Dear Friend of The JESUS Film Project,

When reports come to us like this…our hearts are lifted up in praise!

There is a village that has been very resistant to Christ. Living among the people was just one Christian family.

The head of that family, Jaya (not his real name), was devoted to his Lord. Despite the pressures and hostilities that surrounded him and his family, Jaya maintained his testimony as a follower of Jesus.

After years of witness, Jaya died quite suddenly. His ministry was apparently fruitless, having not seen a single person respond to Jesus.

As Jaya’s wife dug her husband’s grave, the people stood by watching. They refused to help because she was a Christian. Not long after, the Holy Spirit revealed to her that their son would also soon die.

He too fell ill and passed into the presence of His Lord. Jaya’s wife dug her son’s grave, next to Jaya’s. And as before, the people stood by merely watching, unwilling to help.

The day came that a "JESUS" partner team arrived in their village.* The people gathered around the projector, screen and team. The team started the film.

It wasn’t long before a great commotion arose among the crowd, so much so that the team stopped the projector. The people were quite astonished at what they saw.

Although this was the very first showing of "JESUS," they said they had seen Jesus before: “He is the man we saw standing by Jaya’s wife as she buried her husband and then her son. He was at her side weeping!”**

Knowing that God had gone before them, the team restarted the projector. The people now were totally involved in the film, receiving the Word of God in their heart language, captivated by the life of Jesus, His death and resurrection.

When "JESUS" was over, nearly everyone present indicated decisions for Jesus! Jaya’s years of witness were not in vain!

This stunning report is but one of thousands that have come from teams around the world (staff and partner teams as well as church volunteers). They speak to the power of His Word in a people’s heart language, the workings of the Holy Spirit, and how He often has gone before them.

May I take you now to the African nation of Togo? A 68-year-old man there told a film team leader: “I was a follower of voodoo for over 50 years. A friend of mine who is a follower of Christ invited me to see the "JESUS" film. The life of Jesus was so new to me because I knew nothing about Him.

“Now joy compels me to give my life to God. Faith through prayer has raised the darkness from my life. The endless love of the Lord dwells in me! God worked a miracle in my life and I, along with my family, have left everything to follow Him. How great is the love of Christ!”

So whether unreached people live in places hostile to Christ, or are given to voodoo or animism, everyone deserves at least one chance to know this glorious truth: Jesus loves them, weeps for them, died and rose on their behalf, and is ready to make their lives new.

Their need to know Him is what motivates more than 2,800 staff and partner film teams working in many countries on three continents. They are consumed by zeal to show their people "JESUS," to see their countrymen, neighbors and families delivered from “…the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son…” (Colossians 1:13). ***

I know that you share in their zeal—for you pray for them, and give to support their ministries. It’s your partnership that allows teams to show "JESUS" and other, powerful JESUS Film Project films to people who have yet to hear Him speak.

Many staff teams serve in urban areas, where they distribute DVDs of "JESUS" and show the film person-to-person or in larger groups. Other teams travel to unreached/unengaged areas, as in Togo or Jaya’s village. Staff teams work to follow up with new believers, lead discipleship groups and plant churches. And some of those rural teams must travel through rugged terrain, or travel long distances to take the gospel to remote villages. (They have travel challenges that require specialized transportation. Please see the enclosed sheet for a way you can empower such teams.)

To sustain the ministry of a two-person church-planting film team for a year requires $15,000. This breaks down to $1,250 per month, or $42 per day. That day could include showing "JESUS" in a home, going door-to-door with DVDs, or presenting "JESUS" in an evening, public showing in a village. The next day the team could be meeting with a hundred new believers, training a pastor, leaving an MP4 player with a village head, or helping “new creations in Christ” tell their neighbors what God has done for them.

Because of our sluggish economy and the typically slower giving months of summer, I am inviting your very generous provision on their behalf. May I invite you to make their support a matter of prayer?

A gift of $126 will provide for three days of ministry. $294 covers one week for a team. Perhaps you can stretch and send a gift of support for a half month through a gift of $625 or $1,250, providing a team with a month of support. And if you have given for a month, would you pray about enabling a team for two months by a gift of $2,500?

And if you happen to be one who has been blessed financially, or own a business, would you consider supporting a film team for four months through a gift of $5,000, for a year through a gift of $15,000, or as much as $30,000 to support a film team for two years? Of course, give only as you are able, and as He leads—for every gift makes a difference, no matter the amount.

May I share one more brief report from a film team with a ministry partner, Church of the Nazarene? This particular team was working in a rural village in Costa Rica.

The team spoke of a young couple with children who were in the audience, and reported: “They were very excited…very interested because they had never been taught about God. They both received Jesus as their Savior. They are whole-hearted followers since they now know there is a God who loves them.”

This is the call of our God, to labor together so at last, people might know there is a God who loves them. One of the fastest ways that they might know is through the work of the film teams and "JESUS."

Our Lord has given us a marvelous tool of evangelism and church planting—"JESUS"— and committed film teams who are working to reach millions of unreached people. They are praying
for God’s provision to continue their ministries.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration on their behalf. For whatever you can do, thank you so much.

Until Everyone Sees Jesus,

Erick Schenkel
Executive Director

P.S. The first report in my letter is especially remarkable. Please feel free to read this letter to your Sunday school class, to your family or from the pulpit. God is truly the God of wonders! As you feel led and enabled, please make standing in the gap for the teams a matter of prayer. Another way you can help the teams in a very practical way is to provide a UTV (Utility Terrain Vehicle), a most powerful solution for film teams who must travel long distances. The matching gift offer will be applied to your gift for a UTV as well. Please see the enclosed sheet. Also, remember that gifts of stock or appreciated property can leverage much help while potentially reducing your tax liability. If you have any questions, feel free to call. Finally, I invite you to mail your check by September 30, 2014 or you can give online here or call (800) 387-4040 and give by credit card. Thank you so much for however you are able to help.

* This story is courtesy of ministry partner, Renew World Outreach and Friends Missionary Prayer Band. Renew World Outreach has developed innovative, compact sets of equipment to show "JESUS," enabling film teams to reach ever deeper into remote or difficult areas. Because the equipment is so compact, it’s also used by a growing number of teams working in large, urban areas that are also hostile to Christ.

** The quotation of the people is a paraphrase of what the team heard.

*** New Living Translation