Water Street Life

It's a family thing!

maria.rosas@waterstreetministries.org — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:43:16 GMT

Saturday morning Nase* (9) asked if he can pray for the meal. As he bowed his head, there was a hush over the cafeteria, and Nase spoke to Jesus. The words were personal and tender. As he finished, his sparkling eyes and wall to wall smile indicated his satisfaction and pleasure in speaking to God.

That morning I took an opportunity to chat with Nase. As we sat, he continued to be a blessing. He has attended camp three times. I asked him if he knew the Lord. He quickly responded, "the first time I came to camp, I didn't understand. The second time I came and understood but wasn't sure. When I went home, I talked to my mother and she said, "When we go to church, next time, if the God speaks to your heart, then respond by going forward and making things right with Him." He did! He then looked up and said, "That is why I love to talk and thank God."

The sparkle in the eyes and smile certainly indicated that he was talking to his close and dear friend, Jesus. It's a family affair!

Vinny Mikusow- Camp Director

*name changed to protect identity

Changed 2012: William's Story

jsmith — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:18:42 GMT

Hungry for more...

maria.rosas@waterstreetministries.org — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:21:52 GMT

Its very difficult at times to get young youth involved in any church activity. They usually think that "church stuff" it's boring and not fun. However, on wednesday nights, my church has a program called 'Calvary Clubs' where the children learn character traits from the word of God. The lord has blessed me in having a van full attend almost every wednesday night and for that I'm a grateful!! The last two weeks they have been preparing for a play and the children had to be at church by 10am on a Saturday morning. They gave up their Saturday morning to be there! The first week we had 6 and the second week we had 8 and all eight attended sunday night and we even had one mom come and be with us! :-)

Thank you Lord for blessing us with wonderful youth that are hungry for more of you!

Alex Mikusow- York, Field Director

Take a Break Tuesday: 5/8/12

maria.schaszberger@waterstreetministries.org — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:58:36 GMT

We're excited to introduce you to Carol. Her story is the latest in our "Changed" Spring Campaign, an effort to inspire people to continue changing lives.

"My daughter and I were living with my mother when my mother was admitted to the hospital. We soon learned that she would be moving into a nursing home rather than coming back home. Then the news came that to continue living in my mother's home, I needed to pay a large sum of money. I didn't have it, so my 13-year-old daughter moved in with her father, and I came here to the Water Street Mission.

At one point, the Mission was not where I wanted to be! I was depressed most of the time. Then came the point that if I did not do something to help my journey move forward, I would be out on the street. If I ever wanted my daughter back someday, being on the street wasn't an option.

So I did something! I started a work readiness program, and I’ve been learning to stand on my own two feet. During my stay at the Mission, I’ve learned that God loves me and will care for me even when I mess up. I’ve also learned to ask God for help rather than try to solve my problems on my own. I have grown a lot since then and have seen myself change for the better. With God’s help, I am going to keep going forward.

During my stay I have been job hunting and have had some success. My level of confidence when applying for jobs and presenting for interviews has grown. All my experiences here are teaching me to persevere and build my determination to make something of myself. With God by my side, I am never alone on my journey."

Thank you for helping individuals like Carol in their journey out of homelessness. Because of you, lives are changing. We hope you'll check back each week this Spring for new stories that inspire each of us to keep changing lives.

We'd love to hear from you, too. How has your life been impacted by partnering with Water Street Ministries? Click here to learn how to submit your own story.

Take a Break Tuesday: 5/1/12

maria.schaszberger@waterstreetministries.org — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:23:33 GMT

We're excited to share Ashley's poem with you. It's the newest story in our "Changed" Spring Campaign, an effort to inspire each other to keep changing lives.

Tall like the roof top, away in these walls.
I surrender myself to you.
Each passing day turns into nights,
I see the bright city lights,
hoping one day I’ll be there soon.
I do the things asked of me by others.
I surrender myself to you, to show me my way,
But yet I yearn for that day to be free,
to have my life outside these walls,
but until then and after,
I surrender myself to you to help me through.

Thank you for helping Ashley, and others like her here at the Water Street Mission, in her journey to move out of homelessness! Because of you, lives are changing. We hope you'll check back each week this Spring for new stories that inspire each of us to keep changing lives.

We'd love to hear from you, too. How has your life been impacted by being involved here at Water Street Ministries? Click here to learn more.

The Lord is Always Prepared

maria.schaszberger@waterstreetministries.org — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Sometimes non-English speaking patients arrive at Water Street Health Services. We may not be ready ahead of time to translate, but the Lord is always prepared. We’ve been blessed by the “right” volunteer at our window who “just happened” to speak Japanese; the nurse volunteer who mid-sentence switched from English to French and brought a smile to her patient’s face; the person standing nearby who overheard an Arabic conversation and politely approached to ask if he could be of help.

Thank You, precious Father, for bridging the potential communication gap as only the Living Word can. Thank you for helping us to meet needs that otherwise might not be acknowledged.

- WSHS staff

How great is our God

maria.rosas@waterstreetministries.org — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:37:41 GMT

Back in October, God brought me a young girl name Mary*. She had the sweetest smile and a huge hope for love and acceptance. God quickly gravitated her to me, the more I got to know her, the more I sensed her need and desire for a mothers love and influence and for God’s love and forgiveness.
Her biological mother lives and works in another state and comes down once a month or so to see her. Whenever Mary* talks about her mother I can hear the longing in her voice and desire her eyes to just be with her and know she is loved by her. As heart wrenching as this is, I also learned that Mary* not only longed for love but lived in constant fear; fear of God’s judgment, sin , death, hell and satan. All of this caused Mary* to open up; she was desperate for God; to know Him and to be accepted by Him.
Through Teen Haven girls program called, “Out Of Darkness”, 1 Peter 2:9, and our new bible study titled, “Discipleship”, Matthew 28:19, Mary* is finding not just the love of a mother but the surpassing love of Christ. She is learning about His ultimate display of love, His tremendous act of forgiveness and His exchange for our sins and His righteousness!
At the Teen Haven York center, she is often reminded that God is greater than sin, greater then satan, that she is now a partaker of His holiness and has escaped His wrath, not because of anything she’s done, but because His great love toward her! She is growing in her understanding of His grace and finding true love!

Mary's* story humbles me and reminds me of this scripture found in our book of life:

“31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns?
Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31-39”

Thankful for Mary* and His Grace,
Diana, Teen Haven York – Girls Program Coordinator

*names changed to protect identity

How Have You Been Blessed?

maria.schaszberger@waterstreetministries.org — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:07:42 GMT

We just heard from our good friend Judy Hoover who volunteers at the Lydia Center. She shared something that was so inspiring. She said, "I love being involved at the Lydia Center in the ladies' hard work of CHANGE from what was normal to a NEW normal. Thank you for this blessed opportunity."

That's what our "Changed" Spring Campaign is all about -- inspiring each other to keep up the work of changing lives! How have you been impacted through the ministries of Water Street? How have you been blessed? Share it with us and keep the inspiration flowing! Comment on this blog post, post it on the WSM Facebook page or email us at Contact@WaterStreetMinistries.org. We welcome video submissions, too!

Changed 2012: Wonder Club Thank You

jsmith — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:02:45 GMT

Changed 2012: Victoria's Story

jsmith — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:00:13 GMT

Victoria shares her thanks for Water Street Health Services (a ministry of Water Street), where she received treatment for her diabetes at a time when she was jobless and couldn't afford treatment. Health Services is funded by Lancaster County residents.

Thank you, WSHS volunteers!

maria.schaszberger@waterstreetministries.org — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:30:00 GMT

It's National Volunteer Appreciation Week!

May our faithful providers be blessed abundantly for their gifts of service each week to our Medical, Dental, and Behavioral clinics here at Water Street Health Services. In addition to the time they invest with us, these volunteers also work full- and part-time jobs, attend school, minister in their respective churches, go on mission trips and take care of their own families. Pray for them to be refreshed and renewed each day. Pray they would continue to boast in the Lord, and that their service would bring Him highest praise and glory. We are grateful for these servants’ hearts, hands, feet and minds. Their commitment is essential in helping to serve the hurting in our community.

- WSHS Staff

Changed 2012: Sue's Story

jsmith — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:39:15 GMT

Changed 2012: Jack's Story

jsmith — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 08:54:04 GMT

Changed: Sue's Story

maria.schaszberger@waterstreetministries.org — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 11:46:21 GMT

Hello! My name is Sue. Although my story is unique it is very common with many others here at Water Street Ministries. When I arrived at the Water Street Mission, I was like many others: broken spiritually. I believed there is a God, but I was very angry and withdrawn from Him.

After months of self-evaluation and reflection I have learned to forgive myself as well as others. I have surrendered all of my burdens to the Lord and am striving to be less selfish and more selfless. I thank Water Street, all of the Women’s Counselors and all of the people I’ve met here for helping me to become the person I am today.

Thanks for reading. We hope you'll check back each week this Spring for new stories that inspire each of us to keep changing lives. We'd love to hear from you, too. How has your life been impacted by being involved here at Water Street Ministries? Click here to learn more.

Changed 2012: Dr. Strause

jsmith — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:54:46 GMT