Bangor, ME — December 20, 2019
The Hugging Prayer Lady; Bangor’s Very Own Saint
You can’t see a halo or wings when you look at Tina Jakacky,
but if you ask anyone who knows her, they’ll say it’s just because they’re
invisible.
Ten years ago, Jakacky accompanied a mission group to New
York City. They walked the streets of NY, handing out food and supplies to the
city’s homeless population. That experience inspired her to get involved here
at home.
Jakacky is a member of two Bangor churches, the River Church
on Center Street and The Biker Church (Brick Church) on Union Street. She
enjoys retirement by spending the majority of her time volunteering for
organizations connected to the two churches.
On Sunday mornings, Jakacky leads worship at The Biker
Church, singing and playing her guitar. Afterwards, she heads over to services
at The River Church. Later Sunday afternoons, she participates in the River
Church bible study group.
Every Monday Jakacky can be found volunteering at the Hermon
Baptist Church with Samaritan Inc. Samaritan Inc operates food cupboards six
days a week, at different area churches (Jakacky also attends Samaritan Inc
board meetings). She spends every Monday evening on the Bangor waterfront with
a group called Jericho Road, where members hand out food and necessities to
Bangor’s homeless.
On Wednesdays Jakacky can be found volunteering for
Samaritan Inc’s food cupboard at the River Church. After the long day is over,
she loads her car with any leftover food, and delivers it to The Biker Church,
where they provide two meals a day and a 24/7 warming center.
One Friday a month (and filling in as needed), from 9pm to
1am, Jakacky walks the streets of downtown Bangor with “Street Pastors” for
their weekly ministry. Street Pastors is a worldwide organization that
originated in London, with only two groups here in the U.S.; Chico, California,
and Bangor, Maine. The Bangor Street Pastors visit the warming shelters at The
Biker Church and the Bangor Homeless Shelter, and walk all around downtown
Bangor. They speak with people on the streets and patrons of downtown
businesses. They hand out bottles of water and snacks to anyone who needs them,
and provide taxi vouchers for bar patrons who are too intoxicated to drive.
Jakacky also provides primary care for her live-in
88-year-old mother. Days she is not busy volunteering or taking care of her
mother, Jakacky spends collecting and delivering donations to The Storehouse.
The Storehouse is located in The Biker Church, and provides free clothing,
food, necessities, household items, and Christmas gifts to people in need.
Jakacky sees many of the same faces at all of her volunteer
locations, and that community has fondly named her “Tina the Hugging Prayer
Lady.” She always greets and leaves people with a hug and a prayer (only if it
is welcomed, of course). But she insists, “I’m not there to preach. I’m just
there to make sure they are safe, and to help them in any way I can.”
Please consider volunteering, or even just sharing this article.
All of these organizations need more volunteers, and they can always use donations.
For information
and how you can get involved:
Samaritan Inc: 200-4747 https://www.trcnorth.com/samaritan-inc
samaritan.food@gmail.com
The Storehouse: https://www.facebook.com/theStorehouse/
The River Church: 990-1711 https://www.theriverbangor.com/
The Biker Church (Union Street Brick Church): 989-5401 https://brickchurchbangor.org/
Street Pastors: https://www.streetpastors.org/
The Storehouse: https://www.facebook.com/theStorehouse/
The River Church: 990-1711 https://www.theriverbangor.com/
The Biker Church (Union Street Brick Church): 989-5401 https://brickchurchbangor.org/
Street Pastors: https://www.streetpastors.org/