Sometimes forgiving can be extremely hard. As C.S. Lewis wrote: “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.”
I was at a multi-birthday family celebration last night and was unable to be on the streets (wife, grandson, daughter-in-law, son-in-law). Great party! But I missed being out on the streets.
Here is something interesting. I have been tracking where all the people are from that minister on the streets/malls with Kingdom H2O. Right now there are about 65 people who come out on a more or less regular basis. They are from 35 different churches, located in Winnipeg and 15 surrounding towns and cities. I am encouraged to see people from such a variety of denominations building Kingdom together. I expect we will have up to a 100 people by year’s end, as this ministry is continuing to attract people who want to be part of this unique ministry opportunity. Plus we have a group of 21 graduating from our Street Ministry Boot Camp at the end of March (most of whom are not included in the 65 above). A force of 100 people praying for people’s healing, and inviting them to know Jesus, will have a big impact on Winnipeg. Plus, new places to minister are being discovered. We recently have been invited to partner with Lighthouse Missions – see Lorraine’s report below.
Lorraine’s Report:
We had 28 people start at Zion last night. There were likely a few more at Portage Place Mall, so I’m guessing about 30 were out doing ministry.
I took my team to see a gentleman who struggles with Addisons disease as well as another illness that affects his entire body and makes it difficult for him to get out and do things or live a normal life. I took 2 people with me and we went over to his place to pray for him. The rest of my team went out to Garden City mall (3 others). We prayed for this man in his apartment for about 15 minutes or so but we did not notice any immediate change. In spite of that, he was greatly encouraged and strengthened by our visit! Hoping to go back to see him again next week and pray some more. Garden City was a bit more busy than at other times, and I had a chance to encourage some people although we did not pray for many people as a team. We are continuing to build upon being there and expecting God to do some awesome things.
Just as an aside: A new opportunity has opened up where some of our teams will be going to Lighthouse Mission on Main Street to minister on the streets there on a weekly basis. Lighthouse Mission has invited us to minister there even though they are not normally open Thursdays. We are hoping that in the future as God builds/strengthens this relationship, that H2O will be able to go inside the mission and pray with, minister to and share the message of Jesus’ love with many there as well as on the streets nearby. We thank the Lord for this new opportunity.
Ryan’s Report:
I went to Portage Place and teamed-up with Chelsea. We spent pretty much all our time ministering to Edna. Chelsea and Edna really connected and we prayed for her living situation and her eyesight (she has cataracts). We then met up with Audrey and people came up to us and asked for bus fare, and Audrey blessed them. It was an opportunity to ask if they needed prayer, and they said they wanted the alcoholism to go away. They really wanted to be clean, so we all gathered around them to pray. They seemed happier when they left.
One thing I noticed was security was never around when we openly prayed for people. I have been praying that we would become invisible to security when we are ministering to people, and it seemed to be answered. God still must have work to do there.
Michelle’s Report:
Our group was Ed, Audrey, Marlene, Orlando and me. We first went to the Salvation Army on Main Street. Ed and Marlene were handing out hot chocolate. Audrey and I had a divine encounter with Kylie who comes from the same hometown as me. We prayed for Kyle’s family and for his sister, also named Michelle who has MS. After the connection was made with Michelle and Kyle, he opened up about his drug addiction and difficulties with his family. It turns out he asked the Lord Jesus to do life with him some time ago and we encouraged Kyle to keep praying to Jesus, that he was so loved by God. Kyle was so happy to have met Audrey and I. We also prayed for Scott who was wanting prayer so he could quit his smoking habit. Ed had the opportunity to pray with Haven who had trauma from the past in her life and needed a place to stay. Marlene and Orlando were making connections with many people standing outside the doors of the Salvation Army. Our next stop was at Siloam Misson. Ed had more hot chocolate to hand out to those waiting to get in Siloam for a bed for the night. Audrey and I met Ricky in the line and we asked if he needed prayer or if he had any pain in his body. He said yes that he had surgery on his foot and his pain level was a 5 out of 10. We prayed and the level went to a 4 and we prayed again and his pain was gone. Audrey and I also discovered he was a believer and Ricky shared several testimonies of miracles God did in his life. Our last stop was in front of the pizza place on Main Street. Audrey bought two pizzas and while we waited I made a connection with Stephanie and her daughter Nina. Stephanie wanted prayer for her sister Claudette Osborne who went missing nine years ago. Stephanie and family were prayed for. Orlando and Marlene felt their time was yet again making connections and sharing the love of God. At one point our team tried to minister the love of God to Krystal a 39-year-old woman who had big needs physically and emotionally. We mentioned we would keep her in prayer because she was not in a healthy enough place to pray for herself.
H2O Equipping & Healing Nights (7 PM at Zion)
Saturday, March 3 – Pastor Lorraine
Saturday, March 10 – Pastor Erin
Saturday, March 17 – Pastor Thomas
Saturday, March 24 – Kevin
Saturday, March 31 – ?
Saturday, April 7 – Al
Saturday, April 14 Pastor Erin
Saturday, April 21 Pastor Lorraine
Saturday, April 28 – SPBF Church?