Raleigh, NC

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The following report comes to us from team leader Colin with our team in Raleigh, NC:

On a warm afternoon, we headed back out to a large local park. We split into two teams with a simple plan: pray, stay peaceful, and see who the Lord puts in front of us to meet and pray with. The first group approached, with about ten people. Most said no to prayer, about eight in all, but two people did say yes. We didn’t hand out any sacramentals on that side, but we were able to give away two copies of Colin’s testimony in an envelope to people who were open enough to take something home and keep thinking about Jesus. Across the way, the other group spoke with about eight groups…around ten people total. They handed out three sacramentals, and they counted four good encounters, along with five people who declined prayer. For both teams, the goal wasn’t to win an argument; it was simply to offer a short, simple prayer in Jesus’ name and trust that He is already at work in people’s lives.

One of the conversations that stood out most was with a man named Oscar. He was willing to slow down and really talk. Instead of a quick, “No thanks,” he stayed, shared some of what was going on in his life, and let us pray with him. We also had a surprisingly positive exchange with a pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Even though we don’t see eye to eye on everything, it was a chance to listen, share a bit of why we trust Jesus and His Church, and part ways peacefully.

Looking back, a few graces stood out for the team. We began with prayer together, and that set the tone. There was a sense of peace the whole time. No rushing, no pressure, no anxiety…just availability to the Holy Spirit. It was the first time out for Jan and Jeff, and it was a gift to watch them take those next steps in street evangelization. Simply being present, smiling, and offering prayer is already a powerful witness. The Lord gave us a mix of quick “no, thank you” responses and a handful of longer, deeper conversations that reminded us why we come.

Please keep our Raleigh team in your prayers as we keep learning how to listen, love, and offer prayer on the street. If the Lord has been nudging you to step out more in sharing your faith—or if you’d like to join us on a future outing—reach out and let me know. Jesus is already at work in our city; we’re just trying to say yes and meet Him there!