Joe Bolognone, Dec. 27:

"More lives changed… a Christmas miracle!

Very few showed up for Bible study tonight, presumably because of the snowstorm. One person suggested we cancel. But I never do. It’s a mall and you never know who God is going to send. I learned long ago, whether many or few, the ones who need it most will be there. And we need to be there when they come. Last night, God sent two!

The first was a sweet man named Jason who Anne had witnessed to at the Koffee King Cafe in Fayetteville last week. He admitted to struggling through several hurts, and her sweet invitation stirred him to want to come to Mission Syracuse.

She gave him my card. He called me at work yesterday. After we chatted for a while, I invited him. He showed up with his questions… and left with the assurance of his salvation! Jason said he’ll be back next week. God hit the target… again!

The second was a homeless woman named Brandi. Her 28 day respite housing allowance had run out and she still hadn’t found a place to live. She’s trying to get back on her feet and get her children back because their father who they had been living with was being sent to prison.

Because Brandi has nowhere to go, she was told they could deposit her at the Destiny mall where at least she’d be out of the cold. She saw our sign “Do you need prayer? Come on in.” She did.

Karen prayed with her. She told Karen that she had nowhere to go. But she had the phone number of a Christian lady in Endicott who had offered her assistance in the past. Karen passed the information on to Bob who put me on the phone with that lady when I arrived for Bible study. She offered to pay got a weekend stay at a local hotel and I promised to bring her there.

She came at the end of our study and Anne and Casey ministered beautifully to her. She said she knew what it meant to be saved because she had visited Forward Point Church with the Doyles and the Skinners.

We shared stories as we drove through the snow around 9PM, and she very emotionally shared how she had been abused. We fell in love with her. We left her in the warm hotel after hugs and getting her phone number. She was so grateful.

Please continue to pray for Jason and Brandi, and for Mission Syracuse. God has planted us smack dab in a place where people go to fill the empty places in their lives, and He sends them to us because He knows we’ll keep the light on for them.

For those of you who pray for us, and for the many who go online to Mission-Syracuse.com and donate to cover our monthly rent and payroll expenses, this is your fruit! Your seed that is being planted, watered, harvested. 63 people have found new life in Christ there so far. Hundreds more have found new hope. And I know there will be more. Thank you!!!

I can’t wait till next Friday to see who God will send us next."