You don't need to spend much time with Kevin before you discover that his heart has been softened by the impact of God's grace upon his life. In fact, many of his homeless and addicted neighbors in the Downtown Eastside affectionately refer to him as "the weeping preacher".
The first time Kevin attended Tenth Oct 7th 2007, he sat timidly like most newcomers in the back row of the pews . That Sunday a missionary Craig Greenfield with Servants To Asia's Urban Poor (SERVANTS) was the guest speaker. He shared about the need for more missionaries amongst Cambodia's urban poor living in slums. Tears streamed from Kevin's eyes as he sensed Jesus say, "I'm calling you to this."
Soon after this, Kevin became actively involved in both the mission life here at Tenth and with SERVANTS. He gained missiological and theological training through courses offered at Tenth and through an eight-month internship with SERVANTS.
In July of 2010, Kevin will be moving to Cambodia as a missionary with SERVANTS living amongst the urban poor. Already, Kevin has become a wonderful link between Tenth and our ministry partners in Cambodia. We look forward to seeing how this partnership continues to deepen over the coming years. Kevin recently returned from his second trip to Cambodia in which he co-led the latest Tenth missions trip and spent more time with the SERVANTS Cambodia team. During his first trip he spent three months living with a Cambodian host family in a Phnom Penh shantytown and ministering alongside the SERVANTS Cambodia team.
Even though Kevin has ultimately felt God calling him to Cambodia, he's learned to see everywhere as a mission field. So for the past year Kevin has been serving as a full-time missionary with the SERVANTS Vancouver team, living and ministering in the Downtown Eastside (DTES). Due to the poverty of loneliness that is rampant throughout the DTES, their main form of ministry has been offering hospitality to those neighbors that are not normally the recipients of welcome. The community tries to see through God's eyes and scripture that is held dear amongst them is Ezekiel 37 Dry Bones " So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet-a vast army. "
Every evening neighbors join Kevin and the SERVANTS Vancouver team at the dinner table. They gather together as family. Many miracles have occurred at the table as they watch the armour of the street melt in the presence of God's love. Another crucial ministry of hospitality is what Kevin calls Prehab. Prehab involves offering a bed and the 24/7 support of a Christian community to those attempting to remain clean and sober while they wait to be granted entry into rehabilitation programs. By God's grace numerous neighbors going through Prehab have come to accept Christ and live out God's purpose and plan for their lives.
As Tenth church let us encourage Kevin as he prepares with cultural and language study and continues his ministry in the DTES until his departure to Cambodia in July 2010.
Prayer Points:
For God to continue nurturing amongst our church family at Tenth a zeal for missions locally, with our ministry partners in Cambodia, and around the world.
Hudson Taylor once said, "God's work, done in God's way, never lacks God's supply." Pray for the Lord to provide for all of Kevin's financial and prayer support needs as he seeks to carry out God's work for him here in Vancouver and in Cambodia.
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