Sorry it’s been so long between posts. Today we finished our ministry time in New York. Let me try to hit some of the highlights.
Everybody Highlights:
Tuesday was an all day prayer tour. We spent the day walking over 10 miles ALL OVER the city. We started in Lower Manhattan at Battery Park, moved up to Times Square, spent some time in Harlem & The Bronx, and then wrapped up the day at Ground Zero. It was a really cool day of getting a better picture of what life in the city is like and how we can be praying for people and needs here.
Team 1 Highlights:
Wednesday was spent with an organization called Camba. They do a lot of things to help the community, but one thing in particular is with homeless shelters. They partner with places of worship to provide meals and beds for the homeless. On Wednesday morning we helped fold and sort laundry – all the sheets, blankets, and towels necessary to house hundreds of homeless. Then Wednesday night we got to go to an actual Camba shelter at a church in Brooklyn. We prepared a meal together (breakfast for dinner in case you were wondering, and Shannon’s pancakes were a big hit). We then got to join the men who would be staying there that night. It was pretty cool because it’s a small shelter (8-11 guys max).
On Thursday we helped at Yorkville Common Pantry and helped them do a food distribution. It was a lot of fun, fast-paced work as food bags were distributed to several hundred clients. Following the food pantry, both teams met up for a neighborhood immersion. This involved the students taking the lead on getting a small team around the city, buying a meal on a VERY limited budget, and getting to know a specific community better.
Team 2 Highlights:
On Wednesday they headed to Community Kitchen in Harlem. They were hosted by an NBA basketball player from the 66ers. They noticed that it was a great community there and people all worked together well. The team worked alongside the crew at the kitchen to prepare food that was boxed up for delivery and also served to those who came in. In the afternoon they worked on the Green Team alongside former prisoners who are transitioning into the workforce. It teaches them basic job skills, a strong work ethic, and leadership skills. The team helped mulch an area along the Hudson River. They unfortunately had to stop early because of high winds that were blowing the mulch into their eyes.
On Thursday they were at the We Care Soup Kitchen in Brooklyn. The highlight here was getting to not only serve people at the kitchen, but then to eat a meal alongside them. They were able to hear people’s stories, allowing the guests to forget about their problems for a bit and feel an escape from the tough world of homelessness. The team was also able to pray alongside the guests.
