Mission trip to Portland, OR, US Urban, May 18, 2010 to May 23, 2010

Ministry Description:
The Pacific Northwest (Washington and Oregon)is known, generally, as one of the most unchurched areas of the United States. While that stat is not news, what might be of interest is how it applies specifically to AIM�s new mission location, Portland, OR (PDX). There are neighborhoods in the city where only 1-2% of the population professes faith in Christ. There is even one area where only 0.04% professes to be believers. Those are 10-40 window type numbers and are shocking to find in the United States, even in a place like Portland that is not known as a particularly �Christian� town. When you combine these numbers with other statistics like the fact that Portland has more Buddhists than any other place in the U.S. except Hawaii and that there are more sex industry employees and shops per capita in Portland than anywhere else in the U.S. including places like Las Vegas and New York City, you can see that there is a great need for the Gospel in PDX.
Participants will be stretched on a trip to Portland. While there are those that have never heard the Gospel, many nonbelievers know the Gospel and have decided against it. Some could even have a very good grasp of what the Bible teaches and can fire back with counter points. This atmosphere coupled with Portland�s 2,000-4,000 homeless and its multicultural flare (both foreign immigrants and extreme counter culture Americans) make Portland ripe for ministry.
Join with AIM as we seek to minister is this beautiful, eclectic, and very spiritually dark place. Options for ministry can include working with the homeless, working in less fortunate neighborhoods, prayer walking various locations in the city (a desperate need), and building relationships to share your faith through different outreach events and opportunities. Additional ministry might spill over the Columbia River into Vancouver, WA.

Portland, OR, US Urban Mission Trip