September 16th, 2023 Prayer Update
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
Thank you for your continued prayers. Hope680 is very much a frontline ministry. We get special opportunities to share the gospel with people who have never heard it before and those who have heard the name Jesus but don't understand who he is or what he came to do. Additionally, there are those who believe they are saved, but who aren't living a lifestyle honoring the Lord. It is our intent to boldly preach the gospel and show practical love and care. Some of these relationships have been built over months and sometimes years. Many recognize our faithfulness and consistent care for them as people made in the image of God. We want to be used by the Lord demonstrating His love for them. While we can't solve their problems we know that a relationship with Christ can change their eternal destiny. Please continue to join us in this effort.
We have a praise report to share. A second of our homeless friends took us up on our invitation to join us at church on Sunday. She was greeted by a few of our volunteers, given a Bible and had lunch with them as well. She expressed interest in biblical counseling for her alcohol addiction. Please pray that she might continue to come and enter into a relationship with Christ.
NORTH CONCORD TEAM
Our team came across Shamrah and Ricky. Ricky was not communicative but Shamrah was willing to talk. They both were happy to receive blessing bags and food but didn't want to talk about the Bible. Shamrah took a copy of 'Our Daily Bread' because it reminded her of her mother. Please pray with us that both Shamrah and Ricky have softened hearts toward the gospel.
Nick is a very friendly gentleman who took the Bible willingly. He seemingly had knowledge about spiritual things when answering our questions. He requested prayer for housing as well as prayer for the safety of the homeless community. It was gratifying that Nick showed concern for others.
Paul said he formerly was a church attender. Our team challenged him if indeed he is a follower of Christ to read his Bible daily. He was offered future Bible study and expressed interest. The team took Paul's phone number to connect with him.
Jessie said he reads his Bible and is currently reading the book of Revelation. The team was enabled to speak with him about repentance, redemption and salvation. He accepted a "Roman's Road" tract and a Bible study reading program. We would love to offer a Bible study with Jessie in the near future.
JR is someone we hadn’t seen in a long time but he remembered us and was friendly. He declined a Bible but accepted a booklet on freedom from addiction. Our prayer is for biblical truth within its pages to draw JR to a personal relationship with Christ.
We also had conversations with Billy, Pete, and John. John took the Bible so 'I can have something to read.' It's our prayer the Lord will use the Bible we left to enlighten his eyes to the truth within its pages.
Concord - RV Bible Study
At the last minute both Anthony and Heather declined the Bible study we offered. This was disheartening.
While we did locate Heather and had a good conversation with her and while she claims to want to study God's word she is not being consistent which is something that is not altogether surprising to us though disappointing.
The team encountered Ron, an amputee in a wheelchair. He told our team that another homeless individual stole all of his belongings leaving him to sleep on the floor with no tent. Ron had a very self-righteous attitude considering himself to be a very good person who has no need of a savior. Nevertheless he accepted "The Daily Bread" devotional booklet offered to him. Please pray he reads it and is convicted of sin. He gladly received the provision of a blessing bag and food.
We met Nona once again. During our last outreach, Nona cursed God. On this occasion she engaged in conversation expressing anger with religion and Christianity in particular. She is originally from Iran but has been in the US for 16 years. She followed our team around making a list of items that she wanted. While she is not spiritually minded, it's our prayer she will read the gospel message given to her in the blessing bag and other items provided and that God might begin to soften her hardened heart.
CENTRAL CONCORD
The first woman that we encountered was Serica (pictured above). We had a gospel conversation with her. She accepted a Bible and prayer.
We had another opportunity to talk with Mike. He is normally reticent to hear the gospel. On this occasion, he was more open. Though he did not come out of his tent he was noticeably more friendly. We are praying this is evidence of a softening heart towards the things of the Lord.
We encountered Jasmine and Joe but weren't able to have much of a conversation with either of them. Jasmine demonstrated she has some serious mental issues. All we could do was show some love and practical compassion as they received happily what God provided through the team.
Kelly is an older gentleman who was recently released from jail. He was kind and talkative and shared about his son and daughter-in-law who live locally and allow him to do his laundry at their house. We desire to have more conversations with him in the future and continue to build on the gospel conversations that were started.
We were thankful for our conversation with Brenden who is generally very reserved and quiet. He seemed open on this occasion and stated that he had never heard of Jesus or the gospel. He was comfortable relating to our volunteers. God sent just the right person to connect with Brenden and share about Jesus' death on the cross. He seemed to be really listening because he said, ‘That is something that I would never ask him to do for me.’ We are encouraged by his openness and pray that God allows the truth of His mercy and grace to penetrate Brenden's heart.
We briefly encountered a Spanish-speaking man named Chico and offered him 'agua' (water) and food but we weren't able to have a conversation due to the language barrier.
PITTSBURG ANTIOCH TEAM
We met a woman named Dominic who was with her boyfriend Jacob. She was open to conversing with the team about what the Bible says concerning sin issues she is struggling through. She accepted the Bible and the other materials offered . We pray that she reads these things.
Our team met Nicole, a woman in her 20's who was scared and dazed when we first approached but relaxed a bit when our female volunteer initiated a conversation. She shared that she and her boyfriend came to Antioch from Fresno and were only supposed to be here a short while. That short time has turned into four months of using drugs in a hotel and now they are facing their first night on the street. Nicole was surrounded by the packaging of all of her newly purchased camping supplies. She expressed she wants to be free from drugs and get home to her children but doesn’t know how to do it. She also recently got into a fight with her boyfriend who is not interested in being free from his addiction. She mentioned her fears of human trafficking. Our team prayed for her safety and provided her with resources such as the Bay Area Rescue Mission and the NorthCreek Church food pantry. Her phone number was taken with hopes of helping her find her way back to Fresno. She took a Bible and listened to the gospel and was moved to tears when we prayed with and for her.
The next encampment we approached didn't look safe so our volunteers dropped off some supplies and left. It appeared the people living in the encampment were fighting with each other. We pray that God will allow for conversation with the folks in that encampment in the future. Since our supplies contain the gospel message, we pray that it was a timely drop off of material including God's word that someone will read.
Please also be praying for Justin, Nick, and Brandon who we met, but who did not want to engage with our team.
Please consider signing up for our next few outreach events.
October 7th
October 21st
November 4th
November 18th
We have open slots to bring a breakfast item, pack some lunches or bake some cookies for our volunteers. We greatly appreciate your help.
We continue to pray for those who might be able to contribute a small additional monthly gift of $25 or $50 a month to help with ongoing Hope680 expenses, included our offices, and RV maintenance. We are trusting God to continue to provide through you!
FYI Our Executive Staff and Leaders (including Toby and all team leaders) are unpaid volunteers - all donations go 100% towards the running of Hope680, including administrative contractors, our facilities, and RV maintenance costs, as well as ministry supplies.
Thank you for your faithful prayers, support and encouragement! We are so thankful for each and every person who reads and prays through these updates! You're a crucial part of Hope680, and you bring Glory to God through your prayers and service!