May 2024 Newsletter: Serving Hope In Jesus, Overcoming Challenges
As we enter another season of serving our communities, we're excited to share the latest updates from our mission field in Detroit, Kalamazoo, and Benton Harbor. Your steadfast support enables us to spread the Gospel in practical ways such as build meaningful relationships, offer discipleship, extend prayers of hope, serve meals, and provide shelter for those often overlooked.
The warmer weather brings new opportunities to share the love of Jesus and serve:
Street ministry becomes easier
Each Summer, we serve more meals with the kids out of school and naturally there are more opportunities to do so
Partnerships with other churches and non-profit organizations to throw block parties and community events
Higher rate of baptisms since we bring the baptism pool outside into the neighborhood
Benton Harbor
We are taking interns to help with luncheon outreach
You can help sponsor an intern for $50 per month
Kalamazoo
We’d like to share a heart warming story. A couple, seeking nothing but water, found themselves at the front steps of Vanguard Church. There, we offered them water and hot coffee. To everyone's surprise, it would turn out to be more than something to drink.
As we took time to listen to what the couple shared, they trusted us enough to share more about what was really going on in their lives. We soon realized, this was no ordinary situation and felt led by God to do something. Finally, they had a safe place to rest, shower, eat, and just be.
They joined our services at Vanguard Church and we could visibly see a newness on our new friends -- a profound transformation! They found solace and refuge being in fellowship with community and rediscovered their relationship with the Lord.
Today, we are overjoyed to share that they have made remarkable progress from when we first met, from fear and despair to hope and peace. They have begun to rebuild their lives with clear minds, return back to where they're from and reunite with their young children, focus on a gameplan, and secure employment. Their journey is a testament to the power of hope and the transformative impact of encountering the Kingdom.
As we continue our mission to advance the Kingdom of God in urban areas, let us draw inspiration from stories like these. This is why your support is crucial. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of others and bring hope to the darkest of circumstances.
Detroit
Recently, a new young woman showed up in our ministry house. She was escorted by a man we have known for over five years. She slowly began to reveal her story, encouraged by others who told her that we were trustworthy.
She had been moved across many states by men she thought she could trust and now found herself in our neighborhood, disoriented and unsure about how to proceed. We introduced her to our female staff, who gently showed interest in her life and inquired about how we could help.
A few days later, a crisis occurred, and she reached out to our female leaders, who acted quickly in finding her a safe place to stay and some prayerful guidance. Since then, we have been able to guide her in growing in her faith, as well as progress toward her stability and maturity.
This is a great example of how our presence in the neighborhood and trust opens doors for us to minister the good news of Jesus to people living on the margins of society.
Point of Prayer Requests
1. Benton Harbor - A gentleman, seeking to leave behind his involvement in gang life, has shown potential to become a strong local leader. He is currently engaged in street ministry. However, he is now facing potential jail time and could benefit from our prayers.
2. Kalamazoo - There are a few people we have been pouring into. Pray they would continue to take the steps they need to be shaped into the next generation of indigenous leaders.
3. Detroit - A single mother with four children is experiencing challenges raising her family. Her six-year-old was having seizures and just got out of the hospital -- she is one of our leaders and needs help caring for her family.
Text to Pray #: +1(313) 913-1065
With a steadfast presence in the communities we serve, UAN cultivates trust, and offers spiritual guidance to change hearts, minds, and bring forth freedom in Jesus’ name!
Your continued support enables us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those in need, demonstrating the transformative power of compassion and meeting people where they're at.