Dunamis Army brings Christ and Christmas to Ottawa’s homeless

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

The season of joy often rings hollow among the homeless. On December 9, a group of young people plan to bring them some Christmas cheer, complete with an opportunity to receive prayer and start a relationship with Christ.

“We found out through our weekly outreaches that these people are often forgotten and sometimes suffer the worst,” says Israel Gimba. “During Christmas they don’t get presents like everyone else, they don’t have anyone to take care of them or get them into the same Christmas spirit as everyone.”

Gimba leads Dunamis Army, an organization that runs a weekly discipleship and evangelism training program and takes teams onto the streets of Ottawa to share the gospel. In 2015, Dunamis Army held a special Christmas outreach, they call Empower Ottawa, giving gifts to the homeless and they kept up the tradition ever since.

“We go out and bless them with Christmas presents. Sometimes we go out before hand and ask them what they would like for Christmas. Then we go buy it and give it to them.”

“We like to follow our material giving with a spiritual component, as well. When we give out gifts, we also pray for people.” Photo courtesy of Dunamis Army.

Gimba says they give out winter clothes, boots, lunches and hot food, and other essential items for the Canadian winter. One aspect he emphasizes is only giving high-quality items to show that the people they bless are truly valued. But Empower Ottawa also cares for them spiritually.

“We like to follow our material giving with a spiritual component, as well. When we give out gifts, we also pray for people. We try to incorporate them into our programs that can help their physical and emotional wellbeing.”

As they connect with needy people, the group looks for ways to make a long-term difference by helping them find jobs and affordable housing. When people are willing, the team follows up with them through their weekly outreaches.

Gimba says their goal is to “empower the less privileged, one person at a time. We don’t just give them gifts. We want them to have a more permanent kind of good living. We build relationships with them. This is ultimately so that Jesus can be glorified.”

It was through their weekly outreaches that a team member met Delaney Hopper. Hopper had just gotten out of jail and was staying at the Salvation Army.

“Dunamis also helped me get a job.”

“I had a history of drugs, gang violence, the list goes on,” he says. “I didn’t have a house, job, family, friends, or nothing.”

The team member prayed for him and Hopper says he felt “so much power, it was unreal. After I felt that, I wanted more.”

Hopper began attending their weekly discipleship meeting any time he felt depressed or had anxiety—and the team’s prayers were making a difference.

“Dunamis also helped me get a job. I remember different people drove me to my interviews and stayed with me just to make sure I was okay. This helped me so much. They would visit me at my flat to pray for me and buy me free groceries.”

Today, Hopper is a committed Christian. He has no depression, he kicked a 15-year drug habit, and he works as a chef in Montreal. When he comes back to Ottawa, Gimba says Hopper is able to share the love of Christ with people they are not able to reach.

Hopper says what made the difference was that “they never give up on you. Also, they focus on empowering you. They are so determined to empower our generation to live free from depression, anxiety, drugs, loneliness, and anything bad, and they teach you how to live empowered and how to empower others.”