“River of Life Mission is Closed!” was the headline story from April 2022. But, nothing could be further from the truth! There is nothing more enticing in this world than a dramatic headline being smashed, and the truth coming out. But, when the truth is a miraculous story, full of hope, then the truth puts a smile on all of our faces that can last for weeks. We hope that this letter brings a huge smile to your face in the midst of the daily bombardment of devastating news. Today we bring you a message of hope and the true story of how an entrepreneurial spirit can make a positive impact all across our beautiful islands.
35 years and 12 million meals later, River of Life Mission is now serving the homeless community at mobile HUB spots all over Oahu. To put it simply, we have gone from 1 location with hundreds of volunteers in April of 2022, to now in 2024, 80 HUB spot events all over Oahu, with thousands of volunteers! It has been nothing short of miraculous.
We have dedicated ourselves to working in partnership with the local churches, ministries, businesses, families and service providers – in a decentralized model that aims to meet the needs of those living in the desperation of the streets. But our new plan brings thousands of more volunteers to the table – people with hearts of compassion, ministering into their own communities. Broad engagement with the homeless is happening at the HUBs, and is being paired with a Road to Redemption pathway that is robustly laid out to help HUB leaders and volunteers lead someone away from the streets.
We wanted to share two brief stories that showcase what God is doing through the River of Life Mission:
About two years ago, a man named Dave started coming to one of our longest standing HUBs. Dave didn’t want to talk to anyone, and he expressed very little interest in God. But after months of coming to the HUB, and walking away with a hot meal, Dave asked one of the HUB leaders, “Do you think we could create a space where people could sit down and eat and just talk?” Sounds so simple, but for this HUB, Dave inspired a whole new way of doing things. Eventually Dave went from grabbing a meal and leaving as fast as possible, to sitting down just to talk. From there Dave accepted Jesus, got baptized in front of all his friends at the HUB, and we just got word that Dave went on to start working on a farm, living in his own place. Just recently, Dave moved home to be reunited with his biological family. Praise God!
The second story shows the impact of HUBs, even on our volunteer leaders. Uncle Barry serves the homeless all over Oahu, but one day at a HUB as he was helping lead, he met a young woman who was homeless. After hearing her first name he asked, “What is your last name?” When she told him, he said “I think I went to high school with your father!” Well sure enough he did, and she broke down weeping. He said, “Why are you crying?” and she answered, “My father is in the hospital”. So, Uncle Barry went to visit his high school friend he hadn’t seen in 40 years and they reconnected in the hospital, over tears of joy. Now Uncle Barry is walking with his high school friend through cancer. All connected at a humble little HUB where people can connect and share their story and life. God brings another restored relationship leading to hope.
So, to remind everyone who may have been confused by the false news story, the River of Life Mission is definitely not closed! We are doing more than ever before. Our mobile model is working, and we are reaching about 2,500 people each and every week, which is roughly half of the estimated homeless population on the island. We have over 585 different ministry and wrap around services going out every week, through the multiplication ministry of the HUBs. In the past two years, River of Life has been able to transition over 200 people off the streets.
Through the curriculum we created, we are now helping this mobile model expand by reigniting a wave of compassion in other missions, organizations, churches and individuals around the world. Thank you so much for joining us to see significant change in a landscape many have given up on. Your support, even today, will encourage us and compel us forward, to transform even more lives for the better.
Aloha and Mahalo!
Pastor Paul Gates, Executive Director & Rann Watumull, Board Chair
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