Community Service

Testimony: by Linda WebbM y husband Dennis and I both came to Victory Outreach West London (VOWL) through our grandson Craig who had met Pastor Dave in Wormwood Scrubs Prison. Craig was due to attend another service Pastor Dave was conducting; but was moved to a different prison. So Craig phoned me and asked me to make contact with Pastor Dave as he thought Pastor Dave would have thought he was no longer interested in church. He asked me to give Pastor the reason for his absence.

I phoned Pastor Dave and explained the situation. He immediately knew who Craig was and I was very impressed that Pastor remembered Craig and was very friendly. Craig had asked Dennis and I to attend VOWL in order to meet Pastor. We visited VOWL and found everyone we met was very friendly and welcoming, and we enjoyed the service. Listening to Craig every week over the telephone, we heard how much he had changed and how much he was praying and loved God. We decided to keep attending VOWL. It was definitely the right decision, weve now been saved and God has done so much in our lives in such a short space of time! Pastor Dave asked the congregation if anyone wanted to get baptised; I was initially apprehensive because of my fear of water. Pastor confirmed Dennis and I were both ready to be baptised. So on the 28th of July 2013 we got baptised alongside Vanessa Salgado and Michella Dixon!

Street Outreach:Outreach continued in Harlesden until July 2013 and then we moved on to focus on Shepherds Bush Green.

Generally people are very responsive to Gods Word. Many people received prayer. Weve been able to make new connections, as well as develop and build old ones. We have literally taken the Church to the streets where the needs are. The community on the green welcomes Pastor Dave as their Pastor. The Bible says The Lords people will not be like sheep without a shepherd. Numbers 27 v17.Feedback from the community:

Street Rally:J

oy came to the streets of Shepherds Bush; evident in the gleeful participation from the public - even children and women of the Muslim faith. Here is what VOWLs church member - Erselle and her 10 year old daughter Mercedes report back in their interview with Ruth Abner.How did the rally go?

The rally was amazing! God went before us and softened the hearts of the people on the streets so that when the Word was spoken and the choir began to sing they were already receptive to the Word of God.Did you learn anything new in the rally?

I learned that it does not matter how many people are out on the streets sharing the love of God but its the honesty of the individuals heart that matters when winning souls for God.How did you find the worship at the station?

The worship at the station was powerful. People were passing by and stopping, children were also curious and wanting to listen. People were also recording us while we sang. The Spirit of God came down as the worship went up.How did you find the worship in the park?

The worship in the park just went on continuously. We had fun singing J.E.S.U.S, which is a fun and interactive song but also individuals were moved by the praise and worship; this is the how God touched their hearts. We stood there and let our light shine brightly in the midst of darkness.How did you feel sharing your testimony?

It was a privilege to share my testimony and how the Lord has blessed me, how He has taken me from a life with no hope, no purpose and emptiness in my heart which no matter what I did or tried that emptiness remained, but now He placed my feet on solid rock. I always find it a blessing to share my testimony to encourage others; to let them know that there is hope, reassurance, protection, love and so much more when you give your life to God.

What did you like the most?

I loved the fact that we remained as a team and worked together to bring Glory to the Kingdom of God. Tell us of your 1:1 witnessing.

I did not do much 1:1 witnessing because I remained with the worship team but a man from the country which I originally come from, Dominica, was introduced to me and he said that he could see the love and heard the power of God through me when I shared my testimony. He said that everything I said in my testimony touched him and he was ever so grateful. He has promised to visit us at West London.How did Mercedes find the experience?

Mercedes loved it very much. She did an amazing job giving out flyers. I am so proud of her. As a mother it touched my heart and I pray that the Lord will continue to teach me daily how to raise her in His way and to be an example to her. The Bible says, Train up a child in the way he should go and when he grows old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22v 6). It will give her a strong foundation to build on as she grows older. Mercedes...Tell us what you enjoyed the most.I enjoyed meeting new people and hearing my mum talking about God.Did anyone commit to Christ during the rally?

A young lady gave her life to God and I was happy about that because when one soul repents and turns to the Lord Heaven rejoices!Thank you Erselle and Mercedes!

Erselle (on right) with Katie (far left) and NicolePrison Ministry Testimony:In November 2012 I was arrested for possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Sitting in the cells felt like the end. I could see no future for me. Surely I was looking at a sentence of more than ten years for this I thought to myself. The last two years had been hell for me and my family. I had been taking cocaine, weed, alcohol and sleeping tablets constantly to fill a deep emptiness which I felt inside. I had no hope any more, I was on self destruct mode and intent on ruining my life and as many other people's lives as possible. There could only be two outcomes to the life I was living; Jail or Death. Thank God I got jail but I would have preferred death at the time. So from the Police station I was taken to a London prison. I was scared, lonely and hopeless. I felt I had nothing left to give.

I felt an urge to go to Church the following Sunday. Well it is at least some time out of the cell I thought to myself. Church seemed very boring and I wasn't getting much out of it but I did get a sense of peace which was comforting. My mind was still crying out for the drugs that nearly destroyed me but somehow I had a stronger urge to fight the cravings than before.

I went to Court and was moved to another London prison. I started to go to Church there too on a Sunday. I got myself a Bible and started to read it. It came alive I couldn't put it down. Every time I felt sad, worried or craved drugs I would pick up my Bible and it helped me escape from these demons. I still didn't understand the good news about Jesus at the time, but it did provide me with a way out of the darkness. My family often came to visit me and even though I had no hope they still did, so it got me thinking that if they still had hope then maybe I could change and make them proud. My own efforts to change had failed me countless times in the past. I thought maybe the Church can help.

The next Sunday visitors came in and led the worship. Listening to the songs and the preaching and the testimonies I felt a burden lift from me and I began to cry silently. I then felt really good and I thought "WOW, Church ain't boring no more it's making me so happy." I gathered as many booklets and testimonies as I could about Jesus and how he has transformed people's lives. People that had been in even worse situations than I was. The booklet said that all you had to do was accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and you would be forgiven from all the bad things you had ever done and your life would be transformed. I knew then that if I was determined to change only this Jesus could do it. I wanted to give my life to Christ there and then but I still wanted more clarification. In the midweek Bible study I attended, I met Pastor Dave who shared what Christ had done for him and how his life had been transformed by God's love.

We prayed and spoke more and I told him about my past and he told me more about God's saving power. Meeting Pastor Dave and hearing first hand what God had done in his life touched me so much. I went back to my cell and I just knew deep down inside that Jesus could do the same for me. I got the booklets out and read the prayer on there and I gave my life to Christ. Now I had Christ in my life I could not wait to get back to Church. I began reading the Bible more and I fell in love with God's word. It came alive! It says in the Bible those that are in Christ are a new creation. Well that was true with me. The drug cravings went, the anger went, the jealousy went and the bitterness went. That emptiness was completely filled with God's love.

I had a trial coming up for burglary and I was lying to myself and to the Police about it as my plea was Not Guilty but something had changed in me. How could I lie? I was completely convinced that I had to tell the truth. I couldn't believe the change in myself as I used to be a compulsive liar and had got away with so many things but something was telling me I needed to own up to it. On Wednesday Bible study came around and I spoke to Pastor Dave and told him I was feeling that I shouldn't lie any more. We chatted and I made up my mind that I was going to hold my hands up and plead guilty. Since I made up my mind not to lie my relationship with Christ took on a whole new level. I couldn't stop praying and reading the Word. I was always telling my Nan and Granddad how much I was enjoying Church and I think they could see a huge change in the way I spoke and acted. I don't think they could quite believe the huge change in me and how quickly I had changed from being so angry and on drugs to somebody who constantly talked about God, the Bible and Church. The change in me inspired them to go to Church themselves. I told Pastor Dave that they really wanted to go to Church and he told me to tell them to go along to Victory Outreach West London which eventually they did. Within a very short time they gave themselves to Christ too. That news just blew me away. I began to thank and praise God. I was in awe of what his love was doing. He had come and transformed me and now my family too!

By this time I had been moved to another prison and my sentencing was coming up. I wasn't fazed by this as I spent time in the word and prayed. I just wanted to get my sentence and get on with it. My case was adjourned three or four times until finally the big day arrived. I was in the holding cell in Court down on my knees crying out to God saying "Please Lord no more than 7 years." I went up for sentencing and I was given 7 years! The result was good, bearing in mind my Barrister had warned me I was looking at a double figure sentence.

Soon I was given the news I was to be moved again, this time to one of the most violent prisons in the system. I wasn't happy but I realised that if it was not God's will for me to go there then I wouldn't be going.

Once there I quickly attended Bible studies but something strange happened. I began to feel closed in and I thought I wanted to give up on this walk of Faith. I felt very angry and upset and was ready to storm out of the Bible class. Then I felt an urge to stay and confide in the Pastor at the end. I explained my feelings to him and had tears in my eyes. He called the elders over from Churches outside the prison and they laid hands on me and prayed. I heard a strange language coming from one of them and a presence descended upon me and I began to weep uncontrollably. I then felt as though I wanted to scream and shout with joy. Afterwards I felt brand new. I was alive. I could hardly walk back to my cell I was so drunk with the Holy Ghost. The next day I was in my cell I began to pray and very soon I began to speak in a language which sounded the same as I had heard the day before.

I couldn't stop praying in this new language. I later learned this to be tongues. Since my baptism in the Holy Ghost, God has blessed me in so many ways unimaginably. He uses me to share his love where so much darkness abides. I hold Bible studies every morning for a small group of guys who are growing in the Lord. The Lord has done so much for me and he is doing great things in my family's life too. I have been a Christian for just over 6 months now and in that time I have been totally transformed. If anyone out there feels there is no hope, trust me there is hope, in Jesus. I am physically behind bars but I am as free as a bird because Jesus has set me free! If you want to be set free, if you want to be loved by somebody unconditionally, if you want to be transformed and renewed just ask Jesus Christ into your life and you will have these things and more in abundance! Prayer for salvation: Lord Jesus please forgive all my sins. Come into my life and be my Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Prayer Outreach Warriors!T

he team met for training, prayer and lunch. Chloe Oladimeji reports: The POW meeting went really well, it was really good learning about how much prayer can help people and how the Holy Spirit can lead us in prayer and put us on the right path. We should always make time to pray giving time to God so he can do miracles in our lives and lives of others. Also that prayer can be a time of worship and giving thanks. In POW meetings we get trained in the way of the Lord and are given direction from those that the Lord has made leaders over us, as we develop more we need to remember that we must stay faithful, available and teachable, and must be good role models for the young Christians.The POW team continues to go from strength to strength. Angelique now has responsibility for POW. We aim to connect to pray every day of the week, by phone, skype, text or face to face.

Prison Report:P astor David continues to work as community chaplain at Wormwood Scrubs Prison. God is continuing to move, with Pastor David experiencing many opportunities to minister Gods love to the prisoners and staff. He is also taking a leading role in recruiting and training mentors for the prisoners from the local community. Pastor David and Sister Janet were recently able to minister at Holloway Prison, a womens prison in North London, and many ladies were touched by the Lord. The church continues to support the ministry in prayer. The wider church network across North and West London is becoming more aware of the need for prison ministry thanks to regular celebration services and events for the work of the prison ministry. God is at work!Pray with us:

Thank God for the powerful way He is moving in the prisons; and pray for men recently released or due to be released soon: that they will continue to walk with God and not go back to their old way of life, and that God will meet all their needs for work, housing and churches.

Thank God for souls recently saved and ask that God would add more to His harvest in West London. We are believing for revival in this city!

There is too much violence on the streets of London. Pray that God would touch key gang members and turn their lives around. Ask God for an end to violence in this city.

Please stand with us as we continue to believe God for our Recovery homes.

Please lift up Pastor David and Sister Janet as they continue to build and lead the church.

The strategy you use to approach and minister to people is commendable, with one person leading the conversation and others assisting.

Chris, Harlesden.

I enjoyed listening to the songs and they brought back good childhood memories.

Michael, Shepherds Bush Green.

The presence of the team is needed to help people make right choices and break out of substance dependency and negative lifestyles. Kim, Shepherds Bush Green.

Shepherds Bush Green

Victory Outreach West London Community Service newsletter is put together by: Katie Lee, Linda Webb & Ruth Abner.

For more information about the church visit:

HYPERLINK "http://www.vowestlondon.com" www.vowestlondon.com

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