News from the Streets - June 2004
Greetings,
We call it "The invasion of the Gutter Punks". Every year, a group of youth who are a part of a larger nationwide movement called the gutter punks. They are between 14 and 25, they are anarchist, wear black outfits with white lettering with anarchistic messages. They are anti-social, prone to violence, keep to themselves, and have no dealings with any one else. They do not avail themselves of any social services, they eat out of garbage cans and dumpsters, and are filthy.
They come into Burlington every year for about 3 weeks then move on. they are an unreached group mostly. We do not know how to reach them, they won't even talk to us.
WCAX is reporting on the runaway youth problem here in Vermont. But what they have not reported about are the hundreds of runaway youth who are here from other states, who come into Burlington every summer and no one knows they are here. 40% of these kids come from Christian homes.
18 new drug dealers working the streets of Burlington this year. One of these dealers is a 14 year old girl who happens to be a runaway from Philadelphia. Hard drugs like heroin are more plentiful on the street than most are aware of. Lots of addicts some as young as 13. They need to get money somehow, they need a fix twice a day, so they sell their bodies.
Prostitution is growing in Burlington. They do not work the streets like most prostitutes in big cities, here in Burlington it is more hidden. As a professional photographer, who has a yellow page ad in the phone book, I get an average of 5 calls a month from young girls looking to pose nude for money to buy drugs. Since I don't take them up on their offer, you can bet other photographers do.
This coming Friday, we will be starting our summer outreach to these streets, to these people. We will kick off our outreach with a 24 hour prayer event downtown, asking God for souls this year, asking God to soften hearts, and to bring workers to a harvest that is begging to be picked.
Will you help us? Have an hour or two on Friday Nights? We could use prayer, we can use people who can build relationships with the people who hang out here, without judging them, but showing and telling them that God has not abandoned them, that He still loves them and wants them to come to Him.
Will you help us? An extra $25.00 will help us keep going, will help us keep up our supply of bibles and tracts.
We pray and beg God for revival to break out on the streets. We pray and beg for workers. Tonight, the Jehovah's Witnesses were out passing out there literature, the Mormons were out in force, as well as the Wiccans, the Satanist, the drug dealers and gang members who prey on the young and vulnerable.
Please remember us, 6 Soldiers of the Cross in spiritual battle on our streets for the souls of men. We could sure use some reinforcements!
Your Missionary to the Streets,
Dave
We call it "The invasion of the Gutter Punks". Every year, a group of youth who are a part of a larger nationwide movement called the gutter punks. They are between 14 and 25, they are anarchist, wear black outfits with white lettering with anarchistic messages. They are anti-social, prone to violence, keep to themselves, and have no dealings with any one else. They do not avail themselves of any social services, they eat out of garbage cans and dumpsters, and are filthy.
They come into Burlington every year for about 3 weeks then move on. they are an unreached group mostly. We do not know how to reach them, they won't even talk to us.
WCAX is reporting on the runaway youth problem here in Vermont. But what they have not reported about are the hundreds of runaway youth who are here from other states, who come into Burlington every summer and no one knows they are here. 40% of these kids come from Christian homes.
18 new drug dealers working the streets of Burlington this year. One of these dealers is a 14 year old girl who happens to be a runaway from Philadelphia. Hard drugs like heroin are more plentiful on the street than most are aware of. Lots of addicts some as young as 13. They need to get money somehow, they need a fix twice a day, so they sell their bodies.
Prostitution is growing in Burlington. They do not work the streets like most prostitutes in big cities, here in Burlington it is more hidden. As a professional photographer, who has a yellow page ad in the phone book, I get an average of 5 calls a month from young girls looking to pose nude for money to buy drugs. Since I don't take them up on their offer, you can bet other photographers do.
This coming Friday, we will be starting our summer outreach to these streets, to these people. We will kick off our outreach with a 24 hour prayer event downtown, asking God for souls this year, asking God to soften hearts, and to bring workers to a harvest that is begging to be picked.
Will you help us? Have an hour or two on Friday Nights? We could use prayer, we can use people who can build relationships with the people who hang out here, without judging them, but showing and telling them that God has not abandoned them, that He still loves them and wants them to come to Him.
Will you help us? An extra $25.00 will help us keep going, will help us keep up our supply of bibles and tracts.
We pray and beg God for revival to break out on the streets. We pray and beg for workers. Tonight, the Jehovah's Witnesses were out passing out there literature, the Mormons were out in force, as well as the Wiccans, the Satanist, the drug dealers and gang members who prey on the young and vulnerable.
Please remember us, 6 Soldiers of the Cross in spiritual battle on our streets for the souls of men. We could sure use some reinforcements!
Your Missionary to the Streets,
Dave
