Who are the Jewish believers from the former Soviet Union? Statistics tell us something, but there is nothing like the story of one human being to bring home the kind of work Chosen People Ministries is doing among this vital and important part of the world's Jewish population. Luda may be only one person, but the story of her journey to Messiah and her work with Chosen People Ministries spans two decades and four continents. Her life is a living witness to God's faithfulness and leading.

Flight From Oppression

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Luda's childhood was spent among a Jewish community that was rapidly disappearing. It was the 1970s-a time in Russian history when the iron grip of Communism was momentarily relaxed with regard to Jewish immigration. Jewish people were leaving Russia and its satellite countries by the thousands-and with good reason. The anti-Semitism embedded in that culture is woven into some of Luda's earliest childhood memories. She recalls, "When I was five, the other children told me that Jews used the blood of Gentile babies for religious rituals. We knew we were Jewish, whether we wanted to be or not." Luda's mother believed in education, and Luda trained to be a nurse and midwife. In 1979, she and her mother left Uzbekistan.

Next Stops: Italy and New Zealand

The new immigrants settled temporarily in Ostia, Italy. "I met ‘real Christians' there for the first time. It was at the American Club in our community." After eleven months, Luda went on to a more permanent home in New Zealand. It was there that her life was changed forever.

"A woman taught me English out of the Bible. I began to read it for practice, but before I knew it, I sensed God speaking to me through it, answering my questions. Some Christians invited me to a home group and in 1982 I became a believer. After I was baptized, I felt a much closer connection to my Jewish identity and a far greater burden for my people. I began to form the vision that I would one day go to Israel." In seven years, that vision came to pass.

New Life in Israel and a New Direction

For the next ten years, Luda lived in Israel, taking part in Messianic congregations and working in her profession. Then, through the encouragement of a friend, the Lord sent her in a new direction-to the Jewish Studies Program at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. At Moody, she met some of the Chosen People Ministries staff, and in the summer of 1998 she ministered in our STEP program. After that, she joined the staff of Chosen People Ministries as a student outreach worker. She has one more until she completes her B.A. What else is in Luda's future? The fulfillment of a dream, perhaps: full-time outreach work in Israel.

Her own words sum up her story best: "I am so thankful to God for how He has led me. Now, through Chosen People Ministries, my life's work will be sharing the Gospel with the Jewish people-just as I hoped it would be."

Marriage

During Hanukkah 2001, another dream came true for Luda, when she married long-time friend and co-laborer Randall Ford. Randall's background is different from Luda's ---he's an American from Texas---but they share common vision. "The most important thing for us is that we share our faith in the Messiah. Everything else just seems to fall into place."

Randall and Luda met more than ten years ago in Israel when Randall studied Hebrew language and Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He also has a bachelor's degree in Classical Greek. His flair for languages enables Luda and Randall to develop their English and Bible classes in New York City. Most of their students are Jewish people from the former Soviet Union. Together, Luda and Randall close a circle of her life---she is reaching immigrants from the nation from which she immigrated!

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