New life for Yevgeni

Igal Vender met Yevgeni six months ago. The young Jewish man arrived at the outreach cafe Igal's church runs, looking for free food. When Igal asked how he was doing, Yevgeni replied, 'Things could be better…'

Yevgeni had been homeless for two years since his wife, with whom he has three children, kicked him out of the family home. Now everything he ever had was gone. He had no purpose and therefore, as he explained to Igal, no reason to change his life.

Igal told Yevgeni how he had been in a similar position once – homeless and living a life of crime to sustain his drug habit. Then, one day a friend told him about a rehabilitation centre and said that Jesus could help him.

Yevgeni immediately reacted, protesting that he was Jewish and didn’t even want to talk about Jesus. Despite this initial outburst, he returned week after week for more food. As Igal saw him on a weekly basis, he persevered and faithfully shared the gospel.

Two months ago, winter began in Israel. Yevgeni could take no more of life on the streets and went to see Igal, saying that he was ready to go to the rehabilitation centre. He couldn’t stand living in the cold and was finally ready for change in his life.

God was at work. Through daily Bible studies, both with the other men in the house and one-to-one with Igal, Yevgeni's view of Jesus began to change. After a recent study from John’s Gospel about Jesus being the true vine, he said he wanted to be ‘part of the vine’. Yevgeni prayed with Igal as he turned from his sin and professed his faith in the Saviour. Praise God!

For your prayers...

Give thanks for Yevgeni's profession of faith and please pray for him. Pray for his wife also, as he makes plans to tell her about his new faith in Jesus. Please also pray for Igal as he reaches out to Jewish people like Yevgeni on the streets of Tel Aviv.