Mission: Day camps, mall/street evangelism, urban ministry, Upward basketball camp

The mission trip to Toronto was an amazing and exciting for all 29 of us who chose to sacrifice a part of our summer to God’s call of evangelism. During our stay, our group came away with inspiring stories of how God worked in their lives, myself included.

It was one of the last days of the mission trip when I realized that I had no clean clothes to last me through. With that in mind, my afternoon would be spent doing laundry at the local laundromat. I arrived, threw my clothes in the wash, and noticed a man standing alone outside. I approached the man and sparked a conversation with him regarding religion. The man became very stubborn toward Christianity, proclaiming that he nearly died three times due to overdoses and saw no “light at the end of the tunnel.” My efforts seemed futile and he eventually walked off.

Some time later, I was standing outside the laundromat when a teenage couple approached me and asked if I had a roll of paper. Of course, I said no and watched them slowly walk down the street. I felt God pushing me to talk with them, but I wrestled with the idea until the couple is out of sight. Within 20 minutes, I saw the couple returning down the street towards me. At that point, I had to smile. God was giving me a second chance. I watched them walk past me when the realization hit me, I couldn’t live with the guilty conscience of not talking to them. With that in mind, I jogged to catch up. We walked together (they were going a little faster than I would have hoped) and I talked with them about church and if they went or not. The conversation turned awry when the girl told me the Bible is rigged. I wanted to tell them otherwise, but I could not support myself. They walked and I turned back to the laundromat where my laundry is finished.

I was walking back to The Vine (where we stayed) when I crossed paths with a homeless man walking in the opposite direction. The man asked for money, I refused and continued toward “home.” Again, I felt God asking me to talk with this man. So caught to him and asked him, “Do you have a church home?” and “Are you a Christian?” None of the questions I posed to him made an effect at all. Instead of an answer I received a statement. The man kept saying “I am Bronco Boroso, I am god.” We were definitely not communicating the way I would have liked to. I left him, wondering about things that disturbed me in his strange character.

The next afternoon brought another rare lapse of free time. I chose to go to the mall to find a souvenir for the family back home. I eventually found myself in a bookstore where a man named O’Neal started a conversation with me. We talk about normal, everyday stuff when I bring up religion and faith. I learned more about his life and showed him my salvation bracelet and told him what each color and symbol meant. I ask him if he had ever accepted Christ. He responded that he had not. I asked him if he would like to, and he agreed. That is when God allowed me to lead him to Christ.

Looking back on those eventful two days in Canada, I realize I went to the laundromat looking for opportunities, and God certainly responded. We may seek an opportunity and jump on it, but it may not be a result that we hoped for. However, if we go about our lives with expectancy, God will definitely put people like O’Neal in our life.

Michael Phipps