Since being in Ethiopia my team has been doing street ministry at night. We have partnered with an organization called Win Souls for God and they go out into the streets at night and minister to the people who live on the streets. It’s amazing and I have been so blessed by this ministry – but it’s been difficult too.
It breaks my heart to see the children that live on the streets, that were born there and they have no family to take care of them or to go home to. The streets are home and food only comes from begging or digging through trash. Beds are made behind bus stop benches or under torn tarps and blankets if they can be found. Three of the four nights we have done street ministry we have taken food for the people we see, but I think the best night was when we didn’t take food. All we had to bring was Jesus and our own hearts and though that might not seem like much to some, bringing Jesus means everything because He is everything. God is the ultimate provider, the true physician, and the most amazing father. He is all we will ever need, if we can just receive that – easier said than done, I know, but if we could just grasp how good God truly is we would never deny Him in our lives again.
While on the street the third night, I had the opportunity to pray for a man to receive Jesus as his savior and it was incredible. He had been living on the streets for years and he wanted to change, he didn’t want to continue living the life of the streets but he didn’t know who to change. Zebedy (our awesome translator), explained that the only way to change your life is through Jesus and the only way for a better life is to have a life with Jesus. The man said he understood and wanted to change, so I prayed for him to know Jesus as his savior. He never confessed that Jesus became Lord of his life but the seed was planted and the joy and love of the Father was brought to him and I’m believing that God will do the rest.
The streets are a dark place and lots of terrible things happen in that lifestyle but I was able to see the glory of God on those streets and to see the love of the ultimate Father and to feel the hope that only Jesus can bring. I can’t feed everyone and I can’t provide everyone a place to lay their head, but I can tell as many people as possible about Jesus and that is more than enough.
Blessings!
– J
I’m still hoping and praying for my fundraising deadline of $1400 to be met by December 1. God is good and He will provide, I believe that, so I’m asking for your support – through prayer and finances. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for those that continue to support and for those that will being to!!!
