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THE MESSENGER VAN
The Messenger Van ministry serves-up plates
of hot food and heaps of love and compassion as it hits the
streets of Portland every Saturday of the year. This team
of caring Christians offers a hot meal, a listening ear, prayer
for healing, a pair of shoes or coat, kindness, love and the
joy of the Lord.
Serving the homeless and needy on the streets
of Portland since 1993, the Messenger brings hope and hot
food wherever it stops. Partnering with Bridge of Faith Ministries,
Oregon Food Bank, Portland Foursquare Church and Southeast
Community Church, our interdenominational group of volunteers
shares the gift of Jesus with the city of Portland.

MESSENGER STATS:
Annual meal service: 5,000—the
number of plates served
3,700—the number of people helped
Volunteers:
25—the number of consistent volunteers
5—the average hours one volunteer works on a Saturday
1,800—the total volunteer hours each year
Join the team, catch the vision…say “Yes, Lord,
I will go.” To qualify, all you have to do is show up,
and we will find a job for you! Our volunteers range in age
from 8 to 80, and everyone has something to contribute. You
will be assigned a job that is suitable for your comfort level
and gifting. Although the thought of ministering to the homeless
is intimidating at first, we have found that everyone settles
in, has fun and is eager to come back to help again.
Check the news feed on our homepage for this
month’s dates and locations. Call 503-262-8080 or email
preciousdaughters@gmail.com
for more information. We also welcome donations of warm clothing,
socks, hats, blankets, funds, food and cooks.

TESTIMONY
I have been serving on the Messenger Van
since I was twelve years old; now I’m eighteen and heading
off to college. Over the last six years, I’ve learned
a lot from my experiences while feeding the homeless of Portland.
One of the most powerful things I have learned is that each
person I serve has a story. They are just as human as
anyone else I meet, with ideas, memories, and dreams.
Serving has also taught me about myself. I’ve
learned that I can be patient and calm even when my situation
is chaotic and unorganized. Feeding the homeless with
the Messenger Van is a great way to open your eyes to the
needs of your community and to open your arms to the hurt
and broken in a way that demonstrates the love and compassion
of Christ.
--Kurissa Jones, Portland, OR

I started going back to church this last
fall and when the temperature reached bitter cold this winter
I could not sleep thinking about the people on the street.
We had several sleeping bags I wanted to donate right away.
I got a list of ministries and Precious Daughters name seemed
to raise off the page. I made contact and felt joyful over
the call. The Precious Daughters go out and feed the homeless
out of a van, gosh, I thought that was different.
I have had many encounters with the homeless over the years
and they seem to always want only money to buy something they
drink out of a brown paper bag. I had so many questions about
the homeless; do they really want to know Jesus, are they
agitated, are they on drugs and the list went on and on. Precious
Daughters answered all of my questions without exception.
My first time out, people lined up for food; the crowd mostly
men, a few women, families and, to my surprise, dogs. I braced
myself for the worst as I walked among them calling out welcome
and passing out plastic utensils. I was overwhelmed by the
faces, stunned by the kindness, the patience of those waiting
in line for a beautifully prepared lunch. Who are these homeless
people? I have found that they are Marines, have been in the
Army, are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters,
artists, play music, sing songs, have lived in beautiful homes,
lived and worked on farms, have traveled, owned large corporations
and are people just like me. I thought I would just volunteer
for a two week trial but found myself working half days on
Saturdays so I could continue to volunteer.
One Saturday, one of the roughest, toughest, dirtiest hands,
living under bridges with a Pit Bull man came up to me for
prayer. Time stopped for me, my heart jumped, I called Bertie
and Jim over to help. I felt heaven opened for a moment as
the four of us basked in the warm love of God that poured
out when we prayed together. When I look up at the man, the
lines in his face told an unspeakable life story, his soft
eyes reflected the love poured over him as tears streamed
down cleaning his dusty face and flowing onto his old shirt.
When I look back on the months I have been handing out clothes
under the 405 bridge, in the cold, rain and sunshine, the
lives we have touched during this time, I have noticed have
also changed me. I now love my brothers and sisters and want
them to know God's love as well. I thank my husband for working
for me on those Saturdays that I volunteer. I am grateful
and honored that I am involved to serve and in some small
way help, guide, pray, teach and listen.
Thank you Precious Daughters and may God bless you all with
abundance.
--Victoria Fenton, Portland, OR
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