Urban & Community Outreach

Ben and Anicka serve a community of friends who live outside, partner with organizations of similar vision, and create safe environments for growth through tangible expressions of community. "In the context of relationships, we meet the spiritual and physical needs of the poor, brokenhearted, oppressed, and marginalized of society. We equip and challenge others to engage in relationships that extend beyond their familiar boundaries to strengthen community, rebuild shattered lives, facilitate restoration, and encourage liberty of the heart." They continue to seek opportunities to meet the mission of CrossWays by building relationships, changing perceptions, pastoral counseling, speaking engagements, fundraising, and partnerships.

A few things we have done in the past year include:

  • Providing people in need with food, clothing, necessities and other assistance
  • Acquiring and distributing backpacks, sleeping bags, and long underwear • Mobilizing teams to provide meals for people in need
  • Providing counseling and discipleship
  • Paying emergency dental costs
  • Assisting other local organizations in their provision of critical services to the poor

Creating Community

Imagine looking in on a house full of family and friends. There might be people preparing food or cleaning up, eating, talking, laughing, and lots of other relational interactions. Our goal is to restore this type of community for people who live outside. Anicka and I assist in the facilitating of details, but more importantly we help create a consistent nucleus of friends that show up and invest in relationships. Our involvement has everything to do with helping to create an inclusive community, and nothing to do with us as individuals. What will happen and what needs may arise seems to be in constant flux, but the overall feeling of family, mutual respect, and love endures. Contact us to for more information or to get involved. - Ben & Anicka

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Partnering in Recovery

I volunteer time every week counseling, teaching and encouraging men who are going through the recovery process. Many of these men come bound by fear, pain, and shame and have attempted to medicate with drugs and alcohol for the majority of their lives. Some of these men have been living on the streets, others hiding in plain site, but all of them have turned a corner and are seeking help. This provides an opportunity to share the freedom that comes from facing fears, past hurts, and false beliefs with the truth and love of God. These men discover that they can choose a better way, and I am blessed to be a part of that process. These roles are challenging, stretching and rewarding and I find myself thoroughly dependent on God. - Ben

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Serving with Open Hands

We are a volunteer group of women that get together to love on women who live outdoors. Our evening starts with setting up chairs, towels, gloves, lotion and buckets of warm water for washing and massaging feet. Then part of the group goes out to recruit 'customers'. Sometimes the women come willingly, other times it takes a bit more explanation and the assurance that they don't have to let anyone touch their feet if they don't want to; the promise of snacks often helps, too. We encourage them to set down their bags, relax and let us serve them. We may just massage their hands if the intimacy of foot massage seems to be too much. In truth we never know exactly what to expect. Some nights we have 16+ women come, others as few as 4 or 5. I'm amazed at the openness the women show during these times, as though this is a haven of safety in a life of extreme uncertainty and chaos. One foot at a time, we hope to be vessels showing God's love to these women and we trust Him to do the rest. It's humbling and amazing and simple, but so good. - Anicka

Please contact us if you would like to schedule someone to speak to your group about: A Specific Seminar Topic (see Highway page), Missions, or Ministry to the Homeless.

Help us to meet our mission.

  • Become a prayer partner,
  • Make a one time or monthly donation,
  • Hold a fundraiser,
  • Attend the Highway Seminar,
  • Request a seminar for your location,
  • Attend A Way in the Wilderness
  • Request a speaker,
  • Enroll in CrossWays Missions Training Program
    (includes an outreach to one of our mission locations),
  • Join a CrossWays team on our next trip.

Partner with us as we reconcile, restore, and equip others to return to the beauty and adventure of a life of intimacy with God and others. We encourage you to apprehend your destiny and purpose through meaningful service.

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For more information about any of the above topics, pastoral counseling, or partnerships with CrossWays Northwest contact: crosswaysnorthwest@gmail.com or contact us.