Homeless Youth Outreach January 2005

"Drums and Easels" to the Florida Rainbow Gathering and Ybor City

In January 2005, we gathered a team of 20+ people from Minneapolis and around the country for a Homeless Youth Outreach in Florida. Teaming up with Glen Clark Ministries and other local Christians, we spent time in the regional Rainbow Gathering, and then in the streets around the Tampa area, especially Ybor City.

Every year during the winter homeless youth gather at a regional Rainbow Gathering (Gathering of nomads, travelers, and homeless that includes the presence of drugs, humanism, and "Hippie" lifestyle and values). Many of the homeless youth we will come in contact with will travel throughout the country including Minneapolis in the next year.

It was a time of praying, training, serving and outreach: Drum jams & painting & serving food to the people at the Rainbow Gathering. Hosting a dinner theatre for the people of Ybor City near Tampa, Florida. Using the arts to bring Glory to God, and bring others into His kingdom family...

click here to read our online journal from the trip, and see more pictures!

The Rainbow Gathering:
Several times a year, thousands of hippies, homeless youth, and other people from fringe subcultures gather in national forests to form community. Many of these young people are lost, angry, or alienated from the church, and have little to no interest in Christianity or organized religion. Many are dependant on drugs or bad relationships, many are homeless and travel from Gathering to Gathering year round, and their lives lack structure, support, and stability. Our goal is to be a light in darkness, serving the needs of these wounded people through the empowering love of Jesus.

Ybor City:
Known as an immigrant city at the dawn of the 20th century, Ybor City was notorious for organized crime: illegal gambling, and smuggling guns and liquor into the port of Tampa through underground tunnels. it was also know as a meeting place for high ranking organized crime families.

It was desolate and virtually closed down in the 1980's. The Ritz Theatre Complex opened up new opportunities for nightlife businesses. now on the weekends, they draw 150,000 to 200,000 people with a nightlife scene rivaling Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

What did the week look like?

TRAINING
You'll have the opportunity to receive training from Source staff and other experienced ministry staff about alternative subcultures, hear stories about their experiences, and prepare for our ministry time at the Gathering and in Ybor City. We will also spend time together worshipping and praying for one another.

OUTREACH
We will primarily be working with the Clark family, who travel the country doing outreach at different festivals. They incorporate music and performance into a dinner theatre that serves free food throughout the evening. Glen Clark is from Ybor City, and the Clarks have been a presence at the Florida Gathering for years. They have a specific burden for those that have been ignored of left behind by the church, and they are incredibly dedicated to the caling God has placed on their lives. We will help them put on the dinner theatre in the Rainbow Gathering and on the streets of Ybor City.

In addition, we will also bring art supplies and drums to take out onto the streets. Painting on plywood and canvas amidst drum jams and dancing will take place. as people gather, we look to get into spritually significant conversations. We see these as being naturally supernatural experiences. As we bring creativity and joy to the world, the Holy Spirit tends to bring those who need to meet some Christians they can relate to. Often, individual conversations open themselves up for prayer and blessing.

ON-SITE VISITS: Refuge, Front, Dunklin Community You will also be visiting and hearing from the leaders of area ministries that run coffee houses and outreach centers.

PARTICIPATING BANDS: Madison Greene, Psalters, Glen Clark Family, Daniele Clark