Monday, December 17, 2012

Christmas Outreach 2012 -Making Friends!





Here is a quick update on this years’ seventh annual Christmas Box Outreach that we just completed this last Saturday.

It was totally incredible!

Because of other outreach events this year, we made the decision to still do the Christmas box Outreach but only have it as a “smaller scale”, we just didn’t have the time to do a large outreach. But this was one of the best most intimate outreaches
.
We basically hand picked nine families who we knew were in a very needy situation. Many of the families we connected with Saturday were either working a temporary day labor job, or they were unemployed. In fact one of the families we met was a single Mother, a precious lady with 4 children who just recently moved into her subsidized apartment as last week she was homeless. So it really was a total blessing to reach out to help these needy folk.

A big shout to Al Sabin (Visions Of Praise Ministries) as he assisted me delivering these Christmas Boxes into each homes to help love on and minister to the families. Each Christmas Box included a 5lb canned ham, boxed potatoes, canned vegetables, soup, pasta, cookies, etc. Also we included  a new Bible and a presents for the kids and teen-agers.

As I reflect back on the Christmas Box Outreach, I can’t help but realize that this event wasn’t just about helping some needy people. No, it was more than that. This was actually making friends today! We connected with people in an intimate way. We spend some quality time with each household.  We talked and dialoged.  We shared and they shared. We testified and exhorted the awesomeness of our God- Jesus! We laughed, we cried, we hugged. Words in some way can’t describe our day, especially in light of Friday’s Connecticut massacre, that shook our nation. People are emotional and people are fearful. So it was a blessing to minister Jesus with everyone, because it is only through Jesus that people can receive true peace, as He is the Prince of Peace! Amen. It was a blessing to offer comfort to the families as we prayed for the Lord’s protection over each family member including their children.

Yes, people were blessed and yes we supplied some food and helped elevate some of the Christmas financial strain by blessing the kids with some nice gifts. But more than all that, Jesus touched nine families today, which otherwise would not have been touched!! Amen! That is what this outreach is about, Jesus reaching lives Amen! Today, Nikki and her Mother came to Jesus today and asked Him to forgive them of their sins. Amen!... Mike, a man I work with, who I knew was struggling, was one of the nine families and he cried out to Jesus this day to forgive him of his sins. Amen! Praise God!

Please continue to pray for God to draw and complete the work He started. Many of the families we talked to are not attending church. Of course, we invited them to come to our fellowships, please pray they take that next step to be descipled to grow in the things of God.  Many told me this next Sunday they are coming to visit the church. Thanks for your prayers and for reading this.

I posted some pics below… As you view these please say a prayer for each family. Thanks Saints!

God bless!

Steve Ignowski

Life Line Outreach Ministries
574-612-0555











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