Neighborhood prayer walk - 7-17-8
Marion/Harrison Street Neighborhood
We had another great night tonight. Terry Wallin, Melissa Wolfinger, and I walked and prayed tonight. Another long night on Marion Street. We were praying with people and talking with people on Marion street for well over two hours. It was well after 9 p.m. before we finished tonight.
As usual our first stop was with cigar Bob. We had a wonderful time of conversation with Bob. He was born March 22, 1921. He's 87 years old. I asked him if he were baptized and he said yes he's pretty sure he was baptized when he was 14 years old in a church in Goshen located at the corner of Main and Middlebury street. That kept us guessing for a while. We thought he was talking about Elkhart. He doesn't have too good of a recollection of it, but he remembers being dunked under the water in church when he was 14. We thought it pretty safe it was either a baptism or he took a bath at the church. He went on and on about the county fair. He used to work security at the fair and he was telling us many interesting stories of events at the fair during his career there. Certain things sounded kind of strange in his telling of them and I finally asked him what year was this taking place. He worked there in 1954, the year of my birth. We had a grand time talking with Bob.
The little store was out of their regular bottles of water. Everyone in the neighborhood apparently bought cold water today, but they had some gallon jugs left. So we got one of those and our usual pickle for Melissa. We chatted with the shopkeeper and her wonderful children for a little while before moving on up the street.
One gentleman we prayed with last week for a job found one soon after our prayers. The people gave glory to God. . . The other people on this porch likewise had had good experiences during the past week with their prayer requests.
At this point it seemed like it was going to be a quiet evening. It was very very warm and not lots of people were out, when we came to a porch on our way back east on Marion. It is a two-story, relatively well kept home on the south side of the street. A young woman, maybe between 16-20 years old came and met us at the sidewalk. She is disabled in some unidentifiable manner. She doesn't walk quite right and there's something different about her eyes. We had seen her earlier in the little grocery store. We have prayed with her in the past and she again wanted prayer and anointing. There were maybe 8 or more people on the porch of the house she was at and other people parked in cars out front and still more going in and coming out of the house. We began to pray with her on the sidewalk at the end of the steps and you could see people watching, maybe out of the corners of their eyes at what was going on. We talked with people about prayer and faith and the power God. Pretty soon another person wanted prayer and then another and another. We had a regular prayer line going. . . men, women, teenagers. . .Some people came back two or more times other things they wanted anointing and prayer for. We had addictions, mental issues, healings asked for, financial problems, children. . . it was just amazing. . . Several said they will be at LTC for Sunday School. . .God's presence was very much there.
It was a powerful time there. As we continued to walk back east on Marion Street, Melissa needed to find a restroom. This is problem. There just aren't any public restrooms to speak of in the neighborhood. We had tried previously the little bar/restaurant Sciliano's and had been turned down. We were quite a long ways from the car. I didn't know what to tell Melissa. She pondered for a moment and maybe in desperation, then headed across the street where we had helped her Wicca acquaintances take in the groceries last week. Terry and I hung around and sat on the steps of a vacant apartment house across the street for quite a little while waiting for her. Melissa had a gleam in her eye and gave me an enthusiasic high five when she walked back. . .Last week she had been very intimidated by her former friends and said half earnestly that she would never come back to this section of Marion Street so as to avoid running in to them again. . .this week she entered into the lions den itself, so to speak. . . . and the lady whose house Melissa had asked to use the bathroom asked Melissa to pray for her. . . this Wicca lady asked Melissa to pray for a number of needs in her life and her family's lives. . .this is tremendous. . .was a powerful testimony. . . Thank you God.
Lots of people. Lots of prayers. . .On Harrison Street, we prayed with and talked with an elderly prostitute. Just Tuesday, we had anointed her and prayed with her over in the apartments on Middlebury Street. This woman is really quite amazing. She knows Scripture. . .I don't know how, I don't know where but somewhere, sometime in her past she has very much been a child of God. Maybe her father was a Pastor. I don't know, but twice in three days we've prayed with her and anointed her.
Another house on Harrison Street, the lady had asked for prayer last week for a job and she was so very very thrilled that very shortly after we prayed with her, God provided a job for her. She gave God great glory over providing her this blessing. Her daughter had hurt her leg just today and the mother requested that we anoint and pray with her daughter. The mother loudly proclaimed, "Prayer works!!!"
I came upon a Mother, two teen daughters, and a young teen aged son. The woman was close to tears. It was very hot and she was very very frustrated. All sorts of stuff was strewn about the sidewalk. The trunk lid was open. A jack, a sledge hammer, lots of miscellaneous stuff were laying around a very flat tire that was still on the car. They couldn't get the lug nuts loose from the wheel. They'd been trying everything they could, including apparently the sledge hammer to loosen them to no avail. Terry and I made short work of changing the tire. It was very much a Godly moment. As we finished she kept trying to thrust money into my hand. . . I refused. . . I refused. . . I refused. . .I kept telling her this was no coincidence. This was a tire change from God. . .She finally pushed it into my hand and said to put it into the offering plate. . . now it became an offering to God for His goodness. . . I could not refuse that. To not accept an offering to God is to take away her blessing. . .Thank you my Lord!!!
Another lady whom I was supposed to bring to church a few weeks ago, was out on her porch. She battles depression. . .LOL. . . Terry, Melissa, and I all three are intimately familiar with that old foe. We were praying with her for her to be healed when I stopped the prayer and I'm not exactly sure what the word is. . .I guess I gave the lady a word of wisdom. . .I told her that worshiping God is a very powerful means of defeating depression. . . I gave her my testimony of how I had overcome depression with worship and praise. . .Melissa and Terry echoed my words. . .
A lone lady was sitting her porch toward the end of the walk on the south side of Harrison Street. I gave her a flier and a Bible verse card. She was so glad to meet who it was who had been leaving the fliers on her porch. She was wondering and did not at all know who we were. She is Pentecostal. She attends a large black Pentecostal congregation in South Bend. She said it is the largest church in South Bend. I couldn't hear what she said the name was. She takes our fliers and brings them and shows them to the ministry at her church. We talked about the tremendously positive reception we have from the people and the power of God moving in the neighborhoods. . . She agreed that what her neighborhood needs was the Spirit of God to move in a mighty way. . .
Many other prayers. . .wonderful happenings. . . too many to relate. . .
Thank you my God. . .
I love you God. . .
I love you all. . .
Dave
We had another great night tonight. Terry Wallin, Melissa Wolfinger, and I walked and prayed tonight. Another long night on Marion Street. We were praying with people and talking with people on Marion street for well over two hours. It was well after 9 p.m. before we finished tonight.
As usual our first stop was with cigar Bob. We had a wonderful time of conversation with Bob. He was born March 22, 1921. He's 87 years old. I asked him if he were baptized and he said yes he's pretty sure he was baptized when he was 14 years old in a church in Goshen located at the corner of Main and Middlebury street. That kept us guessing for a while. We thought he was talking about Elkhart. He doesn't have too good of a recollection of it, but he remembers being dunked under the water in church when he was 14. We thought it pretty safe it was either a baptism or he took a bath at the church. He went on and on about the county fair. He used to work security at the fair and he was telling us many interesting stories of events at the fair during his career there. Certain things sounded kind of strange in his telling of them and I finally asked him what year was this taking place. He worked there in 1954, the year of my birth. We had a grand time talking with Bob.
The little store was out of their regular bottles of water. Everyone in the neighborhood apparently bought cold water today, but they had some gallon jugs left. So we got one of those and our usual pickle for Melissa. We chatted with the shopkeeper and her wonderful children for a little while before moving on up the street.
One gentleman we prayed with last week for a job found one soon after our prayers. The people gave glory to God. . . The other people on this porch likewise had had good experiences during the past week with their prayer requests.
At this point it seemed like it was going to be a quiet evening. It was very very warm and not lots of people were out, when we came to a porch on our way back east on Marion. It is a two-story, relatively well kept home on the south side of the street. A young woman, maybe between 16-20 years old came and met us at the sidewalk. She is disabled in some unidentifiable manner. She doesn't walk quite right and there's something different about her eyes. We had seen her earlier in the little grocery store. We have prayed with her in the past and she again wanted prayer and anointing. There were maybe 8 or more people on the porch of the house she was at and other people parked in cars out front and still more going in and coming out of the house. We began to pray with her on the sidewalk at the end of the steps and you could see people watching, maybe out of the corners of their eyes at what was going on. We talked with people about prayer and faith and the power God. Pretty soon another person wanted prayer and then another and another. We had a regular prayer line going. . . men, women, teenagers. . .Some people came back two or more times other things they wanted anointing and prayer for. We had addictions, mental issues, healings asked for, financial problems, children. . . it was just amazing. . . Several said they will be at LTC for Sunday School. . .God's presence was very much there.
It was a powerful time there. As we continued to walk back east on Marion Street, Melissa needed to find a restroom. This is problem. There just aren't any public restrooms to speak of in the neighborhood. We had tried previously the little bar/restaurant Sciliano's and had been turned down. We were quite a long ways from the car. I didn't know what to tell Melissa. She pondered for a moment and maybe in desperation, then headed across the street where we had helped her Wicca acquaintances take in the groceries last week. Terry and I hung around and sat on the steps of a vacant apartment house across the street for quite a little while waiting for her. Melissa had a gleam in her eye and gave me an enthusiasic high five when she walked back. . .Last week she had been very intimidated by her former friends and said half earnestly that she would never come back to this section of Marion Street so as to avoid running in to them again. . .this week she entered into the lions den itself, so to speak. . . . and the lady whose house Melissa had asked to use the bathroom asked Melissa to pray for her. . . this Wicca lady asked Melissa to pray for a number of needs in her life and her family's lives. . .this is tremendous. . .was a powerful testimony. . . Thank you God.
Lots of people. Lots of prayers. . .On Harrison Street, we prayed with and talked with an elderly prostitute. Just Tuesday, we had anointed her and prayed with her over in the apartments on Middlebury Street. This woman is really quite amazing. She knows Scripture. . .I don't know how, I don't know where but somewhere, sometime in her past she has very much been a child of God. Maybe her father was a Pastor. I don't know, but twice in three days we've prayed with her and anointed her.
Another house on Harrison Street, the lady had asked for prayer last week for a job and she was so very very thrilled that very shortly after we prayed with her, God provided a job for her. She gave God great glory over providing her this blessing. Her daughter had hurt her leg just today and the mother requested that we anoint and pray with her daughter. The mother loudly proclaimed, "Prayer works!!!"
I came upon a Mother, two teen daughters, and a young teen aged son. The woman was close to tears. It was very hot and she was very very frustrated. All sorts of stuff was strewn about the sidewalk. The trunk lid was open. A jack, a sledge hammer, lots of miscellaneous stuff were laying around a very flat tire that was still on the car. They couldn't get the lug nuts loose from the wheel. They'd been trying everything they could, including apparently the sledge hammer to loosen them to no avail. Terry and I made short work of changing the tire. It was very much a Godly moment. As we finished she kept trying to thrust money into my hand. . . I refused. . . I refused. . . I refused. . .I kept telling her this was no coincidence. This was a tire change from God. . .She finally pushed it into my hand and said to put it into the offering plate. . . now it became an offering to God for His goodness. . . I could not refuse that. To not accept an offering to God is to take away her blessing. . .Thank you my Lord!!!
Another lady whom I was supposed to bring to church a few weeks ago, was out on her porch. She battles depression. . .LOL. . . Terry, Melissa, and I all three are intimately familiar with that old foe. We were praying with her for her to be healed when I stopped the prayer and I'm not exactly sure what the word is. . .I guess I gave the lady a word of wisdom. . .I told her that worshiping God is a very powerful means of defeating depression. . . I gave her my testimony of how I had overcome depression with worship and praise. . .Melissa and Terry echoed my words. . .
A lone lady was sitting her porch toward the end of the walk on the south side of Harrison Street. I gave her a flier and a Bible verse card. She was so glad to meet who it was who had been leaving the fliers on her porch. She was wondering and did not at all know who we were. She is Pentecostal. She attends a large black Pentecostal congregation in South Bend. She said it is the largest church in South Bend. I couldn't hear what she said the name was. She takes our fliers and brings them and shows them to the ministry at her church. We talked about the tremendously positive reception we have from the people and the power of God moving in the neighborhoods. . . She agreed that what her neighborhood needs was the Spirit of God to move in a mighty way. . .
Many other prayers. . .wonderful happenings. . . too many to relate. . .
Thank you my God. . .
I love you God. . .
I love you all. . .
Dave
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garth