Whatever the circumstances may be, don’t give up. Hang on, have hope trusting God as He declares, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5)
Christ has also declared, “It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son”(Revelations 21: 6-7).
That is His promise to those who keep on having hope and believe.
A New Beginning
If anyone be in Christ they are a new Creation, the old has gone, behold the New has come. 2 Cor. 5:17
When my children and I arrived here, we were coming from a place of fear and uncertainty. We had made the difficult decision to leave behind an abusive situation, not knowing exactly what would come next, only knowing that we needed safety.
Walking through the doors at New Life Evangelistic Center, we were searching for refuge. What we found was so much more. This NLEC Safe House gave us stability during one of the most fragile times in our lives. It gave us space to breathe, to heal, and to begin rebuilding piece by piece.
The support, patience, and compassion shown to us at NLEC made a lasting impact. It wasn’t just about having a place to stay it was about being surrounded by people who genuinely cared about our future and believed in our ability to move forward.
(continued on pg.3)
EAR HATH NOT HEARD WHAT GOD HAS READY FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”
1 Cor. 2:9
Displaced and Forgotten: A Crisis Unfolding in St. Louis
One moment, families were inside their apartments—going about their routines, caring for children, preparing meals, resting after long days of work. The next moment, everything changed. Law enforcement vehicles filled the street. Instructions were given. Doors closed. And residents were told they had to leave.
For many living at the apartment complex on the 3600 block of Illinois Ave. in St. Louis, there was little time to prepare. Belongings were left behind. Plans were disrupted. And in a matter of hours, what had been “home”—however imperfect—was gone.
This wasn’t just one person’s story. It was dozens. On April 2nd, 2026, authorities conducted a raid at the Concord Apartments in St. Louis. While the operation was tied to serious concerns that warranted investigation, the immediate consequence was clear: residents were displaced. Men, women, and children—many of whom had no involvement in any wrongdoing—found themselves suddenly without a place to stay. continued
Moments like this are complex. There are real issues that must be addressed for the safety of a community. But there is also a quieter reality that often goes unseen—the lives of ordinary people who are caught in the aftermath. And for them, the consequences are deeply personal.
Situations like this rarely come out of nowhere.
In many cases, they are the result of long-standing neglect. Properties fall into disrepair. Maintenance is delayed or ignored. Safety concerns are overlooked. And over time, conditions deteriorate to the point where intervention becomes unavoidable.
When responsibility is neglected at the top, the burden almost always falls on those with the least power to change their circumstances.
Tenants often live with these realities for months, sometimes years. They may lack the resources to move. They may fear losing what little stability they have. And so they stay—hoping things will improve, even when the signs point in the opposite direction. Then, when action finally comes, it comes suddenly.
And they are the ones who pay the price. Damian said, “The police came and destroyed the apartment as they searched every apartment. Everyone was forced to leave and now lots of people are homeless. My family has lived in these apartments since 2012. We never thought that this would happen.”
The cost of displacement is immediate and severe.
First, there is the urgent question: Where do we go tonight? For many, there is no clear answer. Shelters may already be full. Family connections may be limited. Resources are stretched thin. What begins as a housing issue quickly becomes a crisis of survival.
Beyond the immediate need for shelter, there is a deeper toll.
Children experience confusion and fear as their sense of normalcy is stripped away. Adults carry the weight of uncertainty—wondering how they will provide, where they will sleep, and what comes next. Jobs are interrupted. Transportation becomes complicated. School routines are broken. What little stability existed is suddenly gone. And in that instability, vulnerability increases. People who are newly displaced face greater risks—exploitation, unsafe environments, and long-term hardship. A single moment can set off a chain reaction that is difficult to reverse.
This is not an isolated incident.
Throughout Mid America, housing instability continues to impact individuals and families in quiet but significant ways. Situations like the one on Illinois Avenue bring the issue into public view, but similar stories are unfolding in less visible ways every day.
“I understand what it means to be in community; doing my part, taking care of myself, and looking out for my neighbors. I stayed in a vacant house last night after I was forced to leave my apartment. Having this tent means everything to me. This is the first time I have ever been homeless.”
People are living on the edge—one unexpected event away from losing everything.
And when that moment comes, they don’t just need awareness. They need help. At New Life Evangelistic Center, this is where we step in.
When individuals are displaced, the needs are immediate. Food. Water. Clothing. A safe place to rest. A listening ear. A reminder that they have not been forgotten.
The New Life outreach teams work to connect with those in crisis, offering practical support and guiding them toward stability. Through the NLEC Safe House Program, women and children are given more than temporary shelter—they are welcomed into an environment of care, structure, and hope. Daily encouragement, counseling, and community provide a pathway forward for those who have experienced deep disruption.
Because the goal is not simply to respond to a crisis.
It is to walk with people as they rebuild.
Scripture reminds us that true refuge is not ultimately found in a place, but in a Person.
“Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” (Psalm 62:1–2)
In a world where homes can be lost overnight, where stability can disappear without warning, this truth matters. God sees those who are displaced. He cares for those in distress. And He calls His people to do the same.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be part of that refuge—to step into moments of crisis with compassion, generosity, and action.
Right now, the needs are real.
Individuals and families who have been forced out of their homes need immediate support. They need safe places to stay. They need basic necessities. They need people who are willing to stand with them in a difficult moment.
This is where you can make a difference.
Your support allows us to respond quickly—to provide care in the moment of crisis and to offer a path toward lasting stability. Every meal served, every bed provided, every conversation shared becomes part of a larger story of restoration.
---Chris Aaron Rice
Colletta
A New Beginning (continued)
(continued on page 3)
Because of that support, I am living in a completely different place to when I arrived. Today, I have a home of my own and a car, things that felt out of reach during such a difficult time. More importantly, I have regained a sense of strength, independence, and hope. I am no longer just surviving, I am preparing to truly live again. As I step into this next chapter, I am filled with gratitude and anticipation. I look forward to beginning this new journey with my boys, creating a safe, stable, and loving environment for them to grow and thrive. What started here will continue with us, shaping the life we are now building together. Thank you for being a part of our story and for giving us safety when we needed it most, and for helping us find our way forward. New Life Evangelistic Center changes lives, and mine is one of them.
---Crystal
Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness
The Biblical Story
The Biblical story is the story of a people seeking a home, a place, and a purpose. Abraham is to be a father of a great nation with a home in the land of Canaan. In later years his descendants end up in slavery in Egypt. The story of the Exodus is the story of these people (the children of Israel) being liberated from the slavery of homelessness (Ex 16) and then traveling to their homeland. Whether it is in the wilderness or in the Promise Land we see that the reality of home takes place only when the children of Israel are living in the presence of God.
God creates a home, a place of acceptance and belonging. Sin destroys, displaces and uproots. God redeems, restores and reunites our homeless lives to His Son, the Homecoming King Jesus Christ. He heals, restores and declares, “The Kingdom of God is at hand” (Luke 10:9, 11). Through Jesus death and resurrection, He demonstrates, “He is the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6).” The One who has gone to prepare a place for us,” Jesus not only makes it possible for us to come to our Heavenly Father, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, infuses us with purpose and a sense of belonging.
None of this makes sense to a secular humanistic society where commercialism is God and displacement is considered normal. Wendell Berry explains, “our present leaders – people of wealth and power – do not know what it means to take place seriously; to think it worthy, for its own sake, of love and careful work. They cannot take any place seriously because they must be ready at any moment, by the terms of power and wealth in the modern world, to destroy any place.” You have no idea how critical a place to call home is to those who are in need.
God’s Love Flowing Through the New Life Veterans Coming Home Center Is Providing the Homeless A New Beginning
The New Life Veterans Coming Home Center has a vision for 2026. We want to see men and women who journey with us in our ministry to grow in wisdom and knowledge of God’s will for their lives, receiving the power to carry that out. What makes the VCHC ministry unique is that we measure success in transformed lives! That’s not just in housing, recovery, and connection to available services. It’s measured in relationships for Jesus. The Spirit of God is moving on the homeless to make new decisions with their lives. And we’re seeing people come to grow in their relationships with the Lord through service in the NLEC Residential Leadership Training Program.
I was illegally evicted from my apartment by a slum landlord. This made me homeless. Now, i cannot find another landlord which will rent to me due to the illegal conviction on my credit. Plus the rent is just unaffordable! I am blessed to be able to get help everyday from the VCHC! Despite this dark time in my life, I still believe in Jesus! He will make my crooked paths straight and restore my broken life!
---Korrie
I am 74 years old and everyone around me is dead. I lost my husband due to a brain injury! Lost my one daughter to suicide and the second was murdered! I have experienced so much loss! If it were not for the loving staff at the VCHC and our sweet Jesus, I would have just totally given up. They both keep my hope alive! Please pray I can find an affordable place here in Springfield to rent and that God will heal my wounds of grief.
---Lisa
I am homeless and camped near the Martin Luther King Bridge in Springfield. Crossing the bridge one night, I slipped and fell 30 feet smashing both my ankles! I could have died from these injuries, but God’s hand caught me and saved my life! I can not express my appreciation to Pastor Mark, the VCHC for being there for me! They visit me with prayer and are assisting me getting my retirement benefits re activated so I can move into my own place. I have no family but they make me feel like I am their brother in a new family!
---Anthony
I made a mistake. I attacked a relative who stole thousands of dollars from me. I was arrested for domestic violence and put in jail for 11 months. Upon release, the only thing the State of Missouri gave me was an ankle bracelet monitor. Homeless and jobless, I slept on a piece of cardboard covering a hard concrete ground. However, I did find help at the New Life VCHC. Here I can at least charge my phone and ankle monitor, rest and get decent clothes for interviews. I am sorry for my mistake. But that one mistake doesn’t define all of who I am. I am still a child of the living God and just like He rose His son from death to life, He will do the same for me!
---Matthew
: I became homeless after my sister passed away and I had no where to go. Fortunately, the New Life VCHC was my safety net for clean clothes, food, and showers. I only receive disability income and thought it impossible for me to ever end my homelessness. So, I had to team up with another homeless girlfriend to struggle in paying the over $400 a week for only a room with 2 beds! That is $1600 a month! This rent is not only insane but should be criminal! These outrageous weekly rates forces one to remain homeless. My girlfriend and I saved, panhandled and prayed. Finally we saved enough money to try to break free from this blood sucking motel. Then God did it! He performed a miracle! As of last week, we moved into our own 2 bedroom apartment with a full kitchen and bath! I give all Glory to God! He is the Waymaker! Our chains of homelessness and hopelessness are broken! Thank you Lord Jesus!
---Gina
Korrie
Lisa
Anthony
Matthew Gina
Planting Seeds of Hope
Jason. I was addicted to fentanyl. I was suffering from terrible withdrawal pains and took a shot of it. I overdosed. Had it not been for Pastor Mark and the staff at the New Life VCHC finding me passed out on the bathroom floor, I would have died! I have been free from this life wrecking, life killing drug ever since this happened!
I just got hired today on a new job which will help me break this cycle of homelessness! I am very grateful for the New Life VCHC and God for saving my life!
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” John 15:9-11
Your Help Is Urgently Needed to Put Fuel in the NLEC Vans
Because of friends like you, New Life’s outreach teams have gone out on the streets of Missouri through the alleys, the camps, the forgotten places—and found people that everyone else had given up on.
Your giving helped send those teams there.
That is not a small thing. That matters more than words can say.
But right now, there is a serious problem.
Fuel costs have gone through the roof this year.
New Life Evangelistic Center operates twelve vehicles across Missouri.
Everyday, those vans and trucks go to the streets—finding the homeless, delivering food, clothing, and supplies, and bringing people to New Life’s shelters and programs.
Here is who those vans find every single day:
“Without NLEC’s outreach, I wouldn’t have much hope to keep going. They are reliable. Always there when you need them most. The supplies I get from New Life are a life saver. I don’t know what I would do without them.” John
You can keep every one of the New Life Vehicles running by sending your gift today.
Marlowe and Matthew on Outreach say, “Everyday we reach out to the homeless by caring for their basic needs. Our van carries food, clothing, water, Bible studies, tents, sleeping bags and more. We see probably over 300 people every single day. Without this van there is no way we could help so many people.”
Without that van, the homeless in need would not receive help.
You can make sure the NLEC vans have the gas they need to keep going. Running twelve vehicles across hundreds of Missouri miles every week has created a gat that threatens to pull those vans off the road if the fuel and repair cost aren’t met.
If that happens, people get left behind.
Homeless individuals are still out there tonight—waiting for a New Life vehicle to turn down their street.
“Our vans are absolutely essential for the work of New Life Evangelistic Center. Without them, our outreach is extremely limited. Everyday, we see the worst suffering in our communities, and we do our best to meet the needs. Without these vans, it would be nearly impossible.”
Your gift keeps NLEC vehicles on the road.
Jesus said, Foxes have holes and bird have nest, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”(Matthew 8:20)
He knows what it is to have no place to go.
New Life’s vans go to those places. And they bring His love with them. They go because of you. Please send your gift today to New Life Evangelistic Center at PO Box 473 St. Louis, MO 63166.
Do You Really Want To Be New?
All around this world, humans long for change, we long for something, anything “new”! Responding to our insatiable hungers demanding newness, the world offers us many options for change with new things constantly bombarding us.
For instance—New weight loss drugs and injections; a new car; a new job; a new drug; a new hairstyle; a new face; a new workout; With each of these new things comes the promises to give us new power, prestige, money and position.
But despite all of man’s new innovations, products and gimmicks—why do we feel more isolated? Why so feel more anxious, more stressed and more depressed? Why is there more distrust, divisions, hatred and violence?
I believe it is because all of man’s changes, all of his newness-- is superficial. Man’s promises of newness are always temporary and fleeting—waiting upon the next new viral fashions, trends and ideas. Our world’s changes to newness sells us illusions that it can offer more than it can possibly ever deliver.
Furthermore, I also believe the world’s answers to newness fails to really satisfy the changes we are looking for, because we seek change and newness in everything and anything—but God!
When God promises He shall transform us into “New Creations” in 2 Corinthians 5:17, it is based on His power which is not temporary, not fleeting. Our world changes us on the surface. God changes us deeply, from the inside out!
Please note, God does NOT suggest we need an “upgrade”, a “renovation” or “reinvention” for His change! God says He will transform us into His Son’s image. We cannot achieve this real transformation through our own efforts!
God’s changes us to newness will not appeal to our comforts. In truth, His transformational power, turning us into new creations, can often be uncomfortable and difficult. For He demands us to deny our wants and desires! He demands us to surrender our lives unto Him! He demands obedience to His will and way!
Hoping to Move Forward with Their Lives A Place of Refuge
Paul and Pam have been together as a couple for seven years. They met in Saint Louis and lived with Paul’s mother and took care of her. Later, however, Paul’s dad put her into a ‘home’ and then put Paul and Pam out on the street. This was followed, as Paul reports, by harassment from his dad and a new life chapter of homelessness as they stayed on and off with friends.
This experience of homelessness stands in stark contrast to Paul’s earlier career in writing, when he lived on the west coast and wrote for television and other lucrative markets and found himself mingling with the rich and famous. But after coming to Saint Louis, Paul’s career never took off, and as one thing led to another, he was on the streets with Pam trying to survive day to day.
Before Paul’s dad evicted them, they befriended a homeless couple living in a tent community inside a large, abandoned railroad depot. Paul and Pam would bring help to them, unaware that in a short time they would be in the same situation.
After becoming homeless, Paul and Pam were invited by this same couple to move into the Concord complex on the south side. They lived there in relative peace for several months, hoping to use this residential arrangement as an opportunity to move forward in life.
Then, on April 2, 2026, the day before Good Friday, their peace was shattered as heavily armed law enforcement officers violently broke into their apartment. This was part of a massive, coordinated raid in the early hours of the day, which upended the lives of over sixty people in that apartment complex. People whose lives were already difficult and painful.
Paul and Pam were given a summons to appear in court for ‘occupying a condemned building.’ They are now living in a small tent, awaiting their court date and still hoping to move forward with their lives.
---Ray Redlich
Each year Jesus brings the hurting and homeless people to His NLEC Safe House of refuge. As He gives them a place, which they call home, many respond by saying, “This is a place for a second chance, where you can start over with structure, love and team-work.” Martha writes, “New Life gives you stability, family, a place to belong.” Carol adds, “NLEC isn’t just a homeless shelter. It has become my home. I have learned so much about God. I finally have a family who cares about me.”
Jesus has provided a home, a place of refuge at New Life Evangelistic Center for Rita and many other homeless women and children. Rita states, “the home at NLEC is keeping my family together and giving us an address so my children can go to school.”
The Kingdom of God is here. Jesus with His outstretched hands of the waiting Father invites the prodigals, the displaced, the lost and the lonely with the words, “Come unto me all you who are overwhelmed, homeless, and frustrated, and I will give you rest. I will provide a home, a place of refuge for you.” We can receive this invitation, or we can insist on journeying through life with no place for our heart to call home and no purpose we can call our own.
Not only does Christ invite us to experience the hope of our heavenly home but he also invites us during this journey on earth to be a part of His community of fellow believers called the body of Christ. Such a community is where Christ’s interactive love is at work. This community provides the roots, which Simeone Weil describes, “To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul. It is one of the hardest to define. A human being has roots by virtue of his real, active, and natural participation in the life of a community which preserves in living shape certain particular treasures of the past and certain particular expectations for the future.” April-- “Just give me a minute to think. Thank you for the prayers, that will not give me a place to sleep.”
“This whole situation is just sad, confusing, and mind- numbing. I have been paying rent here. The police came through and raided my place to live. We need people to see what we are going through. I have 2 daughters ages 15 and 21 and I work at a warehouse from 7pm to 7am every night.”
Called for Special Service
Today at this time of unprecedented need in the midst of growing greed, God is calling forth His people to be a light in the midst of darkness. Just as Jesus called Lazarus out of the grave in John 12:17 even so He is calling us out of our tombs of indifference into a life of service.
Why is it so easy for those who believe that God has called them for special service to accept the fact that each night thousands of women, children, and men are homeless in the richest country in the world? What spell immobilizes and paralyzes us when it comes to decisive action in behalf of the poor? How can so many claim to follow the world’s greatest revolutionary, Jesus Christ, and then ignore His Words when He says, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for Me” (Matthew 25:40).
To minister means to serve. It doesn’t mean just teaching or preaching but serving in word and deed. Jesus clearly said when we are serving by helping others we are serving Him. James Chapter 1 in the last verse says, “This is true and perfect religion to keep oneself unstained by the world and remember the fatherless and widowed in their affliction.”
To those who consider themselves religious, yet allow justice to be denied, as politicians ignore the Steward B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act’s provision of federal surplus property being used for the homeless, Amos would declare, “I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religious projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making. I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music. When was the last time you sang to Me? Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness - - rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want” (Amos 5:21-24, The Message Bible).
As the Word of God is ignored, or at best implemented as theory, but rarely put into practice, the denial of basic justice for the poor is considered normal. Developers, in the name of economic development can rob the needy of their homes, monopolistic utility companies can shut off their heat in the middle of winter, and yet the religious remain silent - - even though Amos 5:24 declares, “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.”
When we spell out the word service we see that the S stands for seek. The E is for earnestly. The R represents right. The V is for vigorously. The I is for intensely. The C stands for Confront and the E is for evil. Spelling out service with each letter as stated above reads Seek Earnestly Right and Vigorously and Intensely Confront Evil.
This means that as the politically elite declare war on homeless people and their right to exist we must serve the Lord by seeking earnestly right and vigorously and intensely confronting evil. We do this as we stand up in the name of Jesus against all principalities, condo owners, downtown libraries or any other group that wants to stop the shelters and services for the homeless.
I Peter 4:7-11 spells out further how Christ like service is to take place. It declares that, “the end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
---Larry Rice
Tracking Angel
With the help of New Life Evangelistic Center and Larry Rice, I track down a woman who has cancer, but was made homeless by the city of St. Louis when it shut down the Concord apartment complex on Illinois Avenue in South St. Louis.
Now she’s living at the old freight building on the riverfront, which has not been used in decades
It has become a place of refuge for the homeless. Angel admits it is a terrible environment for her. She can’t believe she’s now in such a bad situation after having her own apartment on Illinois Street, where she was paying rent.
Even though the apartment is condemned, she says she was paying rent, utilities, and everything right up to the end. She didn’t know the complex was condemned.
It’s been a nightmare since she and her husband were thrown out of their apartment. She says the apartments were searched, but authorities didn’t find anything; they were nonetheless forced out. She lived outside in a tent for a time until the city decided to clear the whole area of homeless people.
Right now, she is still living in a tent. She says it is cold, dirty, and damp, but he says none of the shelters had space for her, and so she’s stuck here. She is praying that something, at least, changes. Right now, she has her dog.
Right now, her dog provides comfort as she struggles with her condition. She never dreamed she would end up here. She says the city should’ve done more to help people like her find a place, since it decided to condemn the place she was living in and forced her to leave on very short notice. 63 people were forced out, None of them was accused of being a criminal, and nothing illegal was found in the search of their apartments
So, for people like Angel right now, it is a struggle. She says she believes she’s at the lowest she can get. She doesn’t know how to start climbing out of this mess.
---Elliot Davis of Elliot Davis TV Facebook
You can let the love of Christ flow through you into the lives of the homeless and hurting by joining New Life outreach teams. Call 314-421-3020 or go to www.nlecstl.org for further information. Jesus said in Matthew 25, “As often as you have done it to the least of these you have done it unto me.” You will be showing your love for Christ by feeding the homeless and giving them direct help.
Our Home in Christ
“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” — Psalm 62:1–2 (ESV)
David wrote those words while people were trying to destroy him. He was not writing from a comfortable place. He was writing from the middle of real danger, real betrayal, and real loss. And yet he rested. Not because his circumstances had improved, but because God had not moved.
That is the whole point. God does not move.
Everything else does. Relationships fail. Health breaks down. Money runs out. The ground beneath a person’s life can give way faster than anyone expects. David knew that. He admitted he would be shaken — just not completely, not finally, because underneath the shaking there was a rock that could not be shifted. A fortress that could not be taken. A salvation that did not depend on how well things were going.
The women and men our teams meet on the streets of St. Louis have often lost everything. Safety. Family. Dignity. They are exposed in every sense of the word, with no walls around them and no solid ground beneath them. Danger is not something they read about. It finds them in the night.
When New Life opens its doors, we are offering what David described. A fortress. A rock. A place where the shaking stops long enough for a woman to hear God’s voice again, sometimes for the very first time. Our safe houses, our outreach teams, our counselors — all of it points toward one thing: Christ, who does not shift, does not fail, and does not turn anyone away. He is the home every one of us was made for.
If you believe that, then you understand why we do this work. And you understand why we need your help to keep doing it. Please give today. You can give online at www.nlecstl.org. You can also send a check to P.O. Box 473 St. Louis MO 63166.
Right now, men are sleeping outside with nothing but what’s on their backs. Matthew 25:36 pierces the heart — “I needed clothes and you clothed me.” Our street outreach teams are going out to meet homeless men where they are, but our supply of current season men’s clothing is critically low. Every shirt, every pair of pants, every jacket we carry onto those streets is a tangible expression of Christ’s love handed directly to a man who has nowhere else to turn.
Women are incredibly generous with their clothing, which is why NLEC has an abundance of women’s clothes. Now we need the men to step up!
We need lightly used, seasonal men’s clothing — now. Not next month. Now.
Bring your donations to New Life Evangelistic Center, 2428 Woodson Rd., Overland, MO 63114. Your wardrobe upgrade could fund someone else’s life change. The man on the street can’t wait. Neither should we.
New Life in New Bloomfield, Missouri
My path to homelessness began on Memorial Day 2024. I was released from Pike County, Illinois jail after serving 6 months for driving without a license. (4th Offense) After spending 2 days in Brighton, Illinois with a cousin and her husband I began staying in a residential hotel on Lindbergh near I-270 in Saint Louis, (Hazelwood) I was confident this was not to last long as I was certain I could get another job as a deckhand on a towboat, which I had been doing off and on since 1998.
As September, 2024 rolled in with no towboat job or apartment prospects, I began camping near my storage unit building in Saint Charles, MO.
In early November I obtained a 211.org book and began to try and find shelter for the winter. A case worker from Saint Vincent DePaul in Wentzville donated a week’s stay in Saint Peters at a motel and a box of food the second week of November. Also, the director of 80/20 Outreach donated a month of straight talk phone service that week.
On Wednesday, November 20, 2024 I left a message with Melissa at Loaves and Fishes in Saint Louis County and asked if she could help me get a referral to a shelter in Saint Louis City or County. 211.org contacted me in early November and told me they found a spot in Troy, MO for me but that fell through because I wasn’t a Lincoln County resident.
On the 22nd of November Melissa and a volunteer came to Saint Charles and took me to a shelter in North Saint Louis City.
In March, 2025 I was assaulted inside the shelter facility. The person who assaulted me was thrown out, as was I. After 2 weeks on the street, a caseworker from Adapt got me in at Biddle House in downtown Saint Louis. I stayed there and got hired at Busch for Sessions Taco Stand.
In late August, 2025 I moved from Biddle to the Magdala House Tiny Houses program. My employment ended with the end of the Cardinals’ season.
In early December 2025, I moved into an apartment in Soulard. At the time I was living on my savings. Unable to secure employment and with my savings running out, I moved out on March 1, 2026. I left many possessions in the apartment as I departed.
On March 8, 2026 I met with Reverend Ray Redlich at 14th and Market and filled out some paperwork. On March 11, 2026 Reverend Ray put mi on an Amtrak to Jefferson City where Mr. Carl met me and brought me to NLEC in New Bloomfield.
---Jay Boatman
A New Creation in New Bloomfield
I joined the program at NLEC 5 years ago and I’ve met alot of guys coming and going through the program. I met John when I got here. But, over time he and I became real good friends. He was running the cattle crew. He taught me alot about taking care of cattle and how to move them safely. He had some health problems, and he started talking more about God. With the health of his body declining, I knew he was ready to go be with Jesus. John died on April 4, 2026. I will always have a special place in my heart for him.
---Scott S.
My name is Justin. I was homeless in Jefferson City after I got out of prison I I called New Life Evangelistic Center, and they came and picked me up where I was. They gave me a chance in the program. I am thankful for having a shelter and roof over my head, a warm place to sleep at night, and being safe at night. I’m thankful for everything God has done for me.
---Justin
Lives Are Being Changed
I left my apartment in Chester, Illinois. I lost everything I owned. I had no running water or food. I had to go to the local Casey’s Gas Station to use the bathroom. I stayed in my car with no air conditioner or heat in front of Walmart. My ex-husband sent money to me via Walmart to Walmart in the amount of $80.00 for gas and food so I could get to New Life Evangelistic Center in Overland, Missouri. The next day I looked up Larry Rice on Google who helps the homeless. I went to New Life Evangelistic Center and met with Larry Rice. He put me up in a safe house to help me until I could find an apartment.
The New Life Evangelistic Center safehouses are they provide
The New Life Evangelistic Center Safe Houses are fully equipped to offer all of these components and more, with a full kitchen, family dining area, and spaces for study, reflection, and worship. They provide both a physical and spiritual haven. The NLEC Safe Houses are a place where Psalm 62:1-2 is not only read, but lived. “Truly my soul finds rest in God... He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”
A New Chapter for Mothers and Children
One of the most heartbreaking realities of homelessness is the trauma it inflicts on children. When mothers are forced to sleep in dangerous places, children suffer—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But thanks to the New Life Safe Houses many of these mothers will have a different story to tell.
A New Beginning
A Ministry Sustained by Faithful Friends
For as long as I can remember, I have volunteered for multiple social service agencies nurturing my love for helping others. Now I had to turn to those same social servicee organizations for help. As I witness how things operate from the other end of the table, it makes me truly appreciate and thank God for others that genuinely care. Although this is my first instance being homeless, I was born in a shelter because my mom worked for a homeless organization while pregnant with me and all the way up to high school. I’m thankful for these experiences so I can grow, give God all of His glory and focus on a plan for my future with my two children. ---Calesha, Ginger, and Brenden.
The expansion of the Safe House Program would not be possible without the steadfast generosity of our donors and ministry partners. Each hammer swing, each nail driven, each room furnished has been made possible by those who have responded to Christ’s call to car for “the least of these.” Through your gifts, prayers, and volunteering, you have extended God’s mercy to women who had no place to go. You have helped build something far great3er than a building—you’ve helped build hope. But the need continues to grow. As the number of women and children facing homelessness rises, we must rise with it—extending our reach, opening our hearts, and expanding our homes. We invite you to partner with us as we continue to build these beautiful houses of refuge.
How You Can Help
• Give generously to support ongoing renovations and future operational needs for the New Life Evangelistic Center Safe Houses.
• Volunteer your time or practical skills—help with setup, landscaping, transportation, or teaching.
• Pray continually for the women who will soon walk through NLEC Safe House front doors--that they would find not just shelter, but the love of Christ.
• Share this story with others. The more people who know, the more we can do.
• To support this project or learn more, visit www.nlecstl.org or call us at (314) 421-3020.
The New Life Evangelistic Center Safe Houses are fully equipped to offer all of these components and more. With a full kitchen, family dining area, and spaces for study, reflection, and worship. They provide both a physical and spiritual haven. The NLEC Safe Houses are a place where Psalm 62:1-2 is not only read, but lived. “Truly my soul finds rest in God...He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”
A New Chapter for Mothers and Children
One of the most heartbreaking realities of homelessness is the trauma it inflicts on children. When mothers are forced to sleep in dangerous places, children suffer—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But thanks to the New Life Safe Houses many of these mothers will have a different story to tell.
On May 16, 2025 the twister turned the lives of the poor and elderly upside down in N. St. Louis. Their homes were destroyed. In the days and weeks that followed some had nervous breakdowns. Others overdosed but many have not given up knowing that God is with them in the midst of their suffering and life shall return. Since that tragic day, New Life Evangelistic Center First Responders have continued daily to go to this disaster area and help those in need.
God has not forgotten the uprooted
“God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing.” ---Psalm 68:6 (NIV) Walk the streets of cities in America and you will see what the world has decided to overlook. Men in doorways. Women clutching what little remains of a life once lived indoors. Children of God, uprooted from every place they were ever meant to belong. This is not an abstraction. This is a crisis--and Scripture has already named it.
Psalm 68:6 is a declaration, not a sentiment. God sets the lonely in families. He does not wish it. He does not suggest it. He does it---and He calls His people to be the hands through which it happens. At New Life Evangelistic Center, we take that call seriously.
The New Life Safe House program plants women fleeing violence and despair into an environment of safety and spiritual formation. Our men’s farm in New Bloomfield, Missouri reclaims men the street has nearly consumed and roots them in land, labor, and the living Word. The NLEC training program does not merely prepare residents for employment---it prepares them for personhood, for the dignity of knowing they have a place. The lonely are not a problem to be managed. They are image-bearers waiting to be planted. God has promised to do this work. The question He asks His church---asks us---is whether we will show up to do it with Him.
The uprooted are at our door. God is already moving. Will we move with Him?
Tornado Victims Still Need Help
After the tornado struck North St. Louis on May 16, 2025, large numbers of renters and homeowners who did not have a clear title were left without FEMA assistance. Private agencies put many in hotels until that money ran out. As a result, thousands of tornado victims were left to live in their condemned homes or with family or friends. Some moved into vacant buildings like the large one at 3900 Garfield.
When the unhoused individuals were forced from that building, they moved onto the LRA lot across the street. Daily, the New Life Evangelistic Center Outreach Team would visit these tornado victims bringing them food, water, tents, sleeping bags, clothes, bus tickets and other supplies. The St. Louis Department of Human Services kept promising those tornado victims assistance, but none came.
Then at noon May 12, 2026, the bull dozers, trash trucks and police arrived. The New Life outreach team was at the site assisting the residents there. Please continue to pray for New Life Evangelistic Center as our dedicated staff go forth daily sharing the love of Jesus Christ in word and deed with over 250 houseless individuals throughout the greater St. Louis area.
The Love of Many has Grown Cold
With a loud and terrible snap, the tent poles broke, crushing all the belongings that remained inside.
There are moments in our lives that stick with us forever. All of our senses join together to imprint the memory in our mind and heart. Years later, we can still recall the smells, the noises, the taste of bile in our throats as we witness tragedy.
When ministering to people who suffer intensely, these moments happen far more frequently than for most. I have born my fair share of heavy affliction by walking with people living in dumpsters, under bridges, in forests, and in tents. I will never forget the way the City of St. Louis destroyed the homeless encampment on Garfield.
and step in with the love of Jesus Christ. Many of the homeless were not present when the City came with a front-loader and two dump trucks. They didn’t witness all their belongings get crushed, scooped up, and thrown away. They left their camp believing they would come back with everything in its place. Instead, they found an empty field and the shock of realizing all they owned had just been thrown away.
Mary was a victim to the May 2025 tornado. She was in her house when the walls shook, and she clung to whatever she could, crying out for help as what sounded like a freight train blew by her house. She lost everything in the tornado, and now she lost everything again because of the heartless City she lives in.
Mary said, “I came back and all my stuff was gone. All my clothes, all my personal hygiene items, even my birth certificate…..gone.”
New Life Evangelistic Center is stepping in to help Mary and the others who had all their belongings crushed and thrown away by the City of St. Louis. We are striving to be there when people are hurting. We firmly believe that God calls His children to step in with love, compassion and grace in moments like these.
I have had to walk through many moments of crises with people. By striving to bear the burdens of people suffering intensely, I grow in faith by depending on the King of the Universe. I won’t quickly forget the heaviness of what took place at Garfield on May 12th, 2026. I believe there are several lessons that local churches need to learn from moments like these.
First, the local church must be invested enough in the community to be aware of the poor and homeless. It amazes me how often local congregations turn blind eyes away from pain points in their own communities. The local church is called by Jesus to be like a city on a hill. (Matthew 5:14)
He commands His disciples to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) I believe this means the local church must be intimately aware of the pain points in their close proximity. The local church must think creatively to leverage the gifts and skills within their body, and act boldly to minister to the needs of those who are suffering.
Second, the local church must stop expecting the local government to do what God has called His body to do. Garfield is a clear case of how compassionless our local government is. They can’t think of any other way to solve problems other than by creating new ones. The local government is not equipped with the gospel of Jesus like the body of Christ is. The local government is by its very nature self-preserving. They will lie, steal, cheat, and beg for self-centered alternative motives.
New Life Evangelistic Center has been ministering to many on Garfield for over 6 months. We provided food, clothing, survival gear, tents, and most importantly God’s Word and comfort. The ministry spent so much time, effort, and spiritual care on this broken group of people. New Life was told by a person of authority, an alderwoman, that the camp had until Friday, May 15th to vacate. With utter disbelief, we witnessed the destruction of the lives we poured into for so long. The City of St. Louis has breached all trust, and broken their commitment to care for the poor and homeless.
Anger.
The gut-wrenching cries of the homeless flow from a deep river of anger in their hearts. Anger at being lied to, anger at being forced to move somewhere else, anger at the local government that proves once again that they do not care about you. All that they gathered together in their shelter was destroyed in an instant. The Church must listen to those cries, feel the pain in our community,
Finally, the local church must be bold and courageous when bearing the burdens of their community with the gospel of Jesus. There is no greater power to change a heart than repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. There is no greater purpose for the local church than to spread God’s love and grace through the bold call to self-denial, bearing the cross, and following Jesus. The local church has grown far too timid when it comes to proclaiming the gospel. I believe that’s why we didn’t see more local congregations on the front lines at Garfield. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25
---Chris Aaron Rice
Disbelief.
With Housing Insecurity on the Rise, Who
Is My Neighbor?
When we hear or read about housing insecurity it’s too easy to think to ourselves, well it’s no one I know! What can I do about it? And the answer is: plug in your faith! If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ what sort of person are you called to be? You might be asking along with the lawyer in Luke 10:25-37, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan and asked, “Who was a neighbor to the injured man?” It is our task as Christians, not only to bandage the wounds of the injured in our society, but to take a hard look at what is injuring them.
More and more families are becoming homeless in Missouri, according to the PRIME center at St. Louis University, with over 34,000 Missouri students (grade school and high school) having experienced homelessness during the 2022-2023 school year, with 80% “doubled up” (living with others due to economic hardship). In order to afford a one-bedroom rental in the state a minimum wage worker must work 55 hours a week. Eviction filings are surging, and homelessness is rising in many communities.
Approximately 101,905 more affordable and available rental homes are needed for extremely low-income (ELI) renters. Over 70% of low-income households pay too much for housing, sacrificing necessities like food and healthcare. Missouri experienced one of the largest one-year rental increases in the nation from 2023–2024.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Proverbs 31:8) This is a call to advocate. Use your influence to stand up for the vulnerable in your community. Stand in Solidarity with those who are being discriminated against or abused. Seek justice for those who are unable to secure it for themselves.
Did you know that based on 2023 data, Missouri has approximately 42.96 vacant housing units for every one person experiencing homelessness. With roughly 6,708 people experiencing homelessness and over 288,000 vacant housing units, the state has a high ratio of empty homes compared to its unhoused population, often with over 10,000 vacant units in St. Louis alone. How does this make any sense? Many of these are second homes that go unused. Many factors keep homeless people out of housing such as no credit or bad credit, or a single trespassing charge.
Life was relatively peaceful for Colletta and her teenage son as they lived somewhat normal lives in their N. St. Louis neighborhood. But that peace was shattered on May 16, 2025, when a killer tornado swept through some of the city’s poorest sections. Her house was condemned, so Colletta stayed for a time at a hotel, using FEMA funds, until that money was used up.
Then she stayed temporarily with a friend, until that friend put her out on the streets (even though Colletta had contributed to the household expenses). Fortunately, Colletta’s mother was able to take her teenage son in during this chaotic period.
Then came what seemed to be a break. Colletta learned about an apartment complex on the south side where she could live inexpensively. There at last she found some semblance of stability for a while.
But that same apartment complex was also being targeted by the city. There were reports of squatters, drugs, and other illegal activities among the sixty plus units. Unfortunately, Colletta along with dozens of other at-risk people were swept together with the “bad guys” and had to suffer, just because she was living there.
Early in the morning of April 2, 2026, the day before Good Friday, police descended on the apartments in a full show of force. They repeatedly broke doors, aimed guns at startled residents and carried out a thorough (and rough) search of all the dwellings. Everyone was told to leave. Everyone was given a summons to appear in court. Those units that had electricity were shut off, as well as their water supply.
Over time the deadline to vacate was extended a little, but eventually all the doors were boarded up by the city, and the remaining occupants found themselves sitting on the outside-including Colletta.
New Life Evangelistic Center had been there from the first day, bringing food, water, and other supplies. After the board-up NLEC also began bringing tents, which Colletta and the other residents gladly accepted. Soon a small tent city sprang up on the front lawn.
The city posted an ultimatum that these tents and all belongings of the former apartment dwellers would be removed on April 17, 2026. Even though New Life Evangelistic Center sent a letter to the mayor requesting two more weeks-allowing them time to work with other agencies to get all persons placed—the city went ahead with their plans.
It was a sad day for all those who believe in reason and decency. It was a sad day for all the former residents who still had not found alternative places to live.
With the Lord’s provision, NLEC was able to help many with direct placement grants and transportation.
Colletta was among those who received rental assistance. Several others were moved, together with their belongings, to temporary housing with friends.
The final arrangement was less than ideal, but it could have been worse. We thank God for the direct intervention on New Life Evangelistic Center, some other organizations, and numerous people of good will from the community who came forth to help.
For Colletta and others, this is not really the final arrangement. Many will continue to be pushed from place to place. They are trying to survive in a largely uncaring world. But for Colletta it was especially brutal. Having been the victim of two storms—first the tornado of last year, and now the storm of police force that put her out on the streets again. We salute her determination in the face of all the storms of life.
---Ray Redlich
Dreaming of Freedom Behind Bars
I hope that when you receive this letter it finds you and your loved ones in the best of health.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share my story with you all. I hope and pray that someone will be willing to help me. In the meantime, I will continue to ask God to help you and bless you for all that you do. Thank you for all your help. Jose Amezquita
What Sets Us Apart
What separates us is not our skin. What we have. Or where we’ve been. What oppresses me, oppresses you, It is to each other, we must be true. We are torn apart by society, lashed out with fists. What is missing is kindness, a brotherly kiss. This world is subject to ruin, Hateful words and weapons. What are we doing? We all have in our lives prejudged someone, Labeled a book by the cover.
Prejudice is a choice, ignorance, and fault. Why must we pay the price so easily bought? The choice to hate goes deeper than generations. Let’s stop tearing down, time for new creations. Do not justify oppression. We must learn that we all are connected. Society has branded itself with a racist mind. Children are taught to hate, not be kind. Can’t you see we are in this together? Please stop and think.
We are all the same. My blood stains red. We need to awaken the soul from the dead. Remember the message of the mountaintop. It doesn’t matter what others think. There’s only one color, or together we sink. Thru love, we may just one day succeed.
One blood, one God, that’s all we need. Shared by Ellis A Chen MD D-95889
The Joy of Being A Pen Pal
Pen Pals
I found out about being a pen pal in the Zoa Free Paper. For many years, I was in prison ministry With a local church, visiting prisoners. I wanted to get involved in a new way, by being a pen pal NLEC provided a way to do this. In August 2025, I visited Marsha at the NLEC office on Woodson, we agreed on a couple of prisoners I could write to.
Now, I’m up to five pen pals. So far, I’ve written all five pen pals four times. All five have written back. Two have replied three times. I am looking into the possibility of using email to write to some prisoners. Also, I scanned copies of Zoa Free Paper articles and sent printouts of those.
I offer my pen pals positive motivation while doing time. I provide a sounding board for what they’re going through. I offer hop, through the good news, that God loves them enough to send His Son to die for their sins, and has a plan for their lives.
If I were a prisoner, I would want a pen pal who could put himself in my shoes. (Heb 13: 3)
Being a pen pal is a chance to show the love of Christ. I’m thankful for the opportunity to minister in this way.
---Peter James
Every week New Life Evangelistic Center receives letters from the incarcerated. Here is an example of one such letter: “Please help me. I need the Lord in my life. I need the Holy Spirit. I’ve tried to overcome temptations and always fail. I don’t know what to do. I’m asking for you to give me someone (a Christian) to write to. I need someone who will listen to my pleas for help to fulfill my spiritual needs. I’m hungry for the Holy Spirit and don’t know how to get it and keep it.”
This letter is from Charlie who is in prison, one of the many writing in search of a pen pal. If you are willing to help, please write: New Life Evangelistic Center at PO Box 473, St. Louis, MO 63166
Providing a Home with a Biblical Content
New Life Evangelistic Center is counter- cultural. It sees all human beings as individuals who are created in the image of God and in need of a place they can feel at home. New Life believes, as the Scripture says, “God places the lonely in families” (Ps 68:6). For many this family is the New Life Evangelistic Center Community where individuals are challenged to live out their God given calling or purpose.
NLEC by its very efforts to provide a home within the Biblical context is considered a threat to the shallow government claims that it can end chronic homelessness by placing a few in housing and leave the vast majority of the homeless to wander the streets without shelter.
When people who were previously without a place were asked, “after being homeless, what does it mean to you to be in the NLEC Family and have a place to call home?” Amy said, “It means a lot to me because otherwise, I might have to sleep outside, and it is not safe for a woman or a man. I would probably be drinking in the park and getting into trouble.” Bill P. said, “It’s good to be a part of a Christian Community and helping the homeless.”
Unless you have been uprooted and left without a place to call home you really won’t understand what it means to individuals like Carol to have a place to call home at New Life Evangelistic Center. She writes, “It feels great to finally have a place where I feel wanted and loved and needed to do God’s work.” Debra says, “It’s a blessing to have a safe place to go where there is no crime.” Individuals who were once homeless have now found a place at New Life with brothers and sisters who are letting the love of Christ flow through them. Dwight writes, “At NLEC I have found a place to fellowship, worship, work and build a more positive perspective.” Victoria says, “When I didn’t have anywhere else to go, New Life opened its doors for me and welcomed me.”
For further information on how you can become a part of the New Life Evangelistic Center Community, please write to: New Life Evangelistic Center PO BOX 473 St. Louis, MO 63166 or go to www.nlecstl.org
When the homeless don’t get enough cold water their body experiences a breakdown that can span from headache, dry skin and dizziness to a rapid heart rate, lethargy, confusion, seizures and shock. The homeless in our community need water and ice now.
Water For the Homeless Is Urgently Needed.
Water is one of the biggest requests the NLEC first responders receive as they daily go to the homeless who are living outside.
“I Strive to get cold water to stay alive!”
Deena says, “When I was without water, I started getting dizzy, confused. I felt my body shutting down. I was hospitalized. The Doctor said I had a heat stroke and almost died! Now, on the streets and in a wheelchair, I strive to get water to stay alive.”
Please partner with New Life Evangelistic Center now in order that we can acquire the 25,000 bottles of water and the many bags of ice we need this summer for the homeless individuals like Deena.
“I need cold water to live!”
Lavon was shot in the hip three years ago and with each passing year his ability to walk has diminished until he is now in a wheelchair and homeless. Lavon thanks God for every bottle of cold water he receives from the New Life partners.
Debbie explains, “It gets hot out here! I need cold water to live, to take my medicine, to cool off my body, to quench my thirst. A bottle of cold water just touches my whole being.”
Your gift for New Life Evangelistic Center to acquire water is now urgently needed by the homeless.
“I don’t have money to get a drink of water!”
Joe is a desert storm veteran who says, “Water is not an option. We must have it to live! As a homeless veteran finding fresh, clean cold water is hard. Many businesses won’t even give me a cup of water!”
Mariah explains, “Being four months pregnant and homeless is very hard. Something as basic as a drink of cold water becomes impossible when local businesses won’t give you a drink if you come inside and can’t purchase something!”
“You can help New Life Evangelistic Center give cold water to God’s homeless children!”
While searching a local wooded area for homeless campers in the St. Louis County area, our NLEC first responders found Bob, who was newly homeless and in need of cold fresh drinking water.
As you partner with NLEC you will be putting cold water on hot summer days into the hands of those that Jesus said, “As often as you have done it to the least of these you have done it unto me.” Jesus goes on and promises in Matthew 10:42 that, “Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water will by no means lose their reward.”
When you give to the work of New Life Evangelistic Center you are providing water, ice, and other emergency assistance to God’s thirsty, homeless children like Haley. She was overjoyed when she received water in her time of need.
“The Homeless are Thankful for the cold water they receive!”
Tammy, who is also one of God’s homeless children, was also very thankful for the cold water she received from caring partners like you.
John who lives under an overpass in St. Louis County says he is grateful for the cold water he receives from the New Life Evangelistic Center partners. John says, “Finding drinking water is one of the hardest things I face daily as a homeless person.
Please Don’t Delay
You can help the homeless today. Act now and let the love of God flow through you by sending your gift to New Life Evangelistic Center at PO Box 473, St. Louis, MO 63166. Your gift to New Life Evangelistic Center will help NLEC provide the cold water that the homeless urgently need. You can also bring water to 2428 Woodson Rd Overland, MO or 806 North Jefferson in Springfield, MO.
Lavon
Deena
NLEC INDIA SHARES CHRIST’S LOVE
We at NEW LIFE rescued These 6 girls from a very dangerous places and we have given them job oriented training and today we have given sewing machines to them to help them to start new life and to feed their children. The girls were very happy and praising Jesus for the help that Jesus has given to them through New Life Evangelistic Center, Inc.
Hope and Direct help is being provided by NLEC India to hurting people throughout India. New Life Evangelistic Center doctors visit villages providing medical assistance along with medicines, food, and personal hygiene items.
When Everyone Does What ls Right ln Their Own Eyes
A closing line in the Book of Judges offers a sobering snapshot of ancient lsrael: “ln those days there was no king in lsrael; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21,,25). This brief Scripture captures a turbulent era marked by moral confusion, civil conflict, and spiritual decline.
Historically, the period of the Judges (roughly 1200-1000 B.C.) followed lsrael’s settlement in Canaan. Without centralized leadership, the people repeatedly turned from God to idolatry, adopting the corrupt practices of surrounding nations. Cycles of disobedience led to oppression, followed by temporary deliverance through judges raised up in times of crisis. Yet the pattern persisted, culminating in acts of shocking violence, brutality, and societal breakdown, including tribal warfare and deep injustice.
The phrase “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” reflects more than political disorder; it reveals a deeper spiritual crisis---truth became personat opinions, and moral authority was abandoned. Many see striking parallels today! We live in a world where there is no truth and what is right is wrong and what is wrong is right!
Modern corruption is marked by cruetty and brutality, the oppression of the poor and the homeless! We live in a world weary from endless wars. ln many places, lawbreakers and evildoers are rewarded, while justice is distant or absent. Systems meant to protect citizens often fail as violence and death spills into the streets! At the same time, division grows as beliefs-often deceptively disguised as faithpromotes hatred, racism, and exclusion rather than compassion.
There is also a resurgence of idolatry-not in carved images, but in the elevation of powerful figures, movements, and cult-like followings that demand Ioyalty above truth! Rampant greed and self-interest continue to erode moral foundations, echoing the same spiritual drift seen in ancient lsrael. We live in a world where God and His Truth has been discarded, abandoned, and found irrelevant!
Yet the message of the Bible does not end in despair! There is hope!! The witness of the Bible points to Jesus Christ as the one who confronts darkness with truth and offers rescue! Where corruption reigns, His call is toward repentance, justice, mercy, and love!
ln a world where many still do what is right in their own eyes, His life stands as a path back to righteousness, restoration, and the resurrection of love, hope and compassion!
---Mark Glenn
A Call To Arms!
The battle before us is not of flesh and blood, but of spirit and truth! Darkness advances through wickedness, cruelty, and greed, yet the people of God are not called to retreat---we are called to rise! Now is the time for every believer to enlist, or reenlist, in the Lord’s Army of Light, Truth and Love!
Stand firm and put on the whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6): Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Faith, Salvation, Prayer and the Word of God! The enemy thrives on fear, division, and the oppression of the weak, but we are called to defend, to love, and to overcome evil with good! Soldiers, do not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9), for your labor is not in vain!
DO NOT GIVE UP!
Take courage----victory is already secured through our Risen King! Stand, fight, and shine His light boldly in a dark world! Onward Christian soldiers! Because Our King’s marching orders is a Call To Arms!
