Without a place to call home

Tuesday, August 18

We held our very first prayer meeting in our home to officially launch the start of BreakThrough Ministries. Although we are in the process of incorporating and filing for 510c3 status, this was the prayer launch. It was an amazing time. God was speaking to everyone, including 10 year old Ellie. It was during this meeting that God told me to "GO" with Dave, Tim and Hector to find the homeless encampments in St. Paul. If any of you know me, you might be saying the same thing I did, "WHAT?!?!". I'm not a very venturous person, especially when it comes to danger. And I've always thought of that as a little dangerous for many reasons. But I couldn't get God's voice out of my head. Even on Wednesday when I went to work, I didn't really know if I was going to do. But then after talking with some of my friends and people I trust, not one of them said don't go. So, I think I heard my husband fall off his chair when I called him Wednesday afternoon and asked him if I could go!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

When we got in the car, it was pouring rain, ominous skies and tornado sirens blaring.

I had complete peace!

This is St. Paul.

We actually had already been walking for an hour at this point,

had turned in a loaded pistol to the St. Paul police department,

and now switched locations.

Not that I thought we were going to pull up to the curb and walk a few feet to the homeless encampments, but I guess I wasn't planning on this! We actually had to crawl under this fence at the bottom of this hill.
We came upon our first "bed" under that tunnel on the right.


This was the first "bed" we came upon.
I won't even call it a home, because it's not!
YES, that's rock and gravel under that thin, worn blanket.



A homeless man.
We tried to talk to him, but he really wasn't interested.
So, we moved on and prayed for him.


Another bed!



This place is in the middle of these huge boulders.


Some of their personal hygene items.


Can you imagine sleeping in this bed?

This is Hector. I'm certain that God knew he was going with us and he is the reason I felt so safe and at peace. Hector has great street knowledge. He is also a decorated Commando Army Ranger Veteran. He was the only one out of the 4 of us who was dressed for this mission and was the only one with dry feet at the end of the night as well!

This is Tim who has spent much time with Dave trying to get this ministry off the ground.

Me, waiting for my hubby to help me down!

I'm still afraid of heights!

Dave, yes in shorts, putting some chocolates in the cubby.

A homeless man walking just beyond the fence.

Abandoned building.

Yet another bed under this piece of old carpet.

Someone lives here.

Do you call this a home?

See them way up there?

Ya, I was lagging behind with many blisters at this point!

What a lonely place.

At this point we'd been walking about 4 hours.

We were all a little discouraged by now.

We really had not met anyone that would talk to us.

Dave.

But we press on.

Another encampment.

Many people sleep under tarps.

Finally, at the end of the night, another homeless man told us how we could find Nick.

At this point I had my flip flops on. I didn't know where we were going to have to walk to find him. Oh my! Down a very steep sandy hill and then up another one. Nick laughs about that now.

This is the bridge he lives under.

James 1:27 (The Message)
26-27Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

Matthew 25:35-38 (New Living Translation)
35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?

This is now our ministry. God has been bringing us down this path for a while. It's been a dream of mine for almost 20 years and now it's coming true. God truly knows the desires of our hearts. I've known this for a long time. I've even given a couple of teachings talking about this. And then Beth Moore talked about this during her simulcast on Friday and Saturday. How funny God is. What great lengths He will go to in order to allow for us to hear Him and to know that He is right here. I'm humbled. I'm honored to do as His Word says.

I'll be posting more about Nick soon. He's such a sweet man.

Dave has been picking him up and bringing him to church the past two weeks. I can't tell you how it warms my heart to stand next to him in church as we worship and hear the Word of God. It is our desire that this ministry gets off the ground SOON! I do not want for us to have to continue to bring Nick back to his tent underneath that bridge. We need everything to come together so that we can bring him to his new home...soon!

Lord, it is my hearts desire that by the end of September Nick would lay his head down on a soft pillow, in a soft, warm bed with a roof over his head. Lord I desire for Nick to know that he is loved by many and especially by YOU!

Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.

I do delight in you Lord!

If you would like more information or feel moved to help us get this ministries started, please feel free to leave a comment. You can also visit the BreakThrough Ministries Blog.