Listen, Look, Learn, Do…by Ricc

Opportunities lurk behind every corner, in every interaction with strangers and friends alike. What will happen? How much of an impact will we make?

It depends on Who we’re following, I think. The Holy Spirit is constantly moving, working in people’s lives, drawing them into divine appointments. If I listen for God’s voice, look for the Holy Spirit’s movement, and seek to learn from what Jesus reveals, it can inform what I then do.

Jesus’s ministry was incredible. He said he spoke only what the Father gave him to speak, that he did only what he saw his Father doing.  His incredible ministry hasn’t stopped since the day He was born. It is alive and well and thriving, carried on by the Holy Spirit and devoted followers of our Lord. And I was honored to join Him as he reached out and made life-chaining connections with people who had never heard the gospel, never seen the caring heart of Christ expressed to them.

I am changed.

One of the biggest “aha!” moments I had on the trip was seeing fellow team member Yvonne interacting with a drunk on a subway platform. What I saw was someone who probably wouldn’t remember anything in the morning. What I was asking God for was some insight, something to say that would cut through the alcohol haze and pierce the man’s heart with the truth of the gospel. I didn’t hear. I didn’t see. All I could see was what was in front of me, the cover of the book so to speak. Yvonne saw something else. In my opinion, she saw past the cover to the inside of the book. She saw the person or people that man was going to eventually go home to. She heard the anger in the man’s tirade. She learned and from that she spoke. Drawing him out, giving him an opportunity to express his frustration verbally, responding calmly… Maybe the effect she had was a blessing to those people the man went home to after having been able to vent some of that anger instead of taking it out on them.

We don’t know if that was the effect. But that’s not a requirement before one acts. That’s for the Father to know. It is our responsibility to Do after we Listen, Look and Learn. Thanks, Yvonne. Your actions were a lesson I hadn’t expected and one that I’m pretty sure you had no idea you were teaching.

extreme contrasts

darkness

In NYC, I watched: a mother (with daughter following behind) selling porn DVD’s to subway riders; a fist fight; a shouting match between male and female strangers, seeing who could insult each other the most before getting off at their next stop; a homeless man sleeping while riding the train all night to stay warm; an angry intoxicated man venting his feelings to us  about everything that is wrong with America; people begging for money; crowds crushing each other to get a better view on of Times Square on NYE and a mother berating her daughter about what a burden she is to her.

I met a Christian man from Africa who came to NYC for asylum after being persecuted for refusing to convert to Islam. He lives in a single room the size of a closet with no heat. He has little clothing or food. He recently heard news that his wife is being abused back in his home country for her Christian faith. He asked us to pray that he might find more Christian friends in NYC and would find a better job so that he could bring his family to NYC also.

light

I watched a woman reading her Bible on the subway, shining like a light at 2:30 am while the rest of train was filled was intoxicated New Year Eve revelers.

I shared authentic, grace-filled conversations with people from around the world (Mali, Bengali, Tibet, India, Pakistan, Iran, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Republic of Congo, Switzerland, South Africa, Kashmir, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, Burundi, Cameroon, Nigeria, and more).

I partnered with some of our team to distribute 200 free Bibles, going door-to-door with the gift. It included an invitation to a neighborhood Bible study to new residents in a neighborhood in Queens.

Our team connected with dozens of South Asian storeowners & employees as we distributed “FREE English Classes” flyers to the stores in the Indian, Bengali and Pakistani neighborhoods. Many people expressed genuine gratitude for the free learning opportunity, and offered us candy and treats from their stores to express appreciation.

I watched one of our team members show an African man how to use “Bible Gateway.org”. He spent time reading encouraging scriptures before praying for him.

I saw one of our team members hand a Christmas gift to the daughter of the Muslim “restaurant owner” from whom Urban Impact rents their community space for their “African Friendship Center”. This was a new breakthrough in their relationship. I talked with the father the next night. He was very happy to see us and sent his daughter to visit us again to receive more free gifts.

I saw our team distribute free food to ESL students who had great financial needs. I saw our team hand out money and food to people on the street whenever people asked them for it.

I saw our team show love, friendship and kindness to people on our long bus and subway rides, engaging in conversations and reaching out.

I watched some of our team worship together with other believers at Brooklyn Tabernacle Church where the congregation and style of church was very different from our own church.

I watched one of our high school team members teach the alphabet to a Tibetan woman who spoke no English.

I watched our team working hard together while painting South Asian Community Center, freely giving their time and effort.

I watched our team serve and encourage each other.

I saw the body of Christ in action.

SCCC Urban Impact photo album: Dec. 2011

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The Sound of Music…

I don’t know if any of you have ever experienced this, or something similar (and, please if you have, let me know so that I can confirm that I am NOT crazy).  I find that throughout the day and night, I have music running through my head. I could be carrying on a conversation with you and have the music and/or lyrics of a song I’ve heard, if but only once, playing in the background.  Thank me now for not singing along to it!  In all honesty, though, I think, feel, and connect through music. I often find myself just wanting to refer to the songs that make up the “play list” of my mind and heart…a live hyperlink, if you will. 

So, while I do have some thoughts and reflections about the last several days in New York that I have started and hope to share in the coming days, right now, music shares it best…and, I am enjoying the sound of it all!  From preparing with the team since we first committed to make the trip, through our time here, and as we continue the work that has, really, only  just begun…I hope that the message in these songs will speak to each and everyone who listens.  I am thankful, and definitely have been blessed to experience glimpses of what these songs are describing in “real time” over the past few days in New York.  Simply incredible!

Honestly – Carl Cartee

Pocket Full Of Seeds – Carl Cartee

Where Would I Be – Carl Cartee

Thank you to everyone who has and continues to support Urban Impact NY and who has prayed as our team has traveled to and from & served in New York over the past 4 days.  The A Team has made it home safely.  Team B will be heading home tomorrow night.  Part of the B Team is braving it in Times Square to welcome the New Year; the other part will likely be asleep by 9pm.  We will join up tomorrow morning for the noon service at Brooklyn Tabernacle and then catch the bus home around 5:00pm.

Happy New Year!  Kristin

Compassion of God…by Mario

SCCC Urban Impact came to New York City to show God’s Love, serve and have compassion for the people that are Muslim. God”s word states in Psalm 86:15 . “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, gracious, longsuffering, and plentiful in mercy and truth. In learning to be compassionate, we need to become like Jesus in all things, to let His life be expressed to us and through us. . .

Photos: Dec 30, 2011

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“We’re all flexible…” by Maggie

That’s been the mantra of the week, just stay flexible and open to change, even if it’s last minute. Saying that to a perpetual planner (like me) is bound to cause some anxiety but I knew what I signed up for and even knew it might be a little challenging for me. That has made the trip all the more special…not just stepping out to serve in the name of God (with some amazing people), but stepping out of my box (in more ways than one) to serve in His name.
Sitting in the African Friendship Center, as we hold our last class, I’m thinking about the last few days and have realized that it’s not just flexibility, it is pure grace. Like when the entire group made sure to take time out of our very busy days to search out a long sleeve shirt for me because I was cold or when the Director of Educational Services at the Al-Khoei Mosque welcomed us with a smile, even though we were late for our appointment (and when I say late, I mean laaatttteee…thank you NY subways). Better still, the students who held looks of appreciation and understanding as I stumbled over my words and fumbled with the lesson plans, even though the clock was ticking.
You can call it flexibility, I call it grace: showing kindness, mercy and goodwill. Within this group, and in those we have served, there has been an uncompromised willingness to stay in peace and joy and, well, just go with the flow. I have learned a lot these past few days with all the projects we’ve taken on but even more by just observing…pure grace in action. This is one of the many things I pray stays with me long after our trip is over.
Ok, gotta’ go, just got an email from one of our students =)

 

Day 1 and 2: thoughts from Kristin

Day 1: A Success!  We started out bright and early meeting together at Seneca Creek around 6:30am.  We then hopped in a few cars and drove to Shady Grove Metro where our public transportation adventures began.  After metro-ing from Shady Grove to Bethesda, we loaded on the Vamoose bus (on time) and made it to New York with very little traffic.  It was really nice being able to fellowship and get to know each other more on our bus trip.  Once in New York we bundled up and beared the 27 degree temps with wind gusts up to 34 MPH as we walked to lunch at the Tic Tock Diner, a quick visit to the beach, and then off to our first night at the African Friendship Center.    Jen did get stuck in the subway door….thankfully Dave came to the rescue to pull the doors apart…Phew!  Other than that we made it through our first day serving.

Some thoughts from Kristin…

Tonight we were given a wonderful opportunity to serve at the African Friendship Center in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood located in Brooklyn, NY.  This Center serves primarily men and women who have immigrated from the West African Fulani tribe.   The Urban Impact NYC ministry operates on a semester schedule and during the Spring/Fall semesters they offer free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, programs for children, and bible studies.  With our team being here during “Winter Break”, we are able to offer specialized classes. Our mission at the African friendship Center is to teach Citizenship and Computer Skills classes over 3 nights.

For many of us on the team, this is our first time serving on a mission team.  For some, this is even our first time in New York City.  So as you might imagine, there was some level of apprehension and that “fear of the unknown”.  We didn’t know who, if even anyone, would show up for class since this is the “off” season with the Urban Impact Ministry.  We didn’t know how we would communicate with our “students” as many of the men and women speak very little English.   On our bus trip up to New York, we had studied the Citizenship Test Questions inside and out.  We used our cell phones to search all of the questions and information that we were a bit fuzzy on.  We looked over the Computer Class outline and remembered the basics of using a computer.   And most importantly, we prayed.

Once we arrived at the African Friendship Center, some of us got busy wrapping gifts for the children, some of us looked through our Citizenship packets, and some of us (like me) anxiously awaited next to our computer for someone to teach (and learn from).  As soon as the first student arrived, I could feel all of my anxiety melt away.   It was such an amazing experience to watch my team members connect with these men and women.  Each of us has unique gifts that we are able to offer and together it makes for a powerful team J

I was paired up with Furieu who has been in New York since 2006 and has never used a computer.  Imagine….turning on a computer that operates in a language you are just learning and beginning to understand for the first time EVER.  Frankly, as hard as I’ve tried, I can’t imagine….Wow, what a reminder of how much we take for granted.  Furieu, like most of the men and women we have met here, was so eager to learn and she soaked it all up.  The pure wonder and joy that she experienced as she learned to move the cursor and click on a song and then turn the volume up and down, type the letters of her name, use the space bar or the delete key when she made a mistake, was contagious.

We opened a Word document to practice writing/typing.  Furieu taught me some basic words in Puular and then we took turns writing sentences.  Her last two sentences before we had to pack up for the night were:

“I like to read English.

I love my teacher.”

“I love my teacher“.  This seemingly simple phrase struck me.  Although, as Furieu later told some of us, I may have made her “crazy for the computer” and I experienced a little temporary boost in my ego, what she experienced tonight had nothing to do with me.  God was at work in big ways through me.  Love them like Jesus.  I have been reminded by my team members as we have prepared for this trip that if we can show the unconditional love, compassion, and grace of Jesus, the rest will be done in and through us. The love of Jesus truly is a universal language.  English…French…Pulaar…Arabic…Urdu… The languages of love, grace, and compassion know no barriers.

I love my teacher, too! And I hope and pray that I would continue to learn and grow as He continues to minister to and through me on this journey…

__________________

We arrived back to the Ministry House around 10:30pm and spent some time talking about our experiences from the day.

Some thoughts from our group…

“If you are patient with someone, you can teach.”

“You have to just jump right in.”

“I am an expert at things I take for granted”

“When you realize you have options, you can choose to do things differently”

Please continue to pray for each of us as we continue our ministry in New York.

____________________

We met a Sufi singer/performer from Kashmir in Jackson Heights, Queens today. Hear him sing:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150462267939790&set=vb.509884789&type=2&theater

December 28-30: photos

December 27: Getting Ready to Serve

Our 12 person team from Seneca Creek Community Church prepares to leave for NYC Weds, Dec 28 @ 6:30 am. We’ll be teaching Citizenship and Computer Classes in 2 different locations (Brooklyn & Queens) both morning & evening. Our 3 day trip will give us an opportunity to partner with Urban Impact NYC Ministry, as we show Christ’s love in practical ways to immigrants who have recently arrived to the US.  The people attending these classes are coming from countries that are “closed” to the Christian faith. Many have never heard the gospel before nor interacted with Christians. We’re excited to have this opportunity to ignite HOPE together.

Please pray for us as we serve. We’ll keep you updated as we learn and grow together!

http://www.wix.com/urbanimpact/urbanimpactny