Looking back at the course of the week, its amazing to see what the Lord has done.  I'm beginning to believe more and more (and continually be reminded) that God is transformer, healer, and lover of your soul.  Crazy things happen when we just repent and believe the Gospel!  Last week out at the Tenderloin we got to see a beautiful woman restored to God--when we met her she was angry at God, talking about the horrors of her past with hurt on her face--be transformed, you can see joy in her face and she's trusting in Jesus.  

Some of us were able to meet up with her yesterday at a doughnut shop at 9th and Irving and her entire demeanor is changed.  She is truly that "new creation" that the Bible talks about in 2 Corinthians 5:17--anyone in Christ is a new creation, the old has passed away, behold the new has come!   There is new life in Christ!  

Testimony from Lauren Raffi (19 UC Raven SLO)

This weekend we made a trip to the tenderloin of San Francisco, which was an absolute blessing. The crew I came with drove up from San Luis Obispo, and the trip was awesome from start to finish. The moment that still sticks with me is when we walked into the Tenderloin and saw the crew of people standing by the cross, and I realized that rather than people to preach to, they were Preachers, Harvesters, and men and woman standing for Jesus. Tears came to my eyes a few times just looking around and seeing brothers and sisters ministering to others in love, and with the truth. 

The tenderloin has such an interesting combination of people, and I talked to people from homeless men who knew the truth, and needed some prayer and encouragement, to a young many who was lost by the worlds lie that we have to accept all religions. My heart also broke while holding a young baby boy, who doesn’t have a place to call home. Church, if we’re called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and there are people on the streets that love Jesus, then what are we doing? It’s time to rise up, and truly be the body of Christ.

I was also so encouraged to see the team from UC Davis out on the streets. I had spent time (and so had much of our team) praying for more harvesters to rise up on that campus alongside Benny, and suddenly, there the stood before me. They also are incredible men and woman of God, who went out and preached the truth without much hesitation at all. Praise God, for my Jesus is one who answers prayers, and is raising up a generation of men, woman, and children who will not compromise the truth. I was so blessed by everything I saw, and I want to encourage all of you to continue to stand for Jesus, and don’t look back. He is worthy!

Newly Married Brittany England gives a Testimony from the Tenderloin Outreach!

This weekend was my fourth time ever going to the Tenderloin Outreach. The environment has always been heart-breaking and severely influential. There are lost, hurting, and dying people left and right. I was able to talk to a woman that was very stuffed up in her own beliefs and pride, yet appeared, from a worldly standpoint, to be a gentle and "good" person. She wanted to put herself at a level with Jesus of him being her "brother" not her saviour. After hours of listening to her story and sharing scriptures, Gracie joined and reminded her of the urgency to repent and come to Christ fully before it's too late. She seemed receptive and wanted prayer so Gracie and I prayed for her and she was blessed. Her face and attitude changed after prayer and it was awesome! Then, after listening to my husband tear it up on the PA, preaching, I got on the mic and preached on the testimony of the cross and intimacy with Jesus. Afterwards, I talked to a girl standing by listening and she was encouraged to know that serving Christ makes you holy not happy. She was restored back to prayer and Jesus after I prayed for her. Hallelujah! We may not get to talk to every single person that walked by and heard the preaching of the gospel, but that just makes it more encouraging to know that fruit is being produced out there from God's faithfulness through us that we don't necessarily get to see! Keep going guys! Rise up, Christians and preach!! :)

Tenderloin Testimony from mother Lori Gonzalez (Raven Santa Rosa)

Every time I go to the San Francisco Tenderloin my heart breaks. This time was no different. Tomika is a mother of two and my husband Pastor Rudy led me to her. She was sitting near the fountain holding her baby. When I asked her how I could pray for she looked into my eyes and started sharing her story. Similar to many of us, she has a past. She was ready to trust something other than what this world had to offer because doing things her own way has only resorted her to losing her kids, spending time in prison and being held in addiction.  When I told her my testimony and the reason why Jesus died, she clutched my hands so tightly, she just couldn't get enough. My friend Heather was there for the very first time with me and so, mother to mother we were able to call upon the name of the Lord during her time of trouble. It didn't take a bulletin, a nursery, a building, a sign up sheet or a fee. I didn't have time to walk her through a sixteen week discipleship class or lead her to a home group. No. The Spirit of the Lord gave me utterance, the tears swelled in our eyes and our hearts were filled up with the only peace that transcended our environment, our abilities, the mountains that she is facing. Beside us sat Daniella. A 38 year old woman whose heart and mind was restored to Jesus earlier that evening, holding Tomika's son while we prayed, then offering her a phone number hoping they could meet together in the tenderloin this week or at the shelter to read their bibles together. After we embraced and joined the rest of our team in worship and prayer,  I remember seeing my son Anthony and friend Heather walking her with her children to the bus. Satan stand back in Jesus name! Tomika and her children are not yours. They belong to the Lord!

Hear what Maddie Gonzalez (age 16) has to say about preaching the Gospel in the Tenderloin

The tenderloin outreach was amazing. Last night God sent 38 warriors onto what is known as "Satan's Playground". Praise God that where sin abounds, his grace abounds SOOO much more! The Lord moved, and people's hearts were touched that were out on the streets, and on our team. Praise God for everyone that came out from all across the state of California!

Last night I talked to a lady named Danielle. She needed her vision restored back on God. People in her life had let her down, and she'd been hurt. She couldn't understand why bad things happen in this world, and didn't have any joy. Gracie and I were able to tell her that she can put her trust back in Jesus and for her to call upon the name of the Lord. As she stayed around for hours, by the end of the night after talking to a couple more people on the team, and getting lots of the gospel and prayer-- Danielle was preaching to others out on the streets about what Jesus did, and sharing his love with a big smile on her face! Praise God for Danielle's vision being restored back to Jesus! 

I was also really blessed last night with all of the worship that went on. Thank you Benny, Logan, Tori, Lauren, Cece, Josiah for not hiding your talents and submitting to the Lord in worship. Mostly thanks to Jesus, for letting us all be apart of what he is doing. It was soo good to meet new brothers and sisters in the lord, and see one another. Keep going for Jesus-- looking forward to the next outreach in SF! ~Maddie :)

Testimonies from Tenderloin Outreach

Here are some testimonies from Ben Rowden (UC Raven SLO team) of what he saw the Lord do in the Tenderloin on Saturday. 

Towards the end of the outreach when we were getting ready to go home I met David. He had recently left the people he was living with (I think they were related) with money to buy some food and he ended up spending it on crack. He told me that he wanted to be free of his addiction but he had repented so many times and always fell back into his sin. I told David some scripture and he ended up repenting. I gave him my number and he gave me a number to reach him at so that I could keep him accountable.

I met Holuna in the square where we had the outreach. She was a born again Christian, and told me that it was tough on the streets because there was a lot of spiritual warfare that she was having to go through. She also said that every time someone comes and does an outreach it is such an encouragement to her. She was feeling weak and tired but us being there lifted her spirit and I was able to pray for her and share some scripture with her, that we are more than conquerers over Satan. Jesus has overcome.

A few people and I walked down the street to find a bathroom and ended up at a Carl's Jr. where I met Jordan. We started talking and I took him to the gospel. He said that he had been saved many years ago, but that he had been addicted to drugs for awhile and had started drinking. I told him "you know, you could be spreading the gospel too" and he was hit hard. He said "you're right, there is no reason that I couldn't" and he asked me to pray for him. He repented and was just joyous. It was awesome to see his eyes opened to Jesus right then and there. I gave him a bible and a western bacon cheeseburger and then noticed he had a limp. I asked him "do you believe that God can heal your hip?" and he said "yes" so I prayed for him and God healed his hip. So he walked away without the limp, having been healed both physically and spiritually, as well as having received both physical and spiritual food. Jesus took care of Jordan that day.

Tenderloin Outreach

Come Join us Saturday January 22nd 2011 as we go to the streets of San Francisco Tenderloin at 4pm to share Jesus with the lost and dying.  Contact Pastor Rudy Gonzalez or Gracie Burroughs via facebook for more info. "And he said unto them, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15