Chinese New Year Parade Outreach
For over 20 years, we have witnessed at the Chinese New Year Parade. This is the largest event in San Francisco, drawing 400,000 or more people. It usually rains on this parade, but the rain doesn’t keep people from coming. This year, San Francisco has had a lot of rain, but almost all our outreaches have been dry. This day was no exception. Last Days Harvest Church from Sacramento ministered wonderfully through music for two hours at Union Square. About 20 Christians from this church witnessed at the outreach. Whole families including children were giving out tracts.
When our worship rally ended at 4 PM, we moved to the SE corner of Union Square. The main viewing area for the parade has been moved to this block, complete with bleachers, TV cameras and a huge lighting system. Mike Mills (who lives in our house) led worship and preached on the corner, using a maximouse amplifier. The rest of us gave out tracts and held up gospel signs. Pastor Mark Whitehead brought ten Christians from Living Hope Christian Church in San Jose to witness with us.
The parade began an hour earlier this year. At about 5:15 PM, the parade arrived in our area. As we packed up our equipment to leave, it began to rain. Our small team was able to reach a few thousand people. We were saddened that hundreds of thousands left the parade without a gospel witness. Truly, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Pray that God will send more laborers into the harvest field.
Three years ago, we were witnessing at the Chinese New Year Parade when Eric Livingston was taken to jail. A judge has twice dismissed the charges but the matter is still being appealed. An appeals court heard the matter on February 18 but hasn’t issued a ruling yet. This year we had no problem with the police.
Haight Street Outreach
I have written several times about the Prodigal Project, a ministry to street kids in the Haight-Ashbury District of San Francisco. Mike Mills and I have been attending a Bible study at their house at 509 Ashbury St. on Thursday night. This Bible study draws many of the unsaved youth from the street. Mike has begun leading worship at this Bible study.
This past month, I began teaching a new Bible study at their house on Tuesday at 1 PM. We invite kids from Haight St. to come to the house for lunch and a Bible study. Last week, a dozen youth, age 14-25, came to the house. We watched a video about Jesus during lunch. Afterwards, I turned off the video and began teaching. I thought most of the kids would leave, but they all stayed and listened. After the Bible study, I was able to talk with most of them. I am excited about this new ministry.
One young man who lived in their house is Erick. I first met Erick on Haight Street in 1994. He had just arrived in San Francisco and his money and clothing had been stolen. He was orphaned at age 5 and spent his childhood alternating between foster homes (mostly Christian) and the street. We ministered to him for about a year, but lost track of him. He joined a cult for two years. In 1998, I saw him at the Prodigal Project house. Today he is attending the Promised Land Fellowship (formerly the Vineyard) in San Francisco and doing well spiritually.
Twenty-five Years
Twenty-five years ago, in the spring of 1975, God called me to come to San Francisco and witness on the streets. I had lived in San Francisco before I was saved as a “hippie” and I always had a special burden for this city. My only plans were to get a part‑time job and spend the rest of my time witnessing. I never expected to start a street ministry. For the first year, I lived in a $55 a month room on Mission St.
My main desire was to find a few Christians to witness with me‑‑a difficult task. In the process God led me to some pastors and evangelists with a desire to reach San Francisco for Jesus. Together we started SOS Ministries. During the past twenty-five years, thousands of Christians have participated in an ongoing outreach to the people of San Francisco. We have organized hundreds of outdoor worship rallies, given out several million gospel tracts, witnessed personally to tens of thousands of people, and seen hundreds and perhaps thousands saved. A team of Christians has been witnessing on the streets of San Francisco and Berkeley on Friday night and Saturday almost every weekend for 23 years!
Sometimes Christians are amazed that I am still in San Francisco, witnessing on the streets, after so many years. Street ministries tend to be short‑lived, and San Francisco is a very difficult city to witness in. What I know is that God has called me here. He has established SOS Ministries and He has sustained us over the years. I am willing by God’s grace to continue the work here as long as He wants me to.
Coming Events
Note: All outreaches are subject to change. Call (510) 531‑5325 the day before to confirm outreaches or for more information.
Friday April 7, 14, 21 7:30 PM. Witnessing in various S.F. neighborhoods. (Call us for meeting location and directions.)
Sat. April 8 and 15. San Francisco Worship Rally. 12‑1 PM Powell and Market St. 2‑4 PM Union Square (Powell and Geary St.)
Sat. April 22. Berkeley Outreach. 1:30‑5:30 PM. Telegraph and Haste St.
May 26-28 Chicago Outreach. Contact Heart-Fire Ministries (414) 445-9490.
July 7-15 SOS-San Francisco. Come join us for our 21st annual outreach to the people of San Francisco.
Ministry News and Needs
This past month, a team of 15 youth from Harvest City Church in Regina, Saskatchewan ministered with us. They witnessed twice on Haight Street and once on Polk Street. They also performed some dramas at Union Square on February 12. They particularly enjoyed ministering to the young people on Haight Street.
Once again, we want to thank you for your prayers and financial support for this ministry. Please continue to pray that our printer will print the tracts we need this summer. Also, pray that God will provide a carpenter to finish the remodeling of our kitchen, upstairs and downstairs bathrooms, and Eric’s bedroom that leaks in the rain, as well as a roofer to replace our roof.
Please pray that God will send Christians to join us for our Friday night and Saturday afternoon outreaches. Pray that many people will be saved at these outreaches. Also, please pray for us as we prepare for this summer’s SOS-San Francisco outreach, that God will work out every detail.
Finally, pray for those who have called us or written us this past month, including Flora, Dale and Chris (SF), Angela (Petaluma), Jennifer (San Bruno), Mike (LA), Anthony (Knox, IN), Richard (Porter Co. jail, IN), and Vijay (Middlesex, England). Jennifer wrote “I am 10 years old and I asked Jesus to save me. I would like to receive something good to read.”
Our Tape of the Month is Five Questions for the New Millennium by Mario Murillo. In this tape, Mario shares some of his experiences evangelizing San Francisco and gives a strategy for reaching our cities for Jesus.
Yours in His love,
Larry Rosenbaum
