Preparing The Way Outreach Ministries

I am Evangelist Mary R. Charles, founder of Preparing The Way Outreach Ministries, a Newark, New Jersey, faith based organization. I count it all joy and a privilege to be a servant of the Most High God in a time such as this. God is doing such awesome and wonderful things around the world as He continues to draw men, women, and children to Himself in these final days. Young and old, rich or poor, God is not a respector of persons. He wishes all to be saved.

God has given me a specific burden for the homeless, the drug addicted, and those that society, for the most part, look down their noses at and have turned their backs on. He has drawn me to the streets of our urban areas to reach the lost and those that are not coming through the doors of the church to find the Savior of the world. They consider their savior to be that next hit or that next drink, or that man or woman to deliver them or love them. Their focus may be on 'where am I going to get my next meal or where am I going to sleep tonight.' It may sound real good to say, 'Just trust in the Lord and He will deliver you and set you free!' We (the church) know this to be absolutely true but, before they can hear and believe that, their immediate needs must first be met. That's just the way it is. So we take the love of Jesus to them!

Some people are living on the streets because they have lost their jobs and have been evicted from their homes. They now sleep wherever they safely can. A large percentage are dealing with mental illnesses and their families have left them on their own. Some have recently been released from prison and have no where else to go. And because of the many obstacles and challenges they face, countless others are strung out on drugs or alcohol, or both, and maybe dealing with mental challenges at the same time. People are living on the streets, right under our noses, and they walk around in a daze with their lives turned upside down, not knowing which way to go, what to do, or what's going on. Whatever the reason, this group of people holds a special place in the heart of God and He keeps a watchful and attentive eye on each one of them. Society may have shunned the homeless and the down trodden but God, in His mercy and goodness, makes sure that, just like the birds, they are fed, clothed, and provided for.

Our goal is to help move them from homelessness to stability and to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ along the way. That could mean helping them into a drug treatment program or with mental health services. It could mean help with employment, or shelter, or even their own apartment. There is much work to be done in helping to move a person from point A to point B when they are faced with the many challenges and obstacles like they are. But God has a purpose and a plan in mind and He is raising up men and women to reach such people not only in Newark, New Jersey but in the highways and hedges in every city, around the world. Preparing The Way Outreach Ministries is a vehicle that God is using for this very purpose and we gladly go forward, in Jesus' name, as He continues to direct us, instruct us, teach us, and to bless our work for His glory. Our ultimate goal, with the help of God, is "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).

I invite your church or ministry to come along side of us in support of the work that we do for the Kingdom. As God leads your heart, step out by faith and be a part of what God is doing. You will be richly rewarded by the only One that matters. If you are interested in evangelism training for you or your group, please contact me. (The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Mat. 9:37, Amp).