Meet Our New Interns!

As we look back over all that happened in 2014, we can't help but thank the Lord for the new interns we have had.  Nicole Pannasch was the first of these interns and she has been with us for just over a year. During that time we  have been blessed by her joyful spirit, her willingness to serve, and her obvious love for God even at a young age. Commenting on her time here, Nicole said, "Serving at Street LIFE has been life-changing.  The Lord has drawn me closer to Himself during this time and has shown me much more of His heart for the nations, the lost, and His beloved Bride.  I have been continually amazed by His faithfulness evidenced during our times on the streets, in ministry here at Street LIFE, and in my own relationship with Him.  I am very thankful for all that He has taught me during my time here thus far, and I am excited to continue the journey." It is such a pleasure to have Nicole as part of our community and we look forward to seeing how the Lord will continue to flourish her.

We also had a young woman named Jennifer-Beth join us for a three-month internship this past summer. She loved  working with us and her compassionate heart enabled her to connect easily with the people on the streets. Originally from Virginia, Jennifer-Beth has spent much time in recent years serving overseas with medical missions in Asia. Though she still feels a special connection with the people there, she believes that the Lord is calling her back to Street LIFE Ministries in 2015 to receive more training and discipleship. We are excited to have her back and appreciate her vivacious southern flair.  In 2015 a young man named Drew Gosnell from South Carolina will be joining us as an intern and he intends to serve with us long term. Drew joined us for a week-long outreach this summer so he could get more familiar with the work we do, and he really enjoyed it. Drew's maturity is evident and he carries the peaceful presence of God within him. He will also be a valuable addition to our team.

We thank God for each of these new interns. The Lord has heard our prayers to send us more laborers in New York City; the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few! We encourage you to consider joining us for an internship and pass this information to anyone you may know who wants to get involved in missions. 

Increase for Beautiful One

Watching the ministry of Beautiful One has been a major highlight of 2014! We have adopted eight new massage parlors and two strip clubs, and our outreach team has increased from four to twelve people! As of January, we'll be expanding into even more strip clubs and we'll begin offering English classes to the many immigrants we meet at the massage parlors. We often marvel at the tremendous opportunities God gives us to share His unconditional love with women coming from nations in which the Gospel cannot be openly shared. We also count it a high privilege to be able to lavish His unconditional love on those who feel so unloved and unworthy. In Flushing, the need for this ministry is continually increasing as we constantly see new massage parlors open up.

At a recent outreach, we encountered a woman who has been in America for only a few months. It was our first time meeting her, and we learned that she has no family here with her. As we talked and prayed, the Lord opened a door for us to share of His beautiful love for her and give some timely words straight from His heart to hers. Her previously weary eyes lit up as she connected with God's heart in that moment, deep calling to deep. It's moments like this that thrill our hearts and excite us for all that the Lord has in store for His Beautiful Ones! We cannot wait to see what 2015 holds for this ministry!

For the Least of These

We had another wonderful year of outreach with our Mobile Resource Center. This year we served over 16,000 meals to the needy people of New York City – Praise God! One of the best parts of this outreach is being able to meet the specific needs of our friends on the streets. Just last week a man named James, who recently became homeless, stopped by the Mobile Resource Center to get some food. He was cold and frustrated with his current situation. Ryan noticed that he did not have a hat, and when he offered him one, James’ eyes lit up and a big smile came across his face. He said, “Yes, absolutely!” We have encounters like this almost every week. There was one homeless man that we met whose eyes welled up with tears when we told him that we come to serve every Tuesday. He said, “The government always promises to help me, but they never do anything and you come out every single week.” It is our great privilege to reach those who feel they've been forgotten.

Our consistent presence at Tompkins Square Park enables us to develop close relationships with the people there. Every week our friends Speedy and Jose show up early to help us unpack the truck, and they stick around for a warm cup of soup. We have known them for years and they are always upbeat, even in spite of their circumstances. Jose has been growing in his walk with the Lord and we are hoping to one day see Speedy come into the things of God as well. It is through meeting our friends’ needs and forming relationships that the Lord is constantly opening new opportunities for us to share the gospel. Thank you so much for all of your donations of hats, gloves, toiletries, and care pack items. Your generosity is helping us better serve the people of this great city. 

"Let the Little Children Come to Me"

Akon (the boy in blue) interacting with one of our volunteers

After sharing a Bible story at Moore Park with a group of kids, one boy wanted to stick around and look through the Beginner's Bible. As the rest of the kids went with the staff to play tag, Nicole stayed with Akon who is around 9 years old to answer his inquiries. He flipped through the Bible asking many questions, which gave her the opportunity to share the gospel with him. Akon is not from a Christian home so his interest in the Bible is very exciting! He asked Nicole if we brought any other books. As she looked through our bin, the gospel cube caught Akon’s attention and he wanted her to explain it to him. They spent a good 15-20 minutes together as he soaked in all of this Good News!

We love ministering to the children through games and facepainting and often pray for opportunities to share the gospel in a way they can understand and receive. This seemed to be one of those special opportunities and we are thankful for what God is doing in his heart. Please pray that the seeds we've sown go deep, and that Akon and many other kids would give their lives to Jesus. Thank you! 

The Power of the Gospel

Recently David received a phone call from a practicing Muslim named Mohammed. He told David that he was walking by the Mobile Resource Center during our newest outreach to Corona, Queens, and he stopped to pick up a Gospel of John and one of our contact cards. That night he read through the entire gospel and was totally blown away by it. He kept telling David, "I've never heard anything like this! I've never heard anything like this!" He is now interested in learning more about Jesus and the Bible and he expressed a sincere desire to come to join us at King's Fellowship. Wow, Hallelujah! God is drawing him to Himself. Please join us in praying for Mohammed.

Our Mobile Resource Center Set Up In Corona

Jaime's Story

Some of the Men at Tompkins Square Park

Several weeks ago Jaime stopped by the Mobile Resource Center to speak to a few of our staff members. During their conversation Jaime confided in them, acknowledging that he had a drinking problem and had been struggling with alcoholism for most of his adult life. He told them that he was sick of drinking and he wanted to stop but was never able to give it up. They prayed over him for God to break this cycle of addiction and to give him the grace to walk away from his drinking habits.

The next week, when we came back to the park, Jaime was back and he seemed very eager to tell us what happened to him during the week. The day after we prayed over him, he was hanging out with his buddies, and they started drinking again as usual. When they invited Jaime to join them, he didn’t want to. They kept pestering him to drink but as they tried to entice him he remembered our time of prayer. He told us, “I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t drink anymore.” He quickly removed himself from that situation, and by leaning on the Lord he successfully overcame the temptation that had enslaved him for years! It’s been about three weeks since all this happened, and he has been completely sober the entire time.

Beyond the sobriety, we’ve noticed additional changes in Jaime. Every time we see him now he praises God for the transformation that has taken place in him. He routinely reads the Word and has a great desire to understand what scripture teaches. He has come to King’s Fellowship and is even looking to find other churches in his area (Manhattan) with Bible studies that he can attend regularly. Though he is still trying to find housing, he recently got a job as a cook and is no longer unemployed! During our most recent conversation with Jaime, he placed his hand over his heart and told one of our staff members, “It feels different in here.” God has clearly done a work in Jaime’s life and we look forward to helping him grow in his new-found relationship with Jesus. Please join us in praying for him!

A Hug From God

This year's Worship Warfare Week was a glorious time of exalting Jesus publicly and ministering to those gathered in the parks around NYC. At Thursday's outreach in Brooklyn, we met Isabella, who is currently homeless and was facing some rough circumstances just that morning. She had texted her sister to vent her frustrations, and her sister recommended that she take a walk through park saying, "Enjoy the fresh air, God is going to give you a hug in the park." Her sister had no idea that we were there worshipping that day. In the park she met a few team members who escorted her over to the prayer station. Robin listened as she poured out her heart, then she felt an urge to give her a hug. Isabella, looking incredulous, pulled out her phone and showed Robin the text from her sister saying that God was going to give her a hug! We are so moved by how God met Isabella in her moment of great need and answered our prayers to draw people into the parks during Worship Warfare Week who need a touch from Him. It is an honor to allow Jesus to hug the lost and hurting through us on the streets of NYC!