Light Under The Bridge Homeless Ministry, Non Profit

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Light Under The Bridge Newsletter March 2010
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Indifference Makes Excuses...
Love Makes A Way! 

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Changing One Life At A Time...
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In This Issue
A Story That Needs Telling
Saving Our Lives
Vision 2010
Discipleship Training
Quick Links

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A Story That Needs To Be Told
by: Peter S.
fred  
Fred is a reason why we cannot turn a blind eye.

When you talk to Fred Christiansen its not immediately apparent why he chooses to live under a bridge. He has a healthy, fully-functional body and a charming personality, and is not addicted to drugs or alcohol. At first glance, you can't help but wonder why he doesn't just leave his tent and go better his life. You'd never know until you talked to him. Fred served a term in the Army during the Vietnam War, during which he was captured as a prisoner of war. For two years, Fred lived in a 4×4 box where he ate a bowl of rice one day and was beaten and tortured the next. For over 700 days, that was Fred's life.

Because of that horrific experience, Fred can no longer stay within the confines of a building. Even during the Christmas dinner, he couldn't help but feel claustrophobic inside the church; even as he was surrounded by the people who loved him, he fought the temptation to run back to his tent.

Without an outreach program like Light Under the Bridge, this story  would never have been told. Fred  would be just a blurred face in the masses of the forgotten.

By God's grace, we are called and driven to these men and women whose voices are not heard.

Its easy to write-off someone. The work is to open your heart and empathize and put yourself in their lives; to see what they see and to feel what they feel. Its easy to see the tragedy in a catastrophe like Haiti, but do you see that same tragedy when an abusive father abandons his child? Do you see the tragedy in a woman who has abandoned all pride to stand on a side of a road asking for money? When a young couple decides it's more fulfilling to live a nomadic life on the train tracks living on handouts than to live a life in a home with a family created on a foundation of love and the security of our Father?

 Fred whole-heartedly wants to go home, but has a long way to dispel the demons that tie him down to the streets. As his goal lies in front of him, he openly awaits us every Saturday, building relationships, reading his Bible, and praying that God will set him free.

This is just one story, one of the millions that need to be heard. God willing, we will never fully understand how alone they feel. But if you can, for a moment, hold their loneliness and abandonment, truly comprehend life without love, then I ask you to take action. As God has blessed us all, He asks us to bless others with a fraction of the love He has given us. No matter how, when, or where you do it, let nothing or nobody stand in your way to love the unloved


Matthew 25:37-40

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

 40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'


Faith Based Treatment Centers

A special Thank You to our friends at the following faith based treatment centers.  They make it possible for the homeless to get off the streets and get their lives back on track!

The Freedom House
- DesMoines, WA

The Cross
- White Center, Seattle

Gethsemane
- Shelton, WA

kev&hopeDear Light Under The Bridge Friends,

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!   We are encouraged and blessed  by  your continued support. We head into 2010 with expectations of the mighty harvest continuing as the love of Christ is shared amongst our homeless friends in Seattle. 2010 has already been off to a great start, with 11 people getting off the streets and into Christian recovery centers! Praise the Lord! Lives are being changed!  Thank you again for your continued support!  We're looking ahead in great anticipation of what God has in store for 2010.
 
Blessings,

Kevin & Hope Kerkof

 
Kevin & Hope Kerkof
Founders & Executive Directors
Light Under The Bridge

 
Thank You For Saving Our Lives!
Q&Sam

It was about 6 months ago that Light Under The Bridge volunteers began ministering to 2 men who lived under the West Seattle freeway.  Sam was from the Sudan, and Q was from Somalia. All of our volunteers poured into these men. From sack lunches and pancake breakfasts, to worship services, to birthday cakes, and Christmas presents at the Christmas service, God's love was shown and became a living reality for Q and Sam.  Q, a Muslim, gave his life to Jesus on Christmas Night during our service.  Since that moment, Jesus began to transform Q and work on his heart.  Originally, Q kept telling our volunteers that he was planning on getting off the streets on Feb 2nd. But Feb 2nd came and went, and Q was still on the streets. He said he just couldn't leave Sam out on the streets alone. Although disappointed, our volunteers kept loving on Q and Sam every Saturday. After many prayers, on Feb 20th, our volunteer, Kathleen, received the call from Q that he and Sam were ready to get off the streets. Immediately, Kevin & Kathleen picked up Q & Sam and brought them to The Freedom House, a faith based recovery discipleship center. At The Freedom House, we finally discovered Q's real name, Abdul, as he said to us, "Q was just my street name. You can call me by my real name, Abdul now."  Sam and Q were adamant about letting everyone with Light Under The Bridge know that they were so thankful for the months of prayers and effort saying, "Tell everyone thank you for saving our lives!"  Praise Jesus!! Thank you all for your prayers and efforts!
 
VISION FOR 2010: Growth & Structure

volunteer group shot

What began as 6 lunches, has now become a team of volunteers and about 80-100 lunches every Saturday. The need is overwhelming.


2010 is a year of growth and structure. We have quickly out grown our current storage facility (which has been our garage).  We need a building to store all the food, clothing, & supplies that are donated, and that has a kitchen to prepare all the food. With the growth we've experienced it is time for a Light Under The Bridge headquarters.  Please pray for a building and the finances needed to sustain a building.  Please continue to pray for us as we seek God's vision and plan for Light Under The Bridge.  

 
Thank you to all our volunteers that have rolled up their sleeves to become laborers in the fields. You are a blessing!  And, thank you to everyone for your support, prayers, encouragement, and donations. You are affecting lives...one life at a time.
 
kevpreaching2Homeless Ministry Discipleship Training
When: The last Friday of every month
Time: 7pm-9pm
Where: Shorewood Foursquare Church
10300 28th Av, SW, Seattle, WA 98146
RSVP REQUIRED: contact hkerkof@comcast.net

PRACTICAL STREET OUTREACH/MISSIONS TRAINING:

LEARN HOW TO:

-APPROACH A STRANGER AND BUILD A RELATIONSHIP
-SHARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS EFFECTIVELY
-DISCERN BETWEEN COMPASSION & BEING HUSTLED
-USE WISDOM WHEN GIVING
-BE COMMITTED FOR THE LONG HAUL & NOT GET BURNT OUT
-LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY & LONG SUFFERING
-BE SPIRIT LED WITH OUTREACH
-AND MUCH MUCH MORE

Light Under The Bridge has a monthly meeting the last Friday of every month.  These gatherings will be an incredible time of Worship, Practical and Biblical understanding and application of tools and skills necessary for any mission field. It will be an important and inspiring time of Encouragement, Teaching and Prayer for all involved in this outreach and the building up of one another, to equip us all for effective service in the mission field, wherever God has provided your mission field. Anyone wishing to participate as an outreach volunteer for Light Under The Bridge will need to make this time available. Response has been great and we are looking forward to the growth and increase of Light Under The Bridge in 2010 and all that God is doing!

 
 About Light Under The Bridge
biblesunderbridge


Light Under The Bridge goes where most charities will not go, they go under the freeways, bridges, and into the woods looking for the homeless that are not involved with the missions, shelters, and soup kitchens. These are the homeless that indeed feel forgotten, that is until they meet the volunteers from Light Under The Bridge. Through the relationships Light Under The Bridge has established with various faith based recovery homes, they are able to offer the homeless real hope-Jesus Christ and a way off the streets!

 

hugLight Under The Bridge goes out every Saturday morning, on the same routes-thereby visiting the same people, at the same time. The homeless look forward to their visits as one homeless man, William Johnson tells, "I've lived in 49 states, and in all those states, meeting you is the first time I've ever been shown real love"

 
Victories For Jesus Praise Reports
11 Lives Changed from January 1st-Feb 22nd, 2010

We don't have pictures of all the faces of the men and women who decided to change their lives by trusting Jesus and choosing to get off the streets. But God knows each of their names. Below are their names. Rejoice with us and continue to pray for these men and women.

Jerry
Bill
Jose
Tonya
- said to volunteers with tears streaming down her face, "I've been asking people for help for such a long time, and no one would help me. You're the first to help me!" - off the streets and in The Cross Discipleship Center
Cecil
Tom
Gilbert
Mario
Q
Sam
ShonShon

 
Will You Pray?
Prayer Requests

Many of our Light Under The Bridge supporters have asked us to post our prayer requests here, that they might join us in prayer.

donate button1. Homeless Man, Fred Christensen is missing. No one has seen him in 2 weeks. This is very unlike this man and highly unusual. Please pray for his safety and for his location. He would not just disappear on us, he would contact us.


willie2. Homeless Man, Willie Sams, who loves Jesus is on the streets in Pioneer Square after suffering a stroke. He is nearly blind due to cataracts, and since the stroke can barely walk and can not talk.  He is vulnerable on the streets but refuses to leave. He has no addictions, just an elderly man who is scared, frustrated, and confused.

james3. Homeless Man, James "Beetlejuice" is missing. This man tried kicking his methadone addiction and was in The Freedom House for awhile, but his addiction was too strong and he left to return to the streets.  We have been unable to find him. No one has heard from him in 4 months.

 

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