NYC Spring Break Missions Trip

After returning home from GenSend in New York City this past summer, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to get back to the city as soon as possible. During my spring break, I was blessed with the opportunity to get to do that at Mosaic Baptist Church with 10 incredible people from Troy University’s Baptist Campus Ministries (BCM) and WOW, let me tell you. It was absolutely incredible. The week before the trip, I knew this was going to be something big. I am a firm believer that when the enemy sees the potential in someone or something like a mission trip, he does everything in his power to shut it down. The week before the trip was the hardest week I have had since being in college and possibly even the hardest week I have ever had. I was dealing with the death of my dog (which in comparison to many other things is not a bid deal, but she was my pal and it was still hard), a couple very personal hardships and relationships, and the death of my grandfather. During this time, I found myself praying many times that God would find me faithful in the midst of these trials, even when it didn’t make sense and when I all I really wanted to do was drive home and be with my family. I knew that in order to be faithful to the Lord’s prompting, it was time to pack up and get ready to go back to New York.

We left very early on Friday morning and took a bus to Atlanta to catch our flight to NYC. Several people on our team had never flown so it was super cool to get to experience their first flight with them. We arrived in New York City that afternoon and braved the metro system with all our luggage. We arrived at our hotel and got settled in and then took a subway downtown for dinner. After we finished eating, we took a quick trip to Brooklyn Bridge Park to see the Manhattan skyline. When we came out of the subway, I caught a glimpse of my favorite view in the whole world and my heart felt at home. The night was insanely cold and we definitely were not dressed warm enough, so we cut our time short and headed back to the hotel to prepare for the next day.

We got up early the next morning and headed to Meme’s, a local coffee shop, to meet Pastor Stephen and do a quick orientation before getting to work. When we finished our coffee, we packed up and walked across the street to a theater called “The Black Lady Theater.” Mosaic Baptist Church was hosting a parenting conference there that day consisting of speakers on subjects ranging from nutrition, to helping your child with homework, to Biblical parenting and everything in between. Before the conference, our team helped set up the room, put together gift bags for the families, and greet guests as they arrived. Once the conference started, our team was in charge of child care. Let me set this scene for you…we were in a small square room. We had 6 or 7 kids and 11 adults in that space, the room was empty, and the only thing we had to entertain the kids was a Bluetooth speaker, a few crayons, and one coloring sheet. There was not a lot to work with, and we had to get super creative in order to keep the kids occupied for 5 hours. Thankfully, there were many people on our team who are very passionate for children’s ministry and handled the task like champs. For the first little bit, we played duck-duck-goose, London bridges, ring-a-round-the-rosie, and just ran in very small circles a couple times. (Why do kids like doing that???) When the adults were nice and out of breath, we sat down for a time of Bible Study. We walked through the resurrection of Jesus and how he was not in the tomb when the women arrived there. On a whim, our team started acting out the story as it was read to the children, and they were so engaged and attentive. In the curriculum we were teaching from, it said to have the kids play hide and seek and then relate it to Jesus coming out from being “hidden.” Hide and go seek in a small empty room sounded impossible, but we gave it a shot anyways. I was shocked, but it turned out to be a huge success. We would let the kids hide behind us, under our jackets, or under a sheet that was found in the room and they went along with it and acted like it was the hardest game of hide and seek they had ever played! The game ended up lasting 30-45 minutes or so. After the kids had lunch, we ended the day with some more games and hooked up one of our teammates laptops and watched a few episodes of Veggie Tales. We sent the kids home nice and tired, (you’re welcome, parents) and helped the church pack everything up.

After leaving the theater, we went back to the hotel for a much-needed time of rest. That evening, we headed to Times Square for a night of exploring. We walked around as a group for a little bit, and then the guys split off to go get New York Pizza and the girls headed to treat ourselves to a nice meal at Planet Hollywood.

Sunday morning, we got to sleep in for a little bit, and then we got ready and walked to Brower Park. On our way, we stopped in Kennedy’s restaurant (I believe that is what it was called) for lunch. We got our food to go, and ate it in the park. The plan was to go prayer walking with Pastor Stephen and for him to give us an orientation to the community and the neighborhood before heading to church. However, our plans had to change when we got a call that Pastor Stephen had to catch a flight to Atlanta to be with his family as his father was expected to pass away. I was very proud of my teammates and how they remained flexible as we reworked our plans. We decided to head back to our hotel for a time of prayer for Pastor Stephen and his family and a Bible Study. After this, we headed to the church to help set up for service. Mosaic does not have their own building, so each week they must come in, take everything down that is not theirs, set up all their equipment and prepare for service. During service, we walked through Psalm 90 and discussed the mortality of man and making our day’s count. It was an awesome service, and it was incredibly encouraging to see how the members of the church came together in a time of hardship, and filled in for Pastor Stephen. As the service was coming to a close, we had a time of prayer for Pastor Stephen’s family and for other members of the church who were dealing with different hardships. It was an incredibly special time for everyone in attendance. After church, we caught the subway and headed to Chinatown and Little Italy for dinner. Half of the team ate at an authentic Chinese restaurant, and then the other half of us ate at an authentic Italian restaurant called Puglia. It was incredibly delicious! When we finished dinner, we met back up as a team and went to the Staten Island Ferry. We rode the ferry and enjoyed the awesome view of The Statue of Liberty and Manhattan.

Monday morning came quickly and we got up and walked to Dunkin Donuts to meet Salome, who was kind enough to step in and fill Pastor Stephen’s role in leading our team. We bought two large things of coffee and then walked to her apartment where there was a second mission team waiting to do orientation with us and then do ministry with us. After hearing from Salome all about the community of Crown Heights and what to expect for the day, we hit the streets with coffee, hot chocolate, invitation cards to the church and hearts ready to share the good news of Jesus. We understood the challenges of ministry in a fast-paced city but we were more than ready to give it our all. We gave out many cups of hot chocolate and coffee as well as the invitation cards to the church. We also got to have several meaningful conversations with people. I personally got to talk to a man named Roy. Roy had never even heard the name Jesus before which was both shocking, as well as heartbreaking to me. It was an honor for me to be the first person to ever share the gospel with him. He was a little bit confused and did not understand how the things I was sharing with him could be true. He expressed that he was lonely and looking for companionship. I shared Mosaic’s information with him and let him know that there are many people there who will love him and be a friend to him, but we believe Jesus is the ultimate companion and friend. We continued having awesome conversations with people throughout the day as we continued to serve. Later in the day, a sweet old lady came walking by with tears in her eyes. I offered her the coffee and hot chocolate but quickly realized she needed something more than that. I asked her if she was okay and if I could help her in any way. She told me she was looking for a doctor and could not find it. She handed me his card, and I pulled up his office on my phone. It ended up only being about a block away so I offered to walk her there. On the way, we shared many laughs and got to have a nice conversation together. When we got to the doctor’s office, I asked her name and if I could pray for her. Her name was Miss Carmen. She did not want me to pray for her at the time, but I still pray for her, and I hope you will too. Through this experience, I learned the importance of meeting people’s needs. If we meet tangible needs of others, they will be more open to hear what we have to say and will willingly trust us. Our actions should be a picture of Jesus as we prepare to verbalize what he has done for us. After lunch, we went on a prayer walk around the community. It was crazy to see how going just one street over could completely change the dynamic of the community. It was definitely evident that Crown Heights is dealing with a lot of racial and economic division and it made our team realize just how desperately these people need the gospel and the unity that Christ brings.

God definitely used us as His vessel on Monday, and we got to share the gospel with several people and plant seeds with dozens of others. When we were done with ministry for the day, we decided to stay in for the night and rest. Later on, we walked a couple blocks down and the majority of the team had dinner at an authentic Mexican restaurant called Chavela’s while the rest of us opted for coffee and smoothies at Duncan Donuts. The rest was much needed and the bonding time was a great way to prepare for our next two days of ministry.

Tuesday morning, we got up and braved the snow and made our way back to Salome’s apartment to get our instructions for the day. (Side note, every member of Mosaic was always so welcoming and willing to have us in their homes. Such wonderful people.) Tuesday was going to be a lot like Monday in that we would be serving coffee and hot chocolate and trying to start gospel conversations. However, this time we would only spend a few hours on Nostrand (the street we were on the day before) and then we would move to Franklin Avenue. Franklin avenue is the hipster side of Crown Heights. Everything is very fancy and pricy. Franklin is also the gentrified area of town. The proper definition of gentrification is the process of renovating and improving a house or district so that it conforms to middle-class taste. Basically, what is happening is middle class people are coming in to take advantage of low housing rates. This in turn raises the prices of housing and displaces lower class people. Because of this, there is a lot of tension in the community and in this area. The people on Franklin are typically not as open to have conversations and are not as friendly as residents in other areas of Crown Heights. We were nervous and skeptical as we made our way to Franklin, but we were willing to follow the Holy Spirit’s prompting and open to speak as we felt led. That day was very hard. The snow kept a lot of people inside for the day, and our location made things harder. However, we were still able to have several conversations with people and invite them to church. It was hard not to feel a little bit discouraged as we left, but we know that God can multiply our efforts and continue to stir the hearts of the people we came in contact with.

Tuesday night, we had the wonderful opportunity to join in with one of Mosaic’s small groups. We had dinner together and then sat down for a time of Bible study. That night, we worked our way through Psalm 90 once again. As we were reading, one verse really fell heavily on my heart. In verse 12 it says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” In life, it is so easy to live looking forward to the next “thing.” In the fall, I am waiting for Thanksgiving and Christmas, in the spring I am looking forward to summer. I seem to always be counting down and waiting for something. But what about all the days between? How many opportunities am I missing out on to point people to Jesus because I am waiting for another day? What if I don’t make it to that day? What if the number of my days is only one? I need to learn to just live for today. I need to learn to see each day as a big day simply because His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23) and I have the opportunity to live for Christ and to be His vessel. In my Bible, I wrote myself a quick note. “Don’t waste your life, kid.” I pray that I would see each and every day as a gift and that I would daily seek opportunities to know my Jesus more, and to make Him known to others. Our time together that night was the sweetest time we had together the whole week. Such an encouragement and challenge.

Wednesday was gardening day. Since people in New York City all live in apartments and do not have their own land, parks are essential to them. Brower Park is a special place for the residents of Crown Heights. By meeting tangible needs in the park, and serving the people by handling the gardening and grounds keeping, people begin to trust us and respect us. This led to opportunities to tell people that we were serving as part of Mosaic, but ultimately to point them to Jesus and the gospel. That day we moved mulch and spread it around the trees, turned the compost pile, and helped clean out the butterfly garden in preparation for the monarchs to return when spring comes. As we were working, we met people who were walking around in the park, as well as some people who were skateboarding and playing basketball. We got to have conversations with several of them and invite them to church. We were also joined by Jasmine, who is now a member of the church, but was invited by a missions team like us while she was there playing basketball. It was such an encouragement to have her there, knowing that the effort we were putting in was not pointless. The gardener’s name was Miss Robin. She is not a Christian, but she has a great relationship with several members of Mosaic, including Pastor Stephen. She has even participated in several events put on by the church. Our prayer is that by helping Miss Robin with her responsibilities, we will exemplify the love of Christ and one day she will know Him personally. It was a very physically demanding and tiring day, but it was awesome to have the opportunity to meet the needs of the community. 

Wednesday evening, we headed to downtown Brooklyn and walked the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 of the bridge, and then turned around to go back to the metro station. We hopped on the subway, and went a couple stops down to Juniors Restaurant. We enjoyed some delicious Juniors cheesecake, and then took a walk down to DUMBO for a gorgeous view of the Manhattan skyline and a peaceful waterfront park. I truly believe that spot is only of the prettiest places on earth.

The next day was our off day and we spent it exploring Manhattan. In a few hours’ time, we saw the 911 Memorial, Trinity Church, the Wall Street Charging Bull, Grand Central Station, Macy’s, the Empire State Building, and Grand Central Park. We enjoyed just being all together and growing closer to one another. Even though we were technically not doing ministry that day, we went with the understanding that we are to live our lives on a mission, number our days, and not waste any opportunities. Because of this mindset, we still had a few conversations with people we met. After exploring, we headed back to the hotel to pack up our things and spend some quality time as a team. It was sad to pack up, but also very encouraging knowing that we had come, holding back nothing, and put all we had into serving the community of Crown Heights and New York City as a whole.

Friday morning, it was sadly time to leave. While it may have been the end of that trip, I firmly believe it was not the end of my time in New York City, and it was definitely not the end of ministry for any of us. I am so thankful that I did not give in to the hardships I was experiencing the week before the trip and make a decision to stay home. God used that week to teach me, mold me, and grow me in incredible ways.

3 weeks after our trip, Mosaic had their Easter Sunday service. While we were there doing our coffee and hot chocolate ministry, we handed out invites to this service. We got an update from Salome that they had 10 visitors in attendance that Sunday as well as a few visitors who had come in the previous weeks. What a blessing and answer to prayer! Please continue to pray for Pastor Stephen and his family, Miss Robin, Miss Carmen, Roy, and Mosaic Baptist as they continue to serve their community and faithfully share the gospel with them.

“Here I am, send me!” Today, tomorrow, and every day. Let’s live our lives on a mission for Jesus!

-Amy

Not Home Yet

When I heard the news that the greatest preacher and evangelist, Billy Graham, passed away yesterday, my heart and my mind did not know what to feel. My initial reaction was to be heartbroken. My heart ached for his family and friends, knowing the pain that loss can bring. However, it did not take long for my attitude to change. Joy...so much joy. Billy Graham perfectly embodied Matthew 6:19-20: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Billy Graham is finally home, and I believe he has gained the greatest treasure. Simply imagining his homecoming, brought me to tears. Can you imagine all of the people who were there to greet him and celebrate? I can only imagine the party that happened in Heaven and how sweet it must have sounded when Jesus said, "Well done my good and faithful servant" and wow, do I long to hear those words one day.

Last night, I sat down on my bed and pulled up several articles about Billy Graham's life, and prayed that I would have the courage he had to share the gospel so boldly and faithfully. "Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened." 
I want to have so much courage that it draws people in, and pushes them to share the gospel boldly. Because from a spark comes a flame, and from a flame a consuming fire.

One quote that really spoke volumes to me was this:

"I have read the last page of the Bible, it's all going to turn out all right."

I immediately turned to the last chapter of Revelation and began reading. It is said three times in this chapter, "Look, I am coming soon!" (verse 7, 12, 20) I asked myself, "If I knew that I would die tomorrow, how would I live today?" To which I answered, "I would tell everyone I came in contact with about the love and hope of Christ and I would be bold and I would this and I would that." But wait a minute, nobody knows the day or the hour...we are not promised tomorrow. So why is my answer different on any given day? Should I not be living each day as if it is my last? That wrecked me and changed my perspective forever.

“Knowing we will be with Christ forever far outweighs our burdens today! Keep your eyes on eternity!”-Billy Graham

Another thing that really spoke to me in Revelation 22 is in the very last verse. What is the very last thing Jesus speaks to us in the Word of God?
"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen."

Grace. The very last thing Jesus leaves us with and speaks to us is grace. So what is grace?

grace: the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings

Free. Unmerited. Not because we deserve it. Because He loves us and gave His life on a cross so that we can spend eternity worshipping Him in His presence. He died the death I deserve in order for me to come to salvation, and He bestows grace upon me. I've never heard a greater love story.

When I look at Billy Graham's life, I see a man who gave up everything for the sake of the gospel and His Kingdom. So what does that look like for me? Maybe God is calling me to stay right where I am and make Him known here. But what if God asked me to go to Africa, or New York City, or India, or wherever for the sake of the gospel? Would I believe in it's power and in God's divine authority enough to leave everything and go? I was once asked this question: "What if God called you to go somewhere and told you that you would only be able to proclaim the gospel once before you were put to death? Would you believe in the power of the gospel enough to still go?" This reminded me of a story I heard this summer at the NAMB and IMB Send Conference of a missionary named Karen Watson who gave up everything to follow God's calling. I strongly suggest you watch it, I promise it will wreck you.

https://vimeo.com/226917825

"My home is in Heaven. I am just passing through."

I want to live everyday knowing that this world is not my home. Not just a head knowledge, but a heart knowledge where my actions are affected and my life looks completely different. There is nothing that could ever happen to me on this earth that heaven cannot fix. What a beautiful day it will be when I finally meet my Savior face to face. Until then, let's make this earth look a little bit more like heaven.

Come, Lord Jesus.-Revelation 22:20

-Amy

Faithful.

One of the first days of my 2017 was spent driving on a road for two and a half hours with tears streaming down my face the entire time. I was not even able to listen to music because every song somehow triggered more emotions and made the tears fall a little harder. I still remember a text from my mom when I arrived to my destination. "How long did you cry?" I was honest. "The whole way." Yesterday, as 2017 is quickly coming to a close,  I drove that same road. This time there was a smile. Worship music was blaring and I was loving every second of it. There was joy, hope, and one word overwhelmed me as I began to think back to that first drive of 2017. Faithful. He's been so good to me.

At the beginning of this year, some people I was close to knew I was struggling and were constantly covering me in prayer. However, to others I was putting on a smile and making it appear that I had it all together. If you would ask me how I was, I would probably tell you I was good, but inside I was broken. I was struggling, and if I am honest,  I was on the verge of depression. I was unhappy, school was a struggle, I missed my family, my living situation was less than desirable, and no matter how many people I had surrounding me, I was overcome with feelings of loneliness. I remember many nights with my face on the floor crying and begging God to help me. I was definitely not alone, but still the feeling never seemed to go away. "God, I am lonely," I probably said that a million times. And then I felt God speak to me, "Perfect. That's where I want you." What?!?! Did He hear me correctly? I am lonely, I am miserable, I don't want to do this anymore. But in the following weeks I realized what He meant. I learned what it meant to find contentment in Christ and to be okay when everything seemed to be falling apart, because my trust and hope was in something and someone far greater than any of my circumstances. In that season of loneliness, my relationship with God grew so much because I was truly relying on Him for everything.

At the beginning of the year, I was constantly praying for changes. "Make this better. Take this away. Give me this. Give me that. Please let me move schools." I quickly realized I was being so selfish and began praying for peace instead. These are my circumstances. My God is bigger. These circumstances are temporary. My God is eternal. You would not believe the drastic change I saw in my life just by praying for a heart that was at peace. I fell in love with my circumstances. I had a great school, I had people who loved me and wanted to do life with me, and so much more. Every negative situation I faced seemed so minor when I put things in perspective.

Fast forward to August, and everything I prayed so often for, God was faithful to provide. I have so many incredible friends who make me excited to be at school, hold me accountable, encourage me, motivate me, and love me like Christ loves me. I have a wonderful place to live and a school that provides me with incredible opportunities to lead, serve, and be a light. God has provided for me in unfathomable and miraculous ways and has completely turned me around from where I was this time last year. Every day He has shown me His ways are good. My life was never falling apart, it was simply falling into place. And every circumstance I went through was divinely orchestrated to grow me, mold me, teach me, and show me that God is faithful to provide.

Faithful He has been.
Faithful He is.
Faithful He will be.

-Amy

Kinda Messy

When I finally got back to my apartment at 11:00 tonight after being up since 7:00 am, the very first thought that came to my head as I opened my front door was, "Wow, I am a failure." I haven't been there for some people as much as I should have been, I have finals starting next week and I haven't studied for a single one, I have slacked off with my intentionality, literally every screw up I have ever felt hit me at once.

When I opened my bedroom door, things didn't get any better. My clothes where everywhere from where I had attempted to unpack from the break and ended up making a bigger mess, I had incomplete assignments sitting on my desk, I knocked over my garbage, and my cup was still sitting on my desk from lunch. My next thought, "why is my life so messy??" My room is a mess, my life is a mess, my sleep schedule is a mess, 6 days out of 7 my hair is a mess, and my bed is now a mess because I just spilled Emergen-C in it while I was trying to type this. (Oh yeah, my immune system is kind of a mess right now too.)

After a moment of panic, I had a thought. "I bet the cross was kinda messy." I think sometimes I just look at the cross and think of its beauty because the cross brought forgiveness and allows for an eternity with Christ and I forget how big of a price it was that Jesus had to pay. It was not pretty. It was bloody, it was gory, it was painful. The good news though is that the cross was not a failure. Because of the cross, my life does not have to be a mess, because Jesus died the death I deserve and took away every sin, every failure, and all of my pain.

Here is some more good news: because Jesus took all of our sins and failures upon Himself on the cross, it is never too late to run back to Him and we are never too far gone. If He can cause the walls of Jericho to fall, He can break the chains that bind you. If He can raise Lazarus from the dead, He can breathe new life into you. If He can calm a raging storm, He can calm your heart. However, Jesus is the only one who can fix it because He already took care of it when He bore the cross. My life felt like it was falling apart today because I tried to fix it on my own. Earthly matters require a heavenly response. Talk to the Father. Ask Him for help. Tell Him you need Him, because you do.

Listen to what the parable of the wandering sheep in Matthew 18:12-14 says, "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wonders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish." He wants you. It is time to run back to the Shepherd.

-Amy

Pizza and a Parking Spot

You wanna know the character of the Father? Ask Him to reveal Himself to you.

He. Will. Do. It.

Almost a month ago, I went on a retreat that changed my heart in the best ways. One thing I learned was that I had this view of the Father that was all wrong. I had this fear that any little thing I did would cause Him to snap and I would have to face His anger, or He would just stop caring about me. I constantly lived my life tiptoeing around and trying not to mess up. In fact, I think I avoided Him.

Once my eyes were opened to this, I began to see Him for who He truly is. He is loving. He is compassionate. He is patient. And one of my favorite things: His grace will never run out.

I don't have to live in fear of Him or in fear that He will leave.

For the past few weeks, it's almost like He's been saying, "Hey, watch this. I'll show you my goodness." He has shown Himself to me in so many tiny ways that might seem silly to everyone else, but to me it's so beautiful.

The other day, Trace and I were talking about the Father and how great He is. When it was time for me to head back to my residence hall, I made a comment about how I was really hoping I would get a good parking spot so I didn't have to walk very far. Trace said, "You will." I got back to the lovely Rice Hall and there was a parking spot right behind the building. I texted Trace and told him and he said, "Dad saved it for you!" I truly believe that. He looks out for His children, y'all!!

The day after that, I was sitting in class when I got a text from my youth group back home about it being game night. I texted my sister and said, "I could smash some pizza right now." That night I went to church in Starkville and guess what was for dinner? Pizza. At that point I had forgotten I even said anything earlier that day. I got my pizza and went to sit down and someone said to me, "yeah girl, smash that pizza." My. exact. words. When it hit me I was almost in tears. Over pizza. I was just so in awe that the God who created the universe cares enough to listen to my silly wishes.

I say all this just as a reminder that He does listen and He cares for His children. I've been in the place where you think you don't hear God's voice. You just have to pay attention!! He is constantly speaking, even if you think it might be small or silly. Take the time to really tune your ear to His voice and learn how He speaks. He might just show you how good He is through pizza and a parking spot.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever." -Psalm 107:1

-Bekah

My GenSend Story

At the beginning of my GenSend journey, my intention was to post a weekly blog as an update on what my team was doing in the city. However, I quickly realized that would not be possible. I spend 2-3 hours on every blog I write and with limited free time, I decided to enjoy the time I had with my teammates and blog at the end of our time in NYC. I have now been back in Alabama for a month and a half and am just now getting around to blogging (oops) due to spending time with family and friends, moving back to Troy, and starting my sophomore year. But I am excited to share a bit about my journey this summer, so here it goes!

Each week looked very similar, but different all at the same time. Monday was our team’s Sabbath day. I used this day to catch up on much needed rest. I would also use this time to have a couple hours of quiet time to sit and reflect on our week and I also worked my way through the book of Matthew during this time, as well as my daily quiet times. Monday evenings were spent with my group in a time of accountability and worship. My accountability group (Shoutout to ya’ll, Aimee and David!!) focused on Biblical community as well as being intentional in our daily conversations and pointing people to the hope we have in Christ. During the week, our group of 16 split into 3 smaller groups to work in the communities of Flatbush, Crown Heights, and Red Hook. My small group of 6 spent our time in Crown Heights working with Mosaic Baptist Church. Mosaic is a family that is composed of many different cultures and backgrounds, but all one in the body of Christ. They have been a church for a couple years now, and are still growing.

On Tuesdays, we would stand on one of the more crowded streets in the community and hand out cold water bottles. The most shocking part to the people passing by was that the water bottles were totally free! No strings attached. With each water bottle we handed to people passing by, we would also give them a card with Mosaic’s information on it. By offering people this free gift, it gave us an opportunity to share the gospel. Many people would ask why we were handing them out for free, in which we could explain that we wanted to give them a free gift, but the greatest gift that is so freely given to us is the gift of salvation through Jesus. And sometimes we got to explain that while this water may satisfy for a little while, we quench our thirst on the living water. Even when people did not ask questions, or wanted nothing to do with what we were saying, they were still given an invitation to church. It is our prayer that their hearts will be stirred and they will visit Mosaic and there they will not only find people who love them, but they will also find the greatest gift they have ever received: Jesus.

Wednesdays were spent in Brower Park. One thing that was brought to my attention was that in New York, people don’t have their own yards, so the public parks act as their front yard and their back yard. This makes the parks a great place to get involved with the community, get to know people, and share the gospel with them. Our park outreach was physically demanding. If I am honest, I dreaded Wednesdays at first. But after a while, I realized how much there is to learn in a garden. Not just knowledge about plants and critters, but spiritual knowledge. While pulling and digging, God taught me what it means to be deeply rooted. He taught me to plant myself on fertile ground, to nurture the seeds I am planting, and to watch for weeds that can quickly take over if I do not handle them properly. Our presence in Brower Park did not go unnoticed. People were always curious what why we were there, which also gave us opportunities to share about Mosaic and invite people to our fellowship. One week our pastor even led someone to Christ in the park. I am so thankful for the way Brower Park humbled me this summer.

Thursdays were spent as “Send Relief” days and were my absolute favorite. For the first 3 weeks, our small groups rotated between 3 ministries. The first place my small group went was to Graffiti 5 Church in Coney Island. While serving with Graffiti 5, we were given the opportunity to enter a public school (Christian groups entering a public school is practically unheard of in New York) and have lunch and recess with the kids. It was amazing to see the diversity these kids are exposed to at such a young age. They don’t see each other as different. They only see each other as friends. When we finished at the school, we went on a prayer walk around the island and handed out flyers for Graffiti’s free summer program. This program allows kids to come 5 days a week and be surrounded by people who will love them as they teach them about Jesus and His word. Oh, and not to mention we got to sneak down to the beach for a little while we when finished for the day.

Our second Thursday relief day was spent with a program called Let My People Go. This ministry is a ministry that works with human trafficking. Their goal is to identify what people groups in the community are most subject to trafficking, and figure out what the local churches can do to help these people and reach out to them. Our team was tasked with going to Harlem and finding people and places in the community that know the people in the area and understand their needs and ask them who is most subject to being trafficked. We went to soup kitchens, police offices, theaters, and asked other people we saw in passing. Each person we talked to had a bit of a different opinion as to who was most vulnerable, but it still helped to give us ideas on how the church can help.

Our third relief ministry site was where we would be permanently for the remaining Thursdays of the summer. (And boy was I happy about that.) My team and I ended up at Graffiti 1. Our first week there, we spent the day decorating for their summer camp. This years’ theme was “God at Work” and we displayed road signs all over the church, and turned the building into a construction zone. The next week was where the real fun began. Each week, the Graffiti kids got to go on a field trip. We went to a waterpark, the Central Park Zoo, and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Used to, I would hear the words “field trip” and get really excited. But now those words bring a little bit of anxiety. Field trips in New York are very different from field trips in Alabama. There was no hopping on a bus and driving to our destination. Field trip days began with a 15 minute walk (if we were lucky enough to go that fast) to the nearest Subway station. When our train arrived, my partner and I (Whoo Christen, what a champ) along with 2-3 people from the weekly mission team would carefully ensure that ten first and second graders got on the subway safely. That, my friends is no easy task. We would also make sure the kids got safely off the subway, and sometimes we even had to transfer to a second train. Then we would walk another 10 minutes or so to our destination. (I probably counted those kids 50 times in the 20 minutes we were in the Subway station.) After the field trip was over, we would turn around and do it all over again. It was stressful and not an easy job, but anybody who knows me knows I love kids with all my heart so I was definitely right in my element.

Fridays were probably the most difficult days for me. The task was simple. We were to head to Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights which was a more gentrified area to meet people and form relationships. (If you are unfamiliar with gentrification, you can read a little bit about that in my GenSend week 2 blog.) Our team was sent into coffee shops and local restaurants to be intentional with our time and our conversations. Our desire was to form connections and thus be able to invite people to Mosaic and share the gospel with them. This quickly proved to be more difficult than it sounded. New York is a very fast paced city and many people leave the shops just as quickly as they came in. Finding people who were willing to sit and have a conversation with you was extremely difficult and I left the first Friday feeling defeated. The next Friday, my prayer was simple. “Lord, it’s not about quantity. Just lead me to one person.” And wow, did He. Two of my teammates and I were walking in the different shops on Franklin Ave. when we stumbled upon a dress shop. When we entered, we were greeted by a beautiful, friendly, and welcoming face. Ms. Francine. I truly believe that people in New York and just lonely people who crave for someone to listen. We were in Ms. Francine’s shop for an hour and never had any trouble with the direction of our conversation. We opened up to her and told her about the mission we were in New York for and she gave us such sweet advice and let us know many times how proud of us she was. Each week, we would look forward to going back to her shop to discuss our week with her. She never failed to make us smile. She eventually told us that she was a Christian and was faithfully involved with a church which brought me so much joy. She shared a couple prayer requests with us and we promised to come back to see her the next week. I remember leaving that day so frustrated with myself. I had been feeling the whole time that I should pray for her, but neglected to. The whole week, I prayed that God would allow us to see her one more time and I promised that I would be obedient to the Spirit’s urging. Thankfully, the next Friday we walked in to see Ms. Francine in the same chair she had been in the weeks before. My heart was happy. After a bit of time passing, Ms. Francine informed us that she was taking a trip to see her granddaughter and that would be our last Friday together. After some tears, laughs, and hugs, my teammates surrounded Ms. Francine as I had the wonderful opportunity to finally pray for her. It was one of my favorite moments of the whole summer.

Saturdays were our days off. My teammates and I used this time to sleep in and explore the city. We went to Little Italy, China Town, the 9/11 Memorial, the beach, and more. It was a great time to catch up with the other small groups within our team and hear about their ministry projects for the week.

The cool thing about Mosaic was that their Sunday services didn’t start until 4. How cool is that? The first couple weeks I spent my Sunday mornings in worship at Hillsong Church and Brooklyn Tabernacle. It was awesome and encouraging to worship alongside other believers in a place where Christians are in the minority. Towards the middle of the summer, I started using Sunday mornings as more time to rest after exhausting weeks. At Mosaic, my teammates and I worked in children’s church. We got to love on so many kids from the community and introduce them to scripture they had never heard. I also got to hold some sweet sleepy babies which again, if you know me, that was perfect.

One thing that our pastor was so faithful to ask us each week was, “what is God teaching you?” God taught me so much this summer and stretched me, molded me, and grew me in so many ways. However, looking back I can see a theme in each thing I learned. This summer I just learned how to live. GenSend was not a mission trip. It was about my life on a mission. Each day comes with opportunities. Every conversation can be traced to the gospel if we listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and humbly obey Him. This summer consistently gave me practical ways to share the gospel and be a missionary in my everyday life. The very last day of my trip I wrote a response card to what I learned this summer and how it would impact me going forward. Here is what it said:

“As I am stepping away from GenSend, God has simply shown me how to live. For so long now, I have much awaited the day where I am called away for the gospel. In my waiting I have neglected the mission field I am currently on: my school, my church, and my community. However, now I truly see not only the need but the desire to be an everyday missionary and be intentional where I am. Other callings will come at other times, but for now I want to be deeply rooted and bloom where I am. Until everyone sees. Until everyone hears. Until everyone knows. I want to make earth look more like heaven.”

Leaving my teammates was incredibly difficult. In a matter of 7 weeks they became my family and it hurt to leave them not knowing when I would see them again. At the same time, I was so excited because I knew how much of an impact they were all going to make. They are world changers. If I don’t get to see them again on this earth, I know without a doubt I will hear of all the great Kingdom work they are doing and I will see them again in Heaven when He calls us home. I am so thankful for the promises of an eternity with my sweet Jesus.

There is so much more I could write about this summer and how it radically changed me. However, my fingers are about to fall off and if anyone has even read this far I am shocked. But, if you want to know more about the GenSend program or about my experiences this summer, I can (and will) talk your ear off for hours.

Thank you so much to everyone who faithfully prayed for me and my teammates while I was gone this summer. I am so looking forward to seeing God work in me and through me my sophomore year and I cannot wait to see where He sends me next.

Until everyone sees.

Until everyone hears.

Until everyone knows.

Send me.

-Amy