Our global partners, Andrew and Lavanya Yelchuri, were deeply burdened to reach post-army Israelis traveling to India in search of spiritual experiences and answers. So, in 2015, they launched a café and guest house in Goa, India. Every year, from November to February, thousands of Israelis visit this state in western India. They stay between one week and a couple of months. The café’s name, “Mika Mocha,” is a play on the Hebrew words micha mocha, meaning “who is like You [Lord]?” (Exodus 15:11).
In 2019, they started a messianic retreat center where Israelis could stay and enjoy shalom in the lap of nature. Many of these young people and families spent hours with ministry staff. They would talk about the Scriptures, Messiah, the Holocaust, their military experience, pain, suffering, and Jesus. Many of these Israelis come to India to learn about eastern religions. How ironic and redemptive that they are meeting the God of Israel and His Messiah!
Our team in India hosts Sabbath dinners, cooking classes, evangelistic training programs, and Biblical Jewish feasts. They distribute gospel literature and Bibles, which leads to many conversations about faith. Through these programs, the Lord has enabled them to form trustworthy relationships with Israeli travelers and witness that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and the nations. Their ministry has also trained groups of Indian believers to pray for Israel and do outreach at local beaches that Israelis frequent. In the future, they hope to host short-term teams from Israel and the United States as well. The messianic retreat center’s hospitality efforts continue today as the lord has grown their staff!