January – March Prayer Letter

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters of Safe Haven,

We thank each of you for your support in the important work that God is doing here in Newark, NJ. Your

prayers, financial gifts, and emotional support are keeping this ministry alive. And ALIVE it is. Much has been

happening as we fight the war for youth’s hearts. Here is an update on what has been happening in the past few

months.

~January- Danny and other youth volunteers took 10 guys to a Young Life retreat.  A powerful time of sharing occurred

in which each of these young teenagers opened up and shared heart wounds they had experienced and ways in which

only Jesus could heal them.  Eight out of the ten guys do not have their father in their life. To have “street guys” open up

in this way shows a powerful work of the Holy Spirit.

~February – “Warriors Retreat”, in which Danny took twenty guys paintballing with a follow-up extensive study on being

a warrior for God, for one’s family, and one’s community. They also did work around the church in order to clean up,

and further the progress on the youth center. As a result of the training, a few of the guys have joined the city’s

Community Council to help be a voice of change for their neighborhood.

~March-We held a break-dance seminar for the local high school’s, Twilight Program, a program in which students who

cannot attend regular school due to behavioral issues go to class in the afternoons.  Danny has been volunteering and

providing counseling for the students once a week for the program and the professional break-dancer has committed to

holding more lessons and seminars for the teens once the youth center is opened.

– “Rock the Church” happened! A large stage, lights, a fog machine, a professional break-dancer and rapper,

and several bands…The Lord mightily blessed it with 150 youth showing up from the community, and surrounding

church youth groups.  The gospel was boldly proclaimed to many who do not know the good news of Jesus Christ, and

the evening closed out with an extended time of worship.

-We had 36 college students from Virginia and Michigan come for their spring break to help with the ministry

here. During the mornings they went into the local elementary and high schools to do a week of “Catch-me-up” tutoring

for youth behind in their reading.  GREAT connections were made, not only with the youth, but with parents, teachers,

and principals. In the afternoons, we ran Kids Club for nearly 30 elementary students. Each day the kids learned stories

about Jesus and we closed the week with a Resurrection Party. Also, at the end of the week we had our first Crossover,

a monthly youth meeting where over 40 neighborhood teenagers come to have fellowship, play games, and do Bible

Study.

Please join us in praising the Lord for:

~The twenty guys that are faithfully showing up for men’s group, church, youth events, and community service events.

Some of them have to catch a bus and come all the way across town, but they are showing up, growing in their walks

with the Lord, developing deep friendships amongst themselves and youth leaders, and are desiring to see change in

their communities and families.

~The many things that have been donated towards the ministry and our family: sound panels for the recording studio

(worth $600), the stage for Rock the Church (worth $450),  groceries to feed the many young men that eat at our home

(worth A LOT),  volunteer labor on the youth center (worth $2,000), a two day getaway to a lake house for a very

exhausted urban missionary family (i.e. us) (worth-priceless)

~Recently, while visiting a church family who has not been able to attend church lately due to a very sick grandmother,

we spotted pictures, signs, and journal entries about the 10 commandments on their walls.  The mother, who Kimberly

has been working with, then told us that every Sunday that they miss Sunday School the kids work on their own “at

home” Sunday school lesson. We praise the Lord that the things these children are learning at church have been

brought into the home and are now being taught in this home.  Two years ago, the mother claimed, she would have not

wanted anything to do with church or God.

~The two young men who are living in our home are showing growth in the Lord that is starting to affect their work ethic,

desire for education, and their relationships with the opposite sex.

Please join us in praying to the Lord for:

~Monthly Support: We are at about 30% of what we need to be able to live here and cover our living expenses and

health insurance.  God keeps on providing on a month to month basis in amazing ways so we are thankful, but we are

hoping and praying for a consistent monthly support team to be raised up so we can focus all our energy on reaching

these kids for Christ. If you haven’t already, please consider supporting us $25, $50, or $100 on a monthly basis. We

are praying to be at 100% in the next few months. Please join us in asking the Lord to meet this need. Automatic

recurring donations can be made on our website: www.newarksafehaven.com. Donations can also be mailed to 483

Ferry Street, Newark NJ 07105. Checks payable to Safe Haven.

~Special Easter festivities to come: Good Friday Jesus Film viewing, Scripture Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Service and

Feast, and a girls club to be held during the kid’s spring break.

~Grant Writing!! There are many tedious processes in grant writing and we need supernatural strength and stamina to

get through them.  Also, we need to find favor in the sight of the foundations giving the grants for we are one of

hundreds applying for them.

~The warrior young men who are growing in the Lord-that God will protect them and lead them in the way of

righteousness.

~Helpers and teachers for the Sunday Kids Club (i.e. Sunday School). Kimberly has been the only elementary Sunday

school teacher all year and needs help and someone to aid in the organization and growth of the ministry.

~The completion of the youth center and the official start of the program we are going to run there.

~Planning for the summer as we host youth teams and interns nearly every week to help run our summer kids program

and community outreach events.

~A continued healthy pregnancy for Kimberly and our little Iverbaby due to be born August 23rd.

Thank you for what you do to make this work possible.  If you have not already committed to praying for and giving

financially to Safe Haven, would you pray about doing so? Please visit our website for updated pictures, news, and how

you can help further the Kingdom of Christ in the lives of these children and youth.  www.newarksafehaven.com

For the King and the Kingdom,

Danny, Kimberly, Daniel Josiah, and Iverbaby Iverson