Today we ventured to Bayroad Baptist Church. A church that by first glance is hidden beneath the trees and very forlorn looking. It broke my heart to see how badly the church is dying. In a community littered with drugs, alcohol addiction, and crime it cries out for some one to care. The church has been through some trying times the last few years. It has gone from being a very prosperous church to one that is so close to dying. Only four families remain at the church.
We went on a prayer journey through the community and I cannot express the sense of darkness and desperation that I felt. Most of the buildings are old and worn down. The youth hangout at the ball field drinking and partying until the police come to run them off. There is nothing else for them to do. In Canada, youth start drinking as early as 11. By the time they are in high school most have developed alcohol addiction. It’s heart breaking to see. As we prayed, I prayed for healing. Four years ago this year at the elementary school a teacher was murdered and left in the trunk of her car. Her murder has never been solved and it has torn the community apart. The children at the school are still struggling with it as they see the dumpster her body was found beside everyday.
We continued on our way seeing people and the lady that went with us identified several as known drug dealers. She told us that children as young as second grade deal drugs at school and that they deal drugs even in the middle school and on into high school. It broke my heart to see the children on the streets just hoping someone would care enough to help them.
It was a hard day for me emotionally and spiritually. The town is covered in darkness. It was a battle the deeper we got into the community. There are definitely strong holds in that town.
Pray that God raises up people to go to Bayroad. Pray for Pastor Dana and his family as they minister to the community. Pray for our team. We are all tired both physically (the beds here are like rocks) and spiritually. Pray that God continues to open up doors for us to minister to the people here. He has used us so much already. Pray for a little boy named Sam that God would stir in His heart. Pray for the MacKenzie family for strength and for God’s blessing on their ministry.
~ Katherine
Adventures with Kat 