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| This new banner, designed and donated by an FSBC Scottsdale church member is displayed on the main street outside the church gates. |
Let us paint the picture for you. The church building (which
is being rented from the Dutch Reformed, who still continue to use the church
on early Sunday mornings and for youth programs during the week) is a landmark
of the community. For years and years it has only been known as a
"white" church, while the surrounding neighborhood of Sunnyside has
become predominantly black. Since Hope
Baptist Church began 2 years ago to outreach to the community, the activity
has been growing, but most have not known that a church with a black pastor has
been meeting there -- so the need to raise awareness is great. Pastor Julius said
that in the past 7+ years he has been a part of the community there has never
been a church to hold an event like Hope
Baptist Church is holding this week. It is rather unheard of for churches
to reach out to the community seeking to meet their needs. Through the
leadership of Julius and Cintia, this barrier is being breached.
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| Katie Miller prays with two visitors to the event |
Excitement is growing not only in the community, but also
within the church members of Hope Baptist
who are hungry to minister to their community. There is a gate around the whole
of the church property. This week, we have a blue & white striped tent set
up on the front lawn with music playing and Pastor Julius announcing on the
microphone “free glasses and sunglasses” which is heard in the city streets.
People come in through the front gate and are directed to one of the 18 or so
volunteers (which include our team) ready to visit with them for a few minutes
before they can pick a pair of glasses which were of course provided through
the generosity of the congregation of First Southern Scottsdale. Each of the
volunteers record their contact information (which, unlike in the US, they are usually willing to provide freely) and then ask them a couple of
spiritual questions. The key turning point question that we ask each person is
if they died today, do they believe they would they go to heaven? The responses are often surprising, and range
from outright laughter or a sad shaking of the head to a tentative “maybe” or
sometimes a resounding YES! From there,
many of us are
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| Most times there were several conversations and prayers taking place at one table! |
Praise for the way the community is being reached in
practical ways. You should see the faces of some of these who physically cannot
see very well and the way their eyes are open with amazement when they put on a
pair of glasses that open up the world anew! Or think of the excitement of a
small child who receives his first pair of sunglasses.
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| Sunnyside, Pretoria, will have a whole new "look" thanks to this event with many new glasses to be seen around town! |
Today, we also praise God for the safe arrival of Katie's
friend Busi who has joined our team from Zimbabwe for the remainder of our
stay. Pray for the coming days as we continue to share. Pray for
the jet lag that is still nagging at some of the team. Pray also
for the safe arrival of Mitch McDonald as he joins us tomorrow evening.
It has been an exhausting few days, yet we have many days of
ministry yet to come! The emotional
expenditures of sharing is sending us to bed with hearts praising the One who
deserves all praise!
Here are more pictures from Tuesday (click once on each picture to enlarge):
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| Mel Anderson speaks to a visitor to the HBC glasses event. |
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| Even the many children were able to receive first-time glasses! |
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| Kevin Horton prays with Rachael who lives in Sunnyside near the church and asked for prayer for her new baby that is due soon, along with her husband and daughter at home. |
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| Hope Baptist member and volunteer Rigobert (left) shares the Gospel with a local service center mechanic |
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| Hope Baptist volunteers and your team from Arizona get a chance to try on some of the coolest shades in town. |
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