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CityTeam International - San Francisco Staff Partners in Ministry
Please put the name of the San Francisco Staff whom you would like to support in the comments field or include the comment ‘SF PIM’ if you would like to donate to their common missionary fund.
Here at CityTeam International in San Francisco we have a staff of six, including a Director with over 30 years of service to the Bay Area disadvantaged, a Homeless Rescue Mission Manager who is a Registered Nurse and ordained Minister, a Recovery Mission Manager with a certificate in Advanced Alcohol and Drug Studies from UC Santa Cruz with over 10 years experience working with addicts, a Learning Center Teacher with a B.A. in Christian Ministries and Sociology, an Administrator with a B.A. in English, and a Development Coordinator with a Masters in Political Science.
We leverage this small but effective and caring staff with graduates from our men’s Discipleship & Recovery program that become part-time volunteer staff upon graduation and a large volunteer base that gave over 6,000 hours of service last year, which is an additional three full-time equivalent employees, increasing our staff size by more than 50%.
We thank everyone who has had a part in the inner-workings of CityTeam International to make an impact in the out-workings of this ministry to this street, neighborhood, and city!
At CityTeam International we rely heavily on donors to fund our missionary staff through a program called Partners In Ministry. Our staff elicit ongoing prayer and financial support from family, friends, churches, and people like you! All donations made to this program are matched two for one by our corporate office. If you would like to become a Partner in Ministry with our staff by supporting us through prayers or financial donations, please contact Angie Ibarra at 650-619-1300, aibarra@cityteam.org, send a check to PO Box 192997, San Francisco, CA 94119 with “SF PIM” in the memo section, visit our prayer page or visit our secure donation page to donate online at www.cityteam.org/sanfrancisco and include “SF PIM” in the comment section. Our staff will send you a personalized thank you letter along with a receipt for your generous gift. Thank you for your heart for this ministry and those who are called to lead it!
Erika Nation, Volunteer Coordinator and Administrative Assistant
"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD." (Psalms 40:1-3)
I remember hearing this scripture and falling in love with it not knowing I would have to live through it. As the eldest of two girls, I accepted Christ at an early age. Born and raised in church, from my great-grandparents, all the way down to my parents, ministry has been in my life. Singing on the praise and worship team, in the choir, teaching dance, leader of youth and a intercessor on the Intercessory prayer team are my acts of worship. Through divorce, single motherhood, and public shame, God was maturing me in front of the church.
“High and lifted up for all the world to see consume me with your presence and I declare your majesty. Manifest your glory, let heaven and earth adore thee, with the angels I cry Holy Holy”.
“Go find your place of worship. Look into your pain and find your praise. Every low place in your life, prepared you for your high place and every tear you cry is water for the garden of your victory. Even though your in the valley, victory comes from you adversity so go find your place of worship”.
Lyrics like theses are the substance of what encouraged me to press forward.
God transformed my life. Today I am a proud mom and a new wife. God allowed my hurt and pain to become what I would later stand on to survive. I didn’t understand it then, but now I know God was just teaching me how to grow through every situation with a smile on my face and watch God’s hand in my life. Coming to City Team Ministries has changed my life. I have seen God in a new light, with new and clear vision. It is in looking at the lives of those in recovery that I have truly learned how to forgive. In serving with the volunteers and participating in the foot washing, God has cleansed me. I am committed to ensuring that my life exemplifies Christ and through that others can be changed. Life is a process and like those in recovery men, God is changing me in the midst of it all. To whom much is given much more is required. Now I understand that I go through to help others grow through.
Trudy Read, Community Outreach Manager
I was raised in a Christian home, but I didn’t have a personal relationship with Christ until I was 16. Even though I had a twin sister, I knew I was different. In high school, God called me to ministry. I promptly said ‘no’ and joined the Army where I was trained as a field nurse. In retrospect, I see God was shaping my heart. After my time in the Army, I became a civilian ICU nurse, and ten years later took a teaching position as Director of Staff Development. Again, looking back I see God shaping me. Once more I was approached by God. I said ‘yes’ and went back to school for Ministry in 1989.
I received my B.S. in Ministry in 1992 and moved back to California and joined the Sierra Pacific Conference of the Free Methodist Church. I volunteered at CityTeam International in San Francisco leading a weekly morning Bible study. I also became a counselor for the Recovery program. Now, I am on staff overseeing the Homeless ministry and I still have my hands in the Recovery program (what can I say, I’m addicted to assisting anyone who wants help).
My husband, Jeff Read, is also a mentor and counselor for men in the Recovery program. We feel the importance of teaching and serving the lost in our community. We are seeing the fruits of our labor and thank God for allowing us to be together to bring His lost sheep back to the fold.
Jonathan Zingkhai, Recovery Program Manager
One hundred and twenty five years ago, American missionaries brought the Good News to our people in Manipur, India. The Gospel took root in our country and revolutionized our culture. We are the by-product of the faithful service of those early missionaries and now we are committed to go out and serve others in the same way. In July 2003, God called me to serve in San Francisco CityTeam International.
My ministry is focused on those who are homeless, hurting, broken, and addicted to drugs and alcohol. Recovery from addiction is one of the most pressing needs of our modern era. God has given me a burden and a passion for those who are destroying their lives through substance abuse and other destructive life patterns.
As a Recovery Program Manager, my role is to create a safe and healing environment where addicted people can be free to take risks, be true to themselves, be honest and transparent, to experience God’s grace, and be free to choose life transformation. My role also is to launch small group discipleship movements that embrace the needs of hurting people, lead them to faith, disciple them to maturity, and mentor them in how to repeat the process with others.
Thank you for being our Partner in Ministry. Through your prayers and financial support you are helping to rebuild the broken lives of the homeless, alcoholics and drug addicts in our world today.
Shirley Pounds, City Director
On March 21, 1970, I became the wife of Michael Pounds, who was in senior leadership at Oakland Peniel Mission (now known as CityTeam Ministries-Oakland). For 28 years we worked together to reach not only the addicted and the poorest of the poor in Oakland, but I joined with Michael in giving leadership to eight ministries located from Seattle, WA to Los Angeles, CA.
Throughout those years I learned about being faithful to God's calling on your life through discouraging times and joyful times, during the lean times and times of great blessing. Over and over again I learned about the heart of a God who deeply loves the most devastated and broken human beings - and that He alone can put back together the pieces of broken lives! I saw Him do that many times! True miracles of His grace! Although Mike and I never had any of our own children, we invested our lives in literally hundreds of men and women - some who have become people of great influence for God.
From these experiences grew a thriving Gospel music ministry and I had the privilege of making three albums. This ministry gave me the means to express the story of what God was doing in the lives of the people we served, and Mike and I were able share these stories of God’s goodness in churches and homes throughout North America and in several countries.
Then suddenly, unexpectedly, God spoke to my heart in one Divine moment I shall never forget and called me to take over at San Francisco CityTeam International. So, on January 10, 1998, after much prayer and careful consideration, I fearfully yet confidently stepped across the threshold of the front door to assume my new role as Director. Across the span of the last seven years, this ministry has grown incredibly from just being a ministry to the homeless to adding a residential recovery program - complete with a Learning and Career Center, transitional housing, medical care, foot washing, and a weekly outreach into the community by caring for low-income hotel residents. A great many volunteers, donors, and faithful co-workers have poured love, sweat and tears into the lives of literally thousands of homeless and broken people in this city! Together we are making a huge difference in this city!
We have seen God do amazing things for the people in the Sixth Street community and we welcome YOU to join us in this great and worthy cause! We would greatly appreciate your prayers and your financial partnership! God has granted us a bright future and He has given us a clear vision of His will for the people in this city – we look forward to working with you to see His will accomplished here in San Francisco! We sill not stop until this wonderful city is transformed!
