Street Ministry
One early Saturday morning a group of ladies and gentlemen from Gates of Freedom Recovery centers got the opportunity to join the youth of the Church of Blessings and spend the day reaching out to those less fortunate in our community. With a group of 40 people we went down to Pioneer Square in Seattle. Immediately we divided into groups – some dispersed among the streets inviting people for breakfast while sharing the Gospel and others set up a grill and began making fresh pancakes, serving hot chocolate. As homeless people began to gather we had an opportunity to share the message of hope and deliverance for those that have been overcome with hardships in their lives. Many of them come from very different walks of life, growing up with many disadvantages but no matter where a person may be in their life, there is only One who can bring true change and that is Jesus Christ.
While the groups sang songs and others reached out to those in that were in need of prayer we realized that we are the salt of the earth and only when we do what Jesus calls each and every one Of us to do, only then can we be able to make the earth better place.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its salty taste, it cannot be made salty again. It is good for nothing, except to be thrown out and walked on. (Matthew 5:13)
Those who give one of these little ones a cup of cold water because they are my followers will truly get their reward.” (Matthew 10:42)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRISON MINISTRY

Three students from our men’s center went to visit those imprisoned in the Tacoma INS deportation facility. Following our 1.5 hour wait – we were finally able to go in and visit people needing encouragement.

I spoke with a man, in his mid 30’s that was incarcerated there for 2 years already. After our initial introduction I was able to share my testimony of how God saved me, what He has done for me, and the work that He continues to do in my life. When this man learned more about me; he felt comfortable enough to open up and share about his own broken past. He listed different accounts of the numerous close calls that he had with death. How he had also served an additional 3-year sentence in prison prior to this. His wife is now left without a husband and his children are missing their father. There are countless difficulties that he is facing while in this prison, deportation being one of them. This man believes that there is a God, yet the circumstances of his life just overwhelm him. All hope is crushed within him, and he doesn’t believe that God can help or would even want to help a man like him.

Once I had attentively heard all that was burdening his heart – I tried to encourage him with the Word of God. After listening about the power of the Bible, this man took down my phone number and had to return back to his cell. The visit was over. This struggling soul needs our prayers so that the seed of God that was planted in him during this visit may continue to grow and bear fruit. There are many more like him that are in need of our prayer, spiritual support, encouragement and the news of salvation through Jesus Christ and a hope in Him for a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”