Skid Row
Blog / commentContaminated syringes litter the pavement. An old pair of sneakers dangle from the power lines up above. Weathered card board boxes and tents line the sidewalks and circle around the block. An unpleasant stench rises from human waste in the gutter. A homeless man leans back and takes yet another shot of heroin in plain sight, while another smokes crack in the open. A cop car streaks in and police officers slam a local drug dealer onto the hood to handcuff him.
It may sound like something write off the page of a Hollywood movie script, but this is a very real scene that we witnessed firsthand only weeks ago. It’s definitely not from the movies, though the scene does take place near Hollywood. Skid Row is an inner city area that every Los Angeles resident knows about and many stay away from. It contains one of the largest populations of homeless people in the United States, with an estimated 4,316 residents in 2011. It is severely stricken with addiction, crime, and poverty. The streets are filled with the destitute, hopeless and desperate people – some wandering aimlessly, others just looking for next high because that’s all they can look forward to. What an opportunity for the hands of Jesus to reach out to those hurting!
Fresh off of our annual K5 & Kuzins Cruise 2012, the entire Katina family (all 40 of us) got off the ship and drove straight to Skid Row. Upon arrival, we went into full “outreach mode” and the whole crew split up into different areas of ministry. It was an outreach event organized by the Dream Center, a passionate, servant-minded inner city church that regularly takes food and water to Skid Row. Armed with gloves and brooms, the Katina teenagers took to the streets to clean up the trash and other less pleasant debris in the gutters. Meanwhile, the wives dished out food to a long line of hungry Skid Row residents. The littlest Katinas were waitresses, donning aprons and making sure everyone got what they needed at their respective tables. Still, others from the group huddled under the prayer tent to pray with and for the locals of “Heroin Alley”.
“Pray that I can get out of here” was a frequent prayer request throughout the day, often followed by tears. People felt stuck, trapped, like they were in a prison. Unfortunately, leaving a place like that isn’t as easy as hopping on a bus headed out of town and starting over. The harsh reality is, as one man put it, “this is all we know”. With all its hardships and problems, Skid Row is the only home that the majority of its residents have ever known. Yet hope remains as long as ministries, like the Dream Center, continue to share the love of Christ with the hopeless in a compassionate and practical way.
To quote one of the Katina kids, the experience was “life-changing” to say the least. We feel blessed to have been part of that opportunity and appreciative of your support! The prayers and contributions of faithful Katina Missions partners like you make ministry moments like this possible. We, the Katina brothers, thank you for continuing to link arms with us as we further the kingdom of God together – from Skid Row to the rest of the world. God bless you!
The Katinas
Talofa (Hello) From Samoa!
Blog / commentTalofa (Hello) from Samoa! Finally, we made it to Samoa for the much anticipated Katina Missions trip, and we have certainly seen God’s hand at work here in the islands. We have arrived in American Samoa and have even visited the neighboring island nation of Western Samoa, where the tsunami hit especially hard. The Katinas have distributed food, shelter kits, household kits to affected families, and have contributed monetarily to the efforts of Samaritan’s Purse and Kelly Duininck Ministries (RHEMA) as well. The Samoan people were very grateful for the provisions, but we understand that this is a going to be a long-term recovery process.
Besides delivering much needed supplies, last night we held a much anticipated outreach concert in American Samoa, bringing the message of “Hope For Samoa” to our people. It was received with enthusiasm and gratitude! Tonight will be a concert angled toward the youth of Samoa, in an effort to inspire even after such devastation. We could tell from last night’s concert that joy has begun to emerge after such a time of sorrow.
The Katinas and Katina Missions would like to thank EVERY PERSON and EVERY ORGANIZATION who has given so generously to this disaster relief. Thank you for helping us at Katina Missions reach our island nation with the love of Jesus Christ. Fa’afetai tele!
-The Katinas
Devastation:
Blog / 1 comment{Our Beloved Island Of American Samoa Gets Hit By Tsunami}
If you would like to donate for the relief fund for Samoa, please click on “Ways To Give” at the top and then click on the DONATE button
HELP SEND THE KATINAS TO REACH SAMOA!!!
Blog, Missions / 2 comments
For the third year in a row, the Katina brothers are returning to their home island of Samoa, with a heart to serve the underprivileged in the community. One way Katina Missions is raising support for the needs of Samoa is putting on the very first Katina 3-on-3 basketball tournament! If you love basketball and live in the greater Nashville area, join us in an exciting 3-on-3 extravaganza! If you can’t make it but still believe in the missions heart of the Katinas, we would ask you to consider praying and/or give towards this year’s missions trip. Visit www.katinamissions.org for more info about our trip and how you can help!
