Here are some thoughts from a member of a Finnish team that served with us from May 8-14, 2012”
“The first day we went for a prayer walk in the City of Nazareth. That was an interesting and eye-opening experience to see and hear about the different churches and their beliefs. We were quiet and prayed alone for the topics we were given. I had never thought about how different the Catholic and the Greek-Orthodox churches are. We prayed for the people who go to those churches that they would see the real God, the living God who wants to have a relationship with them. We also went to the Old City and there we prayed for an open door to the Old City. When we were praying there I got a song called “God of this City” on my mind;, especially the chorus “For greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this City”. So I prayed that greater things would come, God would still work in that village (Old City).
Then we went to the mosque in Nazareth and there I got a shock. I know that in the Koran there are some very weird things but I didn’t think that it would say that we who don’t believe in their Allah are losers. But we prayed for them and we know that there is power in prayer, even if we don’t see it something happens every time we pray. “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” –John 14:13. I prayed that they would also see the living God, the God who cares and loves.
One day we went to visit people’s homes. We went from house to house and knocked on the doors and if they opened we gave them a present (2 dvds, some flyers and some books) and talked to them about Jesus. My group went to only one house and was there for one and a half hours. They invited us to their home and gave us a lot of food and they were so nice to us. They were Greek-orthodox and said that they believed in Jesus, but we couldn’t talk so much because only one of them spoke a little bit of English, the rest spoke Arabic. But it was fun and they were so happy when we came. When we were leaving they gave us cookies. I’ve prayed for them afterwards.
That same night we went up on the mountain and worshipped and prayed there. It was a very beautiful place and we could see all the cities surrounding. That way it was easier to pray for them. I thought it was easier to pray when we saw the cities, the Arabs and the Jews. It became more real! For me it was an important evening, I felt that the Holy Spirit was there and the power of worship was so real.
One evening we had plans for going to the big junction and give out flyers, the plan changed because we couldn’t find the right bus. But we didn’t give up. We decided to give out flyers on the streets in the city. It was a lot of fun! Almost everyone took them and there were a lot of young people there because of some concert or festival. I think it was all according to God’s plan, He knew it all right from the beginning and it was by His leading we came there that night. I hope and pray that some of the flyers we gave fell into good soil.
On Sunday morning we went to the local Baptist assembly. It was an interesting experience! The meeting was so different from what I am used to; the Arabic music, the songs and the prayers. I felt that God was there and I think He has great plans for that church.”
A note from TWH: We love to take the teams into the Old City of Nazareth to pray as we feel that it would be spiritually important for “living stones” to be erected in the spot where Nazareth began. One of our hopes is to rent or buy a building in the Old City of Nazareth that can be used for ministry, teaching and worship, as well as a point of outreach into the rest of the Old City.