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