I thought it would be good to offer up an overview of one of the main locations the SWAT Team ministers to, as a way of letting visitors to the blog get a better feel of things. Now, I'm not a long-standing native to Monterey like most on the Team, I've lived here since June 2008, but I'll offer what I've observed.
Alvarado Street in Monterey is in many ways considered the historic center of the town. There are historic buildings surrounding the Street, and Alvarado itself has a long-standing history going back to the 19th century.
The Street is a small, one-way, two-lane road lined with retail shops, restaurants and coffee houses, bars and nightclubs, a couple of hotels, and a couple of theaters. The transit center is at the entrance to the Street, where the majority of Monterey's public buses link up. It is only a few blocks from other attractions like Fisherman's Wharf and the Monterey State Beach.
While it is well visited during the day, as a location it seems to get more business at night. You can't miss it at night, since there are always white lights in the trees that line the Street. On Tuesdays a long-standing Farmer's Market takes over the Street in the late afternoon until early evening. In the evening and night, there are several nightclub bars that feature live music which attracts a large number of people. Also, the two theaters bring crowds; a major motion picture theater offers more alternative titles, and there is a historic performance theater that showcases a variety of live acts and film festivals.
The bars and restaurants stay open until 2 a.m. on the weekends. That's when the Team is on the Street, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. until around midnight or so. I speak for myself only that this time works for me because of my schedule during the week, and also for my intense desire to reach those who have never heard the truth about the Law of God and the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.
There is an incredible mixture of people who walk the Street on these nights, due to the variety of attractions there. There is a substantial number of homeless people, the majority of them young adults, who hang out there. The rest of the crowds are all ages, either to come and eat, see a show, or as the younger crowd does, cruise the bars and clubs. The only other night life scenes in Monterey are the Del Monte Center shopping mall and the Cannery Row district; the shopping center is private property and Cannery Row gets very quiet earlier than Alvarado. There is also a very large police presence on the weekends, which is always reassuring.
As for the spiritual atmosphere of Alvarado, it is like anywhere else in the world, filled with people who are antagonistic about organized religion but yet are often concerned about where they are going when they die. The conversations we have there run the full spectrum; from encouragement by believers in Christ, to people who consider themselves Christian but aren't willing or able to discuss the tenets of their faith, to plenty of people who can get openly hostile to us exercising our First Amendment rights in a public location.
Overall, it is a wonderful location the Lord has for us there. For me, there is not a night that has gone by where I do not get to have a real conversation with someone about their eternal destiny, where I get to share the truth of God's Holy Law and the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ who was crucified, died, buried, and was risen from the dead to be the Savior to everyone who repents of their sins and trusts in Him for their eternal salvation. I speak to plenty more people, and hand out plenty of tracts, without that level of conversation, but I trust the Lord to work in the hearts of all who hear me proclaim Him. Not that I do anything by my power- this ministry is completely fueled by the grace of God, and to Him alone be all the glory!
And that makes all the difference to me.
Please pray---
---For those lost souls on Alvarado Street, that the Lord would convict them of their sins and give them the grace to trust Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
---For believers to join us there to participate in the Lord's work, as a testimony to the presence of Christ in their lives and their obedience to His calling.
---For the Team to be united in Christ to the ministry He has given us, that we would surrender all to His grace, to be bold in love and truth, for the salvation or sanctification of every soul we meet.
Thanks for reading!
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