Testimonies

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V.I.S.I.O.N. Outreach Ministries / P.O. Box 2763, Birmingham, AL 35202
Telephone: (205) 835.9004



The Founder’s Testimony

I've been through a lot during the 29 short years that I have been here on this earth. I was raised in poverty, survived a physically and emotionally abusive marriage, rape, and a host of other things. Only by the grace of God am I still here today to tell others how he brought me through.

After God brought me through all of these things, he blessed me with a writing ministry. He blessed me to be able to get my first Christian Fiction novel published.

I thought that I had finally discovered my purpose in life. I had gone through all of those things that I went through so that I could write and tell others how God is able to bring them through as well. I thought that was my sole purpose in life--to write to inspire others.

But then God began to deal with me...

I've always (every since I can remember) had great compassion for homeless people. When I see them I always feel the urgency to give them something and let them know that God sent it to them. Not just material things, but a word from God. Even if it's something as simple as God told me to give you this and to tell you that He loves you.

Although I've always had a strong compassion in my heart for homeless people, I never in a million years dreamed that God would call me to be a minister to them.

Right after I got my book published, God began to put it in my heart and spirit to start a homeless ministry. I would see visions from God of the things that he was going to do for the Homeless people in Birmingham through my ministry. I didn't understand it and didn't want to accept it. But the calling was so strong that I couldn't run from it anymore. Finally I submitted to the will of God.

As soon as I said yes to God to minister to the homeless, a series of events started happening in my life.

My car broke down beyond repair. And I had to make a decision to get another car so that I could get back and forth to work or pay the rent that was already due.

I prayed about it. God told me to get the car so that I could keep my job and he would take care of me and make sure I had shelter. So, I complied. I went ahead and got a reliable car so that I wouldn't lose my job and I put everything in God's hands. There was nothing I could do. The problem was bigger than me.

Needless to say that eventually I received an eviction notice on the door of my apartment. When I received the eviction notice, I began looking for another apartment because I didn't want to be living on the streets with my daughter.

Every apartment that I applied for was denied. I had prayed about it and could not get anyone to approve me for an apartment because whenever they called my current landlord, they were advised that I was facing eviction.

One day, I was out riding around and received a telephone call from one last apartment complex that I just knew in my heart was going to approve me--because I had prayed about it. The telephone call turned out to be one of rejection. They didn't approve me for the apartment.

Finally, I accepted the fact that God did not want these doors to be opened. The bible says that when God has closed a door, no man can open and when he has opened a door, no man can shut it...

After I accepted in my spirit that God did not want this door to be opened and that he did not want me to continue this apartment search, I decided to pull over in a park and have a little talk with God.

"God I know that you are in control here. And I know that You're going to bring me through this just fine because you have done it so many times before. It's obvious that you don't want these doors to be opened. So I'm not going to try to open them anymore. But God, Why am I going through this? What are you trying to teach me in this situation?"

As soon as I asked God what he was trying to teach me, it began to pour down rain. As the rain began to pour, I spotted this homeless man standing over under a tree in the park. It was kind of strange to me that as stormy as it was, this homeless man did not go here and there to seek shelter from the storm. There were plenty of places that he could have gone to in the park to get out of the pouring rain. Places that would have, seemingly, provided him with better protection than that tree. But no matter how hard the rain poured, he just stood there. He was so still; it was as if he were frozen.

After staring at this man for a few minutes, God spoke to me and asked me "What is that man doing?"

I said, "God, he's standing still."

So God said, "That's what I am trying to teach you. I am teaching you to stand still and know that I am God. Though the storms of life may be raging right now, you don't need to be running here and there seeking refuge. I don't need you running around looking for apartments. I need you to stand still and know that I am God."

He assured me that no one could move me out of this apartment unless he wanted them to. And he assured me that he was not going to move me out of the apartment unless he was getting ready to give me a house. He told me that the same thing that I had been going around preaching to homeless people for years, it was time for me to be tested to see if I really believed what I was trying to get them to believe.

From that point forward, I never looked for another apartment. I eventually got evicted, but it didn't bother me. I was in perfect peace because I was holding on to the word that God have given me.

After I got evicted, I started staying in hotels, homeless shelters and wherever else I could lay my head. I wasn't bothered for a few weeks and then finally I decided to ask God a question. "God you said you're going to give me a house. How?"

God told me to go to the store and get a poster board and write on it "We need a home, put my cell phone# on it and write God will bless you..."

Needless to say, my pride did not want me to do this. I was worried about what other people would think. I didn't want anyone to know what I was going through...

I pondered on what God told me to do for a few minutes in disbelief that he was asking me to do such a thing. Then I asked, "Why are you telling me to do this God." And he called to my remembrance all of the words of encouragment that I had been speaking to the homeless people that I see. And, again, he told me that I was being tested on what I had been teaching the homeless people I've met in my lifetime. If I am telling them to believe God for a house and to believe God that things are going to get better...can I do the same thing??

So I said, "OK God, but why the sign? People are going to laugh and talk... God instantly spoke to me and told me that the sign was for the benefit of those who didn't believe he could give me a house. Not only that, but he told me that I needed to know how it feels to be homeless and holding up a sign asking people for help, only for them to pass you by and laugh at you. Or even worse, pretend they don't see you.

I went to the store the next day and bought the poster board and wrote on it exactly what God told me to write. I then taped this HUGE white poster board in the back window of my car for everyone to see.

For the first couple of days, it was embarrassing, but God kept reminding me that it was for the benefit of those who didn't believe. (People may be laughing now, but you'll have the last laugh when they see the power of your God.)

After the first few days past, I almost forgot that the sign was in the window. It didn't bother me anymore. Even though people would still ride past me and laugh, it didn't hurt. It was like I knew something that they didn't know. And I was learning how other homeless people feel. All of this was preparing me for the homeless ministry that God had called me to do.

About two weeks had passed since I had put the sign in my window. I decided to go the ATM machine.

As I was handling my business at the ATM machine, something struck me in my spirit about a police car that was in line right behind me. But I drove on off so that I wouldn't be late getting back to work.

By the time I got in the parking lot at my job, my cell phone rung. There was a man on the other end of the phone telling me that he was calling because he saw the sign in the window of my car.

I instantly asked him if he was in a police car behind me at the ATM machine. He said yes and wanted to know how I knew. He went on to tell me about some apartment complexes that he had that I could move into.

Before I knew what I was saying, I replied, "Sir--no offense... But God told me that he was not going to move me from an apartment to an apartment. God told me he was going to move me from an apartment to a house.

At that point the man interjected, "You know what--I also own real estate. And I have a 2 bedroom house that I am getting ready to move out of and if you want it it's yours."

I waited and waited and waited for months. Every time I contacted the man about the house, it was always an excuse. I began to consult with God to find out what was going on. Wasn’t this man God-sent? My answer was no. The devil knew that if I continued to drive around with that sign in my window that God was going to give me the home he had promised. Therefore he stepped in and had me holding on to a false house to keep me from getting to the one that God truly has for me. That feeling that I had in my spirit about the police car should have been taken as a warning. God has gotten me back on track. I am no longer holding on to the false home that the devil held on a string in front of me. I am instead looking to God and believing him for the House that he said he was going to give me. Could he have blessed me with the house already? Yes. And actually he has because in my spirit I have already received the house. In order for my faith to get stronger, it has to receive a workout. And every single day, I find my faith getting stronger in the Lord. And I will continue to stand still, like God told me to, and see the Salvation of the Lord.

Although I am homeless right now, it has not hindered my progress with the ministry that God has called me into. V.I.S.I.O.N. Outreach Ministries (my homeless ministry) publicly launched on July 11th 2003. Although I was homeless, I came out of my pocket to host this event for the homeless. My funds were limited. But all that I had to give, I gave it. I felt good about it. And I just prayed to God that the people would be able to get full.

The turnout was about 150 homeless men and women. I had ordered 300 pieces of Kentucky Fried Chicken and 48 dozen biscuits for them. I wanted to give them two pieces of chicken and two biscuits, but the turnout was higher than I expected.

I then asked God how to handle it. He told me to give them 2 pieces of chicken and two biscuits. To make a long story short, we were able to feed all of the homeless people. And most of them came back for seconds, thirds and even fourths. But the food did not run out.

If you do the math, you will see that 150 people X 2 pieces of chicken per person = 300 pieces of chicken. It was only God that multiplied the food like Jesus did when he took the two fish and fives loaves of bread and fed 5000 people. What God did in Kelly Ingram Park on July 11th, 2003 was a miracle and another way of God confirming the many miracles to come that he is going to do for the homeless through V.I.S.I.O.N. Outreach Ministries.



Faizah Imani
Founder/President V.I.S.I.O.N. Outreach Ministries


UPDATE: MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2003---It has been a long time coming, but I have fought the good fight of faith and I held onto the word that God gave me. Today I move into my house.

Moral of the testimony: Whatever word God has spoken to you, be assured that it shall come to pass if you just hold on and stand steadfast and unmovable on his Word. It may not happen immediately. As a matter of fact, from the time He speaks it until the time it is manifested, your faith is going to be tried. Your job is to “Stand Still and know that He is God.” And when you do this—I GUARANTEE that you will see the salvation of the Lord!!

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