Dear Friend,

In my work with the poor for more than half a century, I have found the necessity of constant prayer – prayer for those I touch, and prayer for God to give me His wisdom, His strength, and His power... For when you live and work in the midst of such enormous human misery, you learn that only when you rely on God's mercy, and His power, can you ever bring relief to the hungry and hurting.

You see, life in the inner city is almost beyond human description. My heart aches for the little children who live without the simple things that you and I take for granted for our children and grandchildren – simple things like food, decent clothes and safe shelter.

When I hold these precious little ones in my arms, I feel their pain, their misery, their loneliness, and their constant hunger. Then I fall to my knees and cry out to God, "How can we do more?"

Here on the streets of Skid Row, I've seen situations so desperate, so hopeless, so overwhelming from earth's point of view that no amount of man's help could have turned the tide. It has been at those times that I've seen the power of prayer to move God's hand, and unlock the infinite resources of heaven!

And many times when the needs are greater than our resources, I've seen God's awesome power touch the hearts of caring friends, so that we don't have to turn away hungry children and their mothers.

So powerful, so penetrating, so pervasive is the power of prayer that the great poet Tennyson once said, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world ever dreams of."

And that's the reason for this letter... To ask you to join me as I pray for the needs and the suffering of hungry, hopeless families, and for our work, as we seek to make God's love real to those who are so desperately in need.

If you would, please join me in praying...

• For physical stamina and spiritual strength for all of us as we work amidst the poverty, the despair and the hunger of families in the inner city.

• For additional resources – financial and staff – to care for the abused and neglected children and women who look to us for help.

• For the innocent children on Skid Row – that they will be kept safe, and that with your help and mine, their lives won't be permanently scarred by violence and abuse.

I've set aside Thursday, February 25, to pray for the needy families and children on Skid Row and our work there. I would also count it a blessing to be able to pray for your needs and concerns that day, asking that God would bless you richly, just as you have been a blessing both to me and to those who suffer here on the streets.

Below is a link to a Prayer Request form. Please take a moment to fill this out, so I will know how to pray for you and your concerns. http://www.fjm.org/about/give_prayer.html

As I spend this special day in prayer, your requests will be with me, as I ask God for a special touch in your life and the lives of your loved ones.

God bless you abundantly for all that your friendship means to me. And for all that your financial support means to those in need of food, shelter, and the transforming love of God.

Willie L. Jordan, President

WillieJordan@FJM.org
 

Will you volunteer your valuable time and talent to help serve the poor at our Easter Charity Event? Volunteer here.

A recent study shows an estimated 254,000 men, women and children experience homelessness in Los Angeles County during some part of the year.

Unaccompanied youth are estimated to make up from 4,800 to 10,000 of these.

Read more.

[Source: Institute for the Study of Homelessness and Poverty at the Weingart Center]