Another BIG piece of the puzzle has come into place! 

(In addition to our recent dramatic purchase of a home for Fields of Wheat.) 

Here’s how it happened…

For almost a year now, we have been praying for the Lord to send us a young Arab-Israeli to join our team and be a part of developing our joint Jewish-Arab discipleship program. We knew that we could not move ahead until we had an Arab staff member. How could we build an authentic foundation based on shared participation from both the Jewish and Arab believing communities without an Arab-speaking teammate? So, we waited, prayed, and shared the need with others—for months. 

Then, this past March there was a breakthrough. This actually happened before we even found the property. The sequence is important, because I believe the house came into our hands as a direct result of first building the right team. Without the right people on board, there was no need for place to do discipleship.

Our long-awaited co-worker was already serving with us!

An Arab-Israeli friend, mature in his faith, has been serving with us in the Katzir youth camps as a counselor for about 4 years. He was in the third year of a government study program that required an 8 year commitment (!). We kept thinking about him, but each time dismissed the idea. There was no way he’d leave such a prestigious program. 

In March, his program was cancelled without notice. He was suddenly looking for direction. “What now, Lord?” he asked in prayer. Experienced in ministry, our brother felt the Lord calling him to work more intentionally with Arab people and especially youth. This connected with our burden to respond to the urgent need for Arab language youth camps similar to Katzir. Amazed at the timing, we knew he was a gift from the Lord and would fit in seamlessly with Fields of Wheat. 

Rubi Bishai, the young man I am speaking of, will be an integral part of our next stage of growth. He will be a key in developing the “Harvesters Discipleship,” while also working to establish an Arab equivalent of Katzir. 

Please pray for him as he prepares with us for the discipleship experience to take place in our new headquarters. At the same time, we are highly motivated to assist Rubi in creating youth camps for Arab-Israeli young people. As we have heard many times, there will be considerable obstacles to accomplish the things God has put on his heart. But we believe that God joined him with us for such a time as this. 

Thanks from my heart, for your part in all that God is doing! 

Joel Jelski and the Fields of Wheat team