The Hidden Jesus...

But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.  Give gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

~ Matthew 6: 3-4

  At the risk of sounding falsely humble or awkwardly transparent, I begin typing this end of the year entry. Its officially been an entire year since I came on board as a full-time missionary at The Relief Bus. I wish I could articulate the things I have seen, learned, succeeded in, screwed up, and the relationships I have made.  But I can't.  I have found that over this past year I haven't "saved" anyone. On the contrary, I discovered that its not my job to “save” anyone. However, I have had the privilege and honor of traveling this road we call "life" with some amazing people.  And I have also discovered that in the midst of this journey God somehow seems to be saving us all.  

That being said, my biggest struggle this past year has been rooted in that verse in Matthew. What does the Master prefer: a kind act done in secret or a kind act documented for the masses?  How much of the journey is appropriate to document? Many of my fellow travelers battle serious struggles such as heroin addiction, homelessness, prostitution, and mental illness. And I am left wondering where to draw the line between minister and brother... or whether a line should actually exist. I have met two men who have laid hold of the commandment in Matthew. Their names are Rod and Herb.

        Every year the Relief Bus does a thanksgiving outreach to our Harlem and South Bronx sites.  The two Saturdays preceding Thanksgiving, we abandon our soup containers and cater a turkey dinner. As I was preparing to set up the South Bronx outreach, it occurred to me that I had absolutely no catering experience and had no idea what I was doing. To make matters worse, I had around 25 volunteers staring at me, waiting for some kind of instruction.  Then seemingly out of nowhere my friend Herb came to say hello.  I met Herb five months prior and ministered to him through a difficult time.  After our quick hello, Herb told me that he had previously had a professional career as a caterer. He offered his help. At that moment, a huge burden was lifted off my shoulders.  For the next three hours Herb helped me manage the operation.  After all the food was gone, I thanked him for all that he had done.  He shrugged off my appreciation and explained that this is what he does with his time.  Herb is active in his church, mentors youth (without the aid or recognition of an organization), organizes the kids in his neighborhood in civil service activities, and actively takes care of five different seniors who are physically unable to go to the food pantries.  Herb is also currently homeless, staying with different friends as he looks for available housing.  

         I met Rod for the first time in Newark's South Ward last winter.  Over this past year he came to the bus once or twice a month for some soup and a hello.  About a month ago, I asked Rod to tell me about himself.  He is retired, living in Newark's South Ward. He also tends to the needs of the homeless in that neighborhood everyday, on his own. He told me of the different places he visits each night around ten to go feed and encourage the homeless.  It happens to be one of the worst neighborhoods in Newark and not a place one would normally want to be at 10pm.  He explained that it doesn't matter to him whether they decide to change, Jesus has called him to love them in their circumstances, no questions asked.  After his church found out what he was already doing they recently ordained him as a deacon.  

        I am humbled to serve and travel alongside these men.  In them I see everything I aspire to be before the Master.  Regardless of ordinations, recognition, success, money, blogs, the church, organizations, or even life change for those they are serving, these men remain faithful to the calling of Christ. They are not looking to be known or documented, but to serve and to love.  It is in these quiet acts of love and grace I desire to serve as well.  In this Christ resides and this is His home.  I look forward to all of us meeting Him in these quiet places this upcoming year.  

Please pray for housing for Herb and strength for Rod.  

I hope that all who read this have a very Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of the One who loves us very much! Grace and Peace...

I Need Thee Every Hour...

"I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
O I need Thee every hour;
I need you Lord, O bless me now,

My Savior, I come to Thee."

        This is the first verse of an old hymn written by Annie Hawks entitled "I Need Thee Every Hour."  It's one that I remember listening to in the pews of the Baptist church I grew up in.  Although I've known its lyrics since before I was ten, its truth has become increasingly more powerful in my life the older I get.  Every time I hear it playing however I am reminded of my good friend Alice in the South Bronx.

        When I first took over the spot in the South Bronx I was told of our friend who would come every week to sit down in our office and rest for a few minutes.  Other than the fact that she was completely blind I knew nothing else.  For the next few months I would always attempt to set aside a few minutes in the midst of our busyness to sit down and talk with her.  Over time as we learned to trust each other I began to see a woman who is more dependent on Christ's strength than almost anyone I've ever met.

        Alice was not born blind, due to an illness that struck her a few years ago she was left with no vision.  She now has to be guided by an aid everywhere she goes. Along with her vision, her husband left shortly after that.  Although she has three grown children, every week in tears she asks me to pray for them that God would keep them safe in the midst of their "activities" and that they turn to God instead of their own pleasures.  And about two months ago Alice was informed of her need for back surgery due to severe scoliosis.

        Despite all that has been stacked against her the joy and innocence beaming from this tiny woman is astounding.  She still remains faithful to her husband (despite their separation she still wears her ring and refuses to divorce), to her children, and to her God.  Every week I pray for sight and every week I pray also for a miracle with her back, but the real miracle has already manifested: her smile and her strength.  Just the other week as I was having a bad day, in the midst of our discussion she asked me what was wrong.  She had sensed in my voice that all was not well.  I thank God for this friend of mine who I have the honor and privilege to serve every week through simple friendship.

        Please pray for Alice as she makes preparations for back surgery, pray for her children and husband,  pray that God continue to give her the strength to be the rock in her family, and please pray for sight...  Grace & Peace to you and your family....  

Alice & I...

Jesus in the Middle...

        Over the past few days we've all heard about the "Occupy Wall Street" protest taking place in lower Manhattan.  I tend to not pay much attention to the news, but was intrigued at how it seems to be gaining more and more momentum around the country, so I decided to go and take a look for myself.  Riding into the city I wondered where God was in the midst of all this, the protest, the financial district, the ministry, my family, the train I was in.  I asked God to reveal Himself to me that afternoon.  As soon as I stepped out from the World Trade Center I started to hear the drum circles and music playing.  I walked a few blocks south to Zuccotti Park (where the protesters are staying) and just watched as people from all ages united themselves.  I could feel the excitement in the air.  There were news cameras, posters, community activists, pollsters, business men, homeless men, flag wavers, drum circles, old men, children, musicians, face painters, artists, and every type of character you could imagine.  Although I'm still not quite certain what the exact message was, a running theme amongst all the participants was taking a stand against corporate greed and corruption.  I have to admit that even I had a difficult time not getting swept away in the emotion!  Who isn't against greed?  Who isn't for helping the poor?  Wasn't Jesus into that as well?  However before getting my face painted and waving a sign I continued on my mission to find Jesus in the midst of the chaos.
        I decided to keep walking just a few blocks south and take a stroll along the supposed "enemy's corridor": Wall Street.  It was actually surprisingly quiet.  Aside from an over abundance of police, a handful of tourist groups, as well as the usual men and women one would expect to find strolling Wall Street, it was rather empty.  After walking around and marveling at the overwhelming architecture I decided to buy some lunch from one of the street vendors and sit for a few minutes.  As I sat down to eat I observed an elderly Asian woman pushing a cart filled with cans and bottles.  I guessed she was in her late sixties, probably illegal, hunched over, wearing tattered clothes, and very dirty.  She was moving from trash can to trash can gleaning what she could.  As I kept eating my lunch I was struck at the awkwardness of how this woman (unknowingly most likely) was collecting plastic bottles in the between an emerging and established history.
        Thankfully a few minutes later I came back to my senses from my egocentric musing and realized that Jesus Himself had just walked right past me and I didn't even bother saying hello! Due to her age and cargo thankfully she had not gone very far.  As she hunched over to the next trash can I tapped her on the shoulder and asked her if she wanted something to eat.  She showed me that she had just pulled something out of the trash can indicating that this was her food.  I asked her if she wanted me to buy her something, which she responded to by muttering something in a language I didn't understand and walked off.  Realizing there wasn't much else I could do I walked backed to the protest.
        The protest didn't hold the excitement it had just a couple of hours before.  I couldn't help but reflect on the words Jesus said to Pilot in the Gospel of John, "My kingdom is not of this world."  I don't understand why there are social injustices, or homelessness, or prostitution.  Greed I suppose.  My own as well as others.  Perhaps the protesters have some truth in their message, perhaps they don't.  Regardless the more I work on the street, the more I'm beginning to realize that anything and everything without Christ at the center will eventually fail.  We can attempt to build a financial kingdom or a socialist commune, but until we see Jesus quietly walking between both worlds, both will come to nothing.  I'm not sure if any of this makes any sense, but I do know I saw Jesus that afternoon taking a stroll between a dying economic empire and unsustainable social change .  Although I can't say that I saved His life, I hope I gave that elderly woman some dignity.  If you look I'm sure you'll find Him too.  Grace & Peace to you and your families! And don't forget to keep praying for us here at the Relief Bus!!

The Protest.

The Elderly Asian Woman Gleaning from the Trash.

Childlike Faith...

"The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them.  The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: 'Don't push these children away.  Don't ever get between them and me.  These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom.  Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in.'  Then gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them."

Mark 10:13-16 (The Message)

         I was reminded of this verse a few days ago while serving on the streets of mid-town Manhattan.  On Wednesdays I am assigned to lead the outreach at Chelsea Park, at the intersection of 28th Street and 9th Ave.  Without a doubt this is a tough site.  The primary makeup of the site is homeless men.  It is a transient community that lives for one thing: survival.  I often say that if someone isn't mentally unstable before they become homeless give it a year and they will be.  The drug of choice for most of these men is "hopelessness" (but often times medicated with alcohol).  Without hope comes little desire for change.  These are men (and some women) who have been dealt some very bad hands for years and have become hardened to the core because of it.  My main function at this site is not to get people into shelters or rehabs, but to give these men and women something to smile about and something to hope for. It's not a place one would normally expect to see a childlike faith, but sometimes I find myself humbled in the oddest of places.  As a Christian I think way too much.  I dwell on things I shouldn't and often ignore the simple things right in front of me.  This past Wednesday I was reminded of a faith that I aspire to possess.

        I became friends with a woman named Ruth almost immediately after I started serving at Chelsea Park.  She is an elderly woman who has very little.  Every week she comes to me for her prayer.  And every week I pray that she would realize her value in God's eyes.  About a month ago I prayed that God would give her something to smile about.  The very next day she came across a hamster that she had found.  Immediately she took it home and adopted it as her own.  God had answered our prayer.  She came to me the next week wearing a big smile and excitedly told me about God's gift to her.

       Now if you are anything like myself something this small is often easily dismissed, as well as theologically and logistically explained.  But the Kingdom is not made up of people who dismiss the simple things in life.  Nor can it be theologically articulated by the great minds of this world.  The Kingdom, this childlike faith, travels outside of anything this world can offer.  

       As I was praying with Ruth this past Wednesday I prayed also for her hamster.  A miracle easily missed by all, except those who possess that childlike faith... Like Ruth...   

Ruth and I praying.

   

              

Looking Forward... Looking Upward...

        For those of you that read my blog you know that I mainly tell stories.  I'm going to stray away from that this time and share a little bit of what God has been doing in my heart over the summer.
        For as rewarding and exciting as it is to be an urban missionary is, it does take a toll on one's spirit.  Often times when people ask me to describe my work I say it is a mixture of social work and street pastoring.  Although this is true there needs to be a balance between the two in order for us to successfully minister to those in need.  I have found this balance to be incredibly difficult the past few months.
        The men and women that we see everyday are truly the lowest tier of society.  They are men and women who are "unemployable", who know the "system" better than anyone, they've been in and out of every program out there, their families have given up on them, our churches have given up on them, and often times they've given up on themselves.  And in this state of being strung out on drugs, sex, ignorance, violence, anger, and hopelessness we roll in, week after week, month after month.  This summer has been tremendously hard on my soul.  I've seen women beaten by their pimps, men overdosing on the street, families living in warehouses, violence plague communities, and men and women who continually choose a lie over the truth, death over hope.  Subconsciously I have been asking myself where Christ was in all of this.  In the midst of all this questioning, the balance between social worker and street pastor became skewed.  I began to rationalize in my head the suffering I see.  And in my simple minded logic I began to lose hope.  I never questioned Christ's presence in all this suffering, but in an attempt to rediscover hope I started to cling onto the social work aspect of what we do.  I dusted off my old books and magazines about how we could build a better world (all in the name of Christ of course).  But in this endeavor I still found no hope.  We can build nicer looking neighborhoods, but the drugs don't leave.  We can refer people to shelters, but the internal homelessness remains.  We can create rent controlled apartments, but the shootings continue.  Through all this wrestling I finally came to the realization of one thing: this world is broken and the world's answers and solutions are even more broken.  Which of course made me more depressed because I wanted so baldy for these systems to work.  But without the redemptive power of the cross of Christ social justice is a sham.
        I wish that I could share with all of you some divine answer to all of Newark's problems, but I don't have one.  I do know Jesus though.  And in the midst of my depression and search for hope He was there waiting for me.  And although I still see the same hopelessness every week, I still manage to cling to Him.  Without Him we are nothing.  Without an eternal reconciliation of one's soul to Christ they will bounce from program to program their entire lives.  But its okay.  As I stated in a previous blog post its a simple journey from a -17 to a -16.  One day we'll reach that perfect ten.  And Christ will be there waiting for us with a big smile when we do.  But for now we walk and somehow He walks with us too, all the way to the end.  He has not abandoned us although at times it may seem like it.  He just shows up in ways that we never expect.
       There is a song by John Mark McMillan that I believe describes Christ's presence in our mess.  I want to share it with you.  For those of you who have read this I thank you.  I'm not even sure if it makes sense, but in a nutshell this is my heart.  Pray for us.  Grace & Peace....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X8-mAlaVcA

Walking the Journey...

     Throughout bible colleges, churches, Christian literature, conferences, and anything else that makes up post-modern Christendom people are asking the question, "how are we to do church?".  A popular theme amongst these conversations is a return to the model of the first church (Acts 2).  Although I do agree to some extent with this consensus part of me wonders whether or not we're missing the point by striving after a model rather than the Master.  When we strive after a model, our natural inclination is to trim off the "unneeded fat" that slows down our agendas.  But if we merely seek nothing but the Master our striving, our goals, and our agendas tend to fall by the wayside and we are free to simply spend time with Him and His beloved creation.  But enough theology, let me share about my good friend Fatima!
     I met Fatima around seven months ago on the streets of Newark in the bitter cold.  At that time she was sleeping behind a gas station in Newark's South Ward.  My heart broke as she told me of her addiction to heroin, her need to "sell" herself, and her perpetual homelessness in one of the worst winters of the decade.  To make matters worse the social services for women in Newark is not a thriving market.  Immediately I started to think of things we could do to get her off the streets.  Although Fatima seemed interested, the follow-up process was/has not been so smooth.  Every week she would express her desire to be off the streets.  And to no avail I would tell her the same things every week.  After a few months it became apparent that we weren't getting anywhere.  It was at that moment where I consciously laid down my agenda to "save" Fatima and simply be her friend.  A couple of months later as I was setting up for our regular outreach Fatima came and gave me the biggest hug.  Surprised by her joy, I asked her what had happened that she was so happy that night.  She replied that she was just thankful to see her friend.
     Since that time Fatima has been in and out of jail, on and off of drugs, and sporadically homeless.  About a month ago she disappeared and I began to worry that she might have died.  But two weeks ago as I was driving through Newark I looked down an alley and thought I saw her.  I drove around the corner and there was my friend again.
     At the end of the day Fatima does not fit into any church model.  Any agenda or goal we may have had for her has failed.  But does it really matter?  Because at the end of the day there are no "services" that will save Fatima.  What she needs is dignity.  What she needs is a friend to walk the journey with her.  What she needs is the Master.  Going back, my gut instinct tells me the "first church model" just isn't going to do it this time.  So for now I continue walking with her.  I ask any who have taken the time to read this, who do you need to stop "saving" and simply start walking with?   

Baptism Video...

Please take a few minutes and cry with me as I watch this again!  An amazing video of what God is doing in Newark!! Grace & Peace...

http://vimeo.com/25521343

Organic Growth: Part Two...

Although my time as a missionary has been short, the events that took place this past Friday night will remain in my heart for years to come.  As I discussed it my last posting, a team of us have been targeting a very specific group of children in a very specific neighborhood in Newark, and the work we've witnessed God doing in their lives has been miraculous.  In the midst of the violence, drugs, prostitution, and poverty we are seeing light piercing the darkness.  We are seeing kids come to Christ!  A couple of months ago during their weekly Bible study the topic of baptism came up.  Some of the kids wondered out loud whether something like this was actually possible.  That's when the idea was formed.  Why not bring baptism to them?  This past Friday night we had the honor and privilege of baptizing ten children and one of our volunteers!  The Spirit's presence in the air that night was electrifying!  Witnessing the baptism of these children, some of whom we've worked with for years, was truly an amazing experience.  As Tyree (the first to be baptized) came up out of the water I felt tears of joy rushing to my eyes.  As a "seed-planting" missionary it gave my heart joy to see with my own eyes the actual harvest!  Please continue to pray for these children.  And please pray for the city of Newark and the work we do that neighborhood.   The Relief Bus has essentially evolved into the actual resource for these children,  it has turned into the church this community so desperately needs.  The Master is on the move in this city, there is no denying that.

Grace & Peace...

Lance

Pastor Paul Yushack prepping the kids.

Tyree leading the way.

    

Organic Growth...

        One of my assigned sites that I've grown quite fond of is in Newark, ministering to the Seth Boyden Community.  This is a neighborhood in desperate need of change and restoration.  Its ridden with violence, drugs, gangs, prostitution, and poverty.  It seems as if every week I go there I'm told of another shooting that took place.  About a month ago there was a shooting while we were actually there, about three blocks away in the projects.  But in the midst of this darkness an organic movement of hope and light is growing amongst the children in this neighborhood through the Relief Bus.
        A little over a year ago two of our volunteers decided to follow the calling God put on their hearts and start a bible study for the children of this community.  It is a integral part of this site that is specific to this site.  Slowly, but steadily it has been growing.  This simple act of obedience on the part of these two women is starting to make a visible impact on the children of this community and their parents.  Every Friday night children come flocking to the bus to hear the good news, sing songs, play games, and be loved on.  And through the work of these two women our potential to reach the adults of this community has exploded.  The number of parents and other adults seeking prayer, encouragement, and hope has gone up over the past few months.
        More recently these two women have decided to take their mission to the next level and expand the outreach.  Together they have decided to begin a monthly bible study on Saturday mornings.  Just this past week we hosted it for the second time and it was nothing less than an outstanding success.  It has been an honor and privilege serving along side these women and our other Newark volunteers!
        Please pray for our outreach to these children, that they would continue to seek the love of Christ.  Please pray for myself that I would be able to continue connecting with the men and women of this community.  And please pray for the great city of Newark.  Pray against the violence that has plagued this city for decades.  Pray that God would open up the doors to expand our outreach to this city.  Grace & Peace to you and your family...
Lance   

Kelly: One of the Seth Boyden pioneers!

Darcy: The other pioneer who answered the call!

Rocking out with Tyree!


(All photos taken by Caitlin Stiefel) 

   

A Short Documentary on the Relief Bus

This was made by some Columbia Grad School Students...

my new friend john...

A few Saturdays ago I was at my regular site in the South Bronx.  Nothing out of the ordinary was happening that day.  The kitchen was being well managed, volunteers were giving out clothes and praying with people, and I was catching up with some friends of mine.  In the midst of the outreach a gentleman by the name of John stopped by and asked about getting into a drug rehab program.  Immediately I brought him into the bus office to determine how ready he was, which program would fit him best, and to encourage him in this step of faith.  He shared with me that he had been struggling with addiction for almost 25 years.  He also shared with me that within the past few years the addiction was leading to severe depression and hopelessness.  That day was also his 49th birthday and wandering around that day he told me he wondered if he would make it to 50.  But he said that the Bus's presence was God's confirmation that he would make it and that it was time for radical change.  Very rarely do we get men and women that are ready to enter a program the way that John was.  I told him that if he was ready then so were we.  I had John take the next few days to wrap up his affairs in the Bronx so that we could connect him to a life change program here in Jersey.  That Monday he excitedly called the office saying he was beyond ready!  I drove our van into the Bronx the next day to pick him up and am excited to announce that John is still in the program working towards freedom!  Please continue to keep this son of God in your prayers! And as always please pray for myself as well as the rest of the organization.  At times its very easy to feel worn out and discouraged.  Please pray that God would sustain us and keep us encouraged as we continue bringing light into the darkness... Grace & Peace...
Lance

     

Out of Options... But not really...

        Our goal as a missions organization is to bring help and healing to everyone that comes to the bus.  Although we work very hard at this, unfortunately sometimes we can only do so much.  When I come across these times of running out of options the only thing I can do is give it to God in prayer.  And He never seems to fail...
        I had one such encounter this past Saturday in the Bronx.  There is a woman named Karen that I've been working with for about a month now.  A Bronx resident, Karen is in the city shelter system desperately looking for an SRO (single room occupancy).  For about a month now I've been working with her to make this a reality.  Unfortunately we've been running into a few dead ends.  She came to the bus this past Saturday for lunch and to say hello.  Despite the fact there were no new developments this week, she greeted me with a smile and a big hug.  As we were talking I felt an anger come over my spirit.  I was angry at myself for not being able to provide the right resource.  As we continued talking one of our regular guests , Connie, butted into the conversation.  She informed both of us of different resources and organizations in the south Bronx.  Everything from attorneys to co-ops, Connie seemed to know exactly where to send Karen to get her a permanent place to live.  Furthermore Connie gave Karen (a complete stranger) her cell phone number just in case she had any questions this week.
        As I saw this unfold right in front of me I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.  As I alluded to in my last blog, our job is not to bring healing, but to facilitate what the Master is already preparing.  He never seems to stop reminding me of this... Grace & peace...

                                             Myself with Connie and Karen

facilitating a kingdom of love...

"Your kingdom come.  Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" ~Matthew 6:10

        What does this verse mean?  Often times when we go out on the street there is a subtle expectation within our souls to see men and women saved.  That somehow this is the ultimate sign of God's kingdom shining through here on earth.  Although I don't argue with this, we shouldn't limit how the Master works.  I've come to the conclusion that our job is not to save, but to facilitate what Jesus is already doing in the lives of others.
        I started thinking about this the other day when a friend of mine dropped off his chain and box cutter for me to hold for him.  My friend is an older gentleman from Elizabeth.  By most standards this man has nothing to offer society.  He drinks, is unemployed, eats at soup kitchens, is in and out of hotels and city shelters, and is always asking for money.  To the outside eye there is not much God is doing in this man's life.  He has no apparent interest in sustainable change.  I was struck however when he dropped of his "weapons of choice" the other day.  He knew he was about to do something stupid and felt safe enough with me to help him resist a violent answer.  Although this may seem like a very small and unnoticeable step, this act of resistance and accountability is a snippet (however small it may be) of God's kingdom of love shining through.  It is these small steps towards the heart of God that we work diligently towards everyday.  Its not always scoring a perfect ten, but walking with others as they make their way from a negative eighteen to a negative seventeen.

Here are a few other examples of God's flicker shining through the darkness...

    Anthony from Newark missed his intake interview for a rehab then disappeared about a month ago.  Just last week he reappeared, profusely apologized, and asked for another chance.

    

 

This is Nelson and Kimberly from the South Bronx.  Despite Nelson just getting out of jail and the couple being on the brink oh homelessness they still maintain hope.  I was able to refer them to free legal services to help with their housing issues.

This is Greg from the north side of the Bronx.  He has been clean and sober since January and is now enrolled in a technical school. 

A retired FDNY firefighter and formerly homeless, this gentleman felt lead to give us a check in appreciation foe the hope we bring to his neighborhood.

Our team of dedicated volunteers who give up their Friday nights every week to serve the lost and the lonely in Newark's South Ward.

Please continue praying for our mission as we facilitate the Kingdom of Love.  Grace & Peace...

planting seeds...

One of the sites that I regularly lead is in the South Bronx on 148th & Brook Ave.  Although I've become somewhat established, my first day at the site was anything but a cake walk.  That was the day I met Emma and Samaya.  For lack of a better word these two women initially gave me hell.  They were screaming, cursing, and making our other guests feel very uncomfortable.  After "politely" asking them to stop and it not working I decided to use a firmer tactic.  I put my hands on Emma's shoulders, looked her in the eye, and told her that her behavior was completely unacceptable and she was making my job very difficult.  That was around three months ago and since then these two women have become my biggest fans.  Every Saturday we joke around, I encourage them to give up their drugs and methadone program (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methadone), and minister to them whatever way I can.

     This past Saturday I saw my two friends in rare form.  Samaya was already high and could barely stand.  Emma had just taken her prescribed dosage of methadone (mixed with other things not prescribed).  In the midst of asking Emma about her week, she turned to me and I saw tears in her eyes.  I asked her why she was crying and she responded by telling me I was making her sad.  She continued to tell me that every week she comes I tell her what she's doing is wrong and she's starting to realize her actions are killing her.  A few minutes after this I saw the drugs starting to take over Emma's nerves.  Around this time another outreach team leader, Yaz, came to help me with Emma.  I left for a few minutes to check on our volunteers and when I came back I saw Emma on the ground weeping before the Master praying for healing and deliverance.

     Coming home that day I was reminded of something one of my professors told us, "not all paths lead to God, but Christ will meet you on whatever path you walk."  For the past three months I have done my best to be Jesus to these women and love them for who they are, not who they could be.  It broke my heart to see Emma on the ground weeping, but I believe that this will be the first on many steps towards healing.  Please pray for Samaya and Emma.  And as always please continue praying for our mission as we continue to bring hope, healing, light, and love to New York City.  Grace & Peace...

                                     Samaya on the left and Emma on the right

                                              Emma weeping before Master

Answered Prayers...

       I often tell people that without our partnerships and resources, New York City Relief could not operate as an organization.  And in fact its true.  Its because we have places to connect men and women to, the Relief Bus can operate as a doorway to healing.  However I was reminded just last Thursday of our most powerful resource: prayer.
      Two weeks ago I had a gentleman named Keith come to the bus inquiring about potential employment.  Truth be told out of all the services the Relief Bus offers, employment placement is the most difficult.  Often times I teach people how to find work, things like showing people how to use employment websites, how to write resumes, and setting people up with emails.  After he told me that he was actively looking for work and had sent his resume to multiple places, I told him that there wasn't much more that I would be able to do for him.  As he got up to leave I said there was actually one thing that I could do, which was pray.  I shared with him a little bit of how Christ promised to take care of our needs and that I had faith that God would provide for him.  As I put my hand on Keith's arm to pray he gave me a very uncomfortable look.  I asked him if he thought this was weird.  Awkwardly he laughed and said it felt very weird.  I laughed back and agreed it can appear to be weird.  I then continued to pray Christ's promise of provision over him.  As he left I told him to come visit me again to give me an update.
         The very next week (this past Thursday) Keith came by.  Excitedly he told me that just a few hours after I prayed for him he got a call back from one of the places he applied to and had got the job!  As I hugged him in celebration I reminded him (and myself) that pray does work!  He of course let me pray for him again!
       Often times I know I can get bogged down, discouraged, angry, sad, depressed, and just tired from the everyday things that come against us.  Although I know I need to keep in constant prayer, it sometimes goes by the way side.  Keith's story was a personal reminder to myself that despite the highs and lows of our lives, God is still sitting with open arms waiting for us to acknowledge His presence, provision, and love in our lives.  May none of us ever forget this! Please pray that God would continue to show Keith His infinite love for him.  And pray for myself, that God would continually remind me to seek Him at all times.  Grace & peace to you all...

Don't Walk By...

In addition to our regular outreach here at The Relief Bus, our organization has joined a revolutionary partnership with multiple missions organizations in the city for "Don't Walk By" or DWB.  DWB is a project that mobilizes hundreds of volunteers every Saturday night in the month of January and the first Saturday of February.  What we've done is break up Manhattan into five different sections for the five Saturdays: upper west side, mid-town, lower, upper east side, and Harlem.  In those sections we have zones where we send teams and search every single block in the entire island looking for homeless.  If someone is interested we bring them back to the "host church" and provide a hot meal, free medical attention, and a bed for the night.  And for those that are willing to take the necessary steps, they have the option to get into a program.  My job is to drive men and women from the streets back to the host church.  Although these past few Saturdays have been long and exhausting, its been amazing to see the results of what God is doing through these organizations.  These have been the numbers for the first two weeks:

January 8th, the Upper West Side-

Homeless Engaged on Street: 99
Served at Church: 55
Transported to Beds: 12
Transported to Hospital: 2
Transported to Detox: 1
Cared for by Medical Team: 11


January 15th, Mid-Town-
Homeless Engaged on Street: 285
Served at Church: 172
Transported to Beds: 21
Transported to Detox: 2
Cared for by Medical Team: 14


Please pray that God would continue to help us bring men and women off the streets of NYC for the remainder of DWB.  And please pray for those who we do bring back to the host churches, that they would be willing to take the steps they need to receive healing. Grace & Peace...

 

          Men and women talking to counselors about possible next steps.

 

   
                           My driving partner, Pastor Doug from Queens and I.

Photos taken by Caitlin Stiefel

Christian...

Greetings from the frozen tundra of the New York City metro area! The Master has decided to bless us with an abundance of snow this year and the blessings just keep coming! (truth be told I am quite done with the snow) However, three weeks ago (coincidentally during a snow storm) I was leading a team in midtown Manhattan.  Although I was expecting a low turnout due to the weather, the opposite was true!  In addition to our kitchen being busy, our outreach office was just as flooded with inquiries about jobs, shelters, and clothing.  It was during this craziness that I met Christian.  Christian shared with me that he had arrived in the City from LA the previous night! He had traveled across country for the sole reason of finding a job.  He shared with me that he felt God was leading him to NYC.  As we spoke I saw the genuine desire in his attitude to find employment and get on his feet.  The only problem was that Christian had no place to stay during his job search.  Fortunately I had been searching for shelters with openings most of the morning and knew that New York City Rescue Mission had some beds available. After writing a referral I bought Christian a metro-card to get to the mission.  The next week I saw Christian and he shared with me that he had been staying at the mission, but still looking for work.  The next day we were able to extend his stay at a shelter while he continues to look for employment.  Please pray for Christian as he gets on his feet and please pray that The Relief Bus will be able to continue helping him as he gets settled in his new home.

     

My friend Jeremiah...

It's amazing the things that we often take for granted.  About a month ago a gentleman named Jeremiah came to one of our sites in the Bronx seeking help in finding employment and possible housing.  At the time him and his wife were living in a shelter.  As I sat with Jeremiah looking at places where he could apply I asked him if he had an email so he could send his resume to potential employers.  He didn't.  So I did the simple task of setting one up for him.  So grateful for what we had done, he began to share his story with me.  He told me about his days as a drug addict and dealer.  The Master has since rescued him from drug addition and Jeremiah is currently part of an organization based out of Harlem called 'ARC' or "Addicts Rehabilitation Center Gospel Choir".  After setting him up with an email and getting him information on a few different resources we prayed that God would pour out his grace, mercy, love, and provision on Jeremiah.  Just today I saw Jeremiah wearing a LARGE smile and telling me that he and his wife were leaving the shelter and are going to sign a lease on an apartment today! He told me that since we had talked a few weeks ago he has been praying and seeking God everyday!  Although he is still looking for a job, both Jeremiah and I have faith it WILL happen.  We continued to search for different places today.  Please pray that God will continue to bless Jeremiah and his wife.  His goal is to eventually talk to young adults, encouraging them to stay away from drugs.

Here is a link to the choir that Jeremiah is a part of...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN9fsB2nuBo&feature=related