I am always amazed how God orchestrates encounters. I have connected one on one with a number of my “Bob” friends this past year and interject into their lives in varied levels. Helping direct them to needed services. Providing spiritual and Pastoral care. Bringing them into our Drop-In communities or walking alongside them through addictions issues.
I recently connected with Bob who is new to Ottawa, and like many of my friends, the needs are great in his life, and I support the best I can. But what is most amazing is our connection happened because Bob had a friend who knew a guy who knew a lady who knew the director of a local treatment centre who gave him my number. Maybe that’s just a string of coincidences to you, but I see God all over this, in order to put us in relationship together.
-Rick Ojala
I have a beautiful miracle to share with you about Bob. I have been connected to Bob for about two years now. Bob’s addictions issues and income activity has been a story that would break your heart. But has been drawn to the services and representation of Christ’s love despite all these activities.A few months ago, the Holy Spirit transformed a heart and we have seen the miracle of that change. Bob is now an active participant in several of our programs, and I spend time, as a guide to walking the path of a Christian, to someone who is so hungry and excited to learn a new way of living and the freedom that brings. I honestly do not know what the catalyst moment was, but the evidence was blaring and wonderful.
Only God can receive the credit for this, but it is a testimony to walk obedient to his call and let him bear the fruit.
-Rick Ojala
I am very excited to bring another story of victory to my wonderful friend Bob. I have been walking with Bob for about a year now and seen a soft heart, the desire to change his life and embrace the gospel message. Recent circumstances required him to have an extended hospital stay. The blessing that unfolded in this way, this “respite” from his lifestyle and community resulted in a clear-eyed new man. Bob was excited and wanted to hear about the bible verses that told him who he was and who he could be. That he was loved and cherished. Bob had an innocent childlike hunger and embraced our conversation with incredible enthusiasm. He wanted prayer with an almost insistent manner. This is another unprecedented win.
My prayer is that this will be a sustained change as he leaves the hospital and returns to a difficult world.-Rick Ojala
I am very excited to bring another story of victory to my wonderful friend Bob. I have only been connected to him for a short time. Bob is clean and transformed from a life of drug use and living on the streets.His new life is such a blessing to me, to see someone so totally transformed by God from tragic circumstances and fentanyl use. Here’s the exciting part, Bob has now been out with me doing street outreach to the same people he lived with and used with.
What a testimony to return to your old house, to bring the message of hope and the gospel to those who know Bob, and they can’t believe it’s him. 
-Rick Ojala
I shared a Bob story about my friend who, a year and a half ago, was a fentanyl user on the streets of Ottawa. It’s not an exaggeration to say he was one or two days away from death. With all the encounters I have, I usually don’t repeat a story even when there is a powerful win attached.I wanted to do a follow up on this one because Bob now has a vibrant independent Outreach Ministry of his own. Sponsored by individuals and Union City Church, he now goes out on the same streets I do and takes an assortment of friends from church and recovery along with him.
On March 5th, CBC did a short production piece on him during one of his Outreach days. When he first started and did Outreach with me, it was incredible to see the hope he brought so quickly to those he once lived with on the streets. The funny thing was, at first, they did not recognize the new man they were talking to.
God is miraculous. Bob tells me when we talk, he has not looked down once since he left the streets, because God just keeps taking him higher and higher.
-Rick Ojala
(stock photo used)
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