About two months ago, during our weekly senior adult gathering, Jeff Chadwick, our Executive Director, shared a message from God’s Word about prayer. Afterwards one of our seniors, who goes by the name of ‘Bones’, asked Jeff to pray for him because he was physically weak and emotionally and spiritually drained. 
When asked why, Bones explained that he had been doing everything he could to help the homeless in the community near our Gano Mission Center. He believed he was under spiritual attack for trying to bring hope in Christ to those who seemed to have no hope. After a time of prayer they agreed to meet again in a few days.
Believing that the Lord sent Bones to Mission Centers of Houston to help extend our reach to the homeless in the Near Northside, Jeff and Bones (on the right in the photo) began formulating a plan. Jeff would do what God instructs pastors to do: “to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). Bones – knowing who needed help, where they were, and how to reach them – would carry out the ministry work he is uniquely equipped to do.
The first step was to put out the word to our ministry partners to begin gathering basic necessities and warm weather gear for Bones to distribute as a gesture of God’s love. Several men’s Bible study groups gathered and purchased shoes and socks, sleeping bags and pads, hats and gloves. Woodlands First Baptist Church did a church wide ‘cover the cold, drive and provided us with coats, shoes, socks, backpacks, one-man tents, hats, gloves, socks and hand warmers. Mission Centers’ food pantries provided food, coffee and toiletries; and Bones’ old truck was used to take food and necessities to the homeless, most often during the wee hours of the morning.
As Bones encountered old friends (he was once homeless himself) and made new ones he provided transportation for those who found walking to the Gano Mission Center too difficult. There they received warm clothes, a new backpack, new socks and shoes, and most importantly, a message of hope that the Lord had not forgotten them.
We thank God for this most unexpected Christmas gift – a man by the name of ‘Bones’ and the hope he is helping us to bring to some of the most marginalized people in Houston. Please keep him and this ministry in your prayers as we continue to reach many with the hope of Christ. We have begun distributing Bibles and are in hopes of getting a Bible study/fellowship group started soon.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:16-17, NASB)
