LCMS World Mission Blog

“Saturday, when our Apple of His Eye team arrived at St. Louis’ Pridefest, we were not sure what to expect in terms of opposition. (Pridefest is an annual festival to celebration gay and lesbian lifesytles). There wasn’t any opposition, but the heat and humidity knocked us out and kept the attendance down. Still, many received our tracts and we had a number of good conversations.

“Sunday was almost perfect weather. There were a lot more people, but there were several things that were very difficult. We had more conversations, which was incredibly draining. Although I tried to focus on the person I was talking to, there was much in my surroundings that was so distracting: many young children and many churches and synagogues willing to jettison what the Bible defines as sin just to win the accolade ‘gay affirming.’ I talked for a long time with Sam, a Jewish man who is not gay. He was a food vendor. His wife is Catholic. He shared that she was having a hard time because her 18 year old (not his, as it is a second marriage) committed suicide. The Catholic Church told her that because suicide is a sin, her child is in hell. That provided a perfect opportunity to share the Gospel and build a friendship. I sent him an e-mail, and he replied, eager to get together for coffee! Please pray for Sam and his wife, Susan.

“There were several other people who opened up after seeing that we were not there to judge them. So many of the people we talked to have backgrounds that are so painful. Many were abused by family who belong to the church. One woman shared how angry she gets at the notion of a heavenly father because of what her earthly father had done to her. She is in pain and desperate, and not finding answers in churches. We talked about the Psalms and about letting go and trusting God, without hanging on to anything else. I confessed how hard that was for me before I came to faith and encouraged her to continue to ask God to show her the truth and stay in the Bible. She listened to the Gospel. Pray for this woman and so many others that they will come to know Jesus.

“Several people were so grateful to hear that we would be keeping them in our prayers and sending them literature about true hope and a peace that passes all understanding. I can’t recall being on the streets when so many people told me ‘I am really looking forward to hearing from you.’”

• Learn more about Apple of His Eye Mission Society.