Oscar Wilde said, ‘Be yourself; everyone else is already taken!’ You are at your most effective when you are being yourself’
This Week’s Highlights:
*Banquet in the Park Resolves Opposition – see Gaylene, Lorraine, and photos
*Vision of Baby Leads to Multiple Prayer Opportunities – see Pastor Thomas
*Timbit’s Handouts Lead to Many Encounters – see Ron & Donna
*Johnathon Confirms Previous Healing – see Jeremiah
Twenty-Seven Prayer Partners came out to minister last night. Teams went to Central Park, Portage Place, Main Street, and Health Sciences Center. Two young ladies from my church, Morgan and Celina, came out for the first time. I gave them a tour of the area, talked to them about how to be safe, and I introduced them to many team members in Central Park, and to several of the ‘regulars’ in Portage Place. We provided some with food and prayed with the ones who wanted prayer. The ‘newbies’ were a little nervous, as the characters we encounter are very unique, and their stories can be bizarre, but the ladies boldly stepped into every encounter. They were able to meet Johnathon, who reminded us that team members had prayed for his back a couple of months ago, and he was healed (see Jeremiah’s report).
Gaylene’s Report:
Tonight was one of my more interesting and redemptive nights in Central Park. When we arrived, a fire hydrant at Qu’appelle and Edmonton was gushing water down the street.
Lani and I looked at each other and mused “prophetic?” (Like a picture of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the Park)
Some of you know that there is a table of people in the park who all summer have made it their business to hurl abuse at the SHOP in the City team and anyone who joined us. Although they let up here and there, a couple weeks ago it started again and I was discouraged and demoralized if I’m being frank.
However, I recently watched a video (https://youtu.be/MPcT02Vkzxo) where a woman felt compelled to show kindness to someone who was reacting angrily to her in a drive-thru. I felt the conviction of the Lord that I should be showing kindness to the table of people in Central Park so I asked God how and I got the sense to buy pizza for them.
This morning I was sharing my frustrations about the resistance in the park all summer long with Naomi and she came up with an idea. And she showed up in the park with a tablecloth and plates and dishes and flowers…and wait for it: pizza. She proceeded to set a lovely feast on the picnic tables and then walked over and invited the oppositional people for dinner.
Only one in the group, a woman in a walker named Tracy, joined her and spent the evening eating pizza and chatting with Naomi. And I couldn’t have been more gobsmacked when Tracy called me over and apologized for her family’s behaviour all summer!
Turns out Tracy is quite distressed at the violence in the park – there’s been five incidents in the past few weeks – and is organizing a prayer walk and vigil on Sunday. She was also very receptive when Naomi and I prayed for her health and the event.
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:22).
Pastor Lorraine’s Report:
Last night I took a team 5 to Main Street and later we went over to Central Park.
Initially, Main Street was slower this night so we decided to buy some pizzas and give them away (this always attracts a crowd). During this time we prayed for various people, although some refused. I initiated a conversation with a young man standing on the sidewalk (Colin) who had an Egyptian symbol (ankh) on a chain on his neck. He had no idea what the symbol stood for so I used this a conversation starter and tried to explain to him the Cross of Jesus Christ as a different symbol that we often wear around our necks and what that was all about. He was intrigued but refused my offer of prayer. Michelle engaged a large man who had taken a piece of pizza and looked quite rough. As it turned out he was a cocaine addict and alcoholic who had served time in prison and our sense was that he had a coloured past with violence and drugs. He asked us for prayer for his legs which were injured and swollen. We prayed but did not see much change. During the course of the conversation he asked us for a ticket for the bus to “get out of town” I said that I could not do that, but I could buy him a transit bus ticket (which he agreed to). He had also asked us for a ride in my truck, but we were not willing to do that. Both of us got a strong sense that this man was not to be trusted, had a propensity for violence, and was trying to manipulate us. Michelle and I later engaged a man in a car along the street. I believe he was a drug dealer because while he was parked there people would come up to the open window in his car and leave. This is common in this area of Main Street. As I bent down to speak with him I asked him if he had pain in his body. Apparently, he did have a problem with his left leg and foot due to an injury. He described his problem and then got out to walk around to us. It was obvious when he walked that he had a limp. We prayed with him and commanded all pain to leave a couple of times. He was a bit resistant to respond as to what was happening, but at the end of our conversation, he walked back to the car with no limp at all, even though he never acknowledged that something had happened. Both Michelle and I could see something had changed.
Later, our team went to Central Park where the atmosphere was thick with spiritual activity everywhere—you could sense it in the air. Some of our group were engaging others in conversations, praying, ministering and a friend of Gaylene’s set up a table with flowers, pizza, pop, and a tablecloth! For a few months now Gaylene (who has been in Central Park regularly with the “Need Prayer?” sign has been harassed, sworn at, had her car spit on, etc while she shared the Gospel and offered to pray for others there. Tonight, the group again showed up and they were invited to have some pizza and sit down for supper! One of the group agreed to do so which was a good start to ministering the love of Jesus to them. Throughout this evening, as we walked around the park, I suggested to Michelle (and Michael who joined us), that we pray while we walked around the park boundaries and claim the park. When we arrived at the end of our prayer walk, we stood by the picnic table that was set for the meal. One of the women who sat there (and who had been part of the group that had harassed Gaylene), suddenly apologized for what they had done! We were shocked at this sudden shift. “The atmosphere is changing now, and the Spirit of the Lord is here…” A few minutes later a young aboriginal man named Terrance walked up to us as we stood there and asked how he could be saved and know Jesus! Crazy!! As it turned out he was a believer but had no assurance that he was saved and had much guilt on his heart for things he had done. Michelle spent some time ministering Jesus’ love and the assurance of salvation to him and we encouraged him to plug into a church or a discipleship group so he could grow in his faith.
Pastor Thomas’ Report:
Tonight I was teamed up with Diana, Jeremiah V, and Jen. Before leaving, Jen had a picture from the Lord of a crying baby wrapped up in a blanket that covered it’s faced making it difficult to breathe. We planned to go to HSC to pray for Ann who has leukemia so as we walked past the Children’s Hospital we saw a man on a bench who asked for prayer to be able to see his children. After praying for him we saw a woman named Celina with her two children beside her. We asked what she needed prayer for she said that 10 years ago while living in Pukatawagan there was a house fire and she lost three boys in the fire. We ministered to her and prayed to heal to her soul, restoration and grace. She also asked for us to pray for her other 12-year-old son, River, who was in Children’s Hospital suffering from an autoimmune disease. We went up to the CK4 Wing and prayed for him. We met the senior leader for the unit named Faith and Jen shared with her the vision of the baby with breathing problems. Jen said that her unit was the unit that had children with breathing problems and pointed out two other families that we could go and pray over. That was amazing so we prayed for baby Haley for healing as well as her mom who was from Fairford Reserve. Then we prayed for another baby named Lazarus who was also struggling with breathing issues. We prayed a new lung and trachea. The family was so blessed we had come to pray and that Lazarus was there 8th child and that the number 8 represents new beginnings. Before leaving Faith asked for prayer so we prophesied over her and their unit. She shared that the other women she works with were Angel, Mary and Anna, all biblical names. We finally did get over to minister to Ann. We learned tonight the need to stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
Ron & Donna’s Report:
Upon arriving at Central Park we gave out some Tim Hortons’ Timbits. They were certainly well received by the crowd. As we were leaving the Park a group of people to whom we had given the donuts earlier thanked us again. However, none of the people who appreciated the Timbits wanted prayer. When the rest of the H20 people came I (Ron) set out with Jerry to do a circuit of the Park. We prayed for Annette who had a rotator cuff injury in her right shoulder. Even though the injury had happened several weeks ago she was still in discomfort. After praying for her 3x the pain went from a 5 to a 3. She appreciated the prayer and we were also able to encourage her to stay connected with Jesus. Donna meanwhile was paired up with Michael and Lani and also with Linda. Good conversations but many refused prayer this evening. Later in the evening we all met up again and had a good conversation with Jino a Muslim fellow who had much to say about Islam, Mohammed, and the Koran. Hopefully, we will be able to talk with Jino again.
Jeremiah’s Report:
This past Thursday night I was teamed up with Al, Morgan, and Selena. We started our journey at Central Park, then we made our way to Portage Place where we connected with Edna, Doug, Sharon, and Debbie, (regulars in the mall).
– HIGHLIGHT # 1 – Meeting with Johnathon, a fellow I prayed for a while back. He had pain in his back and after prayer, he was healed! He told me that night he went home and started washing dishes, cleaning up and doing simple house chores he could not do before. And he is still living for Jesus!
Exclamation marks don’t do justice for what God has done for Johnathon!
– HIGHLIGHT # 2 – Patricia + Vivian. We were just about to leave and I came across another team about to pray for Patricia and Vivian. I thought I would join in and pray, Patricia’s leg muscles from time to time would just stop working. After prayer, her foot became lighter and she could feel the blood circulating in her leg! (SCORE!!)
We also prayed for Vivian’s foot because it had a broken bone that Was sticking out of her leg. We didn’t Immediately see the healing but I believe it was healed, Thanks to Jesus!