Just a few things about the community outreach/toy giveaway held here at the River at Tampa Bay on Sunday, December 13^th. We had to come in at 7:00am but we were still pretty pumped. Even though outwardly there was increased activity in anticipation of the upcoming events of the day, inwardly I felt the peace of God more strongly than I’ve felt in a very long time. It was the most peaceful I can ever remember feeling prior to launching out for the bus ministry. I felt like I was in a zone: there was nothing forced, no fretting or anything like that. It was if the Lord was saying “I’ve got this. You just flow with me.”

We expected a large amount of people and we weren’t disappointed. But one thing became apparent to me though: this wasn’t all about the toys. On our route we picked up over one hundred people for the fourth straight week (During the summer, forty people was a good Sunday). Still, adults outnumbered children four to one…even on toy giveaway Sunday.

The people come now not because of food, though we still give it; nor because of Christmas toys, but because they want to come. They tell their friends and neighbors. There is a man on 22^nd Street who has become a regular. On Sunday he met the bus and then pulled me to the side. He said he was being evicted, so he couldn’t come to church today. But he had evangelized three of his neighbors and they were getting on the bus. It was incredible. I fully expect God to meet his needs and that we will see him on the bus this coming Sunday.

There is a young disabled lady who has been coming faithfully for three months. When she first started coming, she used a walker. She has been using a cane the past two Sundays. There is also a gentleman who is disabled who has been coming faithfully for about a five weeks. This past Sunday, he left his wheelchair and came with a walker. The faith of the people is being built up.

Roderick W