PRAYER UPDATE: Homeless Ministry

Awhile back we started going out to do evangelism on Fridays and our primary focus has been reaching out to the homeless. (Click here to see some previous postings about homeless in Prague).

While giving out the bag lunches we prepared and just talking to homeless people about the Lord, Jason felt like God was really showing him something.

"I just stopped and started asking questions about the person I was talking to. And I started to really see this little old lady as I asked her what she liked to do, and what her favorite food was, and favorite flowers... it was great just to see her face light up because I don’t think that she was used to people just asking about her."

"To see her excitement as she talked about her childhood growing up on a farm, and having a garden, and even as she remembered about the Russians - how she ran from them as they were shooting their guns at the people..."

"You know sometimes I think I want to talk, but I am realizing it is just better to listen. There is just nothing like seeing this little old lady with no teeth smiling at you!"

We had met Ivanka before (see a previous post about her) but haven't seen her for awhile now.

There are 5 - 6, 000 homeless people in the city of Prague, There are many different homeless shelters that Jason is investigating and gathering information regarding. We are praying about the possibility for an opportunity to minister at one of those sites , praying about if there’s a chance to do a bible study or something.

Pray that God would lead us and open doors for whatever He has in mind!

"And if necessary - use words"...

"Proclaim the gospel everywhere, to all people,

at all times

...and if necessary - use words".

Saint Franciss of Assisi

Ivanka didn't see Jason first, he saw her. She was almost hidden behind the crowds of people at the tram stop, resting against the wall with her two plastic shopping bags that contained -most likely - all her worldly belongings.

But when he put a hand on her shoulder and reminded her that they had met a few weeks ago at the train station, she was so happy to see him again. And when she saw the little lunch bag we gave her, Ivanka was full of hugs, kisses and words of thanks. But it was us that were truly thankful. Thankful that in some small way we could show the love of God to Ivanka and others.

Monika was there yesterday, too, as she is every Friday when we go out with sandwiches. It's hard to tell how old she is because her face is so swollen and red from both living out of doors exposed to the elements and spending her days driking cheap vodka as she was when we met her. She cried and reached out to grab onto us the first time we met when we told her that God loved her and had a plan for her life. She hung her head in shame at these words and we reassured her that God didn't condemn her, that He loved her and just wanted her to know that love.

She smiled through her tears and through the weather beaten and life weary face that at first glance appeared to be that of an old woman, there was a shine in her eyes that revealed a glimpse of a much younger girl, maybe as young as late twenties or early thirties. How did she get to this place? What happened? Only God knows and only God can take her out of this. For now all we can do is hold her hand, give her a hug and our little lunch and remind her again of God's love. It seems so little in light of her great needs, but for now it is better to do what we can, that not do anything.

Our heart's desire is to be able to offer more to these folks than just a lunch once a week. We have lots of ideas, dreams, etc. but we know that "unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain those that try to build anything on their own." So for now we will pray and we will continue to do what we can - to show God's love with sandwiches, cookies and an apple...to be his arms to hug and thereby proclaim the love of God to these whom most of the world would rather forget.

Would you please remember them with us? Would you pray with us for Ivanka, for Monika, and for the poor of our city? Pray that God would continue to guide and provide for this outreach and show us how to continue to show His love.

Near to the Brokenhearted...

"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted

And saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Psalm 34:18

That was the verse that came to mind to one of our team members today as we set out to try and serve the homeless of Prague. It has been on Jason's heart for some time now to try and reach out to the many homeless that are in Prague. In the parks, at the train station and throughout the city there are those who look to be the very ones that verse is talking about..."brokenhearted" and "crushed in spirit".

We made some sandwiches and put them together in a bag with some cookies, an apple and some tracts that tell of God's love. We went out not really knowing what we would do, painfully aware that what little we had to offer did not come anywhere near meeting all the pressing needs they might have, but wanting to simply in faith take the first step towards trying to help these folks and trusting that God would do for them all that we could not. We were not disappointed. We are learning that we never are disappointed when we simply step out in faith. :)

We handed out over 20 lunch bags and could have easily given out more. We saw a family sleeping on a park bench, drunks, people begging....one on hand nothing unusual in any big city...on the other, precious people that God loves.

We were able to talk to a few people, pray for a few others, and simply have our hearts broken with those things that break God's heart. The needs are so great and we wished we could do so much more. Some of us were able to minister to people using languages we had learned in other countries, some of our interaction was in English, and of course faithful Tomas was there to translate with Czech speakers.

We will be going out again next Friday, God willing, with food for both body and soul for these folks, not all homeless, but all looking for hope and for an answer to life's problems. Would you please pray with us for God to lead and provide for this effort? We want to do whatever we can, but more than that, we want to do whatever God is calling us to do.