Merry Christmas New York!
I attended The Redeemer Presbyterian Church one Sunday while our team was on a two-week mission trip spanning Christmas and New Year's in New York City. The preacher, discussing the conditions of Jesus' birth, and His hometown being Hick-ville Nazareth, commented on the opposite ways God and man work. Culture begins in the major centers - big cities such as New York, and flows out from there to the fringes. God, however, when He begins a work of renewal, begins at the fringes and works in toward the major centers. Such was the case with Jesus. Such was the case of God sending a team of 17 people from Ozark, Arkansas to New York City, New York.
I found myself staring up at set of window blinds needing repair. I could stand on the cast-iron heat register to reach it and fix it. The problem, however, was that a 6-foot high dresser and a very cluttered computer desk opposed me. In between the two was about 12 inches of room to squeeze through, step onto the three-foot high heater, and then slide behind the desk to where I could reach the blinds. A feat requiring a skilled gymnast. One wrong move and I would knock over the monitor, collapse the desk, and send papers and miscellaneous objects everywhere! Our team spent two days helping a ministry in New York City that works with Muslim immigrants from West Africa. Their director had just moved into a small apartment with his family of 6, but was also trying to run a very under-staffed organization. They do great work, reaching Muslims immigrants (who come from countries closed to the Gospel), but stays so busy that they have little if any time to do simple things like unpack, or fix a broken blind. So our group had the privilege serving them in very practical ways, freeing them to pursue sharing the gospel.
During our two weeks, we spent much time praying for the city, staffed prayer stations in Grand Central Station, sang Christmas carols on the Staten Island Ferry, served a meal at a soup kitchen, passed out drug-free magnets, and finished our trip by passing out 2007 Gospels of John to the crowds pressing to get to Times Square on New Year's Eve.
Thanks to all of you who were praying for our trip!
I found myself staring up at set of window blinds needing repair. I could stand on the cast-iron heat register to reach it and fix it. The problem, however, was that a 6-foot high dresser and a very cluttered computer desk opposed me. In between the two was about 12 inches of room to squeeze through, step onto the three-foot high heater, and then slide behind the desk to where I could reach the blinds. A feat requiring a skilled gymnast. One wrong move and I would knock over the monitor, collapse the desk, and send papers and miscellaneous objects everywhere! Our team spent two days helping a ministry in New York City that works with Muslim immigrants from West Africa. Their director had just moved into a small apartment with his family of 6, but was also trying to run a very under-staffed organization. They do great work, reaching Muslims immigrants (who come from countries closed to the Gospel), but stays so busy that they have little if any time to do simple things like unpack, or fix a broken blind. So our group had the privilege serving them in very practical ways, freeing them to pursue sharing the gospel.
During our two weeks, we spent much time praying for the city, staffed prayer stations in Grand Central Station, sang Christmas carols on the Staten Island Ferry, served a meal at a soup kitchen, passed out drug-free magnets, and finished our trip by passing out 2007 Gospels of John to the crowds pressing to get to Times Square on New Year's Eve.
Thanks to all of you who were praying for our trip!
posted by Joshua Levin | 6:08 PM
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