Since the COVID 19 crisis, there have been a lot of hungry people in NYC. One of the places we started bringing food is Northern Blvd in Flushing, Queens. We do "loving Drive-By's" to bring food to the men who wait on specific corners in Flushing in hopes that they might get some work for the day. At least, that's how they provided for their families up until this virus shut everything down. Since most of them are immigrants, they don't qualify for financial aid. Jesus would feed the hungry so we follow His lead! We are so thankful that for weeks, we have been getting food donations from the Anabaptist COVID-19 Response team. They packed together fresh foods in a banana box. We split the boxes so that they would go further and also brought out other bags when these ran out.
When they see the truck coming, they come running to start a line to receive the food.
If they can't get work, at least they are able to bring back some food for their families.
We are grateful for those food boxes which came for over 6 weeks. Each week, something else has been delivered to local ministries to distribute to others. So, the food keeps multiplying! We are praying for more as the lines have increased. It is amazing to see the Body of Christ come together, giving, serving, and multiplying resources to GIVE both food and the love of Jesus! THANK YOU!
"Then Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, gazed into heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the breadand the two fishand distributed them to his disciples to serve the people—and the food was multiplied in front of their eyes! " Mark 6:41 The Passion Translation
Katie says she is not homeless but you wouldn’t know that by her appearance. She was having a hard time walking and clearly needed a pair of pants as she struggled to keep them up. How heartbreaking to see someone in such need of basic hygiene and covering. We found some clothing for her and I brought her some soup and bread as she made her way to the bench.
She claimed that John Lennon was her father and that she was soon to marry Chevy Chase. I listened with interest as she shared her story which she told with absolute confidence. If only she knew her identity as a child of God and bride of the Most Holy God! That's how we need to view others.
Then this past week, she was hunched over more than ever and moving very slowly. With the recent loss of David’s mom, he brought his mom’s walker out to Tompkins Square Park which had a seat that folded down as well. How many times we would go out with his mom and she would use this walker and rest in the seat for a few minutes at a time.
Mom's life was one of generosity and so it was an honor to give the walker to this woman who had such a need and at the perfect time. David’s mom believed in missions and wanted to be a missionary herself at a young age. She gave money to financially support Street LIFE Ministries and other mission organizations while she herself lived on a frugal budget. Marian VanFleet went home to be with Jesus on May 16th. She will be missed dearly.
That day, Katie was so thankful to be able to walk and sit as needed. If that were not enough, Billy (also homeless) sat on the ground to help put on some shoes for her that we brought from donations. He showed the servanthood of Jesus.
"So if I’m your teacher and lord and have just washed your dirty feet, then you should follow the example that I’ve set for you and wash one another’s dirty feet. Now do for each other what I have just done for you." John 13:14-15 The Passion Translation
The reality for us here in NYC is there is no end in sight presently. The restrictions continue and change daily (some making it harder to serve) and we are doing the best we can with masks and spacing to serve the vulnerable in New York City.Our mayor’s edict to spy and call on anyone who they believe are not adhering to the “guidelines” require the police having to go to each place to see if it is a viable issue or complaint. We have found favor with the police in these instances as they see the growing need for food. How can we not help in this time of crisis?
Watch this 3 minute video!
Personally, for Street LIFE Ministries, it means all our mission teams have canceled for March and April and potentially through all of the summer.Even yesterday, one of the teams officially canceled instead of rescheduling. We were poised to have our best year in 5 years for teams and volunteers. and as you may or may not know, most of our yearly revenue is generated through the teams that come and serve. Our spring fundraiser in Ohio, along with a church service and FMCI conference is now canceled as well.
We are asking for your prayers, not only to continue but to increase. We need to see a release of $50,000, to see us through summer into fall. We have applied for additional funding for the Federal PPP loan and grants for food and other supplies to enable us to continue to feed all the men and their families that we have been in these past weeks. We are all aware this is the most difficult time as many are out of work and jobs are few. You may be one of them who has suffered severe loss.Our hearts and prayers go out to you.We too have seen both loss of friends as well as a financial loss with our staff, personal and general support for SLM. We have also seen God's supernatural provision to make it through these past two months with every bill paid and on time. HE IS FAITHFUL AND TRUE to all of us!
That’s why we pray and press into God and HIS unlimited resources. IF we pray and obey whatever He says, and give according to revelation, I BELIEVE EVERY NEED SHALL BE MET IN FULL, yours and ours collectively!
When you seek to be blessed to be a blessing, God will surely BLESS!
It’s times like this we get to see what GOD can do with our loaves and fishes, our last oil and meal, or twomites.When we release them to Him to bless others, there will always be MORE THAN ENOUGH!
God may give you a witty way to help raise awareness and funds for Street LIFE Ministries, as we saw a friend just raised $1,000on her birthdayfor a ministry that she liked. Maybe you could do the same? Or some other means, please PRAY and ask. We have seen in the last two months a range of gifts, whether it be $5 or $5,000, and we are grateful.All that matters is our heart and obedience to God’s voice and leading.
What’s in your hands…. in time, talents, resources? We need volunteers, prayer, and finances. Only when we release from our hands, then God anoints and blesses and opens His hands to meet the needs in full, and often with plenty leftover! We have proved this is true for more than 30 years now, in the most expensive city in America. AMEN!
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, our usual Beautiful One outreach
has been suspended.All of the massage
parlors are shut down right now which has cut off most of our ability to
connect with the ladies.However, some
of the women shared their contact information with us before so we thought we
could reach out and see if they had any needs.
One lady wrote back and shared with us that she is very
afraid of the epidemic and has not left her home since March 6.Therefore she has had no income which has
made it difficult for her to afford food.Recently we received a large donation of boxes of food from Anabaptist COVID-19 Response (Hands of Hope) and offered her a box.She also requested several other items that we put together for her along
with a Jesus DVD and the Gospel of John in Chinese.
After leaving the box on her doorstep, she was extremely
grateful.“I can’t believe that there
are such kind people.After the
epidemic, I want to meet you and thank you for being there.”She was amazed at the amount of food and
supplies and took pictures of them.“I
took pictures as a commemoration.After
many years, I will not forget that you helped me in the most difficult times.”
Long Lines are everywhere we GO. This is at TOMPKINS SQUARE
PARK in Manhattan.
We pray that God is making Himself known and more real to
you than ever during this season, of “Coronavirus”. Although there have been many forced changes
and in many ways some very good ones, we are wise if we recognize this “reset”. For
those of us at Street LIFE Ministries, these changes have not been the new norm
as we are serving day and night, 6 days a week (though as the Beatles sang, it
feels like 8 days a week). God has blessed us to be, once again, in the right
place at the right time, “for such a time as this”.
These men are so grateful, not just for themselves but for their families too, and each time they say so. This is our honor, to help minister to their physical needs but also the spiritual too, as every bag has a Gospel of John and a JESUS Movie DVD.
We are meeting and serving more poor and needy and homeless people
than ever before at 3 different locations:
150 men and women - Each Tuesday & Thursday
feeding & distributing clothing, hygiene kits, socks and face masks.
100-120 men - Each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
we distribute food
bags along with masks and hygiene care kits (as available) on Northern Blvd in Flushing.
15-20 Families Once Each Week
We make home deliveries in Flushing after we receive a truckload of food donation boxes (Hands of Hope) from Pastor Mark Perri of Immanuel Community
Church in conjunction with Anabaptist COVID-19 Response.
We are so thankful for volunteers that have come out on to help us on Tuesdays and Thursdays! Some are from Abounding Grace Ministries and longtime friend Pastor Ricky DelRio
We want to give a BIG Shout OUT of thanks to, The United Way
of NYC, Bombas Socks, CRU of NYC, Samaritans Purse and Tom Nolan, Pastor Mark
Perri of ICC, The Anabaptist COVID-19 Response (Hands of Hope), Pastor Greg Woo,
Faith Bible Hope Center, as we are all working together to bless NYC with compassion,
love, and resources such as food, clothing, and hygiene Kits. We are also grateful to our Network, (FMCI-
Federation of Ministers and Churches) and some of our local supporting churches
for extra financial gifts and prayers as well. Bethany Church of NJ has and
continues to donate tons of clothing and most recently, gave an appeal on their
streaming service last Sunday for additional participation! We give God the praise
for all these ministries and churches as well as individuals who are joining
with one heart and mind, and purpose for God’s Kingdom!
