“Joyful Fire”
Martin M. Kennedy
joyful-fyre2@comcast.net

July 2003 to March 2004

“Dawna’s adventure”- After moving to St. Helens, a lot of things have changed regarding street ministry. I still miss the streets, and when weather and Dawna’s work schedule permit, she drops me off on her way to her training meetings. A couple weeks after our honeymoon another training seminar came up. “YES! I get to go downtown at last!” But what’s really fun is when Dawna gets to come downtown and pass out tracts and talk to people. The very first day she did this it was if she’d been street witnessing for years. She passed out lots of tracts and got to talk to quite a number of folks. She got to minister to a woman who needed prayer, as well as talk to a few street youths too. When it was time to leave she gave away all the approximately 200 tracts and calendars I had.

In late August we had to go to Social Security to get Dawna’s last name changed. We rode the MAX light rail train from Hillsboro and we met two “Grunge” wanna be’s sitting across the aisle from us. The young man wore piercings, tattoos, spiked hair, and had a fake Aussie accent. His girl friend was dressed in black leather and lace, with chains, a half shaved head, and her face whitened out for that “Goth” look. But the funny part was I knew right off they weren’t “Gutter Punks.” They were too clean and way overdressed for the part. As such they were talking about sex and making a show of themselves. Dawna and I figured it out and there was no way they were going to shock us. We’ve seen it all before; me on the streets, and her being a mom. When they realized they could not get a reaction, the young man started talking with us.

Dawna talked to the both of them at length about her three grown children, how we met, and about our marriage. She told them of how God directed our paths and how he can make things work out when there seems to be no way. In spite of their antics they did pay attention to her and chances are a seed got planted in them. It may be just the thing that takes them from role playing to playing a role in reaching their generation for the Gospel. When our stop came up we got off the train with the couple. As soon as they stepped off, the young man began yelling and shouting obscenities at someone, or maybe to no one at all. Yep, a wanna be.

Once we got our business done with Social Security we went down to the corner. Dawna went into Meier and Frank across the street, and I began preaching with Ron. It was as if I never left. The moment I began to preach the words came back as well as the anointing. It was awesome to be back. When Dawna returned some homeless youths were mocking me. Then another brother reacted, which got a conversation going between him, Dawna, and one of the young men. Dawna spent a very long time talking with the young man as I watched. He’d ask her a question; then interrupt her answer with another question as he tried to lead her down a rabbit trail. She stayed focused and always brought the conversation back to Jesus. Although he may have been wasting everyone’s time, he has no more excuses now. He may not think so, but sooner or later that conversation will come back to him. For the word of God will not return void. It will accomplish what it needs to do in him. Please pray he gets saved.

As God would have it, Dawna found herself in a second conversation with a street girl. As Ron was preaching I was passing out tracts and praying when this young girl comes by with her puppy. Dawna was sitting on the wall along Pioneer Courthouse, passing out tracts. “Come here Jesus” the girl tells her puppy. “Come here Jesus.” I’m thinking what a disrespectful thing to do, to name a dog after Jesus. I just waved at the girl and smiled. Dawna asks the girl “Is your puppy really named Jesus?” The girl replies, “Yes, that’s his real name.” Dawna says to the girl, “You know your puppy “Jesus” will protect you when he grows up.” The girl says, “I know.” Dawna then takes it one step further, “Do you know the real Jesus can protect you right now?” The girl says, “I know.” Dawna offers her a tract and she says, “Thank you” and walks off. May that little act of kindness cause that street girl to receive the real Jesus as her protector, Lord, Savior; and friend.



“ Light versus Darkness”- During another visit we went out to lunch with Ron and Karen. They shared with us the changes, both good and bad, that have been going on since I moved. The good changes are more young men and women are preaching downtown than ever before. In my absence God has brought two more people alongside Ron and Karen. Until then, the ol’ corner and Pioneer Courthouse Square hasn’t been busier. People are getting saved, and many more keep showing up for prayer and counsel. One young man got saved via the young preachers in the square. Plus he got delivered from drugs and is preaching the Gospel! Praise Jesus! At Portland State University there are fires of awakening burning. Campus Crusade for Christ is getting stronger and is one of the fastest growing groups on campus. Several young preachers are showing up there and are using a sign that simply reads, “Hell is Horrible! No warning is too strong.” Praise Jesus!

The bad news is Satan is really peed off! (Or is this really good news in disguise?) Black drug dealers from inner NE Portland now have a free ride downtown on the MAX. For sometime Hispanic drug dealers from Hillsboro have been coming downtown. Now there’s a turf battle going on between the two groups, Gutter Punks, and the law. Before I moved, Black gang members would congregate near the corner and smoke their pot to test the police. When I was with Ron we’d just start preaching and the drug dealers would leave.

That’s not the case anymore. Gang aggression is on the increase, which has many in downtown on edge. Recently in “The Tribune” Meier and Frank announced it was closing most of its downtown store. Many smaller merchants have closed shop and moved out due to Portland’s high population of homeless youth, aggressive panhandling, and drug dealing. Many businessmen and women as well as shoppers and commuters are afraid of the violence and are tired of the harassment. But the biggest surprise is that Satan has shut down all preaching at 5th and SW Morrison! The entire block, including the wall, at Pioneer Courthouse has been barricaded off by a plywood fence. The federal government, against city opposition, decided to build an underground parking garage for seven federal judges. Now, no one can sit down and listen, and Karen cannot use her tract suitcase. The sidewalk is too narrow to hold conversations, and impeding pedestrian traffic is against the law! Preaching elsewhere doesn’t lend itself to much one on one sit down ministry as 5th and Morrison does. It’s been a preachers’ corner for decades because it’s the busiest corner in town. So pray for Ron and Karen as they seek out another place to go.

“Pray! Pray! Pray!”- With the recent shock of Multnomah County illegally legalizing gay marriage please pray that God’s light overcomes the grave darkness there and in Portland. Please pray for the protection of the preachers there too as they face more persecution. Pray that the preaching of God’s word pierces the hearts of even the vilest of people. Pray awakening hits the streets and campuses of Portland and Multnomah County. May there be an anointing so strong upon all believers that the wicked will have only two choices: Repent or flee! PLEASE! PRAY! Thank you.

Shalom,
Marty