New York Mission Trip

Well It's hard to believe that we are just four weeks away from going to New York City. Four students, three adults join several other churches in Abilene to attend this spring break. I am going to start posting more and more about the trip. First I am going to tell you about the people who are going with us and how we selected the students to go. As youth pastor and the season we were in as a youth group I didn't feel it would be healthy or the right thing to make it open for everyone. I didn't want this to just be a vacation, but I wanted it to be an experience that the students wouldn't forget and they would learn the art of giving back to the world. So we selected 13 students to take this trip but with a twist. The deal was to turn in your deposits and to fund-raise. Along with that students were asked to give back to their community in service projects. At the end four stuck with it and they are now on their way to New York. 

Most would look at that and say "that's not fair" and you might be right. But the point we wanted to make was that going for God's will takes more then just signing up and going. Following the will of God mean working hard and having faith. Because until now all I have done is giving a few students fund-raising packets. They have been gathering donations from family and friends. At the same time we are going to take them to places in New York so they can have an experience like never before. Some are afraid of the flight and others fear getting lost. As we get closer and closer the more they look forward to the trip. 

My prayer is that God will use all of on this trip. 

Here is some of what we will be doing. 

St. Johns Bread and Life (www.breadandlife.org) is a homeless ministry in Brooklyn. There is a soup kitchen and food pantry and many other volunteer opportunities at this facility. This is one of the largest soup kitchens in New York City.

“The Soup Kitchen, Mobile Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry are the heart and soul of the daily work we do at St. John's Bread and Life. St. John's Bread and Life is the largest emergency provider in Brooklyn, second largest in New York City, and we feed 1,000 people every day as Christ would, no questions asked. Beyond the nourishment of food, we offer respect and support to our needy community, including legal and medical referrals, nutritional counseling and single stop social services.”

NYC Rescue Mission (www.nycrescue.org) this is the oldest rescue mission in New York. This is located in Manhattan close to China Town. The work here will include cleaning, cooking, and eating with those who visit.

“The objective of the New York City Rescue Mission (NYCRM), America's First Rescue Mission, has remained the same since its founding in 1872: to provide spiritual hope, food, clothing and shelter to people in crisis in New York City. This model has been replicated by 300 rescue missions throughout the country.”

 At Urban Impact (urbanimpactny.com) we will work at the South Asian Learning Center where we will have the opportunity to teach ESL to Asian Immigrants living in the Jackson Heights neighborhood (also known as Little India). Since many of these people are Muslim and Hindu, classes are separated by male and female. You will teach English to these people who do not yet or who are in the learning process of learning English as a second language.  We will also work at the African Friendship Center at there after school program for students. Also there is a possibility for some small construction work. 

“Urban Impact is an outreach ministry to unreached people groups here in New York.  Most of the people we minister to come from closed countries where missionaries and evangelism are not allowed.  Presently, we are oversee two evangelistic ministry centers: one geared toward Muslims from West Africans, and the other center which evangelizes and serves Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs of South Asia.”