Welcome to my journal of my NYC Mission Trip! I will do my best to recollect as much as I can as I really did not "journal" much while there. I jotted down a few thoughts and key points here and there, but much of what is written below was written after the trip. Our personal time was very limited, which made it challenging (at least for me) to journal every day. On any given day, we were up and out of our hotel as early as 5:30am and as late as 7:30am (I never thought I'd be saying 7:30am is late!) We typically didn't get back to our rooms till 11pm - Midnight.
So to Day 1 of the trip....we had to meet at the airport at 5:40am...as many of you know, I am not a morning person! On top of that, I had been fighting a cold for the past 3 days and at this point, it was getting worse and not better. Needless to say, I was up till 1am with some last minute packing/organizing. My boyfriend Scott, who was my biggest supporter of me taking this trip, was kind enough to drive me to the airport :) As he helped me unload my luggage, he gave me a sealed 8 1/2 x 11 envelope to take with me. On the outside of the package it said "Do not open until on the plane to NYC". Tempting as it was, I obeyed :) The team gathered at the airport, all excited and ready to go! Karen Nicholas who heads all mission trips from the church, met with us at the airport to pray over us and give us words of encouragement. One of my teammates did run into a little issue with security, but she eventually got through and made it onto the plane. Plane ride was good....sat between Alex K. and Dave so needless to say, there were a lot of laughs! I did open my envelope from Scott, and there were 8 sealed cards....one marked for each day of my trip! How very sweet and thoughtful!
Once we landed, we took a bus and then the subway to our hotel...my very first subway ride! After we checked into our hotel (in Union Square), we met up with members from Communitas (a church plant from Kensington) for lunch at Cosi and then we broke up into groups for a walking tour of the city which included Ground Zero, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Wall Street, and more. The team met back up for dinner at Carneghi Deli. They have the largest sandwiches I have ever seen anywhere! After dinner, we went to Central Park for some devotionals and Life Token stories. Life tokens were something each of us brought on the trip that signifies a part of our life which, after sharing the story behind that life token, helps the team to better know one another. We then, on our own time, would release our life token sometime during the trip (leave it in NY somewhere...throw it into river, bury it, etc). Each night, a few of us would share our Life Token story.
After our time in Central Park and during one of our stops in the subway station, we met a gentleman named Peter, who prayed for our group. It was very touching and we were already feeling the love of NYC. Then we walked the area of Times Square at night....wow....the streets are just packed! I can't even begin to imagine what its like here on New Years Eve! While hanging out in the area near where the ball drops, we overheard some "Happy Birthday" wishes going on at a table near us. So all 17 of us walked up to the table and we all sang happy birthday to a stranger and their family! They were thrilled! And so were we! Although the main purpose of our trip was to serve the needy/homeless, we also wanted to simply bring smiles to others faces...whether they were someone in need or not :)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Day 2 - Sunday, June 20, 2010
After a long first day and tons of walking, we were up and out at 6:30am on day 2. Unfortunately, I still was not feeling well, but I was going to fight it as long as I possibly could. We helped the Communitas (one of Kensington's church plants) team set up and tear down for their Sunday gathering. They rent the auditorium space in Public School 40 every Sunday morning. They call it a gathering rather than a service because they do the serving throughout the week. Did you know that approximately 90% of New York City is unchurched? Craig Mayes, who used to be a pastor at Kensington, got the call from God one day to share the message of Jesus in NYC. He, and many others, relocated their families to start Communitas (all words in white font are a link to that organizations website) a few years ago. They are all an amazing bunch of people!
Afterwards, we walked the Brooklyn Bridge from the Manhattan side to the Brooklyn side. It was a very hot day, but we all had our waters with us, trekking along. It is one of the many things I recommend doing if you're ever in New York. We then sat in a small park overlooking the bridge and ate some Grimaldi's pizza for lunch....YUM! We decided to take a water taxi back to Manhattan as it looked like there was a storm on its way. We then took the Staten Island Ferry to get a view of the Statue of Liberty....beautiful! I called my dad while on the ferry to wish him a Happy Fathers Day. This was probably my first Fathers Day that I was not with my dad. I am so grateful to have a loving father still in my life as I have so many friends whose fathers have passed. Since I couldn't physically be there with him, I relaxed on the ferry being thankful for all the memories that I share with my dad.
After we got off the ferry, I just could not take anymore...I was feeling worse and worse (lack of sleep and walking the city for 2 days wasn't helping), trying to keep up with my team...I felt horrible. As the team went to a rooftop barbeque with the Communitas team for the evening, I went back to the hotel to rest my body and go to bed in hopes of feeling better in the morning to go on my first serving assignment.
Afterwards, we walked the Brooklyn Bridge from the Manhattan side to the Brooklyn side. It was a very hot day, but we all had our waters with us, trekking along. It is one of the many things I recommend doing if you're ever in New York. We then sat in a small park overlooking the bridge and ate some Grimaldi's pizza for lunch....YUM! We decided to take a water taxi back to Manhattan as it looked like there was a storm on its way. We then took the Staten Island Ferry to get a view of the Statue of Liberty....beautiful! I called my dad while on the ferry to wish him a Happy Fathers Day. This was probably my first Fathers Day that I was not with my dad. I am so grateful to have a loving father still in my life as I have so many friends whose fathers have passed. Since I couldn't physically be there with him, I relaxed on the ferry being thankful for all the memories that I share with my dad.
After we got off the ferry, I just could not take anymore...I was feeling worse and worse (lack of sleep and walking the city for 2 days wasn't helping), trying to keep up with my team...I felt horrible. As the team went to a rooftop barbeque with the Communitas team for the evening, I went back to the hotel to rest my body and go to bed in hopes of feeling better in the morning to go on my first serving assignment.
Day 3 - Monday, June 21, 2010
My alarm went off at 5am and to my disappointment, I was not at all feeling any better, but worse. I called my trip leader and we decided it was best that I stay in and rest. I was crying. I just spent the last 5 months preparing for this trip and here I am on what is supposed to be my first day serving in NYC and I was horribly sick, not able to go and help the needy. I was truly heartbroken. My awesome roommate, Tracie, seen how upset I was and prayed over me. I was so grateful to have such a caring roommate who has been putting up with all my coughing and sickness and didn't complain one bit about having to share a very small room with a sick gal like me. I also had my daily card from Scott to read with a personal message from him. That encouraging card and message from home also helped brighten up my spirits some :) So I spent the day in my room resting and sleeping.
Speaking of our hotel...we stayed at the Seafarers & International House in Union Square. It is a residence for seafarers and international personnel, church-related staff, and other visitors. Our rooms were the size of a small college dorm. We had a small sink and mirror in our room, and there were 2 showers and 2 toilets that the floor shared. Most rooms were meant for 1 bed, but ours also had a cot for the 2nd person to sleep on.
By late afternoon, my roommate Tracie was back from serving with the team for the day. Herself and our trip leader Alex talked me into getting some fresh air for a bit before dinner. So we hung out in Union Square for a bit and I did some people-watching. My team then went to a Small Group meeting at Dave & Michelle's house. Dave and Michelle were part of the original group of folks who moved out to NYC with Craig Mayes to help start up Communitas in NYC. Can you imagine leaving everything you've ever known...the town you live in, your friends/family, your job, your comfort zone...to move to a state you've never lived in to start a new life all because of a calling from God? These people define the meaning of being a follower of Jesus! Anyway, we read and discussed part of Chapter 3 from "Secrets of the Secret Place" by Bob Sorge. We heard amazing testimonials from the local small group members about the power of listening to God and obeying His call. It was a very touching and emotional evening.
Afterwards, we met up with the rest of the team at our hotel for a team debrief of the days events (our group was split into 2 teams all week). I know this is selfish, but I'm just being honest...For a few moments, it was kind of hard to listen to others share their experiences, knowing that I had missed out on experiencing it myself, but I was so glad to hear my team have such a rewarding first day of serving. I quickly got over it and shared in their excitement! The other team worked at a soup kitchen and a senior senior. They shared some good stories about connecting with some of the seniors. My team was headed there on Tuesday, so I was looking forward to the opportunity! My team had visited St. Paul's House where they prepared and served breakfast to the homeless and they also did "Meals on Heals" as they call it in NYC because you deliver meals by foot rather than car! Also during our debriefing, we had a "Paper Plate Award Ceremony". My leader passed out a bunch of paper plates, and we were to make-up and write an award for anyone on the team for anything they had done...whether it was something rewarding or something funny. Even though I was out sick and missed the day of serving, I had received a few awards like "Super Trooper", "Cherry Cough Drop Award", and "Most Likely to Die without me knowing award". The last one was from my leader Alex because for as horrible I had been feeling since our arrival in NYC, I had not complained one bit about being sick...I mean how could I...I knew I had a bed to sleep in, food to eat, medicine to help me, and so much more than the people we were serving did not have. So what that I'm sick, I have so much to be thankful for.
Speaking of our hotel...we stayed at the Seafarers & International House in Union Square. It is a residence for seafarers and international personnel, church-related staff, and other visitors. Our rooms were the size of a small college dorm. We had a small sink and mirror in our room, and there were 2 showers and 2 toilets that the floor shared. Most rooms were meant for 1 bed, but ours also had a cot for the 2nd person to sleep on.
By late afternoon, my roommate Tracie was back from serving with the team for the day. Herself and our trip leader Alex talked me into getting some fresh air for a bit before dinner. So we hung out in Union Square for a bit and I did some people-watching. My team then went to a Small Group meeting at Dave & Michelle's house. Dave and Michelle were part of the original group of folks who moved out to NYC with Craig Mayes to help start up Communitas in NYC. Can you imagine leaving everything you've ever known...the town you live in, your friends/family, your job, your comfort zone...to move to a state you've never lived in to start a new life all because of a calling from God? These people define the meaning of being a follower of Jesus! Anyway, we read and discussed part of Chapter 3 from "Secrets of the Secret Place" by Bob Sorge. We heard amazing testimonials from the local small group members about the power of listening to God and obeying His call. It was a very touching and emotional evening.
Afterwards, we met up with the rest of the team at our hotel for a team debrief of the days events (our group was split into 2 teams all week). I know this is selfish, but I'm just being honest...For a few moments, it was kind of hard to listen to others share their experiences, knowing that I had missed out on experiencing it myself, but I was so glad to hear my team have such a rewarding first day of serving. I quickly got over it and shared in their excitement! The other team worked at a soup kitchen and a senior senior. They shared some good stories about connecting with some of the seniors. My team was headed there on Tuesday, so I was looking forward to the opportunity! My team had visited St. Paul's House where they prepared and served breakfast to the homeless and they also did "Meals on Heals" as they call it in NYC because you deliver meals by foot rather than car! Also during our debriefing, we had a "Paper Plate Award Ceremony". My leader passed out a bunch of paper plates, and we were to make-up and write an award for anyone on the team for anything they had done...whether it was something rewarding or something funny. Even though I was out sick and missed the day of serving, I had received a few awards like "Super Trooper", "Cherry Cough Drop Award", and "Most Likely to Die without me knowing award". The last one was from my leader Alex because for as horrible I had been feeling since our arrival in NYC, I had not complained one bit about being sick...I mean how could I...I knew I had a bed to sleep in, food to eat, medicine to help me, and so much more than the people we were serving did not have. So what that I'm sick, I have so much to be thankful for.
Day 4 - Tuesday, June 22, 2010
My team got to sleep in this morning and didn't have to meet the team in the lobby until 7:45am, woo hoo! We headed to Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen. Here we served breakfast to homeless and needy people. Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen serves approximately 1200 meals every day, including holidays! Doors are open to everyone, without question, no paperwork, no qualification needed. Our team served in all aspects of the serving process from taking trays from the guests when they were done, to pouring drinks, to dishing food on their plate, to greeting, and more. We saw all walks of life come through, from those that had on raggedy dirty clothes, not showered or clean, to those that had on a suit and briefcase in hand, all races, all nationalities. I was back in the kitchen area serving food on the plates as the guests came through one by one. I worked next to a lady named Marge, whom I got to spend some time talking with. Before I went to NY, I always had my own impression in my my mind of what a tough NY woman would look/sound like. Coincidentally enough, Marge fit that description exactly with the sound of her voice with a bit of roughness in it with years of smoking behind it, the strong NY accent, the firefighter husband, and the tough yet sensitive personality. We talked about 9/11 and her husband being part of that day and the many days after. He ended up being in charge of funerals for the firefighters. He was not home much for months. She talked about the endless amount of funerals that she went to as well as her then 10-year old son. I couldn't imagine being a 10-year old attending the countless funerals that he did. She also mentioned that her husband was receiving a very high honored award that week, which she was very proud of. I don't remember the name of the award, but it is a very distinguished award for fireman that you are lucky to receive even once in your career. He's been a fireman for 30 years. We talked about her son growing up in the city and she said it's safer than many people think. That it's no big deal that her son was riding the subway everyday to/from school with just his friends at 12 years old. It's just the way of life. Marge volunteers at the soup kitchen a couple days a week...simply because she wants to. Her heart was definitely in it. The lady on my other side, whose name I cannot remember, was a ballroom dancer. She's moved around from town to town, but keeps ending back up in NYC and always makes time to volunteer for the needy.
In the afternoon, we headed to Henry Street Settlement / Good Companions Senior Center in Manhattan's lower east side. This is a senior activity center. Seniors come to hang out, eat a meal, play cards, socialize with other seniors, etc. We assisted them with serving the food, helping the seniors get their meals and clean up. However, our main purpose there was simply to spend time and engage with the seniors. And that we did! I was able to sit down and talk with a few of the seniors and believe it or not, a few of us danced with them for a bit! They had music playing (60's, disco) and myself and a few team members got a few seniors up and dancing! We had a blast! And so did they! We truly enjoyed bonding with them and simply just letting loose and enjoying life! The other team spent a good portion of the day at St. Paul's House, where my team was the day before. In addition to serving breakfast to the homeless, on Tuesday's at St. Paul's after breakfast, they set up a food/clothing pantry and assist the homeless in picking out some clothes to take with them and some food also. One of my team members, Craig, was able to assist a gentleman in picking out a nice outfit for an upcoming interview he had. And Craig even showed him how to tie his tie. It was a special moment for Craig to be part of this gentleman's journey of trying to get back on his feet.
What I learned today is whatever your preconceived notions about a certain anything may be (in this case for me it was my predefined idea of what a homeless/needy person looks like), you are probably wrong. Not until you experience it first-hand can you truly understand the real situation and decide what your belief is. I had this particular picture in my mind of what a homeless/needy person looks like and on my very first serving assignment I was proven wrong. There were plenty of clean-cut individuals that came into the soup kitchen for a meal. Maybe life is just starting to go down-hill for them or maybe they're on their way to getting back on their feet but still can't afford all their meals. That the guy you just passed on the street that "looks" well-off may not necessarily be and may be in just as much help and need as the ones who truly do "look" homeless. And with the high energy we had at the senior center, it reminded me that sometimes all is takes is a simple "hello" with a smile to make someone's day, life is short, enjoy it, and dance a little (who cares if you look like a fool). Enjoy the moment you're in....today...right here, right now.
In the afternoon, we headed to Henry Street Settlement / Good Companions Senior Center in Manhattan's lower east side. This is a senior activity center. Seniors come to hang out, eat a meal, play cards, socialize with other seniors, etc. We assisted them with serving the food, helping the seniors get their meals and clean up. However, our main purpose there was simply to spend time and engage with the seniors. And that we did! I was able to sit down and talk with a few of the seniors and believe it or not, a few of us danced with them for a bit! They had music playing (60's, disco) and myself and a few team members got a few seniors up and dancing! We had a blast! And so did they! We truly enjoyed bonding with them and simply just letting loose and enjoying life! The other team spent a good portion of the day at St. Paul's House, where my team was the day before. In addition to serving breakfast to the homeless, on Tuesday's at St. Paul's after breakfast, they set up a food/clothing pantry and assist the homeless in picking out some clothes to take with them and some food also. One of my team members, Craig, was able to assist a gentleman in picking out a nice outfit for an upcoming interview he had. And Craig even showed him how to tie his tie. It was a special moment for Craig to be part of this gentleman's journey of trying to get back on his feet.
What I learned today is whatever your preconceived notions about a certain anything may be (in this case for me it was my predefined idea of what a homeless/needy person looks like), you are probably wrong. Not until you experience it first-hand can you truly understand the real situation and decide what your belief is. I had this particular picture in my mind of what a homeless/needy person looks like and on my very first serving assignment I was proven wrong. There were plenty of clean-cut individuals that came into the soup kitchen for a meal. Maybe life is just starting to go down-hill for them or maybe they're on their way to getting back on their feet but still can't afford all their meals. That the guy you just passed on the street that "looks" well-off may not necessarily be and may be in just as much help and need as the ones who truly do "look" homeless. And with the high energy we had at the senior center, it reminded me that sometimes all is takes is a simple "hello" with a smile to make someone's day, life is short, enjoy it, and dance a little (who cares if you look like a fool). Enjoy the moment you're in....today...right here, right now.
Day 5 - Wednesday, June 23, 2010
We spent the first part of day at Yorkville Common Pantry. YCP is New York City’s largest community-based food pantry, providing food and support services to 100,000 New Yorkers and over two million meals each year. Gladys is their Volunteer Coordinator and let me say she rocks! You have got to be one organized, persistent person to be in that role! Their warehouse of food was overwhelming! Some team members were in the kitchen area, packaging up fruit and meat etc (and even packing up dog food for the clients who can't afford to feed their pets, how awesome!) while myself and another team member were in the warehouse area working a factory line with others of packing bags of food for all size families starting with a family of 1-2 and going up to 5+. Later in the day clients would arrive to pick up their pre-packed groceries. It was a very well organized organization.
We then set off to the New York City Rescue Mission. NYC Rescue Mission was the first homeless shelter in NYC to open its doors every day to alcoholics and the undeserving poor for its soup kitchen meals and Christian gospel services. This non-profit ministry has helped alleviate homelessness, hunger and addiction by providing emergency services such as food, clothing, shelter, counseling and spiritual hope. While there, this was a men's only facility since their doors opened in 1872. However, they informed us that they had just purchased 2 additional floors of the building and were going to open that up to women and children! Fantastic! We helped serve dinner while there...some were cleaning tables, some getting drinks, and a few of us were in the kitchen filling up the plates with food. Afterwards, we got to sit down with a few of the men living there and hear their stories...one of them, Joe, told us that once he turned everything over to God, and with the help of the Rescue Mission program (similar to a 12-step program), his life has turned around and he has been sober for 2 years. He mentioned that he volunteers with the fire firefighters and when we asked how he is able to support himself he responded with "God always provides" (as he raises his hands above his head). He leaves it in His hands. Joe was such an inspiration in so many ways...spiritually...and in giving hope to others with families/friends that are stuck in an addiction that they can overcome it...if they hand it all over to God...something very close to my heart.
Later that evening, as our teams gathered together to reflect & debrief on our days activities (as we did every night), we were finishing up some discussions and readings from the Bible led by one of our team leaders Craig. And then, to finish it off with a prayer, he called on me! Ok big deal for me! I've NEVER prayed out loud in front of others! At this point, I'm only 6 months into my spiritual journey (yes, I grew up Catholic and have always prayed over the years, but I'm surrounded by Christians who have been in this WAY longer than me and have set the standards high...I'm just in kindergarten learning the basics at this point!). I know there is no right or wrong way to pray, but it was still nerve-racking and a big deal to me! But I did it! With a few um's here and there ;-) It was a HUGE spiritual growing moment for me! What better opportunity would I have than on a mission trip in front of other Christians who love God? : )
We then set off to the New York City Rescue Mission. NYC Rescue Mission was the first homeless shelter in NYC to open its doors every day to alcoholics and the undeserving poor for its soup kitchen meals and Christian gospel services. This non-profit ministry has helped alleviate homelessness, hunger and addiction by providing emergency services such as food, clothing, shelter, counseling and spiritual hope. While there, this was a men's only facility since their doors opened in 1872. However, they informed us that they had just purchased 2 additional floors of the building and were going to open that up to women and children! Fantastic! We helped serve dinner while there...some were cleaning tables, some getting drinks, and a few of us were in the kitchen filling up the plates with food. Afterwards, we got to sit down with a few of the men living there and hear their stories...one of them, Joe, told us that once he turned everything over to God, and with the help of the Rescue Mission program (similar to a 12-step program), his life has turned around and he has been sober for 2 years. He mentioned that he volunteers with the fire firefighters and when we asked how he is able to support himself he responded with "God always provides" (as he raises his hands above his head). He leaves it in His hands. Joe was such an inspiration in so many ways...spiritually...and in giving hope to others with families/friends that are stuck in an addiction that they can overcome it...if they hand it all over to God...something very close to my heart.
Later that evening, as our teams gathered together to reflect & debrief on our days activities (as we did every night), we were finishing up some discussions and readings from the Bible led by one of our team leaders Craig. And then, to finish it off with a prayer, he called on me! Ok big deal for me! I've NEVER prayed out loud in front of others! At this point, I'm only 6 months into my spiritual journey (yes, I grew up Catholic and have always prayed over the years, but I'm surrounded by Christians who have been in this WAY longer than me and have set the standards high...I'm just in kindergarten learning the basics at this point!). I know there is no right or wrong way to pray, but it was still nerve-racking and a big deal to me! But I did it! With a few um's here and there ;-) It was a HUGE spiritual growing moment for me! What better opportunity would I have than on a mission trip in front of other Christians who love God? : )
Day 6 - Thursday, June 24, 2010
My team started off the morning returning to St. Paul's House, bright and early at 6:45am :) The rest of my team was there on Monday, but that was the day I stayed in sick, so this was my first time there. I was anxious to go as I heard great things about this place. St. Paul's House was probably one of my favorite serving places. I enjoyed them all, but I really enjoyed St. Paul's the most. This place is run by individuals in their late teens and early 20's and they are some of the kindest, generous, loving people with a huge love for God. This organization runs a soup kitchen, food/clothing pantries, youth/children's work, Christian internships and bible study. We assisted that morning with the soup kitchen. Doors open at 7:20am to everyone (many homeless individuals off the street), gospel service at 7:30, and a hot meal at 8am. Some team members were upstairs fixing the meal and the rest of us were downstairs setting up for service and then breakfast. Upon our arrival that morning, my team leader informed me that as part of the service that morning that they would do some worship and bible time but they also needed a testimonial and asked me to do it! I was freaking out needless to say. I had like 2 minutes before they would call me up to the front! I had no idea what I was going to say and to be honest, I don't really know what all I said! This was definitely a growing moment for me in many ways! God was busy working on me on this trip! First the prayer last night and now this! I mean, how often do you have an opportunity to do a testimonial in front of a group of homeless people? :) And so early on my journey with God!! He obviously had more faith in me than I did and knew there was no better time than this! I was encouraged some while I spoke as I looked around and saw a few gentlemen nodding their heads and smiling...as if they agreed with what I was saying and could relate. It was a blessed experience! Also, the workers who run this place are amazing. They each have their own talent whether it be singing or playing guitar or piano or preaching as they used their talent during worship time. Truly amazing voices, amazing preaching, and simply a joy to be around. So touching and you can definitely feel the love of God in that room.
That afternoon, we went to Encore Senior Center. They provide on-site meals, home-delivered meals, counseling, activities, and more. We were there to deliver hot meals to home-bound seniors. As I mentioned earlier, in the big city of New York they call it Meals on Heals because we actually walk the streets to deliver the meals rather than drive in a car! So we partnered up with a team member, got our delivery list of addresses, and pulled our maps out! My friend Deb and I partnered up and marched ahead! As in all big cities, there are some very old buildings....with no elevators. Some of them were on our list. Luckily it was no more than 4 floors that we had to walk up. It was hard to see some of the apartments we stopped at...one was literally the size of my living room (19x11) and was all open....no walls separating rooms, just an open rectangle-sized room. Many of the seniors would open their door just enough to grab the food, almost as if they were embarrassed of their situation. And some were a little more welcoming and simply happy to see us. It was in the 90's that day as we were lugging 12-15 meals up and down the streets, so needless to say we got a good workout! Now I don't know if this is fact or not, but had heard that in NYC that once you sign a lease, you will always pay the same amount, it never goes up. So if you stay in the same place for 10 years, you are paying what you did 10 years ago. Again, we don't know this for fact, but could you imagine!
We had a free evening, so some of us went to a baseball game (Tigers happened to be in town playing the Mets!), a few went to see Wicked, and some went to the Food Network store. It was a nice break for us all!
In the past few days, I've had the opportunity to serve many senior citizens and realized how their lives are so extremely different from each other. There are those with a lot of energy and spunk who have the ability to get themselves to a senior activity center and have fun to those who are confined to their 300 square foot apartment with no ability to get out because there are no elevators in the building and they're not healthy enough to use the stairs. Helping the needy comes in all forms, from simple to extreme, and this trip has definitely broadened my horizons.
That afternoon, we went to Encore Senior Center. They provide on-site meals, home-delivered meals, counseling, activities, and more. We were there to deliver hot meals to home-bound seniors. As I mentioned earlier, in the big city of New York they call it Meals on Heals because we actually walk the streets to deliver the meals rather than drive in a car! So we partnered up with a team member, got our delivery list of addresses, and pulled our maps out! My friend Deb and I partnered up and marched ahead! As in all big cities, there are some very old buildings....with no elevators. Some of them were on our list. Luckily it was no more than 4 floors that we had to walk up. It was hard to see some of the apartments we stopped at...one was literally the size of my living room (19x11) and was all open....no walls separating rooms, just an open rectangle-sized room. Many of the seniors would open their door just enough to grab the food, almost as if they were embarrassed of their situation. And some were a little more welcoming and simply happy to see us. It was in the 90's that day as we were lugging 12-15 meals up and down the streets, so needless to say we got a good workout! Now I don't know if this is fact or not, but had heard that in NYC that once you sign a lease, you will always pay the same amount, it never goes up. So if you stay in the same place for 10 years, you are paying what you did 10 years ago. Again, we don't know this for fact, but could you imagine!
We had a free evening, so some of us went to a baseball game (Tigers happened to be in town playing the Mets!), a few went to see Wicked, and some went to the Food Network store. It was a nice break for us all!
In the past few days, I've had the opportunity to serve many senior citizens and realized how their lives are so extremely different from each other. There are those with a lot of energy and spunk who have the ability to get themselves to a senior activity center and have fun to those who are confined to their 300 square foot apartment with no ability to get out because there are no elevators in the building and they're not healthy enough to use the stairs. Helping the needy comes in all forms, from simple to extreme, and this trip has definitely broadened my horizons.
Day 7 - Friday, June 25, 2010
I believe I mentioned earlier on that our group was split into two teams for the serving assignments. My team consisted of all individuals and the other team consisted of all married couples. On this day, I decided to switch teams so that I can experience serving with others from my group. We had spent months of preparation and team building with the entire group and I had yet to spend any serving time with half the group! So that morning we started at St. Paul's House (yay!)! Since I had the opportunity to serve there yesterday serving the guests with coffee as they arrived, I decided today that I would help in the kitchen. So I assisted with preparing breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen. Once breakfast was served, I went back downstairs to sit in on the worship time and was once again amazed at the talent and knowledge of these young, devoted workers! Truly inspirational! Afterwards, a few us headed back upstairs and spent some time with the workers just sitting and talking. We got one of them to play their guitar and sing and it was oh so sweet! In the meantime, a few of my team members were still downstairs spending time talking with a few of the homeless. You know that saying "give the shirt off your back"....well, my team member Craig did exactly just that! He gave the shirt off his back to one of the homeless men who needed a clean shirt! Check out the picture (link provided in the last journal entry)! Simply wonderful! Craig really had some special moments this week between that and helping a man earlier in the week with preparing for an interview! We all had special moments that made the trip worthwhile for each and every one of us!
Afterwards, we went to Carter Burden Luncheon Club which is another Meals on Heals type place. It was nice to spend some time with the married team members and walk the streets of NYC. We finished the evening with a BBQ in Central Park with some of the members of Communitas and then a trip to the hospital to visit our team member Gerald who had gotten very sick while in NYC. Gerald ended up having to extend his stay in NY as he was in the hospital for a week recovering. He was a trooper and eventually made it back to Michigan a few days after the rest of the team.
Afterwards, we went to Carter Burden Luncheon Club which is another Meals on Heals type place. It was nice to spend some time with the married team members and walk the streets of NYC. We finished the evening with a BBQ in Central Park with some of the members of Communitas and then a trip to the hospital to visit our team member Gerald who had gotten very sick while in NYC. Gerald ended up having to extend his stay in NY as he was in the hospital for a week recovering. He was a trooper and eventually made it back to Michigan a few days after the rest of the team.
Day 8 - Saturday, June 26, 2010
Here we are on our last day in NYC. Man the week just flew by! We didn't have any serving assignments today, so it was more of a rest and relaxation day. We checked out of our hotel, walked to Whole Foods for breakfast, caught a choir from Mississippi singing in Union Square. We then hit the NBC Studios for a tour. We got to visit the Dr. Oz, Late Night w/Jimmy Fallon, and SNL sets. Jimmy Fallon's studio is Johnny Carson's old studio. It was neat to hear about the behind the scenes stuff and facts of the studios...the double doors that the host of SNL walks through at the very beginning of each show are the original doors from when the show first started! And Jimmy Fallon's studio is a full-blown refrigerator! Lots of fun facts.
We then had some lunch. During that, a few of my team members went to find a homeless man that they ran into earlier....he was 82, just came out of hospital from some bullet wounds, was trying to find a way to Arizona where his family is, so my team member gave him a TCF gift card that she had on hand which had a couple hundred dollars on it to help him get back. He was very appreciative. Also, during lunch, some other team members spoke about a man they had seen in the subway the night before. Some of us had heard about people that literally live down in the subways in NY and a couple of my team members was certain this man was one of those people...the words used to describe him was a "human rat". I know that sounds harsh, but that was the only way they felt was an accurate description....it's real, they seen him and could smell him from afar...filthy dirty, a garbage bag wrapped around himself, no shoes, climbing out of some dark hole in the subway on the other side of the tracks...those were just a few ways they described him. The harsh reality was heart-wrenching.
I've shared just some of the stories from our week in NYC. I've learned that homeless people don't necessarily always "look" homeless. There are a lot of needy people in this world and I've learned you can't judge a book by its cover. Everyone has a story. Don't assume anything. Sometimes all a person needs is a smile from you. Just that simple acknowledgment goes a long way and can make a persons day, or week. There are so many organizations that help people that need our help that are tucked away...you just have to take the time to search for them. Sometimes you just have to put aside your judgments and open yourself up a little...don't be afraid. We all know how grateful we are for what we have, but seeing all we did this past week only makes me THAT much more grateful for what I have. It makes me think twice before I start complaining about the little things. I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge and a stove to cook it on, a car to drive to the doctors or work or to visit family, clean clothes to wear, clean water to drink and cook with, a bed to sleep in, a couch to sit on, a blanket to keep me warm, air condition to cool me off, shoes on my feet, electricity to give me light at night, a phone to call a friend to talk to when I'm down and need cheering up, a computer to communicate to family/friends or check the score of my favorite sports team, walls to hang pictures of my loved ones on, insurance to pay for my doctor visits and medicine, and SO MUCH MORE...all at the tip of my fingers! We all have often taken many of those things for granted, don't deny it. We just expect those things to be there because it's what we're used to. Whatever your concept of God is, thank Him everyday for each of those things, because not everybody in this world is as fortunate and rich as we are. When I say rich, I'm not talking about how much our salary is, but about all of the "things" we have been given..not just material things, but love and relationships and laughter and emotions and more. When I left the airport to head home, it was a bit muggy outside. I stopped myself from saying "oh its hot out" because I was just about to jump into a car with air condition. When I came home from being gone for a week, there wasn't much of any food in my fridge, but I have the ability to drive myself up to the store to pick up fresh food 24/7. I realized most of my clothes were dirty and I had nothing to wear....but I did, it's just I didn't want to wear "that". I'm going to make an effort at not being so picky anymore like that. It's those little things that we all take for granted. I am SO rich with life and what God has blessed me with that I feel guilty now when I do catch myself complaining about something so minute like why isn't the cable working. It's not the end of the world if I miss I miss a TV show! I should be (and am) grateful to even have a TV and cable! Literally, I AM RICH!!
I feel so fortunate to have been able to taken this trip...it was a huge growing moment for me personally and spiritually. And I just can't thank God enough for all that He has blessed me with.
We then had some lunch. During that, a few of my team members went to find a homeless man that they ran into earlier....he was 82, just came out of hospital from some bullet wounds, was trying to find a way to Arizona where his family is, so my team member gave him a TCF gift card that she had on hand which had a couple hundred dollars on it to help him get back. He was very appreciative. Also, during lunch, some other team members spoke about a man they had seen in the subway the night before. Some of us had heard about people that literally live down in the subways in NY and a couple of my team members was certain this man was one of those people...the words used to describe him was a "human rat". I know that sounds harsh, but that was the only way they felt was an accurate description....it's real, they seen him and could smell him from afar...filthy dirty, a garbage bag wrapped around himself, no shoes, climbing out of some dark hole in the subway on the other side of the tracks...those were just a few ways they described him. The harsh reality was heart-wrenching.
I've shared just some of the stories from our week in NYC. I've learned that homeless people don't necessarily always "look" homeless. There are a lot of needy people in this world and I've learned you can't judge a book by its cover. Everyone has a story. Don't assume anything. Sometimes all a person needs is a smile from you. Just that simple acknowledgment goes a long way and can make a persons day, or week. There are so many organizations that help people that need our help that are tucked away...you just have to take the time to search for them. Sometimes you just have to put aside your judgments and open yourself up a little...don't be afraid. We all know how grateful we are for what we have, but seeing all we did this past week only makes me THAT much more grateful for what I have. It makes me think twice before I start complaining about the little things. I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge and a stove to cook it on, a car to drive to the doctors or work or to visit family, clean clothes to wear, clean water to drink and cook with, a bed to sleep in, a couch to sit on, a blanket to keep me warm, air condition to cool me off, shoes on my feet, electricity to give me light at night, a phone to call a friend to talk to when I'm down and need cheering up, a computer to communicate to family/friends or check the score of my favorite sports team, walls to hang pictures of my loved ones on, insurance to pay for my doctor visits and medicine, and SO MUCH MORE...all at the tip of my fingers! We all have often taken many of those things for granted, don't deny it. We just expect those things to be there because it's what we're used to. Whatever your concept of God is, thank Him everyday for each of those things, because not everybody in this world is as fortunate and rich as we are. When I say rich, I'm not talking about how much our salary is, but about all of the "things" we have been given..not just material things, but love and relationships and laughter and emotions and more. When I left the airport to head home, it was a bit muggy outside. I stopped myself from saying "oh its hot out" because I was just about to jump into a car with air condition. When I came home from being gone for a week, there wasn't much of any food in my fridge, but I have the ability to drive myself up to the store to pick up fresh food 24/7. I realized most of my clothes were dirty and I had nothing to wear....but I did, it's just I didn't want to wear "that". I'm going to make an effort at not being so picky anymore like that. It's those little things that we all take for granted. I am SO rich with life and what God has blessed me with that I feel guilty now when I do catch myself complaining about something so minute like why isn't the cable working. It's not the end of the world if I miss I miss a TV show! I should be (and am) grateful to even have a TV and cable! Literally, I AM RICH!!
I feel so fortunate to have been able to taken this trip...it was a huge growing moment for me personally and spiritually. And I just can't thank God enough for all that He has blessed me with.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Some Final Thoughts
I would like to share a few last things with you. First and foremost, THANK YOU for helping make this trip possible! Thank you for your support, whether it was financial, emotional, or spiritual...it all means so much to me! I am very grateful for all of you!
Many of you have asked me what I have been doing since my trip and am I staying involved with church and God and serving, etc. Let me tell you that my spiritual journey has continued to grow since my trip to New York. In August 2010, I decided to commit myself to following Jesus by getting baptized. What an emotional experience that was! Also, at the end of our trip, my team had discussed the idea of continuing to serve together as a team. We have joined with other churches and organization led by Elevate Detroit (also can be found at Elevate Detroit Facebook) that meet up every Saturday afternoon to have a BBQ with (not for) our homeless and needy friends in Detroit, otherwise referred to as CommuniD BBQ. My team has committed to the 2nd Saturday each month, but really anyone can show up on any Saturday. We bring and serve food, clothes, and simply hang out with them and show the love God. I've been able to do this a handful of times so far and Scott even got to join me the last time. Also, Scott and I have signed up to serve meals on Easter Sunday at the Detroit Rescue Mission and we're looking forward to that. I also joined a bible study group in Sept 2010 led by one of my NYC mission trip team members. And I continue to deliver food to home-bound seniors every month through the Oakland-Livingston Human Service Agency, which I've been doing since December 2009. God has opened so many doors for me and I can't wait to see what else He has in store! Thank you again for your support and also for sharing in this experience with me!
Here is a link to some pictures taken by various team members, including myself. I included some sight-seeing pictures for those of you who have never been to NYC (this was my first time!) There is a separate album for each day of the trip...simply click an album, then on the first picture and then you can scroll through one picture at a time. When done viewing an album, there is a tab above the picture called "Laurie's Gallery", click on that and it will bring you back to all the albums. Some of the pictures do have captions at the bottom to tell you where we were as well as share a couple more stories from the trip not included in this journal...NYC Pictures
Matthew 25: 35-40 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave something to drink...I needed clothes and you clothed me...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Luke 12: 22-33 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes...And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it...your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you also."
Matthew 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
Many of you have asked me what I have been doing since my trip and am I staying involved with church and God and serving, etc. Let me tell you that my spiritual journey has continued to grow since my trip to New York. In August 2010, I decided to commit myself to following Jesus by getting baptized. What an emotional experience that was! Also, at the end of our trip, my team had discussed the idea of continuing to serve together as a team. We have joined with other churches and organization led by Elevate Detroit (also can be found at Elevate Detroit Facebook) that meet up every Saturday afternoon to have a BBQ with (not for) our homeless and needy friends in Detroit, otherwise referred to as CommuniD BBQ. My team has committed to the 2nd Saturday each month, but really anyone can show up on any Saturday. We bring and serve food, clothes, and simply hang out with them and show the love God. I've been able to do this a handful of times so far and Scott even got to join me the last time. Also, Scott and I have signed up to serve meals on Easter Sunday at the Detroit Rescue Mission and we're looking forward to that. I also joined a bible study group in Sept 2010 led by one of my NYC mission trip team members. And I continue to deliver food to home-bound seniors every month through the Oakland-Livingston Human Service Agency, which I've been doing since December 2009. God has opened so many doors for me and I can't wait to see what else He has in store! Thank you again for your support and also for sharing in this experience with me!
Here is a link to some pictures taken by various team members, including myself. I included some sight-seeing pictures for those of you who have never been to NYC (this was my first time!) There is a separate album for each day of the trip...simply click an album, then on the first picture and then you can scroll through one picture at a time. When done viewing an album, there is a tab above the picture called "Laurie's Gallery", click on that and it will bring you back to all the albums. Some of the pictures do have captions at the bottom to tell you where we were as well as share a couple more stories from the trip not included in this journal...NYC Pictures
Matthew 25: 35-40 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave something to drink...I needed clothes and you clothed me...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
Luke 12: 22-33 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes...And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it...your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you also."
Matthew 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
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