News Story

by Kelly Jo Prewitt

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Seminarian Feeds
Portland's Homeless

The homeless begin lining up on the corner of Southeast Ninth and Pine half an hour before the team arrives. By the time the team packs up, no one would
know they were ever there. --David Power, photo

Every Saturday, David Power, a Multnomah seminary student, and his crew faithfully serve Portland's homeless. Power is responsible for the "3 O'Clock People" ministry in downtown Portland.

According to Power, the soup kitchens close on Saturdays, and few options are available for Portland's homeless to find a decent meal.

On Saturday afternoons, Power and others from the 3 O'Clock People ministry cook enough food for 100 people.

At 3 p.m. they set up tables on the sidewalk at the corner of Ninth Avenue and Pine Street and serve food for an hour.

The 3 O'Clock People spend the hour serving food, providing clothes, listening to people's stories and heartaches, sharing the Gospel, praying and discipling.

"It is a dignity ministry," Power said.

The group meets the people's physical needs first. The group realizes that if someone is hungry or hurting, he or she is not going to be listening to Power or anyone else. Once they have served food, the group has an opportunity to speak the good news of Christ. For the few homeless men and women who desire to get out of their rough situations, Power and others from his church, Imago Dei, bring them off the streets.

Power said, "We help them get housing and jobs, fill out résumés and other documents, bring them into our neighborhoods and homes, get them plugged into church."

Power moved to Portland two years ago from Chicago, Ill. Shortly after Power moved to Portland, he attended a New Wine, New Wineskins seminar on Portland's homeless community.

Power said he felt compelled to get involved with the homeless community by serving their physical needs, mainly by offering home-cooked meals.

"I don't like homeless people," Power said of his initial feelings toward the homeless. "I don't like that they harass me for change, don't have jobs, don't take care of themselves.

"But as Jesus' bride, I love him, and I need to love what He loves, which is justice, peace and love for the poor. Jesus died for me as well as for them, and the least of these is who Christ called us to be with."

The homeless are able to see God through the 3 O'Clock People's loving hearts of faithfulness and compassion toward them. They treat the poor, sick, orphans and widows with love and dignity as Jesus did.

"They recognize God's provision and healing," Power said. "They know Jehovah Rafa."

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