•Why are people homeless? Here in Metro-Manila there are thousands of homeless people. Some were born into poverty, and grew up on the streets. Others were renting, and then were evicted for lack of funds. Some, after release from prison, had no employment to sustain them. Others came to the city to work as house helpers, were treated harshly, and ran away to the street. Some have mental problems. Others are so illiterate they can’t write their own name. Others are involved in drugs or crime. Some are honest hard working people with children, whose income is not enough to rent and send their child to school. These parents therefore choose to live out of a tent, and spend the rent money on their child’s school uniform, and other costs involved. Others are old, and have lost contact with relatives. In any case it is shocking to see old or young scavenging through garbage, surviving day to day, without basic sanitation or dignity.•What can we do as Christians? Jesus was called, “Friend of Sinners”. He did not get that nickname by hanging out with the educated, elite, and coolest people. To win these people to Christ, we must make friends with them. Bringing some bread, juice, and sharing the gospel when you first meet them is best. If they can read, leave them some gospel booklets, such as the Gospel of John. If they will turn to Christ, and learn to pray, that is a great start!•Can we promise them a house? The house in Heaven waiting for followers of Christ is real! (John 14) Many die on the street without anybody leading them to Christ. Others have already gone ahead to be with The Lord, but never got off the streets in this life. (Biblical example: Lazaro, Luke 16).Stories of Answered Prayers on the Streets of Manila•A 20 year old woman living 3 years under a bridge was suffering from severe Epilepsy and daily seizures. The other homeless there knew her, but when we did not. During a Gospel of John Bible study, she came and sat down, but then suddenly had a seizure, rolling on the ground. By God’s grace and the name of Jesus, she was instantly delivered and healed when prayed over. It was a sign to the cluster of homeless there of God’s love and power. She was soon restored to her family in Cavite, with no more symptoms of sickness.•A man was covered with flies, and near death. His relatives were looking sad when the missionary arrived that day. The two families gathered together to pray about 20 meters away from the brother who was not moving. The mother of the man, was quite old, but had faith. As they prayed together, above the noise of passing jeeps and buses, the brother began to move his body. It was a sign to them all. He recovered completely in a couple of days.•It was 11:30 pm, when a mother of a new born baby spotted a gospel worker passing by. “Can you pray for my baby?”, she said frantically. Laying his hand on the baby’s forehead, he was surprised at the extremely high fever. As they prayed, the mother had faith. The next day, she shared how the fever vanished minutes later.•A couple was trusting God for an answer to their prayer for finances to purchase a push cart. (for the homeless, a push cart is like a Cadillac)The next day while scavenging through garbage, they found a diamond necklace, sold it, and had enough money for the push cart. They gave God the glory and testified to other homeless families that God answers prayer.•A homeless woman with 2 kids smiles for the first time! She had lost one baby at birth at their former residence. The trauma of that event, caused her to have uncontrollable screaming fits at night. The husband became embarrassed, and therefore moved the family to the street. He would return late to their tent each night, after working his shoe repair business. After many visits, and prayers for the homeless woman, finally we saw her starting to change. Many homeless people are in need of inner healing.•A single woman who had grown up on the street, having run away from an abusive stepfather, called out to the missionary passing by. “You look a bit sad today, what’s wrong?” he asked. “I cannot stand, my whole body is in pain, she shared.” She was given a gospel of John, and they had a short prayer together. The following day, she was facing another direction, when the missionary returned, and remarked, “You look happy today – what happened?” She shared that while reading the Gospel of John (she was now on chapter 8), God totally healed her!•These stories reflect the value of sharing God’s word with street dwellers. God truly loves them, and wants to move in their lives. It is the honor of the body of Christ to be His ambassadors, declaring the power and love of God.•Former street kids Rey & Josephine on 700 Club Asia.Outreach to Homeless
©2012 Vision Isaiah 58 for Homeless, Inc.
•
Why are people homeless? Here in Metro-
Manila there are thousands of homeless people. Some
were born into poverty, and grew up on the streets. Others
were renting, and then were evicted for lack of funds.
Some, after release from prison, had no employment to
sustain them. Others came to the city to work as house
helpers, were treated harshly, and ran away to the street.
Some have mental problems. Others are so illiterate they
can’t write their own name. Others are involved in drugs or
crime. Some are honest hard working people with children,
whose income is not enough to rent and send their child to
school. These parents therefore choose to live out of a
tent, and spend the rent money on their child’s school
uniform, and other costs involved. Others are old, and have
lost contact with relatives. In any case it is shocking to see
old or young scavenging through garbage, surviving day to
day, without basic sanitation or dignity.
•
What can we do as Christians? Jesus was called, “Friend of Sinners”. He did not get that nickname
by hanging out with the educated, elite, and coolest people. To win these people to Christ, we must make friends
with them. Bringing some bread, juice, and sharing the gospel when you first meet them is best. If they can read,
leave them some gospel booklets, such as the Gospel of John. If they will turn to Christ, and learn to pray, that is a
great start!
•
Can we promise them a house? The house in Heaven waiting for followers of Christ is real! (John
14) Many die on the street without anybody leading them to Christ. Others have already gone ahead to be with The
Lord, but never got off the streets in this life. (Biblical example: Lazaro, Luke 16).
Stories of Answered Prayers on the Streets of Manila
•
A 20 year old woman living 3 years under a bridge was suffering from severe Epilepsy and daily seizures. The
other homeless there knew her, but when we did not. During a Gospel of John Bible study, she came and sat
down, but then suddenly had a seizure, rolling on the ground. By God’s grace and the name of Jesus, she was
instantly delivered and healed when prayed over. It was a sign to the cluster of homeless there of God’s love and
power. She was soon restored to her family in Cavite, with no more symptoms of sickness.
•
A man was covered with flies, and near death. His relatives were looking sad when the missionary arrived that day.
The two families gathered together to pray about 20 meters away from the brother who was not moving. The
mother of the man, was quite old, but had faith. As they prayed together, above the noise of passing jeeps and
buses, the brother began to move his body. It was a sign to them all. He recovered completely in a couple of days.
•
It was 11:30 pm, when a mother of a new born baby spotted a gospel worker passing by. “Can you pray for my
baby?”, she said frantically. Laying his hand on the baby’s forehead, he was surprised at the extremely high fever.
As they prayed, the mother had faith. The next day, she shared how the fever vanished minutes later.
•
A couple was trusting God for an answer to their prayer for finances to purchase a push cart. (for the homeless, a
push cart is like a Cadillac)The next day while scavenging through garbage, they found a diamond necklace, sold
it, and had enough money for the push cart. They gave God the glory and testified to other homeless families that
God answers prayer.
•
A homeless woman with 2 kids smiles for the first time! She had lost one baby at birth at their former residence.
The trauma of that event, caused her to have uncontrollable screaming fits at night. The husband became
embarrassed, and therefore moved the family to the street. He would return late to their tent each night, after
working his shoe repair business. After many visits, and prayers for the homeless woman, finally we saw her
starting to change. Many homeless people are in need of inner healing.
•
A single woman who had grown up on the street, having run away from an abusive stepfather, called out to the
missionary passing by. “You look a bit sad today, what’s wrong?” he asked. “I cannot stand, my whole body is in
pain, she shared.” She was given a gospel of John, and they had a short prayer together. The following day, she
was facing another direction, when the missionary returned, and remarked, “You look happy today – what
happened?” She shared that while reading the Gospel of John (she was now on chapter 8), God totally healed her!
•
These stories reflect the value of sharing God’s word with street dwellers. God truly loves them, and wants to move
in their lives. It is the honor of the body of Christ to be His ambassadors, declaring the power and love of God.
•
Former street kids Rey & Josephine on 700 Club Asia.
Outreach to Homeless
