Be One to Reach One: Lord of the Harvest

Wednesday afternoons are times of prayer and fasting at Street LIFE Ministries.  We engage our Father in conversation and petitions to send His church to reach those on the streets of New York City.  Often, our requests are that people will hear the call and with deep conviction, come to be the ones to go after the one (#B12Reach1).

Stephanie heard that call all the way from the cornfields of Ohio.  The Lord was speaking NYC to her.  In her own words, she wrote “Late winter the Lord clearly spoke to me that I was to go to Street LIFE this summer.  Wisely I chose to say yes and prepared to write David to ask when I could come.  I received an email that very day from David asking if we were bringing a team!  That was confirmation.”  At the end of the trip, she wrote about it this way, “This week my prayer was answered several ways.  My heart was filled up as I was able to minister with my team and observe THEM being in different places loving people and counting on God to guide them.  What a joy!”

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What Are The Odds?

With all the millions of people in this city, what are the odds that I would run into one of the few people I actually got to speak with at the Gay Pride Parade last year? Was it a coincidence? No, it could only be described as a “God thing”, and that’s exactly what it turned out to be!

Since we had such a good conversation with them last year, our team decided to go over and talk with them. Thankfully they remembered us too! We spent some time catching up and they filled us in on that had happened over the past year. Then, as they were about to leave, I asked if I could pray with them. They gladly accepted. When I inquired what specifically they needed prayer for, they both got quiet and very serious. Then one of them broke the silence saying, “Please pray for my boyfriend’s family situation. It’s not good and he’s going through a rough time.” The other agreed and added, “Yes, please pray for my mental health.” It was clear that he was not doing well. He had shared a little about his home life, his negligent parents, and his struggle with depression. We could see that this was a young man who had come to view himself as worthless after many years of being rejected by his family.  

I bowed my head and began to pray over them right there on the street corner. I prayed for God to bless them with the knowledge of Him and lead them into a deeper understanding of the love of God displayed in the cross of Jesus Christ. I asked the Lord to show them how valuable they are; that they were valuable enough to die for! After I finished praying I lifted my head. The young man who had looked so despondent now had a huge smile on his face. His countenance had completely changed in that short moment of prayer. We believe that God’s GREATER LOVE made an impression on him that night. We exchanged contact information and expect to see them again sometime soon.

An Unlikely Meeting Place

A quick bathroom break actually turned into a divine appointment with Vanessa*. Gintare (one of our volunteers) happened to have gift bag with her, which she presented to one of the dancers in the bathroom.  “Can you pray for me?” Vanessa asked Gintare. This somewhat secluded meeting place away from the rest of the dancers allowed more freedom for Vanessa to share openly.  It was evident that she didn’t have many people to talk to and she said that it was just what she needed.

Vanessa shared much of her personal pain and struggles as a young mother, along with how she really felt about dancing. “I don’t want to do this forever. Nobody wants to do this forever.  I’d rather do this now so my daughter won’t have to someday.”

Afterward, our team marveled at how God had led us to Vanessa. We literally prayed before going out that He would direct us to the “one” He would have us each talk to. Vanessa was also one of the first ladies, if not the first, that asked us for prayer. And the opportunity to talk one-on-one with her in the bathroom made it much easier for her to open up about personal things, which rarely happens in the dressing room. This was indeed a divine appointment, and we are praying that Vanessa will remember what she heard and the love she received.


*name changed for privacy 

"I'm An Atheist"

There was an older gentleman sitting at the bar, and he looked lonely. I watched him order another drink as he looked around the crowded room for someone to talk to. Remembering that one of our goals in Greater Love is to form relationships with people in the LGBT community, I decided to venture over and give him the company he seemed to be looking for. That night, a friendship was born.*

"Hey, how are you doing this evening? My name is Ryan... and you are?"

"Well, Hello. My name is Daniel**, and I'm doing fine."

"Pleasure to meet you Daniel. Do you mind if I take a seat?"

"No, not at all!"

I sat down next to Daniel and just started asking him questions to get to know him. I soon realized that a little interest would go a long way. I only had to ask a few questions and pretty soon Daniel was unfolding his entire life story to me, including the details of his upbringing, when he discovered his same-sex attraction, and the difficulties he faced growing up as a homosexual in the 60's and 70's. I so appreciated his willingness to share his story. After some time, he began to ask me about myself and what I do here in NYC. I told him that I am a Christian missionary and about the work I do with Street LIFE Ministries. He had a Catholic background and enjoyed hearing about our work with the homeless. "Going to the poor and homeless... that's a pretty big part of what Jesus told us to do, right?" He said with a sarcastic smile on his face. "It sure is!" I replied.

Knowing that I was a Christian, Daniel made the point to tell me, "I'm an atheist, I don't want to talk about God or religion. I just want to talk about art, music, and history." I assured him that was alright.

Since that night, Daniel and I have gone out to dinner twice and even attended a small jazz concert in Manhattan. One of the more significant moments I had with him was after our first dinner when Daniel insisted that we take a walk to the Hudson River. "Let's go see the river!" he said emphatically. "C'mon, it's really close!" As we stood at the bank of the river he told me how often he comes here to look at the beautiful scenery. We both stood there silently for a while, soaking in the view. In that moment God reminded me of Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." Daniel's desire to see the river reminded me that we can't escape the beauty of God's creation, or the message that it sends to us; that there is a God and that He is awesome. Daniel might be an atheist, but I know everything in him is crying out for God (even if he doesn't know it), and we are patiently waiting for the opportunity to introduce him to the God who made the Hudson River.

*To clarify, this outreach is done by a team of screened applicants. This testimony is simply written from the perspective of one of those team members.  

**Name changed for confidentiality. 

When God Intervenes

As I was handing out food donations to the long line of needy people, I noticed that Jess had sat down to have a discussion with a man that I had never seen before. He looked weary, but seemed to be enjoying his cup of soup and his conversation with Jess. I was thinking, "Great, it looks like we're making new friends!" Some time  later Jess asked me to talk to this man as he was interested in the men’s Bible study that we host. I said, “Absolutely!”

I hustled over to him and introduced myself, but, for the sake of privacy, let’s call him Eric.

Ryan: “So I heard you’re interested in attending our Bible study.”

Eric: “Yes. I consider myself to be a spiritual person, and I definitely believe in a creator, but I don’t know what to make of all the different world religions. Every time I read the Bible it just confuses me. I feel like I need someone to teach it to me so that I can understand.”

Ryan: “Well Eric, the whole purpose of our Bible study is to gather together and understand what God has clearly spoken, so it sounds like the perfect place for you.”

Ryan talking with Eric

He agreed and assured me that he would be there on Sunday. Eric began to share more of his story with me. I did not get all the details, but through his struggle with alcohol and recent marital issues, he ended up on the streets, hurt, bitter, lost, and lonely. I had the opportunity to share some of my own testimony with Him and the ways God has delivered me from sin and healed pain in my heart. He was very receptive and definitely acknowledged his need for guidance. Before Eric left, I told him I would give him a call in a few days to see how he was doing. I began praying regularly for Eric, pleading with God to intervene in his life.

Two days after meeting him, I decided to give him a call...

Ryan:  "Hello, is this Eric?"...

Eric: "Yes, who's this?"

Ryan: "This is Ryan, the guy you met at the park a few days ago."

He cut me off and started shouting…

Eric:  "Ryan! I'm so glad to hear from you! I was going to give you a call. I have to tell you what happened!"

Ryan: "Eric, tell me what happened!"

He went on to say that he went to his AA meeting that night after we met. He was asked by the group leader to share his story. Apparently this really touched one of the other men who was there. He came up to Eric after the meeting and said, "I own several apartments here in the city. Here, these are the keys to one of my apartments. You can stay there until you find a job." Go had provided a way for Eric to get off the streets immediately! Our conversation was short because he was actually in the process of walking around town and filling out job applications. He was filled with gratitude and joy, and assured me that he would definitely be at the Bible study and service on Sunday.

Eric showed up on Sunday, and has been regularly attending ever since! Praise God for His intervention in Eric’s life! We know that Eric is not in the Kingdom yet, but it's a step in the right direction. Please continue to pray for Eric; for his full surrender to the Lord, for the right job, and for total reconciliation in his family situation.

Restored Fellowship

We met Yvonne a few years ago at a prayer station in Jamaica, Queens. She had an amazing testimony of how God delivered her from drugs. She knew the power of God in her life, but after being hurt from some negative experiences with her church, she began to distance herself from other believers. We had a good talk with her about the importance of and having fellowship with other believers despite their flaws. We exchanged contact information and invited her to join us at King's Fellowship.

Amy kept in touch with her, calling her from time to time to check up on her and pray with her, encouraging her as much as she could, but we eventually lost touch with Yvonne. Several months went by without hearing from her. But then, last fall, Amy received a voicemail from Yvonne stating that God had been speaking to her about needing to be a part of a church again. She knew she needed the fellowship and the encouragement. Since then, Yvonne has been a regular attendee of our Sunday night services and has even joined us for outreach.

Yvonne is not the same woman we met a few months ago! God is healing her heart and drawing her into deeper relationship and she has even expressed an interest in volunteering more of her time with us. It has been incredible to see God's commitment to Yvonne and it has also been a big answer to prayer, as we are constantly praying for those we meet to be drawn closer to God and come into a church where they can be discipled.

One Can of Chili

As I was working the clothing table, a young lady walked up to me and said, “You guys just brought some light into my day… I didn’t know where I was going to get anything to eat today.” I stepped out from behind the table to introduce myself and learn more about her situation. Her name was Sherri and she told me that she is new to New York City, two months pregnant, and living in a shelter. All she had to eat in her room was two cans of vegetables and one can of chili. The cravings from the pregnancy were making her anxious… She had no idea where she was going to get the food that she needed to keep her and her baby alive. She was so grateful to have met us out on the street and get some food.

Sherri was actually on her way to one of the nearby churches that gives out free lunches throughout the week. She did grab some food from our truck, but because she didn’t want to miss the lunch, she couldn’t stop and talk for very long. She thanked us for being there and then went on her way. I was so grieved and angered over her situation. I started to wonder, “Where is her family? Where is the father of her child? Where are her friends? Is there anybody in her life that is looking out for her?” I could not allow Sherri to go off on her own without doing more to help her. God was aware of everything Sherri was going through, and He was not insensitive to her plight. I knew God wanted to meet Sherri in this difficult time. By this time she had already walked about half a block away, but she was still within eyesight. I ran to the truck, grabbed a gospel of John booklet, and started to run after her. As I caught up, I shouted, “Sherri! Sherri!” She turned around and looked surprised to see me running after her. When I finally caught up with her, I gave her the booklet and began to talk to her about the compassion of Jesus and that he knows everything that she is going through. She started to cry and said, “I feel like I’m going through this all alone.” I prayed for her, asking the Lord to act on her behalf and to protect and provide for her and her child. She looked up at me with tear filled eyes and said, “Thank you.” We exchanged contact info and I told her we’d be in touch.

It just so happened that Jessica and I were going to be attending a prayer meeting not too far from Sherri’s shelter the following night. We contacted Sherri and asked if she would be available the following night for us to come drop off some food for her, and of course she said, “Yes!”That night I packed two large bins filled with non-perishable foods and canned goods. I also got her some Hershey’s Chocolate and a package of Oreos… because every pregnant woman is going to want chocolate and Oreos at some point, right?

The next night we traveled into Manhattan and successfully delivered the food to Sherri. She was blown away with gratitude and she couldn’t stop smiling. Since we were on our way to a meeting we were not able to stay very long with her, but Jess asked her a lot of important questions about her pregnancy. She is taking prenatal vitamins and is working on setting up appointments with doctors. Even though we heard a lot of good news from her, we also learned some unfortunate details about her situation. She is originally from Virginia, and the reason she moved here is because she is a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic and her family was tired of taking care of her. She is still on medication and it seems that she is still receiving some sort of medical support from her family, but from what it sounds like, they either kicked her out of the house or she ran away. We didn’t dwell on this for too long, as we didn’t want to ruin the joy she had in that moment from receiving all the food and extra goodies, but this does add another, more serious element to her situation, and it is just another reason we need to be praying for her.

As of this week she has officially applied for food stamps and has an appointment set up in the next few days, which is great news! Sherri was so blessed by our encounter and said she is going to start coming to the park every week to hang out with us. Hopefully, as we develop more relationship with her, we will learn more about her life and how we can serve her. We will do everything we can to help her, and by God’s grace she and her baby will make it through this. I believe God is greater than this situation, and even greater than her schizophrenia. Please join us in praying for Sherri and her baby. My prayer is that she would be overwhelmed with compassion and love, and come to saving knowledge of the Lord.