joshua is a homeless man.
joshua wasn't always homeless. but his choices led him down a path he can't seem to fight his way out of. addictions led him here. addictions that he hates but also loves. addictions he clings to.
no matter how much sleep he got the day and night before, joshua is always tired. and it's summer; the sun exhausts him even more. during the days he does what he can to make it by... survive. he sits in air conditioned places for hours even if he gets cold because he knows when he goes outside he will not receive relief from the burning sun. he takes naps on park benches because he's bored out of his mind and nothing else will pass the time.
joshua thinks to himself, "sleeping on a hard surface with just no give makes your body hurt in ways you didn't expect." his bones push up against his skin and bruise him. he has no fat to protect his body from his own bones. the simplest tasks become the greatest challenges because of the pain and exhaustion. his motivation is practically non-existent because his exhaustion debilitates him. still his addictions debilitate him too. joshua is exhausted... emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually.
he's grown used to the hunger pangs, so much so he forgot the genuine feeling of hunger. his stomach always seems upset because he is so malnourished. you don't see a pound of apples on the dollar menu... but still, he talks about his favorite food with his friends and about how when he makes his way out of this hole the first thing he's going to buy is a big fancy meal. he tortures himself with that dream. such a simple sounding dream but he clings to it; he doesn't have much else to cling to anymore.
he thinks, "how unfair that i eat rice when the people next to me eat steak." joshua walks down the same street that the richest walk down. in fact, he lives on this street. literally on that street. he can't wrap his mind around why his has a penny in his pocket and the person sitting on the bench next to him is closing on a $500,000 house. he thinks about his family. he didn't grow up with much either but his family is still considered to be among the wealthy. he wishes he hadn't messed it up but instead of confessing it, he blames someone else to avoid the next step after confession: repentance.
he can't remember the last night he felt safe. the good night's sleep when he wasn't clinging to his things in fear that someone might steal them. he can't remember uninterrupted sleep. sleeping like a rock means nothing to him anymore. but he's always up early, on to the next bench. moving around give him a sense of purpose.
he sees people turn away from him, flash him a pity smile. people look uncomfortable around him, they look afraid. he smells. his skin is dark, not by pigment but by dirt. his hair and skin are greasy but it feels almost normal to be greasy by now. he bathes in public fountains. he can't stand being around himself because of the smell. the dirt is caked on because it mixes with the sweat. he wants to feel normal for a little while. he wants to feel a little more clean. everyone stares it him. they laugh. any shred of dignity as a human being falls away. people don't talk to him, they don't even look him in the eye. they judge him. they think he is a leper. joshua is hurt by this, but after a while he becomes used it.
he notices that dignity stands in the way of him and a meal. so despite the way his heart pounds in his throat when he asks for food or money, despite the looks of disgust people give him when he asks, he does it to survive. he hates it. but he loves it. he's grown to love it. manipulating, he feels, is the one thing he is good at. he forgets his real talents. people have led him to believe that he has nothing to offer. heck, if he can't even get someone to look at him square in the eye, what is he worth?
joshua, the same man he has always been, feels like an alien in his own skin.
but that is not who joshua is. joshua has likes, dislikes. he too has a favorite movie, i don't know what it is but i know he has one. he has dreams and aspirations. he's talented. more talented than people would ever expect. he can draw. he's good at science. it intrigues him. he is actually quite brilliant; more brilliant than he even knows. he is handsome. he has a laugh that makes you want to laugh. makes you want to cry. his smile, though hidden by teeth that haven't been taken care of for 10 years, is one in a million.
i think he believes in something bigger than him, what "it" is he's not sure. not sure whether to trust "it" and to run away. not sure whether "it" thinks of him with love or hates his sinful self.
joshua has a family. one that has loved him for 28 years. one that he thinks rejects him.
it wasn't always like this for joshua.
joshua has worked himself into despair. his addictions give him a temporary sense of comfort... they make him feel better for a bit. they take the edge off. they help him forget. but the deeper he dives into them, the more his world crumbles below his feet. his addictions have turned on him. joshua becomes more desperate. instead of humbly asking for love he demands attention. this hurts the ones who love him. their love is too weak. they are not strong enough to love him more than they already do. they are mere humans.
but it kills them.
joshua feels alone. he feels outcasted, yet entitled. entitled to a home. entitled to love. but still entitled to his addictions. what joshua doesn't know is that his family cannot love him the way his Father can. he has never heard psalm 136:2 which says "God's love endures forever." maybe someone has said it to him but he has never heard it. his hope (what's left of it) is fixed on the world. that is why when he falls, he falls hard. that is why the people who love him continue to fail him. that is why he is angry. that is why he feels rejected. for too long he has believed man can give him what he needs. for too long he's relied on himself, his family, the world. what good has that done for him? his hope is running out. it becomes more and more temporary. what can the world give him that God can't?
who will show joshua that his family is weak but God is strong? his family wants to have compassion for him, but the years have drained them. the years have tainted their relationship. and his family hates that. they feel guilty that they can't give him what he needs. they feel as though they have failed. they feel like they must be bad people if they can't even show enough love to their own flesh and blood. they're being subjected to hopelessness. the world tries to make them believe they are bad. who will tell them otherwise?
who will help joshua to fix his hope upon the Lord? who will have compassion for him? who will reach out to joshua? and how? what is the best way? what way will move him the best? what way will change his life? joshua needs something real. not a brochure. not a business card with the words, "Jesus loves you," on it joshua needs someone outside his situation. as much as his family wants to save him, they're inept. or at least, that's how they feel. who will help joshua see this?
this is why we are called to minister. because of joshua and millions others whose hope is about to run out because it is not fixed upon the Lord.
this note is not written to endow guilt. everything read here that joshua goes through day-to-day is what i experienced during a poverty simulation i went through while on summer project in new york. each affliction or trial i experienced i connected to joshua in my mind. he is a real person that is not going through a poverty simulation. homelessness is his life... for right now. i have a faith so strong that God will pursue this young man as his son and reinforce his worth. i believe that one day, joshua's story will be a testimony to faith. an awesome testimony. one that will inspire and help others. will you pray for that? will you believe in that? and will you remember the thousands of other joshuas? they are not all addicts like him. some have been laid off, some have been abused. some have been handed chance cards that aren't make believe; they are real life and have pulled them under.
pray that joshua's addiction is replaced by the hope God's salvation brings! what joshua has never heard is that Christ already defeated his addiction on the cross. maybe someone has already told him that, but he's still never heard it. pray that he hears it.
and pray for his family. they feel lost in the situation too.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
authentic experience
indeed it is, an authentic experience. one that has changed me, is changing me, will continue to change me in the future by the provision of the Lord and my heart that is. i never want to leave this behind. this isn't going to be just something i did. it will be something that is always apart of me. praise Jesus for that!
it has been a while since i've shared what i have been doing besides ministry... it would seem like life is already busy with that... but i'm in a city that never sleeps, therefore neither do i.
friday june 25 is the last time you heard about... here's what has happened since.
on saturday we walked around the village (yes- i am officially a new yorker, i know what the village is. if you don't- google it =P). it's such a cute part of the city, very trendy, very overpriced. we hit up washington square park where the hippies used to hang out- they still do. but there were people there sharing the word and the gospel with others which was cool. people seemed to be engaged in the hymns one group was singing. it was such a classic new york place to be. we walked passed used books kiosks (which i'm dying to stop at one of these days...) and basketball courts. we eventually wondered over to the east side and passed nyu. and then all of the sudden we were in front of our destination... latter 33 =) jamie's dad is a firefighter in california and so he hooked us up with some firefighter friends he met while helping out with the aftermath of 9/11. this was such a sensitive subject. the guys definitely didn't want to talk about it... who can blame them? it is so much more real here in ny than it is anywhere else. the grief is palpable. i feel a deeper sadness being here than i felt the day it happened. anyway, the guys showed us around the firehouse, they were happy to have us there... despite the fact that we were acting like tourists. they were such nice men, i've never been realized how much i admire their strength and courage. we continued on our not realizing that we were in the east village (my favorite neighborhood). oh man, did we have fun checking out all the vintage shops down there. it was so fantastically new york. for dinner we ate some venezuelan empanadas (mmm...)
i am absolutely falling in love with my team. each of these women (...and nathan!) are so unique, have such passionate hearts and are growing tremendously. you know, for so long i have felt like i've needed to "catch up" with my christian friends. i've let myself believe i'm below the curve but in reality we're all growing and learning and struggling. that's what makes us so beautiful. God has used this trip to show me that i am right there with them and they are right there with me.
on sunday we went to bethel assembly of God church in harlem. now, this was a honest to goodness gospel church. the 'choir' consisted of about 6 women and 1 man and they could belt out a tune with more power, force and strength than my high school choirs all put together could. and that's not including the members of the church in the seats with us. i thought someone in the crowd was going to break out in a solo. they even welcomed us so personally. they all got up out of their seats and sang to us, shook our hands, hugged us. i've never felt more special in a church service before. what a concept, eh? we have been showered with appreciation from young and old, believer and nonbeliever, black and white since we've been here. they say new yorkers don't do what you all are doing. my response to that is confusion. it would wear on me to walk passed suffering everyday and pretend not to see it. i couldn't stay here with that mindset for long, i'd never last.
i have come to love our monday night meetings (MnM). it is a time when all of us from tribeca get together, hear about each other's ministries and make new friends. we also worship during this time and get to reflect on what God is up to in New York. this week we talked about confession and repentance which was an awesome topic to talk about because it is something i tend to put on the back burner. the staff here at tribeca have the biggest most humble hearts i have encountered. their stories and lives are incredible testaments to God's love and grace.
i was sick on tuesday =( i spent the day sleeping mostly. i spent some legit time with God. last week i was reading Hosea which seems very appropriate to read while here in the city. i find so many connections between Israel and New York City. both disobedient, both struggling but both dearly loved by God despite all of this. God promises us that He will never let go. He has such genuine and endless compassion for us even when we're running the other direction.
thursday and friday were awesome to say the least. sy rogers (if you don't know who he is you need to go to syrogers.com right now) came and talked to our summer project. he has an amazing story of how God pursued him and lifted him up to be an inspiration to thousands. long story short he used to be gay and the Lord called him into a life that now glorifies him and reaches the unreached. he talked about the things no one wants to talk about but we all deal with: sex. it was uncomfortable, embarrassing and strange. wait scratch that. it was incredibly convicting, comforting and enlightening. i have never felt less ashamed of my struggles in my life and i am now equipped with the knowledge to confront and attack them. and i feel like i have some insight as to how to minister effectively in this area. if you want to know more about it, just let me know. he covered a lot of information and it would take forever for me to write it out here. seriously, let me know if you're interested! or just hit up his website too.
if you ever come to new york go to s'macs in the east village. it's on east 12 st. between 1st and 2nd avenue. seriously.
on friday we went down to the battery and walked on the promenade. we wondered up to ground zero and stood in the world financial center for a while and looked over the construction site. the world trade hotel was just completed. i'm thinking it's going to be at least another 5 years before the new tower is done. they are going to make a beautiful memorial there. i look forward coming back to ny to see it. that night we took the staten island ferry at the most perfect time we could have: sunset. and to make it even better, God was showing off that night too; the sunset was breathe taking. check out my pictures, i think you'll agree.
i am going to miss this city tremendously. i have grown so used to the traffic and people and sights and buildings. coming home to trees and quietness is going to feel so strange.
saturday was such a fun day! i went to central park with nathan, nichole, katelyn, sara and alisha. we went up to 72nd street and central park west which is where john lennon was killed. they have a memorial called strawberry fields there. yoko ono still lives in the apartment on the corner. we walked eastward and stumbled on the fountain that is in enchanted and the boat house that was in 27 dresses. we also saw the bow bridge and the statue of alice and wonderland. central park is even more charming than i imagined. authentic new york. later that night we went to one of the staff's apartment in queens, andrea, and ate dessert and played a game called murder (it's kind of like mafia- you know, wholesome christian games...) i love that i can feel like such a little kid with these people i've known less than a month. i feel like i've known some of them forever. like nichole. and jamie. and hannah. i feel such a strange connection to them and know that God hand picked each of us to be here for a reason.
the fourth of july was a wonderful day. i spent the fourth of july in new york, how many can say that??? we went to tim keller's church, Redeemer, in the upper west side. to celebrate the fireworks we went back up to the upper west side on 50th street and 10th avenue to sam's apartment. sam is a woman that went on the inner city ny summer project 2 years ago and now lives here. we ate some dinner and played catchphrase for a while but ended up hanging out with a bunch of gay guys who were also on sam's roof. they were so welcoming and kind even though they knew we were christians. people are worried about getting judged so sometimes they judge us. understandable, i know i do it. anyway, the fireworks were amazing- there were 5 different barges along the hudson shooting off fireworks and we got to see it all!
well- that's about it. actually it's not. there's a lot more but i have to condense it in fear that i might lose your attention... maybe i already have by now and you just skipped down to the bottom to make sure you didn't miss anything big down here. haha.
love to you all!
it has been a while since i've shared what i have been doing besides ministry... it would seem like life is already busy with that... but i'm in a city that never sleeps, therefore neither do i.
friday june 25 is the last time you heard about... here's what has happened since.
on saturday we walked around the village (yes- i am officially a new yorker, i know what the village is. if you don't- google it =P). it's such a cute part of the city, very trendy, very overpriced. we hit up washington square park where the hippies used to hang out- they still do. but there were people there sharing the word and the gospel with others which was cool. people seemed to be engaged in the hymns one group was singing. it was such a classic new york place to be. we walked passed used books kiosks (which i'm dying to stop at one of these days...) and basketball courts. we eventually wondered over to the east side and passed nyu. and then all of the sudden we were in front of our destination... latter 33 =) jamie's dad is a firefighter in california and so he hooked us up with some firefighter friends he met while helping out with the aftermath of 9/11. this was such a sensitive subject. the guys definitely didn't want to talk about it... who can blame them? it is so much more real here in ny than it is anywhere else. the grief is palpable. i feel a deeper sadness being here than i felt the day it happened. anyway, the guys showed us around the firehouse, they were happy to have us there... despite the fact that we were acting like tourists. they were such nice men, i've never been realized how much i admire their strength and courage. we continued on our not realizing that we were in the east village (my favorite neighborhood). oh man, did we have fun checking out all the vintage shops down there. it was so fantastically new york. for dinner we ate some venezuelan empanadas (mmm...)
i am absolutely falling in love with my team. each of these women (...and nathan!) are so unique, have such passionate hearts and are growing tremendously. you know, for so long i have felt like i've needed to "catch up" with my christian friends. i've let myself believe i'm below the curve but in reality we're all growing and learning and struggling. that's what makes us so beautiful. God has used this trip to show me that i am right there with them and they are right there with me.
on sunday we went to bethel assembly of God church in harlem. now, this was a honest to goodness gospel church. the 'choir' consisted of about 6 women and 1 man and they could belt out a tune with more power, force and strength than my high school choirs all put together could. and that's not including the members of the church in the seats with us. i thought someone in the crowd was going to break out in a solo. they even welcomed us so personally. they all got up out of their seats and sang to us, shook our hands, hugged us. i've never felt more special in a church service before. what a concept, eh? we have been showered with appreciation from young and old, believer and nonbeliever, black and white since we've been here. they say new yorkers don't do what you all are doing. my response to that is confusion. it would wear on me to walk passed suffering everyday and pretend not to see it. i couldn't stay here with that mindset for long, i'd never last.
i have come to love our monday night meetings (MnM). it is a time when all of us from tribeca get together, hear about each other's ministries and make new friends. we also worship during this time and get to reflect on what God is up to in New York. this week we talked about confession and repentance which was an awesome topic to talk about because it is something i tend to put on the back burner. the staff here at tribeca have the biggest most humble hearts i have encountered. their stories and lives are incredible testaments to God's love and grace.
i was sick on tuesday =( i spent the day sleeping mostly. i spent some legit time with God. last week i was reading Hosea which seems very appropriate to read while here in the city. i find so many connections between Israel and New York City. both disobedient, both struggling but both dearly loved by God despite all of this. God promises us that He will never let go. He has such genuine and endless compassion for us even when we're running the other direction.
thursday and friday were awesome to say the least. sy rogers (if you don't know who he is you need to go to syrogers.com right now) came and talked to our summer project. he has an amazing story of how God pursued him and lifted him up to be an inspiration to thousands. long story short he used to be gay and the Lord called him into a life that now glorifies him and reaches the unreached. he talked about the things no one wants to talk about but we all deal with: sex. it was uncomfortable, embarrassing and strange. wait scratch that. it was incredibly convicting, comforting and enlightening. i have never felt less ashamed of my struggles in my life and i am now equipped with the knowledge to confront and attack them. and i feel like i have some insight as to how to minister effectively in this area. if you want to know more about it, just let me know. he covered a lot of information and it would take forever for me to write it out here. seriously, let me know if you're interested! or just hit up his website too.
if you ever come to new york go to s'macs in the east village. it's on east 12 st. between 1st and 2nd avenue. seriously.
on friday we went down to the battery and walked on the promenade. we wondered up to ground zero and stood in the world financial center for a while and looked over the construction site. the world trade hotel was just completed. i'm thinking it's going to be at least another 5 years before the new tower is done. they are going to make a beautiful memorial there. i look forward coming back to ny to see it. that night we took the staten island ferry at the most perfect time we could have: sunset. and to make it even better, God was showing off that night too; the sunset was breathe taking. check out my pictures, i think you'll agree.
i am going to miss this city tremendously. i have grown so used to the traffic and people and sights and buildings. coming home to trees and quietness is going to feel so strange.
saturday was such a fun day! i went to central park with nathan, nichole, katelyn, sara and alisha. we went up to 72nd street and central park west which is where john lennon was killed. they have a memorial called strawberry fields there. yoko ono still lives in the apartment on the corner. we walked eastward and stumbled on the fountain that is in enchanted and the boat house that was in 27 dresses. we also saw the bow bridge and the statue of alice and wonderland. central park is even more charming than i imagined. authentic new york. later that night we went to one of the staff's apartment in queens, andrea, and ate dessert and played a game called murder (it's kind of like mafia- you know, wholesome christian games...) i love that i can feel like such a little kid with these people i've known less than a month. i feel like i've known some of them forever. like nichole. and jamie. and hannah. i feel such a strange connection to them and know that God hand picked each of us to be here for a reason.
the fourth of july was a wonderful day. i spent the fourth of july in new york, how many can say that??? we went to tim keller's church, Redeemer, in the upper west side. to celebrate the fireworks we went back up to the upper west side on 50th street and 10th avenue to sam's apartment. sam is a woman that went on the inner city ny summer project 2 years ago and now lives here. we ate some dinner and played catchphrase for a while but ended up hanging out with a bunch of gay guys who were also on sam's roof. they were so welcoming and kind even though they knew we were christians. people are worried about getting judged so sometimes they judge us. understandable, i know i do it. anyway, the fireworks were amazing- there were 5 different barges along the hudson shooting off fireworks and we got to see it all!
well- that's about it. actually it's not. there's a lot more but i have to condense it in fear that i might lose your attention... maybe i already have by now and you just skipped down to the bottom to make sure you didn't miss anything big down here. haha.
love to you all!
Urban Impact
aye, it's been wayyyy too long since i've posted something new; let's pray i can remember! i will say though that 3 days at urban impact was just not enough. i absolutely loved the vision and the heart of this ministry. larry, the program coordinator, has a huge heart for the muslim community. i have never come across someone who cares more for the salvation of this group of people. of course, his passion was to serve whoever the Lord brought his way but his ministry focus is directed at immigrants from South Asia and West Africa. he coordinates ESL (english as a second language) classes in Queens and Brooklyn. they are for anyone, particularly the groups listed above and are completely free. the morning class we helped out with on monday consisted of about 11 to12 people, most from south asia. the women i interacted with were Syeda, Gurbax, Shanti, Syeda Nessa and Indira. I think Syeda and Syeda Nessa were from Pakistan, Gurbax and Shanti were from India and Indira was from Nepal. Indira brought her 10 month old son, Nathan. In Nepal, Indira received her masters in sociology and worked at a non-profit agency that helped refugees. apparently, nepal has a serious problem with maoists and living conditions are far from free and can be scary/ unsafe at times. her husband moved to america 8 years ago for a better life, better schooling, and more money. Indira came about 2 years ago to escape the turmoil and be with her husband. that means that she was away from him for 6 years. apparently that's typical of south asian immigrants. they usually have arranged marriages and don't really like their spouses so being away isn't difficult. i don't know if indira's marriage was arranged... i didn't ask. she said her life, despite the safety conditions, was better in nepal. she had a job, a life... probably got used to being away from her husband... i can't help thinking how many immigrants come here for a better life and don't find it? more than we'd ever admit i imagine... i think what people are searching for in america cannot be found or obtained because it is so flawed. God, on the other hand, well he's definitely not flawed and the home He offers us in Him holds the riches and the peace we all long for. but to indira, God is not a being she worships. she said she worships work which i'm sure she is not the only one. in my opinion it's actually very 'american' of her. i think about people dear to me that worship their work and time and time again it fails to satisfy. jackson heights (the neighborhood in queens that we were in) is a very different place. i've never been exposed to so much muslim/ indian/ hindu culture in my life. there were so many languages being tossed around as we walked down the streets.
i ended up missing the next day (tuesday). my group went to the here's life inner city office in long island city, queens while i laid in bed because i was sick. they told me it was a pretty chill day but they were glowing because of the love they received while they were there. they said that people were so genuinely nice and grateful for them. it makes me realize how hungry we are for kind words in this city and how much of a difference it makes when we hear them. and we're not homeless or poor or destitute. we've only been here for 3 weeks. think about the people that live on the streets, have been there for years, and have no one to give them kind words. they are starved in more ways than one.
on wednesday we got an introduction to muslim faith 101. larry talked about the 5 pillars of faith with us and how we can use those to gather common ground and minister effectively with people of that faith. it was cool to break down my ignorant shield against a religion i have always kind of avoided. after helping out with a few things in the beach house urban impact bought for mission trip groups at rockaway beach, larry took us down to the beach before we headed to brooklyn. we're definitely going back to that beach... in brooklyn we went to a neighborhood that is populated predominately by west africans. most are 2nd generation muslims; 3rd generations were tribal religions. we helped teach at another ESL class there. there was a woman and two men; bentu, ya-ya and ali. ya-ya and ali (the males) were almost fluent in english. it is a good opportunity to teach more about Jesus when they become more fluent so i think that is what class is based upon now. bentu was just learning the alphabet. in fact, when she came in she barely knew lowercase letters and by the time i left she was really understanding lowercase! i was so excited... it seems like such a small feat but i was only with her for a half hour. so just pray that she would learn more just as quickly and use this place a resource. the Lord is using urban impact to reach those that we tend to forget about.
the last day at urban impact was sad for me because i fell so much in love with the ministry focus there. i craved more time and to get to know these people better. but it was certainly a good way to end the week. our vacation bible school that we planned on monday fell through so we planned the major vbs going on july 5th and 6th. our first lesson is on God-given talents, gifts and belongings and how we can share those with our neighbors. we made puzzle pieces that represent how we are each a piece of God's puzzle. We put 1 peter 4:10 on the back of the pieces. It says, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others." our bible story is about the boy with the bread... i have no idea what piece of scripture this is... the second lesson is about forgiveness since that's more of a christian concept. the kids will make "salvation bracelets" while each color of the beads is explained. (the colors of the beads represent a piece of the gospel; ie sin, blood of the Lamb, life) we used ephesians 1:7 which says "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins," as a verse to explain how we acquired forgiveness through Jesus. later we helped with ESL again. tonight we sat in with the advanced class with 4 women. Carmela (from Mexico, Catholic), Zakiya (from Bangladesh, Muslim), Shan (from Sri Lanka, Buddhist), and Brihasmira (from Nepal, Buddhist). they told us about their lives back at home and here. all of them were married with children. zakiya didn't look a day over 30 but she has a 14 year old daughter! she's probably about 46 years old because she got married when she was 22. it was funny because all of us girls are around 20-22 and we're all single. these women had to laugh a bit at that because they marry so much younger where they're from. they were somewhat interested in christianity. they don't understand the trinity. they think we worship 3 separate gods and mary. it was difficult for them to relate that way. brihasmira believes that there are several different belief patterns that will lead you to God. of this, i have a hard time denying but i believe there is only one doorway to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. it's not about being moral (which is what Buddhists believes), it's not through works, it's not by eating the actual body and blood of Christ. it is by grace that we have been given a gift and if we say yes to it wholeheartedly that's our ticket to know a God that's greater than the air i breathe. carmela was very quiet about religion. i feel (at least from my own experience as a catholic) religion or God is more a private topic. no one wants to step on anyone's toes, no one wants a debate. which is true, we're not called to debate, we're called to love and share love. His love. zakiya seemed very set as muslim for now. there was a sense of pride for her religion. i trust that God will break down those walls for her as she continues to attend ESL classes through urban impact. shan seemed confused about Buddhism- pray that that is a good in-point for someone else. and buddhism was impersonal for both shan and brihasmira. pray that that is also a good in-point for someone to share the gospel.
overall this was an amazing experience; one that left me wanting more. i feel ill-equipped most of the time here. i trust though that God will fill that. where i lack, God gives grace and strength. where i fail He succeeds.
pray for strength of urban impact. pray for more volunteers and outlets to reach out to. pray for the men and women we encountered this week and that there we seeds planted. seeds that will only grow. pray for our team please. some of us are homesick and tired (like me for example). i don't want to lose sight of this mission, of what the Lord brought us here for. i want to keep my eyes fixed upon Jesus. pray that we wont give satan a foothold here. this is God's city, not the enemy's. he will not distract us from bringing glory to God. pray for my sickness, that God will heal it wholly so i can focus on Him more and more.
i love you all and miss you tremendously. i have fallen deeply in love with this city and know that i will never be able to pretend that what goes on here doesn't exist. it does and will until God's people follow His call to nourish the needy and love the destitute.
God's love and peace to you all!
i ended up missing the next day (tuesday). my group went to the here's life inner city office in long island city, queens while i laid in bed because i was sick. they told me it was a pretty chill day but they were glowing because of the love they received while they were there. they said that people were so genuinely nice and grateful for them. it makes me realize how hungry we are for kind words in this city and how much of a difference it makes when we hear them. and we're not homeless or poor or destitute. we've only been here for 3 weeks. think about the people that live on the streets, have been there for years, and have no one to give them kind words. they are starved in more ways than one.
on wednesday we got an introduction to muslim faith 101. larry talked about the 5 pillars of faith with us and how we can use those to gather common ground and minister effectively with people of that faith. it was cool to break down my ignorant shield against a religion i have always kind of avoided. after helping out with a few things in the beach house urban impact bought for mission trip groups at rockaway beach, larry took us down to the beach before we headed to brooklyn. we're definitely going back to that beach... in brooklyn we went to a neighborhood that is populated predominately by west africans. most are 2nd generation muslims; 3rd generations were tribal religions. we helped teach at another ESL class there. there was a woman and two men; bentu, ya-ya and ali. ya-ya and ali (the males) were almost fluent in english. it is a good opportunity to teach more about Jesus when they become more fluent so i think that is what class is based upon now. bentu was just learning the alphabet. in fact, when she came in she barely knew lowercase letters and by the time i left she was really understanding lowercase! i was so excited... it seems like such a small feat but i was only with her for a half hour. so just pray that she would learn more just as quickly and use this place a resource. the Lord is using urban impact to reach those that we tend to forget about.
the last day at urban impact was sad for me because i fell so much in love with the ministry focus there. i craved more time and to get to know these people better. but it was certainly a good way to end the week. our vacation bible school that we planned on monday fell through so we planned the major vbs going on july 5th and 6th. our first lesson is on God-given talents, gifts and belongings and how we can share those with our neighbors. we made puzzle pieces that represent how we are each a piece of God's puzzle. We put 1 peter 4:10 on the back of the pieces. It says, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others." our bible story is about the boy with the bread... i have no idea what piece of scripture this is... the second lesson is about forgiveness since that's more of a christian concept. the kids will make "salvation bracelets" while each color of the beads is explained. (the colors of the beads represent a piece of the gospel; ie sin, blood of the Lamb, life) we used ephesians 1:7 which says "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins," as a verse to explain how we acquired forgiveness through Jesus. later we helped with ESL again. tonight we sat in with the advanced class with 4 women. Carmela (from Mexico, Catholic), Zakiya (from Bangladesh, Muslim), Shan (from Sri Lanka, Buddhist), and Brihasmira (from Nepal, Buddhist). they told us about their lives back at home and here. all of them were married with children. zakiya didn't look a day over 30 but she has a 14 year old daughter! she's probably about 46 years old because she got married when she was 22. it was funny because all of us girls are around 20-22 and we're all single. these women had to laugh a bit at that because they marry so much younger where they're from. they were somewhat interested in christianity. they don't understand the trinity. they think we worship 3 separate gods and mary. it was difficult for them to relate that way. brihasmira believes that there are several different belief patterns that will lead you to God. of this, i have a hard time denying but i believe there is only one doorway to heaven and that is through Jesus Christ. it's not about being moral (which is what Buddhists believes), it's not through works, it's not by eating the actual body and blood of Christ. it is by grace that we have been given a gift and if we say yes to it wholeheartedly that's our ticket to know a God that's greater than the air i breathe. carmela was very quiet about religion. i feel (at least from my own experience as a catholic) religion or God is more a private topic. no one wants to step on anyone's toes, no one wants a debate. which is true, we're not called to debate, we're called to love and share love. His love. zakiya seemed very set as muslim for now. there was a sense of pride for her religion. i trust that God will break down those walls for her as she continues to attend ESL classes through urban impact. shan seemed confused about Buddhism- pray that that is a good in-point for someone else. and buddhism was impersonal for both shan and brihasmira. pray that that is also a good in-point for someone to share the gospel.
overall this was an amazing experience; one that left me wanting more. i feel ill-equipped most of the time here. i trust though that God will fill that. where i lack, God gives grace and strength. where i fail He succeeds.
pray for strength of urban impact. pray for more volunteers and outlets to reach out to. pray for the men and women we encountered this week and that there we seeds planted. seeds that will only grow. pray for our team please. some of us are homesick and tired (like me for example). i don't want to lose sight of this mission, of what the Lord brought us here for. i want to keep my eyes fixed upon Jesus. pray that we wont give satan a foothold here. this is God's city, not the enemy's. he will not distract us from bringing glory to God. pray for my sickness, that God will heal it wholly so i can focus on Him more and more.
i love you all and miss you tremendously. i have fallen deeply in love with this city and know that i will never be able to pretend that what goes on here doesn't exist. it does and will until God's people follow His call to nourish the needy and love the destitute.
God's love and peace to you all!
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