Street Hope Victoria - March 2024 Update from Rev. Debs Moyo
Hello Table friends!
We’ve had a time of transition at Threshold Ministries. With the retirement of Jonathan Clake at the end of January, I took on the role as National Director at the start of February and was commissioned on the February 22nd. It’s privilege to serve in this way, and I’m grateful to have been offered this opportunity, although I do come to it in slight trepidation!
I had the opportunity in January to visit some of our projects and project leaders in Saint John and Moncton NB. The compassion that overflowed from Eden (Moncton Chaplaincy), Reed and David (Threshold House), for people who many may have just given up on, was humbling and also a huge challenge. They are people who have experienced the hope of Jesus and are now brining that hope to others and seeing him change lives in big and small ways. I felt convicted, how much do I believe God really changes and transforms people? Who do I believe God’s redemption extends to? Ex-offenders? Sex offenders? To what extent does God really heal and reconcile? Those who are or have been entrenched in addiction and their families?
Over the course of last year and the beginning of this one I’ve been listening to the Porter’s Gate song ‘Christ is lower still’, I’ve found the chorus to be so moving.
“Let the king descend,
Living Word made flesh,
Lift this heavy heart to your throne o God.
In his wounds I find room for all of mine
When from grace I fell, Christ was lower still.”
In the wounds of Jesus, in his death and resurrection, we find room for all of our wounds, he knows and has experienced the deepest depths of human experience, and not only that but we find forgiveness for sin. What good news to those who are living on our streets in Victora, in prisons, in dysfunctional and unsafe families.
At Street Hope Victoria we share the love of Jesus by meeting a very real need, people are hungry, cold and in need of a listening and kind ear. But we know people don’t live by bread alone. My hope and prayer for me, and for us at SHV, is that we would become even more convinced of the power of God to change lives, and that this would overflow in compassion, empathy, kindness, love and the words we share. It’s easier said than done right! So please do join me in praying this.
From L-R: Long-time SHV volunteer Barbara, Threshold Board Chair Rev. Dr. Norbert Haukenfrers, friend of SHV Normand, Tablers Eleanor and Michelle, Rev. Debs Moyo, and friend of SHV Mark.
I’m excited to see how God uses SHV and Threshold Ministries next. I hope there will be opportunities in the next coming years to expand the good work that has and is happening now, for God’s glory.
Mark and Norm, two long SHV friends performed two poems at my commissioning, so good to see people using their gifts! They speak of their experiences of Street Hope Victoria and their experiences with God.
Thank you for your partnership and continued support in this ministry! So grateful for you all!
God bless
Debs
Debs at her commissioning service with Normand, Norbert, Mark, and Barbara.
Rev. Debs Moyo was commissioned to her new role as the National Director for Threshold Ministries (Street Hope Victoria’s parent organization) in a ceremony at Church of Our Lord on February 22, 2024.
Friends of Street Hope, Normand and Mark, shared poems at Deb’s commissioning service, which you can read below.
Heaven by Normand the Poet
As you knock on the door, Jesus Christ is already there to open the door to welcome you as the prodigal son you are to the Almighty God from heaven.
A new day is your gift as a blessing of God, as the red carpet of your life is unfolding under your feet onto the destiny of yours to makes the called of your purpose onto the earth.
Suffering is a cost we have to sweat into our souls through our emotional mind and state into our existence.
It is the gold of life in which God Almighty recognises the values of sacrifice of a spiritual being for the love have for Jesus Christ.
Charity is showing, love to God for the sake of good unto yourself. Sacrifice for your neighbour by being an example as a child of God onto this earth.
Forgiveness is a pathway of love as Jesus Christ wants us to use it.
As we are going through the valley of the shadows of death onto the heartsoul as we experience compassion for the neighbour into our life.
Humility will be done onto the meekness of ourselves as we identified the Christ inside us.
God loves us so much that he gives his only son. Then through Jesus Christ as above, as we accept him, we will be saved.
Redemption is love as a key of life it is part of heaven
home sweet home with our Father in heaven.
Street Hope Victoria by Mark Idczak
What is Street Hope? Is it another mere band aid attempt to try and solve poverty?
By the grace of God in us, we go into the world.
We are to be the compassionate soul of Jesus Christ, unspeakable, as we minister to a hurting damaged world.
Love God with all your soul, mind and strength.
Love your neighbour as well.
We all live in a flawed existence with all kinds of people.
Many people that have serious problems of affliction, paralysing addiction, need our love in copious amounts.
Everyone needs and deserves to be loved.
Let us embrace the hurting people with the same love as our Lord expressed to his adversaries as he lay bound to the cross.
Jesus is there to love unconditionally, provide restoration, miraculous healing to all.
Let us follow in the master’s footsteps. Everyone needs a hero, angel.
Street Hope is here to provide hope to make everyone cope.
Jesus is our one and only hope, to pull the rope at Street Hope.
Questions about Street Hope Victoria, or want to get involved? Email Debs at deborah@thresholdministries.ca for more info!
