Report from Sydney

Svetlana Adelson

George* is an English teacher—and for the past six months, he’s also been my conversation partner over Zoom. But more than grammar and vocabulary, our lessons became a space for something far deeper: a journey of faith. Early on, I began sharing with George about my belief in Yeshua (Jesus) and the incredible things God has done in my life. Bit by bit, he opened up to me, too. George shared even though part of a Jewish family, he grew up in a secular environment and never really identified as Jewish.

Eventually, he left both his family and the country where he was born, searching for healing and meaning. He began therapy to face the scars of his past and started looking for God—trying to find answers in different religions. His search took him to Australia, where he taught English, and later to Thailand, where he embraced Buddhism.

Our lessons turned into long discussions. I kept pointing him to Yeshua, to the only One who is the way, the truth, and the life. We began reading the Scriptures together in English. It wasn’t always smooth—more like one step forward, two steps back. Buddhism had a strong grip on him, and for a long time, he thought being a “good person” was enough.

But God kept putting him on my heart to pray for him. At the same time, I got involved in social media with one purpose – to share about Jesus and the hope He offers. And then something amazing happened: under one of my evangelistic posts, George publicly wrote out a prayer of repentance. He declared his belief that Jesus is the Son of God and asked for forgiveness. I know it wasn’t my words or persuasion—it was the Holy Spirit touching his heart. Glory to God—He is still in the business of changing lives!

*name changed for privacy