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April 30, 2008 We found Mike this morning living close to the interstate in an area we usually overlook. “Would you like to sit down? Do you want something to eat?” We thanked Mike but insisted he keep his folding chair and small cooler of crackers and chips. We discussed Jesus, the poor, and Mike’s plans to leave the state. “God always gives us what we need, not always what we want, right?” he asked already knowing the answer. The first time we saw Mike he was living under a bridge with a friend who has since moved on and so we simply picked up the conversation from where we were before. We closed with prayer and in a few minutes met with other men who are also homeless along I-25. Among them was a Vietnam veteran, a former employee of Intel, and a couple of men upended by divorce. The men spoke with passion about their former lives like they just wanted someone to believe, as they said, “we’re not bums.” The fact is, very few elect to be homeless; many are still shocked at how quickly they lost everything. Like Mike, these men are professing Christians and didn’t ask us for anything except prayer.
April 17, 2008 During Operation Iraqi Freedom, the commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Colonel H. R. McMaster, could be found fighting alongside lower ranking soldiers on the streets in Iraq. Although McMaster commanded several thousand troops and shouldered more responsibility than most, he made it a priority to stay close to the fight and his soldiers. It is this type of leadership that instills confidence and similarly is needed in our churches today. Ministry on the streets is fast and unrefined. Our friends have experienced things that are some times past our own familiarity and comfort. How does a new Christian encourage a man who has nothing but the clothes on his back, or help a woman imprisoned in the sub-culture which is our streets? It is precisely why we need leaders to join in the work – to coach and mentor their younger believers into becoming more able and effective laborers. Pastors can give guidance and demonstrate how to minister in tough situations while refreshing those under their care that are drawn to the fight. The Army Infantry has for its motto the identical words Jesus charged those who would serve Him, and which we need to hear. Those words are, “Follow me.”
March 31, 2008 At the center of everything we attempt is the need to faithfully and accurately convey the gospel. Providing food, clothing and other essentials is great but unless we risk the souls of men and women, the message of Jesus Christ must be communicated. On Sunday nights we present a gospel message before dinner and have a great time in God’s Word. Currently we’re going through John’s Gospel and touching on important characteristics of Jesus found in each chapter. Later in the year, should God permit, we’ll continue with the Sermon on the Mount. Our messages are only a quarter hour because people are often tired, cold and hungry when we begin at six o’clock. We try to include a lot of scripture and keep Jesus as the theme of preaching knowing that some in church may not return the next week or hear the gospel again. We open the scriptures year-round and are really challenged on some winter nights. But nearly all the people are attentive and come for the message although it’s not required for enjoying dinner afterwards. We include Bibles and gospel tracts (booklets) at each event until we run out, and are considering a Bible study.
March 24, 2008 On Easter Sunday we met at Antlers Park for worship, preaching, dinner, and fellowship. The weather was a little cooler than expected but soon the skies cleared and we enjoyed a very nice day together. Few of the hundred or so who joined us seemed to notice the weather anyway. It was an afternoon to honor Jesus Christ and to be encouraged by His resurrection from the dead. Jeannette began by leading us in singing, ‘Amazing Grace’, ‘I Stand in Awe’, ‘You Are My King’, and ‘In the Presence’, which she accompanied with the keyboard. Next we continued our series from John’s gospel with a message on the Resurrection and Life from John 11. Dinner included a nice variety of food prepared that morning at a local church, with more than enough for everyone, and finished with homemade desserts from friends, Phil and Marian. We learned in the last year it’s very important to gather for the holidays just like everyone else. David, who was once homeless, said he was blessed to serve others this Easter who are on our streets. We thank God for our friends and for blessing us with a great day together.
February 26, 2008 We received this encouraging email from Laurie in Colorado Springs (used with permission): I would like to help. The reason is that I myself was homeless and the love that you all share and the dinner and personal care stuff. The only reason I lived during that winter is that someone gave me a sleeping bag and blanket. And the words of God finally hit me when one of my friends passed away due to being homeless and I personally know the pain and hardship it is to try and survive on the streets. I have known many who come to your dinners who when I was on the street know some of my story. I pray that I could give back even a little. It will never measure how you all have helped me. I now have an apartment and a car. God is so real and I’ve been so blessed. Maybe I can be a blessing to my friends and one day share my story when I was on the streets to be a blessing that God does help and love his children and prospers them more than they can imagine. All that God takes is that we open our heart and let him in. Like I did.
February 14, 2008 We’re thankful Care and Share Food Bank has approved our membership to partner with them. Care and Share is southern Colorado’s only food bank for locally and nationally donated and purchased food, and a respected affiliate of America’s Second Harvest. They are top-rated by Charity Navigator and last year were named best charity to support by the Colorado Springs Business Journal. As a member, we’ll be able to receive and distribute food at a fraction of the cost, paying only a few cents a pound. Members can place orders online and then shop the large warehouse on the east side of the city where orders and additional food items are stored. We’ll use the help of Care and Share to supplement our church dinners and outreaches to the poor. In coming weeks and months we’ll pray about other ways to be good stewards of this great resource to help our friends on the street. We’re grateful to Harvest Distribution for their continued support and for offering us safe food storage space at their warehouse. Again we are witnesses that God provides all of our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
January 31, 2008 Sweeps are regularly conducted of homeless sites along Fountain Creek. Teams comprised of law enforcement and volunteers give unwitting men and women five minutes to collect their belongings and leave the area. Others aren’t so fortunate, returning ‘home’ to find all their gear has been purposely destroyed, tossed into a vehicle and taken away for disposal. In the latest sweep on Saturday, some of our friends lost their only cold weather gear, change of clothing, important documents, medication and more. We respect authority but throwing away everything a person owns will only make the situation worse. Sweeps appear to be attempts to make life unbearable for the poor, the addicted, mentally ill, and lost on our streets – and so drive them out of our city. This is hardly a Christian response we would bring against anyone we truly care about. The Colorado Division of Housing counted more than 800 homeless people in El Paso County last year. Answers to the homeless situation will require stronger advocacy, more resources, and more involvement from local churches. If Saturday’s sweep is any indicator, the city has opted for desperate tactics leaving a growing part of our community out in the cold.
January 15, 2008 Early this morning we headed to the east side where a large donation of coats, clothing and gear was waiting for pick up. Vanguard Church answered the call this time and for several weeks collected hundreds of articles to help the poor in our city. With blowing snow and sub-zero temperatures expected tonight, we decided to skip the storage unit and went straight to the downtown area to distribute the items. In a parking lot near the soup kitchen we lined up heavy coats, blankets, sweaters, hats and more to counter the cold. Two hundred or more people, many not at all prepared for the forecast, received essential items that will bring some relief from the winter season. Nathaniel and Stan who regularly join us at The Street Church helped to organize and hand out the donations. We had such a great time and thank God for His supply. It’s part of a continuous effort against the cold, and to take the gospel to the less fortunate. Earlier in the month we baptized John, a young man we’ve known since the summer. He’s a teenager on our streets and recently decided to follow Jesus.
Street Side 2007
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