Tom Gilmer: May 2013 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends of Zion:

Your prayers and offerings have helped sustain us one more month and contributed to the salvation of two more Jewish souls!  Thank you so much!  As you prayed, God worked!

You will remember, we requested prayer for Anna last month.  After Passover, Anna was constantly in Linda’s prayers and on her mind, deeply desiring to have another opportunity to speak with her about repentance and forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ blood.  Linda shared her burden with Pastor Marcos’s wife Elíliam, who teaches Anna piano, and Pastor Alexandre’s wife Jane, who studies Hebrew with Anna.

On Sunday evening, April 14, as Linda was playing the closing hymn, Anna appeared at the piano!  Linda gave her a big hug and exclaimed:  “Oh, Anna, you came!  I’m so glad!  There’s something I want so much to share with you!”  They sat down on a bench.  Linda spoke with her about the need to repent of sin.  Anna had said she did not like to read the Bible because it made her feel like such a bad person.  They read John 3 together.  Linda pointed out that Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a religious man, a ruler of the Jews, but Jesus told him, “Ye must be born again.”  The story convicted Anna’s heart.  “When I was younger, I sought for God, but didn’t find Him,” she said.  “Now He’ll have to find me!”

“Anna, God has found you!”  Linda told her. “What you have heard from Elíliam, Jane and Márcia (who first witnessed to you), what you saw explained at Passover, what we read just now, it’s all TRUE!  God wants you, Anna!  Jesus gave His life for you!  Now, do YOU want HIM?”  Anna was taken aback.  “I’ll think about what you said,” she replied.  “Pray for me.”  We took her home.  As she got out of the car, she repeated, “Pray for me!”

On Wednesday, the 17^th, Jane had a Hebrew class with Anna.  They spent the day together, went grocery shopping, and Jane helped her carry bags to her apartment.  Anna made some juice and asked Jane to sit down to talk.  She pummeled Jane with questions.  Finally, satisfied with the answers, Anna said, “What must I do?”  Jane told her she should pray.  Then and there Anna trusted Jesus as her Messiah!  Her joy is apparent!

On Friday the 19^th, an Orthodox Jewish young man, who has been preparing to be a “chazzan” (cantor, song leader) in the synagogue, came to the Friends of Zion meeting.  His mother is already a Christian.  Pastor Alexandre has been working with him for some time.  That night he, too, accepted Jesus as his Messiah!  Praise God for these two precious souls!

Edielson, Jr., who attends the Friends of Zion meetings, has gone to Israel to work as a volunteer for six months.  He is the brother of the two young ladies who went there last year.  Normally very quiet and reserved, he has opened up!  Reports of his witnessing in Jerusalem are heart-warming.  May the Lord continue to bless.  Please keep praying!

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE: