🏠 Ray & Jane ｜ BBPN Beit Simcha｜ July 8, 2026
🛡️ Lowering His Guard, Beginning with Listening to a Story
H is a 27-year-old Israeli young man who has been traveling around the world on his own for nearly five years, having visited 42 countries. Before coming to us, he had already visited Beit Simcha communities in Nantou, Kaohsiung, and Hualien.
During dinner on July 4, as we talked about Beit Simcha, he shared with the sensitivity of a traveller that what he has loved most along his journey is “each person’s story.”
After dinner, we returned together to the Beit Messiah (Pastor Jamie’s home), where we first presented him with several small gifts that represented Taiwan’s culture. Watching him unwrap each gift while repeatedly exclaiming, “Wow! Wow! Wow!” filled the room with laughter and joy.
Then Pastor Jamie shared an inspired blessing from the “Voice of Burning Bush.” At first, we sensed that he still carried a little bit of guardedness, so we did not rush to explain. We simply told him that these were blessings the prayer team had received for him through prayer.
As each word of blessing was read aloud, he responded again and again, “Wow! Wow! Wow!”
🎵 The Good News Can Also Be Sung to The Heart
Later, we shared with him the story of Tevel, who passed away unexpectedly while traveling alone in Japan. With gentleness, we told him:
“Because of what happened, there is something important we must share with you tonight—something that is the most precious good news in our lives.”
We invited him to worship with us through song. When we sang The Aaronic Blessing and reached the Hebrew portion, he immediately joined us and sang loudly in Hebrew. Then we sang God So Loved the World (John 3:16), and when the chorus repeated “Hallelujah,” he joined in with us once again.
After worship, Pastor Jamie prayed a blessing over him, committing him into the Lord’s hands and asking the Lord to send His angels to protect him throughout his journey. During the prayer, he continued to respond sincerely with “Wow!”
That night, we deeply experienced that the Good News is not only shared through words. It can also be gently sung into a person’s heart through worship, songs, and love.
🤝 From Online Friends to Real Friends
At the end of our time together, H said to us with emotion, “I am also your partner.”
What began as a connection through a phone became a friendship where we could care for one another and bless one another. After leaving, he even turned back and returned to give each of us a cute keychain as a gift.
What touched us even more was that he spent nearly forty minutes that evening writing down his thoughts in our guestbook, word by word:
“Through Beit Simcha, I learned something: people can help others simply because they want to help, without expecting anything in return. I hope the whole world can learn from you… I pray that people everywhere will follow your example and become a blessing to others. May God bless all the work of your hands…”
He also blessed our future marriage, family, and life.
🎯 Seeing God at Work
This hosting experience reminded us once again that what we can do is actually very limited. We simply sat together around a table, created a safe space for genuine conversation, prepared a thoughtful gift, sang a few worship songs, and offered a blessing through prayer.
Yet the One who truly touched his heart was our Heavenly Father, who had already been at work in his life long before we met him.
We thank our Heavenly Father for allowing us to participate in His beautiful heart and purpose for the people of Israel. Once again, we are reminded that the Good News is not only proclaimed through words—it can also be quietly sung into a person’s heart through the companionship of life, sincere love, and songs of worship.
We believe that God has already left a beautiful mark on H’s life, and we pray that the Lord Himself will continue to pour out His blessing upon this divine encounter, causing it to sprout, grow, and bear abundant fruit in His perfect timing.
