Our Stories
Intentional Relationships through StreetWorks
By Joanne Lambden
A few weeks ago I was sitting at a table and one of the ladies was delighted to be eating her first home-cooked meatballs in many years. She described them as a ‘treat’ and 'absolutely delicious'. It was heart-warming to hear her words.
On these cold nights at The Lounge (our brick-and-mortar base for Streetworks), we are regularly seeing 30 to 40 people come for a meal. Some leave quickly with a take away container to get back to camp to secure their site for the night ahead of them, but some stay!
We now have a regular group of about 15 to 25 people who stay for ‘couch time’ after the meal. This is a time of sharing from God’s Word and praying for and encouraging those who attend. If you were at the Sunday service a few weeks ago, you would have witnessed Mark's baptism. Mark had been invited to StreetWorks breakfast by Sid, who has been on the beach for a few years. Mark was going through a rough time and, supported by the volunteers at StreetWorks, started attending The Lounge. First it was meals and companionship, but soon he was attending the Bible study on a Tuesday night. And after forty years in the wilderness, he found the Lord. There has been great celebration amongst the men.
We have over 70 volunteers involved in the running of StreetWorks to provide for those who are living rough. Here's what they get up to:
It's an incredible ministry, and our volunteers are absolutely amazing. Thank you so much to all who are involved. The work is growing, and God is supplying.
If supporting people living on the margins is something you have experience in, or God has led you to, please speak to Jo Lambden or John Dearden. We are commencing a new round of mentoring for Christian volunteers in this ministry, a prerequisite for volunteering with Street Works. This mentoring is based on the work of Mark Matthews and Toby Baxter that has now been placed in print in their book ‘Ordinary Mentoring for extra-ordinary transformation’, a form of God’s mission in the hands of ordinary people.
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16 ESV
On these cold nights at The Lounge (our brick-and-mortar base for Streetworks), we are regularly seeing 30 to 40 people come for a meal. Some leave quickly with a take away container to get back to camp to secure their site for the night ahead of them, but some stay!
We now have a regular group of about 15 to 25 people who stay for ‘couch time’ after the meal. This is a time of sharing from God’s Word and praying for and encouraging those who attend. If you were at the Sunday service a few weeks ago, you would have witnessed Mark's baptism. Mark had been invited to StreetWorks breakfast by Sid, who has been on the beach for a few years. Mark was going through a rough time and, supported by the volunteers at StreetWorks, started attending The Lounge. First it was meals and companionship, but soon he was attending the Bible study on a Tuesday night. And after forty years in the wilderness, he found the Lord. There has been great celebration amongst the men.
We have over 70 volunteers involved in the running of StreetWorks to provide for those who are living rough. Here's what they get up to:
- Volunteer at the Tuesday and Thursday half day respite times at The Lounge in Torquay, welcoming people, listening to their stories , providing a warm drink, a snack, a tent or blanket or other supplies they may need that day
- Food runs to Aldi
- Cleaning and clearing out expired food from our fridges and freezers
- Setting up the Lounge every Monday ready for the evening meal (three of our participants do this!)
- Our faithful ‘spiritual parents’ (about 8-10 of them), who minister in prayer and the Word and other intensive supports to our participants (helping find accommodation, transport, referral to other services that can help across a wide range of issues, trips to medical appointments and helping make appointments especially for teeth and eyes)
- Life Group teams that cook on roster for 30-40 people every six weeks, in order to provide these home cooked meals. Around 50 people all up contribute to this
- The wonderful volunteer couple (from another Church) who have started coming every week to wash dishes in our little kitchen for the Monday evening meal
- One of our volunteers faithfully manages our ‘supplies’ room - handling steady amounts of bedding, hygiene items, back packs, food items, swags, tents and tarps as well as some clothing to make sure we are organised and able to assist emergency and ongoing needs of those we serve.
- Our new ‘hairdresser’ who comes once a month to trim hair
- Those who quietly leave food and hygiene supplies at the shelves at Church to help re-stock our pantry of emergency supplies (including people from other Churches)
- Those who volunteer at the Tuesday early morning breakfast at Torquay Foreshore for those sleeping rough on the beaches, in cars and in boarding rooms.
- A group of regular donors who have committed to support the work financially over the long haul
It's an incredible ministry, and our volunteers are absolutely amazing. Thank you so much to all who are involved. The work is growing, and God is supplying.
If supporting people living on the margins is something you have experience in, or God has led you to, please speak to Jo Lambden or John Dearden. We are commencing a new round of mentoring for Christian volunteers in this ministry, a prerequisite for volunteering with Street Works. This mentoring is based on the work of Mark Matthews and Toby Baxter that has now been placed in print in their book ‘Ordinary Mentoring for extra-ordinary transformation’, a form of God’s mission in the hands of ordinary people.
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16 ESV
Posted in Our Stories