My week at Street Life Ministries was so incredible. I saw love poured out to people on the streets, served with others who shared the same heart of the Father, and I had personal encounters that I will never forget.
One thing that never ceases to amaze me is that God has a strategic plan, and that we get to watch that plan unfold. The first day there was a change in the weather that switched our location from Tompkins Square Park to Jamaica, Queens. The few people I was able to pray with at this location walked away in tears. There may have been a language barrier, but there was no doubt the presence of God was in our midst. The first woman I prayed with had broken English, but what I could pick up on was "job, homeless, and happiness". I began praying for these things, and as I was praying there came a time of prophecy over this woman. I believe in that moment God translated those words to her as she looked at me with tears streaming down her face and said "Yes, Yes" to everything that was said. then she gave me a big hug. Through this encounter, God showed me that I had a fear of language barriers and a fear of reaching the nations because I only knew how to speak English. This was an underlying burden I didn't know I had until I faced it, but it lifted after this encounter.
It doesn't matter if there is a language barrier, God hears it all and His presence was SO evident in each of the following encounters, just as this one! We also made connection with new believers who wanted to get involved with Street LIFE Ministries! If the weather had not changed, these people would have not had this new connection. How amazing!
Later that week, as we were on our way to another location, I heard in my spirit loud and clear, over and over again, "The woman at the well." I knew the story but I wasn't too sure how it would relate to what we were doing that day. While I was serving at the prayer station and handing out water, it suddenly hit me. I am the woman sitting here giving water... I am a picture of the woman at the well! The Holy Spirit starting speaking to me about how these people are asking for water that helps for but a moment, but I'm the one who is sitting there who has the REAL living water within that must be poured out so they may be truly fulfilled. It was such a simple yet heart hitting moment that will forever be apart of me. Wouldn't you know the rest of the week I somehow ended up at that station more than I had expected to be! From that point on, each time someone came up for water all I could see was the opportunity to give them more than what they came for.
This week has truly given me a paradigm shift of how easy and fun it is to give away the gospel. Yes, there is work but It's all motivated by the love of Christ, the finishing work of the cross, given freely to us! Street LIFE Ministries is truly a place where the love of the Father is what drives everything they do, and it was certainly felt every moment of every day. I so cherish each day working alongside the staff at Street LIFE Ministries and I can't wait to return! 