Kenmore Alliance Church in Tonawanda, New York, partners with its daughter church, Grace Point Alliance, to serve the homeless community in Downtown Buffalo, handing out food, coffee, and toiletries in local parks. Through this ministry called Shelterless, the leader, Will Marcy, and numerous volunteers pray for and form relationships with many people—like Dave.
The “Save-Everybody” People
The first time Will and several volunteers encountered Dave, he was in a park with a few other men. He was living in a parking lot, and the housing his buddies had received from the county was so dilapidated that they preferred to live outside.
After talking with the group from Shelterless, Dave asked, “Are you the ‘save-everybody’ people?” When they said yes, he smiled and said, “Go on and save them. I’m OK.” Despite this initial response, the volunteers continued to meet with him in the park, and he frequently allowed them to pray with him.
One day, Dave approached Will and said, “See that guy? I have to fight with him after you leave. He was running his mouth, and I have to defend my reputation.”
“Can you help us pray for this other man first?” Will asked. “He’s struggling with depression.” Dave agreed. He prayed for the depressed man, the Shelterless volunteers, and the man with whom he was angry. After Dave finished his prayer, he picked up his things and left without fighting the man.
Soon after, Dave and a few others started jumping the turnstiles in the subway occasionally to come to Grace Point Alliance. They were at opposite ends of the line, but Dave and his friends still risked a fine to visit.
One day, Dave asked Will to pick him up that week. When Sunday came, Will couldn’t find Dave in the park, so he returned to the church.
Early on in the service, another formerly homeless man looked out the window and said, “Here he comes!” A few of the elders at the church ran out to meet Dave and found him drunk with a wounded leg. They brought him into church, and he explained, “I said I would come.” The elders bandaged his wound, and he cried while they prayed over him.
Fighter Turned Rescuer
The influence of members from Shelterless and Grace Point Alliance on Dave continued to grow as he met and prayed with them often. On one occasion, he was walking through the Amtrak train tunnel when he saw a girl beating another girl with a metal rod as a group looked on. They had taken her shoes so she couldn’t escape on the railroad bed.
Knowing the girl’s attackers might come after him as well, Dave risked his own safety to thwart the assault. He picked her up and carried her about a mile to a fire department, where she would be safe.
On another occasion, Dave was walking through the park when a fight broke out. He tried to mediate, and when the police came, Dave was able to give an accurate account of what occurred. As they were speaking, one of the officers asked him what church he attended. Dave said, “Why do you ask?” The officer replied, “It’s obvious. Jesus is pouring out of you!”
A Caring Church
Dave is one of many people whom Kenmore Alliance Church members have reached with the love of Christ. Their other ministries include Table of Grace, a soup kitchen that operates twice a month, and Clothe Me Co-Op, a ministry that distributes clothing and school supplies to hundreds of families in need.
Pray that the people of Kenmore Alliance Church will continue to be led by the Holy Spirit as their influence on their community grows and that more people like Dave will draw closer to their Savior as a result. Also, pray for Dave to fully surrender to Jesus.