This is going to be shorter than everything I want to say because we really need to share ‘face to face’. Yesterday afternoon Pastor Peter (who I speak of) showed up at our house. I have known Peter for almost 3 years and this is the first time he confided thru tears that his finances will not make it to the end of the month and ANOTHER CHANCE STREET MINISTRY is in risk of ceasing.
Janice and I have done what we can to help keep Peter on the streets serving and loving the poor through the power of Jesus Christ. I promised God that I would see that Peter is taken care of for this month but also that I would ask our ‘family’ to help in anyway they can.
It took me a year to finally go and witness what God is doing thru Peter. I have walked with Peter Thursday mornings for the past two years. I went there with nothing to offer except my eyes and heart. I have seen cars pull over and the driver get out and give Peter a great big hug. I have seen Peter council pastors of small and large churches and on the same day dress a wound of a beggar. Pastor Peter is the only person I know who has had the poor pan-handle money to buy him a cup of coffee.
I sometimes wish I had Pastor Peter’s ability to love. He often says that ‘everyone deserves the “time of day”. Pastor Peter has been giving hundreds of broken people the “time of day” thru Christ’s love for years. (yet has only been a Christian for 7) Peter has been doing full time street ministry WITH no support for the past 3 years. Anything he receives which is minimal goes directly to the poor and needy. He takes NO FINANCIAL support for himself and WILL not. His wife works and brings home a meagre $2000/month for them and their 5 children.
I am a very conservative and ‘cheap’ individual. It takes a lot for me to ‘let go’. However, it is overwhelmingly clear to me that we need to support this ministry on an on going basis. A typical week for Pastor Peter is this:
- Monday: Walks the streets of downtown PENTICTON loving the troubled and hurting.
- I have seen Peter serve adults and teenagers from Summerland!!
- Tuesday: Walks the downtown core of KELOWNA building relationships and encouraging our Christian brothers and sisters who serve the poor on the frontlines.
- My sister in law who I witnessed giving her life to the LORD now serves at the Mission in Kelowna because of Peter’s influence in my life
- Wednesday: Serves 7 dozen hot dogs and donuts at the OLIVER food bank.
- A senior pastor from the local church has come out to walk with Peter for the past year or so.
- Thursday: Walks the streets of downtown PENTICTON loving the troubled and hurting.
- This is when I walk with Peter and witness the Lord at work.
- I get good council regarding things that are going on in my life. THIS DAY IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK …I work hard so that I free up time to get out on the street.
- Friday: Walks the downtown core of KELOWNA building relationships and encouraging our Christian brothers and sisters who serve the poor on the frontlines.
- Saturday: Rest and prepare for Sunday morning.
- He has to prepare 100 cups of coffee and prepare to feed 30-60 people!!! BY HIMSELF!!
- Sunday: Church in the Park next to the Court House beginning at 7am
- He has to set up, cook, pray, love, laugh etc and then take it all down.
- I can tell you hours of stories of what God is doing here and Peter can’t stop talking about the greatness of our God.
I encourage you to come and walk with Peter and hear his testimony yourself and then you may begin to understand why he serves the Lord. When you come and ‘walk’ with him you will see God reaching out in every direction. Your life will be forever changed………Words here can never describe it…………
What I would like to do today is make contact with a few people who would (along with our family) support ANOTHER CHANCE STREET MINISTRY financially and/or by coming out to ‘walk’ with Peter and the Lord……………
Love,
Raymond
ANOTHER CHANCE STREET MINISTRY
(Penticton, Oliver and Kelowna ……..for now!!)
