Last week my entire DTS, staff, and their kids all loaded up in six fifteen passenger vans and started on the LONG journey to Portland. There was right at 80 people total in this caravan and it was quite the adventure. 10 hours of driving, multiple potty breaks, and a few awesome dance parties later we finally arrived in the city of hipsters and coffee! We stayed at a local church and all the girls, 35+ of us, slept in one room on the floor for the week and the same went for all the guys. We were blessed with one, 10 minute shower for the week and we were lucky if we had the chance to shower more than once. I was slightly worried about the living arrangements but God is so awesome and there were absolutely no issues the entire time we were there. It was very stretching in many ways and I feel as if it was great preparation for my big outreach to South Africa.
We did a lot of really cool things throughout the week and God showed up in major ways. Monday we learned about sex-trafficking in America and watched a documentary about stories of people who have come out of this in America. A major fact we learned is that Portland is the number one city in American for sex-trafficking. This was so socking but it made all of us super pumped to get out and go bring the light of Jesus to this city. That afternoon we went to the Lloyd-Center mall and participated in a flash mob to bring awareness to sex-trafficking in Portland. We also walked around the mall and just talked to people about Jesus. I found it very difficult to approach people in the mall and we got shut down very quickly in many conversations. I struggled a little with doubt and I had to give those thoughts over to God and just trust that we were going to see fruit throughout the week.
Tuesday came and it brought plenty of rain and awesome ministry chances. We spent our morning in lecture time. That afternoon they split our group in half and some people went down to pioneer square, which is in the middle of downtown Portland, to walk around and talk to people. My half of the group went to an art museum to see an exhibit about sustainable architecture and how we can use that in ministry. After walking through the museum and grabbing a little snack from voodoo doughnuts, we hit the streets to share the love of Jesus with people and pray for them. We had a good conversation with this one man who was not a christian but we were able to pray with him and encourage him. I was so surprised at how people were willing to actually listen to us and not shut us down immediately.
Wednesday was Halloween and it was so awesome to see God glorified on a night that was meant for evil. All day we spent time in worship and intercession for that evening and we just really spoke truth and encouragement over the city of Portland. That evening we returned to pioneer square to do evangelism and an open air type of thing. We sent the worship team, prayer team, and dance team in ahead of the rest of us to draw a crowd in. The rest of us gathered and got ready for a skit we were doing. For this skit we had a coffin with one of our guys in it and the rest of us walked in a line behind the coffin in a mock funeral procession. We walked a couple blocks to the square and we drew some major attention. People were mocking us, throwing stones at us, and just being rude because they realized it wasn't an actual funeral. We walked around pioneer square twice then set the coffin down in the middle and that is when Daniel, the guy inside, popped out and started preaching the gospel at the top of his lungs. After he finished preaching we all split into groups and started talking to people about all that had happened.
I went out that night in a group of four and we had a really cool experience. We talked to this one guy and come to find out he was a christian but was really discouraged in his walk with the Lord. He told us his whole life story and we discovered that he was originally from Ethiopia and he had moved his whole family to America so his kids could attend university. He was struggling to find a job and just seemed a little hopeless. We were able to pray for him and encourage him. The best part of the story is that he told us that he had a dream that four people would come up to him on Halloween and be an encouragement. We were so amazed that God allowed for our group to fulfill that dream and bring a little light into this mans life!
Thursday we had another day full of evangelism and worked with an awesome ministry that night in the city. We walked around Portland that evening in groups. Some groups did prayer walks and other groups were the literal hands and feet of Jesus and just served homeless people and blessed them. God is doing some crazy things in Portland and it was so awesome to witness all sorts of healings, lives being changed forever, and just seeing the light of Jesus brought into such a dark place. We saw prostitutes get saved, people on the street get healed, and all sorts of people touched throughout the week. God was moving in mighty and powerful ways and I loved every second of it!
Throughout the week I realized that America needs the gospel message just as much as other countries do. Sometimes I find it hard to evangelize in America because of a fear of rejection or people judging me but this week God totally delivered me from those chains that were keeping me from being bold. After DTS is over I am going to continue to go out in my hometown of Charlotte and just take every chance to preach the gospel message to anyone I come in contact with. In Mark 16:15 the Bible says "go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." This verse doesn't mean all the world except your own country, but literally ALL the world, including America! God is SO GOOD and He did above and beyond all I could have expected in Portland. The week was awesome and it only made me even more excited for my upcoming trip to South Africa!
I went out that night in a group of four and we had a really cool experience. We talked to this one guy and come to find out he was a christian but was really discouraged in his walk with the Lord. He told us his whole life story and we discovered that he was originally from Ethiopia and he had moved his whole family to America so his kids could attend university. He was struggling to find a job and just seemed a little hopeless. We were able to pray for him and encourage him. The best part of the story is that he told us that he had a dream that four people would come up to him on Halloween and be an encouragement. We were so amazed that God allowed for our group to fulfill that dream and bring a little light into this mans life!
Thursday we had another day full of evangelism and worked with an awesome ministry that night in the city. We walked around Portland that evening in groups. Some groups did prayer walks and other groups were the literal hands and feet of Jesus and just served homeless people and blessed them. God is doing some crazy things in Portland and it was so awesome to witness all sorts of healings, lives being changed forever, and just seeing the light of Jesus brought into such a dark place. We saw prostitutes get saved, people on the street get healed, and all sorts of people touched throughout the week. God was moving in mighty and powerful ways and I loved every second of it!
Throughout the week I realized that America needs the gospel message just as much as other countries do. Sometimes I find it hard to evangelize in America because of a fear of rejection or people judging me but this week God totally delivered me from those chains that were keeping me from being bold. After DTS is over I am going to continue to go out in my hometown of Charlotte and just take every chance to preach the gospel message to anyone I come in contact with. In Mark 16:15 the Bible says "go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." This verse doesn't mean all the world except your own country, but literally ALL the world, including America! God is SO GOOD and He did above and beyond all I could have expected in Portland. The week was awesome and it only made me even more excited for my upcoming trip to South Africa!
Shelby, I love reading your blogs. I know God is doing great things for you, in you, and through you. You will have such amazing stories to tell, and wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. Never allow the fear of rejection to keep you from being a light for Him and telling others about him. Remember, they are not rejecting you, they are rejecting Jesus, which is so sad. I love you my sweet Shelby Lou Who!! Can't wait to hear from you.
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