Street Church is one of the main ministries young hope is involved with. This is an outreach ministry in downtown Houston in an area called the Montrose. The Montrose has an infamous reputation with a large homosexual population, drug abuse and violence. Some of the recent statistics for this area were as follows:

1500 street kids in Houston right now
95% will never leave the streets if they stay longer than a year.
85% have a drug problem
75% involved in prostitution or survival sex
12.5% HIV positive

Every Wednesday church is set up in a parking lot and up to 150 people will show up for a short service, games, food and clothes. People are prayed for, given opportunites to find work, get free from addictions and talk.

There is no fancy program, its simply about meeting people where they are at, sharing the hope and love of Jesus with them in a practical and real way. Each week we are amazed at the opportunity we have to share a small part of life with these people. Last week a guy showed up for the first time, he had no shoes or socks and it was cold. We are confronted each week by people who need to see the practical love of Jesus Christ, to see his kingdom lived out in a way that is relevant to them.

We also go down to the Montrose on Friday nights, walking the streets and alley ways trying to reach out to these people. It is an amazing priveledge to join Martin and Kim and Pastor Joe on both these occasions. Martin and Kim work with YWAM and together with Joe they have been working in this area for the last eight years.

Their work is about individuals. This isnt saving people from the streets by the masses. Its going after them one at a time, pouring into their lives in practical ways, confronting them with Jesus Christ. From a distance it probably looks a bit hopeless, most remain where they are, disapearing back into the alley ways and bars, but the pursuit continues week in, week out.

And there is hope.

Babies have been rescued, lives filled with addictions and bondage set free, people moved from the sidewalk into homes and from unemployment to meaningful work.