The COVID-19 pandemic meant a few Outreaches in 2020 had to be canceled. But it also led to new strategies, including working in partnership with the local congregations to meet the needs of their own people.
At the end of last year, we were able to hold two Outreaches (see page 3 for more information). These were led almost entirely by our in-country staff who also work year-round with the Messianic congregations we’ve helped plant in Jewish communities. Throughout the pandemic, they continued to meet critical needs and share the Good News.
Moving forward, we will now be able to adjust the size and frequency of our Outreaches to meet the needs of specific communities. This will give us the ability to have an even stronger spiritual impact by allowing for more opportunities for prayer and one-on-one conversations to share the Gospel.
Thank you for making this life-changing ministry possible, reaching the “Lost Tribes of Israel” in Africa with help and, most importantly, the hope of the Gospel.
You gave and prayed, and God made a way
Despite the pandemic, we were able to safely hold two Outreaches at the end of 2020
After some cancellations, postponements and rearrangements, we were excited to conduct two Outreaches in the fall. Due to travel conditions, only a few of our staff joined local teams to oversee and carry out the ministry made possible through your generosity.
Dawro, Ethiopia, is where we held our first Outreach under COVID-19 restrictions. Patients were required to wear masks and sanitize their hands as soon as they entered our Clinic. We served more than 8,000 patients and provided clean water for hundreds of people.
The spiritual care ministry was a little different, as well. Due to last-minute circumstances, our partner congregation couldn’t work with us, but God provided pastors from nearby evangelical churches to serve as chaplains. We are excited to report that 39 people accepted Jesus as their Messiah!
In Zimbabwe, you also made a significant difference in the lives of people in five different regions. Due to COVID-19 and government restrictions limiting large gatherings, we teamed up with local congregations and conducted a number of small events. Thanks to your support, 75 people, the majority of whom were Jewish, placed their faith in Jesus! We also distributed food to more than 3,000 households.
Your support of Jewish Voice made all of this powerful ministry possible. God is working through you to bring life-changing (and in some cases, life-saving) food, medical care and eternal life to the people of Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Thank you!
To read more about these Outreaches, check out our blog post at: jewishvoice.org/read/blog/god-made-way.
Your prayers are appreciated for our upcoming Outreaches to Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and southern Africa in May, July, September and November.
