The Most Vulnerable Among Us Could Really Use Our Prayers

Disclaimer: I serve on the board of YWAM San Francisco and so my heart is tied up in the wonderful work the YWAMers do there in the Tenderloin area of the city. I am going to encourage you to pray and even support their vital work.

So I saw this video of an eerily empty and somehow peaceful San Francisco last week. The soundtrack helps it seem peaceful and not like the aftermath of the rapture or something.

I’m grateful that so many people are able to take shelter and be safe. I’m glad so many can do their part to flatten the curve of COVID-19. I’m grateful that these empty streets mean that lives will likely be saved. I’m praying that soon they’ll fill up again with hustle and bustle. I pray that soon people will have a new found appreciation for the everyday pleasures of walking the streets without masks and without having to create a six foot bubble.

However, It’s Not So Tranquil Everywhere

Sadly, taking shelter isn’t possible for everyone. My coworkers at Youth With A Mission San Francisco are seeing this first hand. Here’s what their street looks like:

These are difficult times for our most vulnerable. But YWAM San Francisco has not closed its doors to their neighbors. Their drop-in center is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. It focuses solely on hygiene for four guests at a time. Guests can use the bathroom and even get a shower. Thank God, because being clean is critical to staying healthy. Guests receive hygiene kits, antibacterial wipes, and a cup of soup to go. YWAM staff are vigilantly using masks and gloves and are taking other safety measures.

On Thursdays, YWAM has traditionally offered a food pantry for 300 or so neighbors to come and pick out some much needed fruits and vegetables. Now YWAMers are pre-packing bags that the needy can come and pick up at the door.

This Is a Time for Us to Pray and a Time for Us to Give

Please join me in prayer for those that YWAM San Francisco are serving. Pray for health. Pray for safety, especially since things are tense. Pray for YWAM staff to be healthy. Pray for funds to be able to provide these vital services.

And here’s where you can be part of the answer to these prayers. Consider giving a donation to YWAM San Francisco to help them meet the basic needs of the unhoused. If you’re a US citizen and you are able, you could even give all or a portion of the stimulus check you’ll receive from the government later this month.

Click below to learn more about YWAM San Francisco’s Restoration Initiatives and then join Kay Charlotte and I in giving generously.