Matthew McQuade

2009-05-21T21:30:00.002-10:00

Hey, I just wanted to apologize if there was any confusion with my last blog. The story I was talking about was from my testimony, and the events that happened, happened back during Christmas. Since then, things between me and the people involved have been resolved, and it has been good. At the time of the events, I was upset, but I have learned I need to really love people.
Thank you for your prayers and concerns. God bless.

2009-05-07T10:58:00.001-10:00

Does it ever feel as if we are going through life, just walking around without any immediate goals in sight? I believe that our goals and dreams can really influence our choices in everyday situations. This has been set on my heart over the past few weeks. Talking with friends on the streets, the kids in the projects, and my life in the next year, the topic of dreams, ambitions, and goals has been a key subject.

I know that as a follower of Christ, He is our goal in life. But that holds a lot of weight, and is far easier said than done. “Do you not know that those who run a race all run, but one receives the prize. Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” 1 Corinthians 9:24. It is my encouragement to you that Christ be in your goals and that the journey there be at His service.

I met Ducky last year out at A’ala Park after he had made Chinatown his new home. He is somebody I became quick friends with, because I quickly discovered why people called him Ducky. He comes from Oregon, which is my home state, and had recently come over to do a little soul searching. Problem was, he has kids back home in Bend, and he had run out of money, so he was stuck.

About three weeks after meeting him, he made the decision to admit himself into The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC). That was one step towards a goal he had set, to get back home to his family. Ducky has tremendous faith, and knows his word. I remember that most of our conversations, it revolved around the Christian faith, his walk, and the Word. He left the ARC about a month into the program, and we lost contact with him.

I was in the park about three weeks ago, and who do I see? Nobody had seen Ducky in the Chinatown area for about four months, so when I saw him I felt a sense of joy. But he looked terrible. Tears in his eyes, dirty clothes, and rugged looking face, I knew that it had been a long hard few months. After talking to him, I realized that he was still pursuing his dream to get home. That was the only thing keeping his hopes alive. Unfortunately, he believed he had run out of options.

Now, this is the power of prayer, and praise to God. Not only did Revolution Hawaii bathe his circumstance in prayer, he had people praying, and I was asking others who didn’t know him to pray that something would open up for him to get a flight back home. I would ask him every time I saw him how things where coming, and nothing seemed to be improving. About a week after we had been praying, he shared with us that prayers had been answered; a one way ticket back to the mainland!

Ducky left last Wednesday, back home to his family, his kids. The road is still long before him, but he never lost his faith, never lost his dreams, and never let go of what God had blessed him with.

In Matthew 6:19-21, Christ tells a very key piece of wisdom. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your heart is, there your heart will be also.”

Please keep Ducky (aka Roger) in your prayers. Thank you so much for the continued prayer for ministry here.

2009-05-07T10:57:00.001-10:00

These past nine months, I have learned more about myself than in 20 years of life. Before coming and just absorbing myself in the faith, I had things together. I went to school, had a good job, a girlfriend, I was involved with the church, and believed I was on the right track. Nothing drastic happened, except that I felt the burden of complacency ruling my life. I have been a believer for most of my life, but a nudging kept saying, “Do something different, for Me.” Now, that could not have been anyone but God, because it went against all that I would naturally do. Plus, I had been praying for something more in my life.
So, after applying and being accepted to Revolution Hawaii, I headed out feeling I was on top of my game. I had God in sight, and I was really excited. I didn’t really know anyone, so I looked at this as an opportunity to take advantage of building new friendships.
I finished my spring semester of community college, gave in my two weeks at my job, and decided that it would be best to not be in a relationship, in order that the two of us could grow in our personal relationship with God. As the months wore on, I felt like I was no longer in control of anything back home in Oregon. People I cared about and loved where starting to make dumb choices, and I began to feel as though they stabbed me in the back. I lost my trust with them, and grew in bitterness towards them. The whole time, I thought I was doing the right things by focusing on ministry here, balance a broken relationship, and build new friendships. That is when I questioned God, myself and others.
One of the most important lessons I have learned is that nobody is perfect. Heard that all my life, but it never rang true to me because I was living as though I was perfect. The sad reality hit when I was sitting alone in the mountain, during a time called silence and solitude. I always felt as though I surrendered my life to God, by giving what I thought He wanted. Unfortunately, that was only about a quarter of who I am. The scariest place in life, to me, is anywhere alone.
But something happened in that time of isolation. The anger, bitterness, lust, jealousy, lying, fakeness that I had tucked away in the back of my heart and mind, hoping it would just disappear, came to the surface, and in that moment, I realized those things where the bricks building the wall between God and me.
This is when I experienced the true gift of amazing grace. When I finally fessed up and let go of the chains around my heart, I realized it was God holding the key to the lock.
“As it is written, ‘there is none righteous, no not one.’” Romans 3:10
2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is made perfect in weakness.’”

2009-04-13T10:40:00.003-10:00

What is the Good News that we share with people? Is it a message that tells people how they are sinful, they are living the wrong lifestyle? Or is it a message of hope, of a future, of something greater than we can imagine? These are questions I have been challenged with this past year, and I want to ask you the same things. The reason I bring this up is because I have a friend that has tought me the importance of holding onto a hope that he was taught about at a young age.

I met Michael Clarke out at A'ala Park last year. People call him Eyore because of his slow paced walking, talking character. He comes from Chicago, and is always telling me stories from the Windy City. I noticed Mike when he was passed out, with bruises, open soars, and pale looking skin. I met him soon after that because he woke up when some friends started yelling at him for laying on their cardboard. Mike was attracted to the group of us that went out to the park, and he said it was because we showed him that there is hope in the world.

Over the months, I got to know Michael and we became good friends. He knows where he is at in life, he doesn't like it, and he wants to change. I was talking with him one time and he told me he had been on the streets for about 2 1/2 to 3 years, and it was definitely taking its toll. I remember him breaking down a couple of times, because his desire to get back to his life of sobriety was so strong.

I was once told that for some people, receiving prayer is like candy. Take it when it is offered? Mike did just that, and I believe that it has built his confidence in himself. Every time I see him, he will ask for prayer. He holds onto hope.

Just recently, Mike got into a clean and sober house up in Pearl City. That was an answer to not only our prayers, but his prayers too. First he went to detox for a week, then got into the house for about another week or so. People that saw him, said he looked strong and healty.

Friday nights, some of us go out to invite our friends from the park to go to a dinner and Bible study. There were people around, some sleeping, and some walking around. I saw Mike, sleeping under one of the trees. It broke my heart, because I knew that he relapsed. I didn't want to wake him, so I ended up talking with him a few days later. He had a beer and that went against the rules.

"And this hope is what saves us. But if we already have what we hope for, there is no need to keep on hoping. However, we hope for something we have not yet seen, and we wait patiently for it." Romans 8:24-25. My friend Mike has told me, and shown me, that he has a hope; hope not only in Christ the risen Savior, but for himself. To me, that is something to hold onto.

I just want to bring it back to ask ourselves this question: what is the Good News? As Christians, we have the obligation of sharing this message. In a world of suffering and struggle, I believe that this Good News can bring healing, hope, joy, perseverance, and love into the lives of those who need it most. Please keep Michael Clarke in your prayers. Pray that the hope he holds to, he will hold tight.

2009-04-06T21:21:00.002-10:00

The United States of America is a very unique and amazing country. The major cities consist of many ethnicities, ideas and cultures. Living in Hawaii, the term "melting pot" is used to describe this mix of cultures. Hawaii has an amazing mix of people from all walks of life. Culture is defined as this: the taste in art and manners that are favored by a social group.

Most of my life I spent in the same area. I had some white friends, some black friends, some Hispanic friends, and some Asian friends. The thing was that I defined people only as that. It is so easy to get caught up in the "me" society that we live, and I would watch myself fall into that trap. As a Christian, called by Christ to preach the good news to the nations, this mentality was not going to get me very far.

One thing I have always been told when visiting a place foriegn to my comfort, is to be open to the culture. Watch what people say, how they engage in conversation, how they eat, what they wear, and so on. If you want to disrespect a group of people, all you have to do is continue in your familiar way. That is not to say a particular culture is better than another, but that they are all different.

As I said earlier, Hawaii is considered a major "melting pot" and has people from all over; from Asia, Micronesia, Polynesia, the main land, and many others. Adapting to what other people do around the world is one of the best things someone can do. I know that for me, it has changed my life, but it can also make a difference in what God can use you for.

One prime example of adapting to a culture to reach a specific audience, comes from the Apostle Paul. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 says, "To the weak, I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings." This does not mean compromise. What this means is share the gospel so that people can understand.

I have been learning about the Hawaiian culture and it has been awesome. Some values people hold here are these: family, respect, food, love, to name a few. No matter where we are in this world, the gospel can be shared. I know for me, God has really opened my eyes to see how small I am and how diverse His people are.

2009-03-30T21:54:00.002-10:00

There are always stories, adventures, and testimonies of Gods awesome work. I wanted to share this one with you because it has really made me consider who or what I put my trust in. This happened about a week ago...

Walking down the street, heading towards The Salvation Army Thrift Store, my friend Chelcee and I where stopped by a man that has forever changed my view on life. Sitting at a bus stop, he waved the two of us down, because he had seen us around and wanted to talk with us. Well, to our surprise he was deaf, and had been drinking, and to top it off, he spoke Spanish.

Right away, I knew that God had set this all up. I pray often that God would stretch me, and this is what He does. As soon as we realized he was deaf, we grabbed a pen and paper, praying we could somehow communicate. He sat, motioning that he had seen us before, praying, and that he felt ashamed of himself. Because he had been drinking, the guilt made him believe that he was unlovable. As soon as we got the paper and pen, the three of us began an amazing conversation.

His name is Eduardo, and he is from Mexico. For work, Eduardo was in the masonry business and the pain from the work drew him towards alcohol. He also told us that he was a retired boxer in Mexico, and when you look at his hands, you could see the result of years of fighting.

This was only the surface of our conversation. But the part that amazed me most was that it happened in three languages: sign language, Spanish, and English. I think the most important part of our whole conversation was this: in that moment, Eduardo saw and felt love. True, genuine, raw love. Not by anything Chelcee or I said or did, but by God through us.

We all hugged, said our goodbyes, and walked in opposite directions. Have you ever had one of those moments where all you could do was say, "Wow!"? That moment occured as I realized a very important lesson. When we are going about the Lords work, the barriers we see, can be overcome by God, our Creator. When we allow the Spirit to work, where we know we cannot, God will never cease to amaze us.

Keep Eduardo in your prayers...

2009-03-20T22:10:00.002-10:00

Take a look around. Look at your neighbors, your co-workers, friends, family, the state, the country, the world. One of the most common struggles that I see is that of suffering. No matter where you are on this planet, there are people in our lives that are suffering. In some form, this should deeply effect us, as believers in the body of Christ. If suffering has not affected you in the past or now, all I would suggest is to check out the news; T.V., internet, newspapers.

The reason I bring this topic up is because as the fellowship of believers, we must do whatever we can to be there for those that are suffering. It has been heavy on my heart to write on this struggle. Being involved with the homeless community, the low-income housing projects, and society, I see this suffering going on everyday, in every direction I look.

For a long time I would look at these struggles, and justify it in my mind that it is their choice, their lifestyle, and it is what they want. When I realized that the world does not revolve around me, that is when I could see the deeper issues that where within the very hearts and minds of those suffering around me. So far, every person I have ever talked with that live on the streets, have told me stories and events that have brought to this point in their lives.

"Happiness is not a reward-it is a consequence. Suffering is not a punishment-it is a result." Robert Green Ingersoll

Much of the time, it was the choices that they made that brought them to this point. But it came only from one or several devastating events before that. At the same time, most of these people resort to some sort of pain killer. That can be alcohol or drugs or sex. Soon, this becomes a lifestyle, and there is a sense that the pain is no longer there.

I recently attended a conference called H.I.M. (Hawaiian Island Ministries). The theme of the conference was 'Many yet one'. This idea of being united as a church, really hit home for me. Looking at the struggle of suffering as a whole and trying to tackle on your own, is impossible. But, as the body around the world, with hearts of compassion and selflessness, and the struggle can change.

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18.

2009-03-15T14:38:00.002-10:00

Paul writes to the Galatians, "But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load." Galatians 6:4-5. This portion of scripture, in context, reveals a couple of things. First, as believers, we are to be there, with gentleness for those who are over taken by sin. Secondly, we all have our own choices, decisions we must make, keeping in close step with the Lord.

Several weeks ago, one of my friends from A'ala park (China Town), named Tony, was beaten by a group of thugs. These guys took a lead pipe and started beating Tony while he was asleep. As soon as Tony woke up, the attackers had already run away. It was a very violent and random act. Blood stained concrete, clothes, and body, a group of Tony's friends called for an ambulance to get him to the hospital.

When I heard about the attack from some of his friends, they let me know all the details. They also told me where he was staying, and with that, opened the opportunity to visit him. They also showed me the blood that had not yet been washed off the sidewalk. It was really disturbing, since the attack had occured nearly five days before.

The Revolution Hawaii team went to visit him, as soon as there was a chance. He was doing well. After several stitches in his head, and having a metal plate set in his cheek, he seemed to be doing much better. He told us about his plans to get back to work as a mason, and how his doctor had set up a place for him to stay. So, things seemed to be looking up for Tony.

But, the streets have a way with sticking with a person. Although he spent most of the nights at this new place from the doctor, I found him out at the park in China Town, back into his old habits. He is still out there today.

This is a tough story to write about, but I see the importance, as a believer, to continue to be there for him in whatever way I can. Ultimately, he will make his own decisions, but it can be the better decision through Gods will. I want to ask that you keep Tony in your prayers. God bless!

2009-03-02T12:25:00.002-10:00

Luke 15 gives us a glimpse at the amazing grace of God. Looking at 15:11-32, we get the story of the prodigal son. "It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found," (Luke 15:32). I believe that you have or know of a person that this verse relates to. I know that I have plenty, and I myself, am included. Working in the inner-city, on the streets, I have met plenty of people, heard many stories, and have seen it happen.

I met this guy Jordan, who was part of the Honolulu ARC, as a recovering addict. A very young guy, with quite the background. It has been a struggle trying to get through the program, having to start over a few times. This past month, he was asked to leave, and he would then have to wait another 30 days before he could re-enter.

It is very difficult to be homeless in China Town. One is constantly surrounded by the influence of drugs, alcohol, violence, and theft. For Jordan, it is even more difficult because he has no family in Hawaii; no home, nowhere to go. When I heard he was out on the streets, a few of us would visit with him, just to listen and talk. I saw a person who is struggling with a heroin addiction, but I also saw a man that loves God, who desires to get things right in his life.

He has plans to finish the program, to get job training, and move on in his life. This is going to be a process, it will take time, and it may not be easy. I got the opportunity to take him and some of the others in Revolution Hawaii, up to the North Shore, something he has wanted to do. To see Waimea beach, Pipeline, Sunset beach, and eat some Motsumoto's shave ice. It was an opportunity that he wanted to take to get away from the inner-city street life.

In the next couple of days, Jordan will be re-entering the ARC; a lost child coming back to open arms. I want to ask that you would pray for him, for strength, courage, and for his physical health.

2009-02-16T14:53:00.002-10:00

Something I have realized is that no matter how discouraging it can be in ministry, the salt and light that is shown through our lives is a positive influence on peoples lives. I have been told, and have experienced, that many times we will not see the seed that has been planted in someones life. But know that the exposure from our lives, can bring a person one step closer to the Lord. Much of what I have gotten to do here in Hawaii is part of the seed planting process. I may never see the growth in their lives, but I have come to see that it is not about what I do, but what God has done, and is doing in that life.

I was at church a few Sundays ago, just talking with friends before the service started. Today was similar to most other Sundays. Some of the people that attend the church are the men of the ARC, (Adult Rehabilitation Center). Just as the service was about to start, I began talking with Justin. We started talking about little things; where we were from, who would win the Super Bowl, things like that. Then he asked me a question; he asked if I knew about the sinners prayer, if it was in the Bible, or how he could find out about it. I told him that there was no specific prayer that must be followed or made, just confession and acceptance.

At this point, church was starting, so we sat down, and I found some verses in scripture that kind of dealt with recieving the grace and salvation from God. After I wrote them down on a piece of paper, there was no further talk about it.

Every Wednesday night, the ARC holds a chapel service. This night was special and had a focus on personal testamonies. Several men gave told their stories and truly blessed the congregation. Finally, after one of the songs, I saw Justin stand up and talk about his adjustment to the new life in the ARC. There are rules; structure, organization, spirituality, and discipline. What he said next was so awesome. He told us he had asked the chaplin, Major Moses Reyes, to pray with him, the sinners prayer! He gave his life to God! I truly know that God had everything to do with it. I may never know if what I wrote down for him, took him a step closer or not, but I do know that he has been saved. Praise God!

" I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." John 4:38. Know that the ministry you do is for something. Each moment provides the opportunity to either plant, water, or encourage the growth of the seed.

2009-02-13T12:50:00.002-10:00

I believe that everyone has some sort of need. Whether it be physical, emotional, or spiritual, there is some sort of empty void that needs to be filled. No matter how old you are, there is always something more that can be done. Children need to be protected, teens need to be social, college students need vision, the middle aged need purpose, and seniors need family. The reason I bring this up is because I have learned so much that I need in my spiritual walk with God.

Before arriving in Hawaii, I felt that I had things together. My relationships with family and friends, my involvement at my home church, being a college student. In my mind, I was on the right track; I mean those seemed to be good things to be doing. This program has a huge focus on personal discipleship, through reading books, studying scripture, getting deeper and more devoted in prayer. There was a point that I realized these were areas that were really dry in my walk with God. I went to church every Sunday, taught music, led a Bible study, hung out at the different fellowship nights; but I neglected my personal relationship with God.

"But He answered and said, ' It is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceed's out of the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4. I was living on bread alone. But something very good has come out during my time here. I feel that I have learned a lot, feel better prepared for this battle, and most importantly, I am closer to God. And this is not the end of the growing, because I serve a God that is living and breathing.

2009-02-02T11:52:00.002-10:00

I have heard it said before that if a child has not been exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ before the age of 18, there is an 85% chance they will not accept Him, later on in life. That, to me, is a very haunting statistic. Having the opportunity to minister to children, I have seen the awesome power and truth to the word. Working over at Mayor Wrights in downtown Honolulu has shown me the need for a positive role model in a childs life.

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone where hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:6. Christ spoke about the importance and special characteristics of children. Many of these children are exposed to the evil of this world at such an early age. Kids play the role of the adult, taking care of younger siblings; yet they themselves are only a year or two older than that.

I started hanging out with many of these kids from mayor writes last year, and i have seen the loving arms of Christ wrapped around them. These kids are rough around the edges, but when you play catch with a football, or throw down some Pogs, the laughter and joy bring the child back to childhood.

I can see that Christ has a special place for kids. No matter how loud, wild, and often confusing they can be, I believe that it is our responsibility to show that love of Christ to them. Many of these kids will not see it from anybody else.

This past week or so, I know that God has been showing me this. I want to encourage you and ask that you would stop and consider the 85% and Matthew 18:6. That has been convicting to me and has also shown me the character of Christ.

2009-01-26T14:49:00.002-10:00

"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, i will be exalted in all the earth." Psalm 46:10. Over the past month or so, this scripture has really been tugging at my heart. The story below is from the Christmas time, but I really feel that it is relevant to my life now, and for life in general. Take a step back from the madness.

So, this past Christmas, I went to Kaua'i to help out with The Salvation Army kettle program, and other various projects. I stayed with Envoy's Larry and Joy, at the Hanapepe Corps. Now, this is old Hawaii, small towns, one road in and out. I was blessed with the opportunity to drive and do pick-ups, play the ukulele at the different kettle sights, count money, and help with Angel Tree.

There were only five kettle sights for the corps, but they were so spread out on the island; some taking thirty minutes to drive to. Well, I began to feel worn out after two and a half weeks, playing music driving, counting, and other projects. I had been told the importance of taking a step back and refocusing, and just let God fill me up. And so i decided that I would do just that. What better place to be?

So, I would stop near the beach and walk out to the water and just listen to God in His beauty. I learned a valuable lesson in the importance of stopping and breathing some fresh air.

2009-01-26T14:32:00.002-10:00

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men" This past weekend, God allowed me to see this verse come to life. You see, on Saturdays, we go out into different neighborhoods and visit with people in their homes, asking how things are, seeing if they want prayer. As a part of the Revolution Hawaii team, this is one of the ministries I get involved in throughout the week.

What was special about this particular Saturday, was a guy by the name of "D". He lives in a low-income housing project, here in Honolulu. As I talked with him, I found out that he was what they call a "street pharmacist", aka a drug dealer. The more we talked, the more I learned about him. In fact, I he told me that he was originally from Portland, Oregon which is where I am from. That right there was a window of opportunity to get to know this guy and build a strong relationship.

He wants to get out of the drug business. At age twenty, I told him that he has such an awesome future; if he sets his mind to it. Later that day, I ran into him again, and talked with him some more. He said, "what you do is what I call the good life; I want that." It was truly a God thing. The streets are rugged and fast-paced. It is so easy to get caught up. But in what may would consider a "saltless" envirnment, I saw the salt.

See, somebody had told him who Christ was at an early age in his life. Now, there has been some more exposure to what following Christ is all about. "'For I know the plans I have for you' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. This is a promise to all people, I believe, especially for "D".

Saturday Night

2008-11-24T11:52:00.001-10:00

Saturday nights are always unpredictable in China Town. On this particular night, there were no exceptions to that. See, about six of us hang out with our friends at A'ala Park about four or five days a week. In particular, there are three we have gotten to know quite well over time: Anna, Bear, and Ducky.

Saturdays are busy days, usually starting with going door-to-door at Mayor Wrights, followed by hanging out at the park. Prayer, stories, and tears fill the hours. This day, Anna asked us if we could go up to the ARC (Adult Rehabilitation Center), and pray with her later that night. So we agreed, and then hopped onto the bus.

After dinner, our group made some tuna fish sandwiches and loaded up the Dasani water bottles, and headed out to China Town. Tonight, we had a large group, so we split up into a couple of groups. My group went up to the ARC, and as we got closer we saw our friends, under a doorway, leading up to the building. Now this was luxery compared to the hot airvents, railing, broken bottles, cigarette butts, and cardboard scattered along the side of the building. When we got there, they were discussing some deep Bible topics, drinking, and having a good time. We all said hi, hugged, and so began our Bible study. We checked out Proverbs 13 as we sat, shoes off, on Annas blanket.

After reading and discussing this scripture, all of us held hands in a circle and prayed. If you where present, I think I can testify that the Spirit was moving. After the final amen, we sat and all felt the goose bumps on our skin. It was late and so we said our final goodbyes and continued our journey through China Town.

That night, in such a dark and hurting place, there was a bright, shining light. God's presence was recognized. His light was there amongst the pain. I have come to realize that He is everywhere, especially where He is not welcome.

Doc

2008-11-06T10:18:00.000-10:00

10-25-08

There are always things going on here in Hawaii. Lives are being changed, healed, and transformed. God is truly working in this world. I have realized that the power and persistence of prayer is such an important thing. Pretty much allowing God, the Spirit to take charge. I am only the hands and feet, trying to do His work.

Four or five days a week, about three to four of us visit A’ala Park, near downtown Honolulu. Many homeless hang out there until they are kicked out at 9:00 p.m., forced to sleep in door walkways. We have built very strong relationships with most of these people. There are quite a few characters, including one guy named Doc who is in his sixties. The first time I met him he was laying on a piece of wet cardboard, unable to move. He had been there for a few days. I sat next to him and could feel the pain in his voice. A Navy veteran, he told me some war stories.

Despite the smile on his face, it was the open sores, swollen elbow and crooked and aching back that revealed to me a broken, hurting man. I prayed with him and then he returned the favor by blessing me with a powerful prayer that changed me. That was about a week ago. Yesterday I stopped by the park to just chat with some of the guys. As we talked I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Doc! He was walking, the sores were healing, and the swelling in his elbow had gone way down so that he could now move his arm.

He told me he felt much better, and was each day getting better. That was such a special thing for him and for me. Please continue to pray for Doc and his health.

Homeless in China Town

2008-11-06T09:28:00.000-10:00

10-15-08

The past few weeks have been an amazing adventure. A few nights ago I had the opportunity to experience what it was like to be homeless. So, our group headed out to the famous China Town, and slept on the streets. What an experience! You see, every Saturday night we go out and hand out water, sandwiches, cookies, and pray with people. An emphasis we have is building relationships with the homeless and staying consistent with it. Meeting people where they are at in life.

So the night went on and it was so incredible. It got to be around 2:30 a.m. and things were pretty calm. But then things that did go down were crazy. There were several drug deals and prostitutes roaming around, but god truly had His protection on us. In fact, one of out friends, Bonzai, provided coats and pillows for the girls in our group. And he is a homeless guy. Talk about hospitality. Another hour went by, when a silver car pulled up to where we were sleeping and there was a group of guys just looking for trouble. One of them asked, “So ya’ll thought it would be fun to go homeless?” I simply told them that we were just doing a prayer walk and now were waiting for our ride. The response was surprising because he just said, “Okay”. Earlier that night, I had prayed that God would protect all of us, and that is exactly what happened. These were some big guys that were just looking for trouble. I was sweating bullets, yet I felt a sense of peace.

I felt God working at that moment. And being here, I have realized that God is always working. Prayers are being answered left and right. Lives are being saved daily.

Aloha!

2008-11-05T16:13:00.000-10:00

9-19-08

Aloha! It's me Matthew. Just checking to see how things are going. I am doing very well, thank you. In fact, I have been truly blessed to have moved to the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Over the course of this nest year, I will be living here, participating in a mission program called Revolution Hawaii. The focus will be learning discipleship, building relationships with individuals in need, and growing closer to God. This program is run through The Salvation Army, a Christian non-profit organization.

So far, I have been in Honolulu for three weeks, and there have already been many adventures. Listen to this: there is a group of ten of us in China Town, handing out sandwiches, and talking and praying with the homeless. This is an area notorious for its homeless, drugs, and prostitution. At about midnight, we were heading back to our vehicles, when we ran into a lady named Tina. We started to talk with her, hearing her story, and just getting to know her. Then, out of nowhere, a car flies by, throwing raw eggs at us. Now, you would think that someone would get hit by one. The amazing thing was that all the eggs but one missed us and the one egg that did hit didn’t break but bounced off and broke on the ground. It was such an experience for our first night there.

Being here has not been a vacation. There are hurting adults, homeless children, addicted teens, and I want to make a difference. I have felt called by God to take on this challenge and I know that through Him, something positive will happen.

Please keep me and this ministry in prayer.