Oddly, she proudly announced that they were atheists and did not believe in God. We then asked how they managed through the pandemic with no place to look for hope when there was such great loss, but they had no answer.
Montreal, Quebec
Sunday April 11th:
It was a lovely warm day Sunday the 18th, so five of us went to a large Montreal park in a Jewish area, forming two teams. It is a challenge to try to discern who might be Jewish since most people are wearing masks. Of course, we speak to all about the Messiah.
The first team ended up speaking to some Catholic individuals who accepted gospel literature. Some Jewish people refused the offers of literature from the team. Here is more of their report:
Walking up to a young man who had stopped for a break on his trek down to the Old Port several kilometers away, we asked him if he had celebrated Passover and he said he did, so we offered the gift set. He wished to take but said it would slow him down on his long walk ahead, so he accepted the three pamphlets we offered. We spoke briefly about where he could find peace today and his response was, “In the Messiah!” We shouted, “Amen”. He thanked us for the leaflets and wished us well.
We met two separate families who did not want any of the pamphlets but did take a stone with John 3:16 painted on the top as a reminder to read their Bible.
We came to two elderly women sitting on a bench and chatting. We asked if they had celebrated Passover, and both said no. We suspected that one lady was Jewish, which she actually was. Oddly, she proudly announced that they were atheists and did not believe in God. We then asked how they managed through the pandemic with no place to look for hope when there was such great loss, but they had no answer. One of the team members said that she could tell them a story about how she came to recognize that there was a God. She shared a story of when she was 4 years old and lived on a farm. One morning very early, she ran outside to “personally water the grass” and as she did, she picked up a sharp blade of grass. She saw that it had perfect lines all running in parallel down the blade and exclaimed, “God you are real! How could something be so perfect if there was no God?” She continued to the women, “So you see at such an early age, the revelation of God, the Creator of the universe, revealed Himself to a child.” Unfortunately, the woman exclaimed, “You have your religion, but I do not believe”. How sad to see they acknowledged the beauty of God’s creation but didn’t accept the Creator.
In all they gave 8 Messianic pamphlets, 2 tracts to Gentiles and 2 painted stones.
The other team also found some who refused any literature but had a little talk with a couple of Jewish brothers who were out walking. At first, one of them was leery about the Bible set, but the other seemed more willing, although he was curious as to why we were out in the park. In the end, both Z. and D. each took a set. Their names are shared by two prophets, so we encouraged them to read the books by their names!
Walking up to an elderly couple seated on a park bench, the wife was not interested in our offers, but her husband was. He took the Tanach and just wouldn’t let go, paging through it and seeing the Messianic prophecy bookmark we’d placed in Isaiah 53. She kept telling him to give it back, but he firmly held it on his lap. Please pray for H. and his wife.
We also gave a French set to a young woman who was walking with her son. She was eager and quite pleased to have the Scriptures as a gift.
Other literature was given out, but the total Scripture sets were 2 English, 1 French, and a Tanach.
Tuesday April 13, 2021
Two members of the team went out again around noontime on Tuesday April 13. They thought there might be some Jewish people back in the same park due to the nice weather but didn’t observe any. Few people were available to speak at all. An 87-year-old Spanish speaking gentleman on a bench exclaimed it was too late for him to “change his religion”, but the team encouraged him to ask God to show him the truth with a sincere heart, a prayer He will always answer. It’s never too late!
They then went to the Jewish Hospital, where there were many more people walking on the sidewalks. Two ladies received Anti-Semitism tracts, although they were not Jewish. They said the hatred of Jews was a problem. A Jewish gentleman thanked and blessed us for the same tract that we gave him. Another man was very skeptical of who produced the tract, but was reassured when we told him, “Beth Ariel”, which he saw printed on the back. He then pocketed it! Several Orthodox-dressed ladies all refused what we offered as they briskly walked by. We also spoke to an Orthodox Christian man who said how important it was to follow Scripture without deviating. Other non-Jews received tracts as well. May all those who received literature open their hearts to the Truth that will set them free.