July 2010
Dearly Beloved of Our Lord:
Summertime greetings from Portland. We have begun summer on a cool note but this often makes street ministry easier because a lot of Pacific northwesterners can melt away when the temperatures are above 85 degrees F.
Ron’s Testimony ~ One day while handing out calendar cards and greeting people at a street corner at Pioneer Square the Holy Spirit impressed me to “pay attention” to the people walking near me. He asked me to look at their body language, facial expressions, and their spiritual demeanor. Then He caused me to hear His voice saying: “Each one is valuable; each one is important to me.” As I responded to His prompting I sensed a change within my heart and a change in the way people were responding to me there at the street corner. He caused me to “pay attention” and understand that my inner heart’s condition, which is beyond words, is very important to the fruitfulness of each encounter which may involve words. Here are a couple of street stories from our times together at the Square in June.
STREET STORIES
As we sat together on the brick bench next to the MAX stop a young woman came up and said she knew us when we were pastoring at the Prince of Peace Fellowship in the late 70’s when she was 9 years old. She had walked by us many times at the Square over the years and on this day she wanted to tell us her testimony now that she has been free of drugs for twenty-two months. At first “Martha” acted like she was intruding on our “ministry time” but we invited her to linger a while and take her time because we wanted to hear her story. Listening is an important part of what we do – listening to the person and listening to the Holy Spirit.
She was of a mixed race, had been adopted by a Christian Family, and went to a private Christian School. She knew us from our relationship with the church which operated the school. We were also friends with her parents, one of whom taught at a local bible school. When she left the private Christian school and attended a public high school she faced many challenges which she did not have at the private school. As a freshman in a public high school “Martha” started to take drugs. She said she was unprepared for the temptation she experienced, left following the Lord, and found herself out from under His protection. At about seventeen she said that she left home and started a life of drugs and prostitution which lasted about twenty years. During this time she had been purposely cut on the face and the scars were clearly visible on her cheek. She showed us the scar where she had been stabbed in the jugular vein on her neck. And she had also been shot. Her life had clearly not gone well.
She said she only called on Jesus when she had a need and then forgot about Him when things calmed down. During the twenty years of drugs she prostituted herself to get the drugs. “Martha” told us that she would do almost anything to get the money for the drugs. She also ended up pregnant and had no idea who the father of her child was. She said that her parents adopted her baby and were presently raising her child. She lived in a motel room and all that she owned was in that room. Finally at 35 she surrendered her life to Jesus. She left everything, what little she had, and committed herself to a drug program. Now, at age 37, she has been clean for 22 months. She is now a part of a local Portland church with a recovery program for addicts. She has a job working with others who are in recovery from drugs. Her employment has allowed her to get off the streets and into a small apartment. She tells her story as a witness to others, both young and old, to warn them to not start taking drugs. She shares her testimony to help others to escape the life style that held her dangerously captive for about twenty years.
Please remember “Martha” and others like her in your prayers. You may not be aware of it but Portland is a major trafficking center for young girls, some as young as eleven or twelve. Once the pimps get a hold of them and work them to get them away from their homes, they end up in prostitution along such streets as 82nd Ave. which is nicknamed “The Blaze.” According to information from the Portland police, men come from all around the nation to trade in young girls being moved through Portland in the sex trafficking industry. We are so very thankful that this young woman finally got free and now we pray that she will stay free.
Karen’s Testimony ~ An older man came by who had a hunger for Jesus. He was of Catholic background and had certain beliefs which seemed to keep him in captivity to works and religion. He had some misconceptions for which I was giving him biblical answers. While I was talking to him a young man came up and asked for a tract. I asked if he knew Jesus. He said he had just received Him and had just been baptized in water. I talked to him about repentance and forgiveness and walking in the light. He said that it was the simplest and shortest message he had ever heard. He thanked me.
As I finished talking to the older man Ron came by to see if I needed any help. The man talked to the both of us for a while and we asked him if he would like prayer. So we spent some time praying with him and encouraging him in the Lord as we shared various appropriate scriptures. We took our time to “pay attention” and to hear what the man was saying and what the Holy Spirit impressed us to pray and share.
THANKFUL!
We are very, very thankful that our oldest son’s latest PET scan showed him continuing to be free of cancer. Thank you for your prayers for him and for encouraging him. His HVAC business Efficiency Heating & Cooling (hvacoregon.com ~ 503-698-5588) has been prospering and his family’s needs are being met.
We pray and hope that these testimonies are an encouragement to you. We believe that you go with us to the streets through your prayers, notes, gifts, and support. We, like so many others, have been experiencing difficult times financially but our enthusiasm for awakening and harvest in the Pacific Northwest and Portland has greatly increased. These difficult times are being used by God to prepare hearts to turn to Jesus in many ways. He is always there to respond when we cry out to Jesus with sincere and desperate hearts. He continues to encourage us to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness in all things and at all times. Thank you for your support. May this be your most fruitful summer ever!
~ Ron & Karen
E-mail: awakening1s@comcast.net
Home Page: awakening1s.net
church @ 24/7
Ron & Karen Rohman
PO Box 14292
PORTLAND OR 97293