www.jewishvoicetoday.org W hen you think of Ethiopia, you might not picture the city of Gondar. A West- erner expecting sun-blasted flatlands finds instead a medium-sized city of rolling hills, trees, and the ruins of past wars. But for the Beta Israel — the ancient tribe of lost Israelites we came to serve — Gondar is a place of unrelieved hardship and suf- fering . . . at least, on most days of the year. Imagine living as an outcast and a persecuted foreigner, despite the fact that your people have lived here for thousands of years. Imagine being hated by nearly every stranger you meet — carrying the label of felasha, which is virtually a curse word in the local dialect. No maer how long you live, how friendly and helpful you are to your fellow countrymen, the rejection and discrimi- nation never eases. Imagine one morning, your impoverished neighborhood wakes up to change, and hope. Tents on a vacant site. Visitors in medical scrubs, offering words of compassion and healing and most of all — help. Medical care you’ve suffered without for months or even years. You learn something even more shocking. ese are Westerners who have trav- eled thousands of miles just to serve and love you, the resented one. You have a hard time believing your ears. A modern, medical mission has come to serve the outcasts, the hated minority? For me? For us? Why? How on earth? en you learn — it’s coming to you in the name of Yeshua (Jesus), God Himself. at’s exactly what happened when the Jewish Voice medical team arrived for its 2014 medical outreach in Gondar. We brought our Sharing Messiah’s Love in Northern Ethiopia, Medical Outreach Gondar, 2014 CARING FOR THE LOST ONES OF GONDAR January 2015 GONDAR, ETHIOPIA
Transcript
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When you think of Ethiopia, you might not picture the city of Gondar. A West-
erner expecting sun-blasted flatlands finds instead a medium-sized city of rolling hills, trees, and the ruins of past wars. But for the Beta Israel — the ancient tribe of lost Israelites we came to serve — Gondar is a place of unrelieved hardship and suf-fering . . . at least, on most days of the year.
Imagine living as an outcast and a persecuted foreigner, despite the fact that your people have lived here for thousands of years. Imagine being hated by nearly every stranger you meet — carrying the label of felasha, which is virtually a curse word in the local dialect. No matter how long you live, how friendly and helpful you are to your fellow countrymen, the rejection and discrimi-nation never eases.
Imagine one morning, your impoverished neighborhood wakes up to change, and hope. Tents on a vacant site. Visitors in medical scrubs, offering words of compassion and
healing and most of all — help. Medical care you’ve suffered without for
months or even years. You learn something even
more shocking. These are Westerners who have trav-eled thousands of miles just to serve and love you, the resented one. You have
a hard time believing your ears. A modern, medical
mission has come to serve the outcasts, the hated minority? For
me? For us? Why? How on earth?Then you learn — it’s coming to you in the
name of Yeshua ( Jesus), God Himself. That’s exactly what happened when the
Jewish Voice medical team arrived for its 2014 medical outreach in Gondar. We brought our
Sharing Messiah’s Love in Northern Ethiopia, Medical Outreach Gondar, 2014
Caring For the LoSt oneS oF gondar
January 2015
GONDAR, ETHIOPIA
Jewish Voice Connections | January 2015
strongest-ever contingent of doctors, nurses, dentists, and volunteers to share the love of Yeshua with these forgotten members of God’s Chosen People.
Like 70 year-old Teyeku Emuhay. This dear woman’s last name is actually an honor-ary title given to members of the Beta Israel who, in late middle age, become celibate, wear a special headband, and give themselves to serve the congregation. But don’t let the spe-cial status fool you. Like many of her brothers and sisters, Teyeku must beg on the streets to support a son and grandson she has also raised. She suffers from eye problems and an ear disorder she shares with her nine-year-old grandson. It’s a parasite called enkush: an insect that nests inside the ear, lays eggs, and can live for years inside the auditory canal. Teyeku saw a medicine man who removed 80
insects from her ear and 40 from her grand-son’s. She paid 350 Birr for this procedure, nearly $18.00 — an average month’s income for a member of the Beta Israel. Despite its cost, and the medicine man taking 11 excru-ciating hours to complete the procedure, it failed to heal her. Today, in mere minutes, her suffering is ended and her usual bright smile returned to her face.
Or Enyish, the middle-aged wife of an unemployed construction worker. She brought her eight-year-old boy from over 40 miles away after hearing about the Jewish Voice outreach from representatives of Beit Halsreal, the local advocacy group. Enyish actually has relatives in Israel and believes that discrimination against her people has increased since Israel sponsored a water pump that is superior to the local wells. She
Teyeku Emuhay
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is determined to make “aliyah” to Israel, despite great controversy over whether Jew-ish Ethiopians should be allowed to return. Her gratitude spills out from her words and face after receiving treatment.
Or like Wabaye, the farmer and father of nine who walked two-and-a-half hours to reach us. He believes the demon inside him reacted when he was invited inside the prayer tent. But he knows for certain the spirit inside him is gone after being prayed over in the name of Yeshua. Wabaye is so confident that he confronted a Muslim local who expressed anti-Yeshua, pro-Muslim sentiment, insisting that Yeshua is indeed the Son of God.
Sadly, we cannot treat all of the Beta Israel of Gondar. More shocking than even their medical condition is the sheer magnitude of the need. We simply do not have the time or manpower to treat the overwhelming num-bers of desperate people, a number we see
growing every year, who show up for help. But we try. Our teams work nearly around the clock, trying to relieve the suffering. They leave humbled and overjoyed at the chance to share the love of Yeshua. Thanks to our staff and faithful volunteers, the 2014 Gondar medical outreach proved a huge blessing to these precious yet persecuted Jewish People of Gondar. And thanks to you, your prayers, and financial support, we will return next time in even greater numbers.
Enyish
Wabaye
Jewish Voice Connections | January 2015
The MagniTude of The BlessingMore than 8,000 treated; more than 1,300 accepted Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah; and more than 60 super-natural healings. What a victory the 2014 Gondar medical outreach brought to this remnant of the Lost Tribes! Thank you again to our wonderful volunteer outreach team, and thank you, faithful supporters, for helping make it happen. Your gift today will help make more miracles happen.
Medical Care Provided:Total patients treated: 8,321
ff Patients receiving Dental Care (cleanings, fillings, extractions, and root canals): 1,448
ff Patients receiving Eye Care provided by Opticians and Optometrists: 1,411
Z Eye glasses distributed: 2,307
Z Eye surgeries:
y Cataracts: 76
y Trachoma: 36
ff Minor medical surgeries performed: 40+
Spiritual Fruit as Measured:ff 1,382 patients expressed to us in the Prayer and Counseling Tent that they received Yeshua as their Messiah.
ff 61 patients confirmed that they received a super-natural healing in the Presence of the Lord during prayer with our team.
To give, please click on the link button at the bottom of the page, or go to: Jewishvoice.org/connections/jan-2015
or call 800-299-9374.
We are so blessed by what God accomplished on our medical outreach to Gondar. Sadly, we cannot treat all of the Beta Israel(House of Israel) in Gondar. We simply do not have the time or manpower to treat the numbers, growing every year, who show up at our complex. But we must continue to try.
In 2015, our medical team will work hard at meeting the growing needs and sharing Yeshua with each person. Will you help us? Your prayers and financial support will enable us to return in even greater numbers.
