9-14-24
Finally back in the swing of things after a bit of a summertime break and started off strong! We had 17 volunteers and served 120 unhoused neighbors and a record-breaking $705 in donations, almost all of which was raised by volunteers who came to the event or who wanted to and couldn’t be there. Absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity of time, treasure, and talent that this group so consistently displays! The donations were especially huge this time, as we were able to serve the second highest amount of people ever, and were also able to invest in some useful tools (like wagons!) that will enable us to work much more efficiently and effectively now and in the future.
We had over half of our volunteers show up for the first time ever, with most of them planning to continue coming in the future. They were able to see what we do and have personal experiences with our unhoused neighbors that made an impact on everyone involved.
In one group, we chatted with a man named Landon who we had served the last time we gathered. He remembered us and when we let him know that not only did we remember him but had been praying for his health (his prayer request from the previous time), he recognized that prayer was impactful, as he is still here. Though it was a small example, it was a huge encouragement to this ministry that we are finally starting to build relationship with these neighbors instead of just meeting their needs and moving on. Community, relationship, and trust are things that we value and want to build up to the best of our ability, so that was really cool to see some baby steps being made in that area! It only took 14 events, but we are grateful for the blessing of encouragement to keep working towards our goals for Neighbors after a long, slow effort the last 1.5 years.
Some post-outreach prayer requests:
- Eddy: pray for her brother who had his foot amputated that he would have healing and support from family.
- Asia: pray that she gets better and can beat her addiction to drugs.
- Leonda: pray that she finds housing, for healing for her brother Edwin who has a broken arm, people coming by after him. Praise God that she has been clean for so many years and has been able to use her testimony to help others with things she used to struggle with. Pray that she will be able to get into the college program to study counseling so she can fulfill her dream of being an addiction counselor and help people that are in the position she used to be in find healing and sobriety.
- Shawn: pray for housing to be made available to her, for her chronic headache to go away, and for her to be able to get a job. Pray for her new friend Catherine, who passed out behind a dumpster and needs nutrition and sobriety.
- Nick: praise God that he knows the Lord, but pray for him to be able to resist temptation and that God will continue to teach him lessons that impact his heart.
- JT: pray that he can find more work and that he can develop relationships with more friends and family.
- Cletus: pray that God will take his heart of stone and make it one of flesh.
- John: pray for healing for his body.
- Andy : pray for him to be able to find housing and blessings for his family in New York.
- Adele: pray for relief from her allergies and for her health.
- Robert: pray for healing for his hip, as he has inflammation. Pray for him to be able to walk without pain.
- Ali: pray that he will have an encounter with Jesus, as he is Muslim and has never experienced the hope and freedom that comes from relationship with Jesus.
- Dwayne: pray that he will be able to know and fulfill his purpose from God.
- Cassie: pray that she will be able to find a job.
- Tom: pray for him that he will be able to not need external oxygen anymore and for his health to improve.
- Sarah: pray for her health to improve.
- David: pray that he would be able to get a phone.
- Willie: pray that he will be able to not need external oxygen anymore, for his diabetes to improve and be healed, and that he would be able to find housing.
- Carl: pray for him as his house in Tennessee burned down, that he would be able to come back from homelessness.
- David: pray for him to experience freedom.
- Casey: pray for her to experience peace and God covering her life.
- Frank: pray for him to experience clarity.
- Steve: pray for healing from his stage 4 cancer.
- Winnie: pray for her to find a better job in a field that will pay better.
- Sofar: pray for him to experience peace and happiness.
- Carl: pray that that his ID would come in soon so that he will be able to build a successful business once all his documentation is in.
- David: pray for things to get better and that he would be able to follow where God takes him.
- John: pray for him in his struggle with greed, that he would be able to experience contentment with money.
- Ken: pray for improved health and healing from his diabetes.
- Debrah: pray for her to find shelter and for guidance on her next steps.
- Kev: pray for a revived belief in the power of prayer.
- Mubwela: pray for his living situation, and for blessings on his wife and kids.
- Johnny: pray for blessings over his life and for him to be able to hear Jesus and grow a relationship with him.
- Marquise: pray for him to experience increased thankfulness and generosity for others.
- Timmy, Sean, Adam: All for God‘s protection, and for job opportunities
- Keith: pray for safety as he is scared for his life. Pray for God’s comfort and protection.
Our neighbors that didn’t have specific prayer requests, but that we’d like to pray for anyway:
- Reese
- Purin
- Mike
- Bryce
- AJ
- Cesar
- Simon
- Zebulon
- Bryan
- Jessica (bus driver who stopped at Colfax/Broadway)
- Eric
- Kate
