A Plea For Help For Dallas International Street Church By Pastor Karen Dudley

On any given day or night, we have drug dealers and users, prostitutes, mentally ill, formerly incarcerated, broken families and broken people stopping by our church for a hot meal, clothing, a place to lay their head, and the love of Jesus.  We are a 24 hour spot that they come to for refuge.   We also pick up men and women from the streets and …

 

Greetings in the Name of Jesus,
 
As stated in an  article in the June 24, 2008, edition of the Dallas Morning News, Section A, page 12A,  entitled, “Make South Dallas Grand Again”, it was voiced that,  “Over the past 15 years, repeated studies by top development experts have concluded that South Dallas and Fair Park have high potential for success.”  It also stated that “overcoming endemic mistrust is among the biggest challenges to transforming South Dallas.  Investors are reluctant to putting money into development projects that risk being swallowed up by existing pockets of poverty and decay.”  I believe this article can also be viewed on line at dallasnews.com.

 

When the Dallas International Street Church moved our church to one of these “pockets of decay” – 2706 Second Ave., (about ½ mile south of Fair Park)one year ago, on July 1, 2007,   -  we had no idea,  truly,  about the reality of the extent of the poverty and decay which is prevalent in our area.  We have recently completed a survey, in our effort to assess the damage (as in Nehemiah), and found that there are 90 boarded up houses within a one mile radius of our church – many of which have been turned into crack houses and the like.  Our dream for our community is that it be totally healed and that we will be a part of the “building of the old wastes and raising up the former desolations, and repairing of the waste cities, and the desolations of many generations. (Isaiah 61:1-4).   We are believing to see families restored, healed and delivered, in homes of their own, working to take care of their children, becoming productive members of society and becoming all that God intended them to be. 
 
On any given day or night, we have drug dealers and users, prostitutes, mentally ill, formerly incarcerated, broken families and broken people stopping by our church for a hot meal, clothing, a place to lay their head, and the love of Jesus.  We are a 24 hour spot that they come to for refuge.   We also pick up men and women from the streets and downtown daily for our church services. Most of the people that we bring in end up spending the night and we take them back to their destination the next morning.  This is an ever increasing number, in that the new homeless facility, which the city has just completed, called “The Bridge” sleeps about 100 inside and 250 outside.  We feed the people three meals a day.  All other ministries can no longer minister to the people downtown because they want all the “homeless” to gather in one area!  
 
In the meantime, we are feeding approximately 1500 hot meals a week, giving out food boxes, clothing, furniture, residential discipleship to 25 men and women, life skills training through our jobs programs (moving, lawn service, car washes & detailing, donation tables, construction remodeling), Bible studies, an official AA/NA meeting beginning July 7, 2008  and a Legal Clinic headed up by Attorney Tom Mill.

I went to The Bridge last week .  What I saw were 100′s of people lying  and  sitting around like zombies.  They do have a library, computers, and several social service agencies available for the people.  The City is truly trying to make a difference – there are just so many devastated people – it is hard to meet the needs.   In my opinion, a couple of components that are missing with this $22 million facility is that they do not have near enough space and  there is no spiritual restoration going on, which in the long-term is the only way out.  As we know, knowing Jesus as our personal Savior instills in us a new Hope for a better day – an incentive to try once again!  (I plan to contact the head of this effort to see if we can start conducting services there!)

The Dallas International Street Church, Dallas, has been placed, by God, I believe, in the heart of this most desolate place!  I believe that many people may look at our ministry and our people as “hopeless.”  However, I am positive God does not see us as Hopeless!!!  I want to assure you today, dear friend, past partners and present partners, the Vision that God placed in my heart 15 years ago for His broken people to be restored back to life again has never wavered.  In fact, I believe today, more than ever, that God is raising up an army from the streets and byways of the inner cities of America that will be unstoppable for Him.   I have seen, over the years, 100′s and maybe thousands come and go – many of whom  have come through our ministry and have gone on from the streets to productive lives.  All Glory to God!  I wish I had the space to share with you some of the powerful testimonies of lives changed.  I will try to get them on our website soon so that you can view first hand what God has done!
 
All and all, dear friend, if you are a past supporter, a present supporter, or a friend that God has laid us on your heart, we need your prayers and financial support now more than ever.     YOU CAN BE PART OF THIS ARMY, IF NOT IN PERSON, THEN WITH YOUR PRAYERS AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.  Your investment in the people who come through the Dallas International Street Church is Good Ground!!!   They are redeemable through the Blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ!!!
 
As you know, and may be experiencing, the economy is down, but His healing work must go on and HIS economy is never down!    I have personally experienced over the years, the more I give, the more He gives back!  Even in the hard times!!!!  Would you prayerfully consider what you can do today to help us keep on keeping on?  We have many needs right now and I am appealing to you, the Body of Christ, to help us.  You may go on line to our website, www.kdministries.org, and donate through our secure PayPal account, or you may put a check in the mail to Dallas International Street Church, P.O. Box 50601, Dallas, Texas 75250.  No amount is too small or too large – $10, $20, $50, $100 – they all add up for His Glory.