Exactly one year ago today my mother walked out on my dad after 23 years of marriage. If you would have known anything about my parents you would have never imagined my mother leaving. My mother was a professing Christian who always taught me how sacred the vow of marriage is. Because of what my mother did my view of marriage had been changed. Somehow I had gotten to this place where I thought all marriages would soon fail no matter how hard you tried, because eventually someone would decide that being married and taking a vow wasn’t really worth…

We just had a full week with 8 college students from Bryan College. It was interesting to see their reactions to all that we do and all who we serve. I was very encouraged to see how united and joyful they approached each task. I was filled with a new thanksgiving about where I am and the privilege it is to serve here. God has been giving me more and more peace as each day goes by. Not the type of peace that makes one complacent, but that kind of peace that leaves me free to love boldly for Jesus’…

A couple of weeks ago was the first time I went to a parking lot where City of Refuge has been serving which lets families stay in their cars overnight when they have no where else to go. We bring them food and spend time with them on Thursday nights, there I met        a girl called Priscilla who lives in a small car with her mom, and every time since that I have gone we play checkers with her plastic travel kit. and every single game she beats me, without fail. And it’s not like I go…

Every week we have a chance to work with the kids from the neighborhood and every week I’m amazed at the way the kids want to know more about Jesus. The Bible tells us to have faith like a child. I’ve always wondered what that means and now I know. It means believing with all your heart, trusting in God and God alone to fulfill your needs. It means not letting questions of “why?” and “how?” flood your mind but just accepting what the Bible tells us and loving Jesus with everything we have. -Savannah WWAM Student (Florida)

Last Saturday’s worship at the Warehouse was powerful. That morning I had felt very heavy-hearted for no apparent reason to myself. I started pondering the reality of hell and trusting God that many, many people will end up there; this caused a heartache that I know had no comparison to Jesus’ pain at those who refuse His love. I felt this heaviness all the way through the morning worship. But when David started praying and he rebuked the work of the devil and then we prayed for Jesus to take our burdens away.The Holy Spirit was moving and the whole atmosphere…

Since being at City of Refuge I have learnt a lot of things, more than I thought I would in this short space of time. I’ve learnt the importance of meeting people where they are at, whether it’s through learning their lives or just learning a few words of their language. I’ve learnt how simple acts can hugely impact someone who is hungry for kindness, and most beautifully I’ve learnt how God is the one who does these things through you. He calls us to show love to all people and even in the smallest things God’s love moves, it’s…

It’s about a month now that I live at the City of Refuge and I got to know a lot of really nice people. I’m happy that God placed me here, cause I already see how he’s changing me through this time. I see people that love God and actually do the things Jesus did while he was on earth, serving others. I see how they love the poor and I know that this love isn’t natural, it’s the love of our heavenly Father. I learn to take my cross upon me and follow Jesus. All honor belongs to Him, He…

My first two weeks at City of Refuge have been filled with new experiences, new people, and seeing new ways to serve those in need. I have never met people before who have such a heart for serving those in needs. You can tell as soon as you come here that everyone in the community loves Jesus and has a desire to show others Jesus’ love. I look forward to really stepping out of my comfort zone and helping people while showing them the love of Jesus. -Savannah WWAM Student (Florida)

Wow! I’ve only been here five days and so much has happened. I was thinking about it and at the City of Refuge about 20 people serve 1000! I have 7 wonderful housemates. I am so excited to get to know everyone!! I get to interact with so many different people, I hope God gives me the discernment when and how much to talk about Jesus. I want to talk about Him all the time, but I realize sometimes too much, too soon can be abrasive. I believe as I trust God more, He will make it more natural. The…

Beautiful, Messy and Full of Belonging I stole this title from a true friend of mine, Anna Hull, who was able to sum up my life here in San Diego better than I could have hoped to. Doing life with others…the painful parts, the funny parts, the parts that make you laugh so hard you look like a dork, the parts that make you wish you could just walk away, the parts that make it hurt to think of walking away, the parts that make you wonder why you ever did life any different than this—were ever scared of a…