In addition to going to Portland we were also invited by a group of people who came down to Rehoboth in the spring from Vancouver Urban Ministries. They asked us to join them and see what God was up to in Canada...and so we went. Most of our time was spent with a group of talented Christian Rappers who are devoted to following and making Christ known. They introduced us to the city and to several ministries working in the heart of Vancouver, B.C. We also had the opportunity to do some street witnessing downtown and sure had a great time engaging in conversations with people about Jesus Christ. Pray for that city!
Below are some links worth checking out!
Oak Hills Church - Great VBS / Amazing Hospitality
Northwest Children's Outreach - Started by a woman who heard about a family that had to choose between diapers or food for their child - this woman couldn't live with that and began a ministry that has reached thousands upon thousands of lives!
Medical Teams International - Real Life Exhibit - A global health organization, demonstrating the love of Christ to people affected by disaster, conflict and poverty. If you want your heart to break with what breaks God's heart - check out their Real Life Exhibit!
Bridgetown Inc - Nightstrike - Their motto is 'loving people because people matter' - they are passionate about reaching Portland's homeless and needy with the love and good news of Jesus Christ. One of their ministries is Nightstrike - a weekly event in which hundreds of people gather to serve the homeless a ton of love in the way of - food, foot-washing, bike-repair, haircuts, and medical needs.
Hope2Others - A ministry to the homeless started by two teenagers that has now become international. What a treat it was for our youth to get to meet one of them and be reminded of Jeremiah 1:5 - that God wants to use young people!!!
Vancouver Urban Ministries - Their mission statement: Vancouver Urban Ministries (VUM) assists lower- income children, youth & families in the communities of Grandview Woodlands and East Vancouver.Through educational support, social activities for youth, family gatherings, and local events, we contribute to the well-being of the community and show God's love as seen in Jesus Christ.
Voices Together - While in Vancouver we had the joy of participating in an evening of worship with believers from all over Southern-B.C. These believers crossed denomination and ethic lines to seek God's face together for their city, province and nation. All of us felt like we got a little taste of heaven.
Coastal Regeneration - Each Wednesday night through the summer young people gather together from a variety of churches to worship and hear God's Word together. What excited me the most about it was not only seeing young choosing to spend time worshipping God - but to see the leadership stress to them the importance of the local church.
Below are links to the ministries we've had the chance to team up with! We also got to do a lot of street witnessing!