"Last Saturday morning, nine of us who volunteer on Team Next Steps at The Porch went down to south Dallas to serve with Solomon’s Porch and in particular, the Sidewalk Celebration Kids Outreach. It was an amazing morning of loving on and playing with boys and girls ranging from probably 3 to 15 years old. And it didn’t end with soccer, football and crafts."

"I had the privilege to join Chris L. and Cody B. (fellow teammates) as Cody led a small group discussion with two of the older teenage boys about what God says in the Bible about love. These kids (and we ourselves) are surrounded by the message that love equals sex, and that we give merely to get. With these two brothers, we walked through 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4, and John 13 to see what love truly is–God sending Jesus to lay down His life, loving one another, and a patient, self-sacrificing care for others."

"All the while, the women from our team partnered with other Solomon’s Porch volunteers to teach the younger kids stories from the Bible. It was beautiful."

"The funny thing is that this Saturday wasn’t an exception or a one-time event. Sidewalk Celebration & Solomon’s Porch happen every Saturday morning, and folks like our teammates Heather, Cody, and Chris make it a regular part of their life to get involved. Just three or four miles south of some of the richest parts of Dallas, those of us who came for the first time found neighborhoods where drug deals are common business and prostitution is alive and well. In fact, the apartments just behind the field where we played are home to many of both."

"The message that hit many of us was that we don’t have to get on a plane or cross an ocean to meet people in need. Just take US-75 south to I-30W, exit Ervay and go south a mile or so. It’s right there. Oddly enough, you actually might be safer going to South America or Asia to carry the gospel… But the truth is: wherever God has you is the safest place of all to be."

"So what are you doing Saturday? Can you, your friends, or your community group give a morning to pour into your south Dallas neighbors’ lives? "

By Team Next Steps & Chris G

"Hey Leann, 
I wanted to see if you could please put me on the email list for The Lord's Hands & Hearts Ministry, so I can start receiving updates and such.  I also want to say THANK YOU sooo very much for allowing me to volunteer with your ministry every Saturday; Solomon's Porch gives me something to look forward to at the end of a busy week, and I have enjoyed EVERY minute of serving the homeless and getting to know the other volunteers that have been so selflessly dedicating their time to this ministry as well.  In the past, my enthusiasm for volunteer work was expressed by giving a monetary amount to a charity, taking holiday baskets to the nursing home once a year in high school, and an occasional mission trip from time to time.  I have always known that I enjoy serving others, which led me to pursue a career in nursing, but it was not until recently that God bestowed upon me a passion for serving others. With this newly ascertained passion and strong desire to serve also came a tender, soft spot in my heart for the homeless.  I am very grateful to Frank for inviting me to serve with him that first Saturday, and for the many others, including you, that go out of their way to make me feel like I am so much more than just a "Saturday morning volunteer".  You have no idea how thankful I am to be apart of this ministry; God is doing some amazing things in Dallas, and I cannot wait to see them unveil.  I am looking forward to the coming Saturday, as always.  Have a great week."

C. F. L.

"We greatly appreciate your partnership with us in South Dallas.  May God continue blessing you."

World Impact Dallas

"Thank you for being pliable and listening to God.  Of course, God gets all the glory, but if you guys weren't there on a Saturday, I wouldn't be here now!"

J. R., Graduate of Denton Freedom House, now a leader

"Yesterday was a fantastically fabulous day. Serving in south Dallas both at sidewalk celebration and solomons porch blessed me beyond measure. After transporting water and food to the kids at SC a much needed convo occurred with one of the SC leads, Heather. Last Sunday her and some other volunteers helped a single mom whose kids come to sidewalk, get all of the donations she received situated in her own apartment (mind you this is a VERY dangerous neighborhood). What she discovered in this process was, even though we had all of these great donations of beds, dishes, blankets, etc. they had no food. A single Mom working around only 8 hours a week and four kids and no food. :( Ugh my heart sank...This women is amazing, the little food she gets she cooks and shares with the neighborhood. Specifically our SC kids. She is Christ's Servant."

"Holding back tears I drove back to Solomon's porch and began to tell Terri, another volunteer, about the family and their lack of food. To little surprise, because she's also amazing, food begins to pour out of the fridge, coolers, off the counter and into a giant tub to take to Phyllis and her kids. Pastor John comes in, hears the news, drives to the food pantry (which is running low) and fills two more bins with food. My heart gave way as God's abundance was overflowing!!! We were so excited to unload all of this food into the pantries, running out of space because we had so much. Praise God!!! She was so thankful. And still, as always, tithing & giving to others."



Audrey S.

"I feel good today that I'm alive and I don't have to worry anymore and that I don't need drugs or drinking anymore.  I don't even have that desire to do none of that stuff anymore.  I just want to do what's right and get my life back on the right track." 

"Tell Mr. John to keep doing what he and you are doing.  You and him are reaching people there at that ministry whether you know it or not.  You are turning people to God and that's good.  I loved you more than you realize for talking to me because you did reach me.  I could have run and kept runing but you told me I could change my life and there is a better life out there if I would just listen and I loved you for that."  

M.W., turned himself in for parole violation,  served time, out in October 09 to start to a new life

"I live for Saturday ministry!  Sharing the Word gives life to my bones!"

Leann

"I've been praying for a place like this for over a year and now I've found it.  You guys are my family!"

L.B., artist in the wilderness

"Hey, the way I see it, they gave to my son and I. I cannot begin to tell you, how much being there touched my heart. I truly am blessed! It's inspired me to get my walk right with my Father. I hope to be able touch other people in the way I was. I have quite a testimony of my own that I don’t share much, mainly because of where I work. I am very much a private person, but I know my story is not too far from what many go thru before they come to Christ. I was brought up in church, but went wayward as an adult. God has literally saved me on more than one occasion!!!....and continues to work in my life. I thank you for letting my family participate with hands & hearts… you are a blessing!!!"

A.L., volunteer

"Picture yourself standing in the middle of a small grass field surrounded by worn down apartments on almost every side. There are prostitutes turning tricks on the corner. The smell of marijuana is overwhelming at times when the wind slightly blows. In the midst of poverty a blacked out Mercedes drives slowly down the street seemingly a drug dealer…"

"Now picture a white van driving up to this field. People get out and start putting orange fencing up around this field. Speakers are set up and some LeCrae starts playing. Tables are set up with food, water, and arts & crafts. Two guys set up a soccer goal, while others start throwing footballs. Another group of people start rounding up children from the surrounding apartments to come play. After a couple hours the children sit down and start hearing about Jesus. Light comes into this very dark place."

"This is what happens every Saturday in South Dallas. As I had the privilege of serving there with Solomon’s Porch this weekend I got chills when my friend Heather told me that the prostitutes and drug dealers have stopped working the corners around this field because they now see it as “God’s field and a place for the children”.

"As I chatted with Loston a 16 year old and watched a 15 year old stud of an athlete named Mitchell throw the football around I couldn’t help but think “it’s just not fair that they have to live here and be around all this”. Life just isn’t fair."

"I loved when David Marvin said, “What is fair though? We do not have a standard of what fair is. If we have fallen short of His standard (perfection) we don’t want what’s fair. We want MERCY. Fair says you mess up, YOU pay. Jesus says you mess up, I’LL PAY. Here’s the problem: You don’t think you’re ungodly. We compare ourselves to others and think, ‘well, I’m not as bad as him/her.’”

"What made me smile as I stood there taking it all in was thinking about how Jesus came to save me, Loston, Mitchell, and even the drug dealers and prostitutes."

"I couldn’t look at myself as any better than anyone out there. We are all sinners in need of a Savior, Jesus Christ. We don’t have to travel to another country to share the GOOD NEWS that while we are still sinners, CHRIST died for us! Just drive a few minutes south of Dallas and you’ll see a whole different world…or maybe just chat with someone around you…we are ALL in need of MERCY."

Ally B.