Monday, November 11, 2013
A Few Things We Have Learned While Living in New England
Of Transportation
1. Rotaries are very popular here and a part of the road system no matter if you are driving on the interstate or a county road. It is most unusual.
2. While most interstate entrance ramps have yield signs, a small handful have stop signs. If you are not careful, you will run one…or five.
3. The entrance ramps, especially in the South Hamilton area, have signs that tell the public what is not allowed on the interstate: pedestrians, bicycles, and horses(!).
4. While the traffic into the city of Boston is not always horrible, finding a place to park is the worst and near impossible. At times, we would spend almost an hour trying to find a spot, before deciding to just go home. With that being said, we have found that the public transportation is reasonably priced, clean, and convenient. We currently prefer that method when traveling into the city.
5. It is not uncommon, in our area, to see horses and riders on the roads. We were most surprised, however, to see horses and riders in town!
Of All Things Financial
1. Surprisingly, the cost of food at a grocery is not much higher than it was in Missouri. Massachusetts does not have sales tax on food products, so that helps significantly.
2. Even gas prices here are not overly priced compared to those in Northeastern Missouri and Illinois.
3. Yes, the cost of living is higher, but so is the average hourly rate. We are currently working fewer hours a week and making more money than we were in Missouri due to the better pay rate.
4. Fast food restaurants are few and far between up here on the North Shore. Therefore, eating out does cost a bit more, especially if you go the route of seafood.
5. Also, regarding food, Dunkin Donuts has Starbucks beat in regard to popularity and convenience. A person can find at least one Dunkin Donuts in every town, while most towns have three or more.
Of People
1. At Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, we are in a bubble. So far, everyone Jared and I have contact with is, in some form, a Christian. We work for Christian institutions, live in a Christian environment, and have Christian friends. We are thankful for this community and for the opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ. Please pray that we will have more interactions with people to whom we can show Christ.
2. We have noticed that the typical stereotype of rude New Englanders is false. Yes, rude people are here. BUT, rude people are everywhere. It is not just limited to this area. We have encountered it everywhere we have been.
3. In continuation of the above statement, people here are very personal and private (which could easily be translated into rudeness).
4. According to several studies, the Boston Metro Area is one of the top ten most educated cities in the United States. The focus of people here is very different from that of the Midwest.
5. People are generally healthier here. With the lack of fast food restaurants and the availability of healthy food options (that are not outrageously priced), the general public seems more health conscious. It is catching!
Friday, June 14, 2013
Our third week in New York City marked a few things for all of us. To begin with, it was our last full week in the city. That week also contained our last full week at Grafitti 2 and our last visit to the South Asian Community Center. Jared, Kelsey, and I made more headway on the great amount of items we had to inventory. At the beginning of our last full week, we didn't think we would finish by the next Wednesday. However, we were diligent in our pursuit of completing the task set before us and we were successful (and with very little time to spare!). Colton and Kendra continued helping with homework, leading some of the games, and forming close relationships with several of the children.
During our last week at the South Asian Community Center, another group from North Carolina was volunteering as well. Due to the abundance of volunteers and the small work space, several from our group and most of the North Carolina group headed out to the Jackson Heights Square, or Mars Hill as it is called by locals. While there, we did as we had done before...we cleaned tables, swept the ground, and spoke to locals.
We had Friday morning off and took it easy doing laundry and shopping for groceries. That afternoon, we headed out to Bensonhurst to help pass out Bibles at a subway stop with Pastor Chris from Metropolitan Baptist Church. However, it was canceled due to rain. Saturday morning we traveled back to Bensonhurst to help Amanda and Julius, from Lighthouse Chinese church, prepare for their Memorial day service on Sunday (6/26). We were helping them teach and lead the children's service while the parents attended the main service. We preapred Bible stories, crafts, and fun games for the children to play. That afternoon we were again scheduled to help Pastor Chris hand out Bibles, but again it was canceled due to poor weather.
Our Sunday afternoon activities with the children at the Memorial day services went off without a hitch. The weather, unlike the two days before, was beautiful, and we all enjoyed our time with the children. Sunday evening, Colton, Jared, and I traveled back to the Upper West Side to attend Tim Keller's church, Redeemer Presbyterian Church while Kendra and Kelsey went back to Hillsong Church at Union Square.
Seeing as that Monday was Memorial Day, we had the day off to explore the city as we chose. Jared and I attended a small Memorial Day Street Festival near Wall Street and also toured Trinity Church (the church in National Treasure). That evening, we had the wonderful opportunity to hear the New York Philharmonic perform at their annual Memorial Day Service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. It was beautiful!!
Our last Tuesday and Wednesday in the city were spent in the same fashion as the others, with Colton and Kendra working with the children at Grafitti 2 and Kelsey, Jared, and I scrambling to finish the inventory. Wednesday evening, our group, minus Kelsey and plus two other summer missionaries staying at the MNYBA building, walked to Times Square for our last hurrah and a bag of candy from the 3 (or 4) story Toys"R"Us!
Thursday morning we set out for the airport (all except Kendra, whose flight was for the next day). We arrived without any issues and thus ended our grand adventure to the Big Apple. It was a wonderful trip to the beautiful city where God is working in incredible ways through anyone who is willing. And we were willing!
During our last week at the South Asian Community Center, another group from North Carolina was volunteering as well. Due to the abundance of volunteers and the small work space, several from our group and most of the North Carolina group headed out to the Jackson Heights Square, or Mars Hill as it is called by locals. While there, we did as we had done before...we cleaned tables, swept the ground, and spoke to locals.
We had Friday morning off and took it easy doing laundry and shopping for groceries. That afternoon, we headed out to Bensonhurst to help pass out Bibles at a subway stop with Pastor Chris from Metropolitan Baptist Church. However, it was canceled due to rain. Saturday morning we traveled back to Bensonhurst to help Amanda and Julius, from Lighthouse Chinese church, prepare for their Memorial day service on Sunday (6/26). We were helping them teach and lead the children's service while the parents attended the main service. We preapred Bible stories, crafts, and fun games for the children to play. That afternoon we were again scheduled to help Pastor Chris hand out Bibles, but again it was canceled due to poor weather.
Our Sunday afternoon activities with the children at the Memorial day services went off without a hitch. The weather, unlike the two days before, was beautiful, and we all enjoyed our time with the children. Sunday evening, Colton, Jared, and I traveled back to the Upper West Side to attend Tim Keller's church, Redeemer Presbyterian Church while Kendra and Kelsey went back to Hillsong Church at Union Square.
Seeing as that Monday was Memorial Day, we had the day off to explore the city as we chose. Jared and I attended a small Memorial Day Street Festival near Wall Street and also toured Trinity Church (the church in National Treasure). That evening, we had the wonderful opportunity to hear the New York Philharmonic perform at their annual Memorial Day Service at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. It was beautiful!!
Our last Tuesday and Wednesday in the city were spent in the same fashion as the others, with Colton and Kendra working with the children at Grafitti 2 and Kelsey, Jared, and I scrambling to finish the inventory. Wednesday evening, our group, minus Kelsey and plus two other summer missionaries staying at the MNYBA building, walked to Times Square for our last hurrah and a bag of candy from the 3 (or 4) story Toys"R"Us!
Thursday morning we set out for the airport (all except Kendra, whose flight was for the next day). We arrived without any issues and thus ended our grand adventure to the Big Apple. It was a wonderful trip to the beautiful city where God is working in incredible ways through anyone who is willing. And we were willing!
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Hello Everyone!
Greetings from New York City. We originally intended to spend more time writing about our ministry here in the city, but we have been incredibly busy, more than anticipated which is something we are grateful for! We have continued our work with the Graffiti 2 ministry in the South Bronx for their after-school program. Brianna and I have been able to help G2 with doing some inventory of their items to help with logistical and insurance purposes.
In addition, we have continued working with the South-Asian Community Center in Jackson Heights. This week Colton, the other male on our team, and I were able to have a conversation with someone from that neighborhood in regard to Christianity and its relation to Islam. This lady, a native Jew, claims to have converted to “Christianity”, and many years later, converted to Islam. Please be in prayer for our encounters with her, for she is very hostile toward us and real Christianity.
The same day in which this conversation happened, our team was able to meet several pastors from various places, including one from Boston, Massachusetts, who is helping start a church plant this coming fall. This man, Jared Kirk, and his wife moved to the Boston area at the beginning of this year and invited us to become a part of their church plant. As Kelsey, one of our team members, said: “This encounter may be the reason God had to you come on this trip.” While making connections for our move to Boston is not our primary goal while here, it is a huge blessing and we can’t help but feel the encounter has a purpose!
In addition to these two primary ministries, we have been able to work with Metropolitan Baptist Church in Brooklyn for various tasks. We worked there last Friday and Saturday and this Saturday, doing odd jobs for the church such as stamping tracts, organizing the pastor’s library, leading youth, and assessing the neighborhood of its other churches and ministries.
We are all finally starting to adjust to the fast pace of New York City…just in time to go back to Missouri.
God Bless,
Jared and Brianna
Friday, May 10, 2013
MayMester 2013: New York City
In May of 2011, Jared and I attended the MayMester trip to New York City. This year, we are attending as leaders along with three other students: Kelsey Harrison (who attended last year), Colton Bock, and Kendra Derryberry. We departed from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis Monday, May 6th at 11:50 AM and arrived around 3:30 PM (2:30 PM Central Time) without any problems or issues. After obtaining our month-long metro passes (for Subway and Bus Transportation), we lugged ourselves and our items onto a bus and began our hour-and-a-half-long trip from LaGuardia Airport in Queens to the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association (MNYBA) building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. After a short orientation with John Ramirez and Joshua Austin, both employees of the MNYBA, we began to settle in to our rooms. John and Joshua provided us with a take-out meal from Taco Grill, a Mexican restaurant owned and ran by Chinese immigrants. Despite their cultural differences, the food was delicious! Not long after we finished eating, we began our clean-up for bed. Our schedule was full and busy and we had a full week ahead of us.
The next morning we departed around 8:45 to Jackson Heights, Queens, to work with the South Asian Community Center. Our groups' task that morning was to teach English to immigrants from countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Tibet, etc. I worked with Tenzin, a young woman from Tibet, who had only been in the United States for two weeks and already had an incredible grasp on the English language. Kelsey and Kendra also worked with women from Tibet while Colton and Jared worked with men from Nepal and India. After we finished our session, Josiah, an intern at the MNYBA and a worker at the South Asian Community Center, took us to eat at a local and authentic Indian restaurant.
Shortly after eating, we took our leave of Jackson Heights and began our long journey to the southern Bronx where we would be working with an inner-city after school program called Graffiti 2. We were scheduled to arrive at 1 PM in the Bronx, but we were given the wrong address and ended up approximately 45 minutes in the wrong direction. When we finally arrived around 2:30 PM, the staff at Graffiti 2 were gracious with our transportation issues and we were thrown into the organized chaos of children, homework, and activities. While Kelsey, Jared, and I struggled with being overwhelmed with the program and the children, Kendra and Colton immediately jumped into the activities. We wrapped up around 6:30 PM and began our trek back to Manhattan.
That evening, we ate supper at a restaurant a few doors down from the MNYBA and then traveled around the corner to the grocery store, Trader Joe's. However, the line was so incredibly long that we all agreed with it would be better to try at a different time. We explored our surroundings for an hour or so and then retired back to the MNYBA for the evening.
Wednesday's schedule was very similar to Tuesday's. We traveled again to Jackson Heights to teach English. However, Tenzin did not attend class that morning, so I worked with Rafa, a young Muslim woman from Bangladesh who has been in the States for nine years. We practiced her vowel sounds and vocabulary. At the end of our session, she told me how to say hello in her native language (although I cannot remember it!), and that she was looking forward to working with me again next Wednesday! How encouraging! Again we went out to eat with Josiah. This time he took us to an Indo-Chinese restaurant called The Talk of the Town.
Our second afternoon at Graffiti 2 was a much more pleasant experience as we easily transitioned into helping the kids with their homework and during recreation/crafts.
That evening we explored more of the surrounding Manhattan area and enjoyed the lights and the bustle of the city that never sleeps.
We had Thursday morning off, so we traveled back to Trader Joe's to purchase our groceries. After putting them away and eating a light brunch, we headed out to Graffiti 2 for the after school program. We started out with a short orientation and prayer walk before the children began to arrive. That evening was different than the others because of the special Mother's Day dinner and talent show. We helped cook the meal, serve, and clean up so the mother's could enjoy time with their children. We left a little later that evening, but still before dark and with enough time to walk along the Hudson River and through part of Manhattan.
Friday was a completely different day. We had originally been told that Fridays would be our free days, but had a last minute schedule change on Tuesday. We left around 8:15 AM to travel to southern Brooklyn to Metropolitan Baptist Church/Lighthouse Baptist Church to meet with Chris Gardner and Peter Gu, respectively. It is one church building, but with three congregations. Metropolitan Baptist Church is an English speaking congregation, while Lighthouse is a Chinese congregation. The third congregation is a South Asian congregation.
We finished there around 2 PM and our small group headed toward the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan, explored the federal district, and shopped Chinatown. Josiah met us later in the evening and introduced several of us to Bubble Tea (which I have had before and was not partial to the interesting drink. Jared didn't mind it). After leaving Chinatown, we traveled to Macy's on 34th and Broadway and the Empire State Building before making our way back to our home for the month.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Wednesday May 25, 2011
The duties for Wednesday kept us in the MNYBA building for most of the day. Anna Ramirez gave us a check list of duties to do around the building. We cleaned the bathrooms on every floor, folded linens, washed and dried towels, bedding and personal laundry, emptied the 4th floor apartment of any items left by John and Anna Ramirez, and moved a few beds around to different rooms. Although it does not seem like much, it was more than enough to keep us busy for the entire morning and afternoon.
As with every Wednesday, that evening consisted of traveling to Harlem for teaching ESL. Katy Aleshire was able to travel with us this week and she thoroughly enjoyed teaching and speaking with Sory, whom I had worked with the previous week. That evening I worked with a lady who knew enough English to speak, but still did not know many words. It was a challenge trying to explain words to her when she did not understand the synonyms either. Thankfully Chris (the missionary who lived in Mali for a few years) was able to explain things to her in either French or their language, Bumbra.
We all left that evening a little saddened, knowing it was our last time to work with the ESL teachers and the people from Mali. However, we were happy in knowing that many more missionaries would bless the doorstep of that building and people of Mali. That whole experience had definitely blessed us and given us new skills in working with people.
As with every Wednesday, that evening consisted of traveling to Harlem for teaching ESL. Katy Aleshire was able to travel with us this week and she thoroughly enjoyed teaching and speaking with Sory, whom I had worked with the previous week. That evening I worked with a lady who knew enough English to speak, but still did not know many words. It was a challenge trying to explain words to her when she did not understand the synonyms either. Thankfully Chris (the missionary who lived in Mali for a few years) was able to explain things to her in either French or their language, Bumbra.
We all left that evening a little saddened, knowing it was our last time to work with the ESL teachers and the people from Mali. However, we were happy in knowing that many more missionaries would bless the doorstep of that building and people of Mali. That whole experience had definitely blessed us and given us new skills in working with people.
Tuesday May 24, 2011
Our project for Tuesday morning was to do Soularium in Central Park. Katy Aleshire, Dani Bothe, Jared Doyle, and I headed to the park as a group to hopefully utilize this evangelism tool. We set up in an extremely populated spot, but barely had anyone even look in our direction. We stayed there for quite a while, and even dispersed ourselves across that section of the park to pray and give people the opportunity to stop. No one did. It was extremely discouraging, but at the same time, we almost expected it.
An hour or so later, we saw some of our co-HLGU missionaries and asked them about their time with Soularium. They seemed to be having the same issues that we were encountering. The people in Central Park were not concerned with what others were doing and simply wanted to be left alone.
On our way to look for another location, we heard a band playing and stopped to listen. We learned they were called The Dirty Urchins and actually have songs on ITunes. They had a really neat sound and sang wonderful harmonies.
In our search for another location, we found ourselves at Times Square and at TGIF for lunch. After finishing our food at a leisurely pace, we headed back to the housing.
That evening after supper, Jared and I headed toward the Hudson River to amble through River Park. We walked the boardwalk, watched the sunset, and eventually saw the city lights from New Jersey. As we walked down the boardwalk, we came across a restaurant on the river. It was beautiful and very popular! The atmosphere of the place was incredible and the people were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
We soon directed our paths back to the MNYBA building to end another successful day in New York City.
An hour or so later, we saw some of our co-HLGU missionaries and asked them about their time with Soularium. They seemed to be having the same issues that we were encountering. The people in Central Park were not concerned with what others were doing and simply wanted to be left alone.
On our way to look for another location, we heard a band playing and stopped to listen. We learned they were called The Dirty Urchins and actually have songs on ITunes. They had a really neat sound and sang wonderful harmonies.
In our search for another location, we found ourselves at Times Square and at TGIF for lunch. After finishing our food at a leisurely pace, we headed back to the housing.
That evening after supper, Jared and I headed toward the Hudson River to amble through River Park. We walked the boardwalk, watched the sunset, and eventually saw the city lights from New Jersey. As we walked down the boardwalk, we came across a restaurant on the river. It was beautiful and very popular! The atmosphere of the place was incredible and the people were thoroughly enjoying themselves.
We soon directed our paths back to the MNYBA building to end another successful day in New York City.
Monday May 23, 2011
Monday morning, the three people who journey every day to Graffiti 2 left as they usually do while the rest of us ventured to Jamaica to Ebenezer Mission Church. This church is led by Pastor Jae Lee and has three congregations that are all integrated. They do have separate church services for the Hispanic, Chinese, and English speaking congregations, but all three congregations participate in fellowship activities, picnics, and many other group functions. It was amazing to hear Jae Lee speak about how the church started and how it had grown! The youth in the church are a large part of why so many people attend. They became involved, and in response to their changed lives, their parents began to attend as well. This church seemed to be doing great things in the community, and we were there to serve that church.
Our projects included painting the fellowship hall (bright yellow), moving many items in storage from the basement to be sorted through to throw some things away and put others to use, and cleaning up debris (trees limbs, shingles, etc.) from a recent storm. We all had a blast working that day and we all helped in all the areas needed.
Lacey Colborn, Erin Jeffries, and Kyle Morrison left early to go to the hospital in Flushing to have Lacey’s staples removed from her head. Those of us still there finished the painting, chatted with Jae Lee, and headed out by 3 or 3:30 PM.
Working at Ebenezer Mission Church was truly a great experience. We were able to work at a church that is having an incredible impact on its community and continually growing in its congregation and outreach. I know that God will continue to use this church in many, many ways to glorify and enlarge His kingdom…and I am blessed to know we were able to serve those who serve others so much!
Our projects included painting the fellowship hall (bright yellow), moving many items in storage from the basement to be sorted through to throw some things away and put others to use, and cleaning up debris (trees limbs, shingles, etc.) from a recent storm. We all had a blast working that day and we all helped in all the areas needed.
Lacey Colborn, Erin Jeffries, and Kyle Morrison left early to go to the hospital in Flushing to have Lacey’s staples removed from her head. Those of us still there finished the painting, chatted with Jae Lee, and headed out by 3 or 3:30 PM.
Working at Ebenezer Mission Church was truly a great experience. We were able to work at a church that is having an incredible impact on its community and continually growing in its congregation and outreach. I know that God will continue to use this church in many, many ways to glorify and enlarge His kingdom…and I am blessed to know we were able to serve those who serve others so much!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Sunday May 22, 2011
Several from our group were supposed to attend Park Slope Baptist Church that morning, but after talking with John Ramirez on Friday evening, we were released from that plan. Every single one of us agreed that we were uncomfortable at the church and did not feel it was where we were supposed to be.
Therefore, that morning led to Seth Smith, James Leezer, Jared Doyle, and I traveling to Hillsong Church at 17 Irving Place. This church is a plant from the original Hillsong in Australia and Joel Houston, the son of Brian Houston (starter of Hillsong Australia), presented the message that day! The church was held in either an old bar or dance club (or both). This seemed to be common, seeing as real estate is so hard to come by (and extremely expensive) in New York City! The music was intense and incredible and the people were extremely friendly and welcoming!
After church ended, we headed back to the Upper West Side and stopped at 71 Café for lunch. I ordered Manhattan clam chowder, and when I glanced down at it, I thought it was vegetable soup because it was red instead of white. So Jared took it back to the counter, and they informed us that Manhattan and New England clam chowder are different. Who knew?! It turned out to be delicious, but nothing quite compares to New England clam chowder :)
We headed back to our housing to relax until our next engagement at 5 PM. During our free time, we watched yet another movie (thanks to Netflix online streaming) and simply relaxed.
At 5 PM, Katy Aleshire, Dani Bothe, Jared Doyle, and I made our way to the chapel area on the first floor of the MNYBA building for a prayer meeting with the Russian Church group. Only three people showed up for the meeting (they are still in the very preliminary stages of setting up their church), but it does not say where 500 are gathered in His name…only two or more!
Slova, the leader, played his guitar and sang a few songs. Most he sang one verse in English so we could sing along and another in Russian. It was beautiful! Then the four of us told our testimonies (they were all very similar actually) and Slova began the praying. Before heading out (they had to be out by 6 PM), we tried some of the Russian food they brought. It was interesting and one of my favorites was made from sunflower seeds. I love trying new food!
Around 6:30, Jared and I set out for Central Park with the intention of finding food along the way. We walked through the park and found ourselves on the Upper East Side on 58th Street. On the Upper East Side, we found a really interesting Apple (Mac computers, etc) store. The majority of the store was underground. The only thing on top was a big glass square with the Apple emblem and an entrance with stairs and an elevator heading down. Naturally, we had to go in. It was a really neat store, but we did not stay long.
Once back out on the street, we began our trek downtown towards Time Square (42nd Street). Along the way we grabbed supper (gyros), saw Gucci, Armani, and Prada stores, gasped at the outlandish prices of things, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!
The only thing we did at Times Square before heading back to the MNYBA building was buy candy at Toys R Us. We picked our choice and set on our way back, happily enjoying our purchase.
Therefore, that morning led to Seth Smith, James Leezer, Jared Doyle, and I traveling to Hillsong Church at 17 Irving Place. This church is a plant from the original Hillsong in Australia and Joel Houston, the son of Brian Houston (starter of Hillsong Australia), presented the message that day! The church was held in either an old bar or dance club (or both). This seemed to be common, seeing as real estate is so hard to come by (and extremely expensive) in New York City! The music was intense and incredible and the people were extremely friendly and welcoming!
After church ended, we headed back to the Upper West Side and stopped at 71 Café for lunch. I ordered Manhattan clam chowder, and when I glanced down at it, I thought it was vegetable soup because it was red instead of white. So Jared took it back to the counter, and they informed us that Manhattan and New England clam chowder are different. Who knew?! It turned out to be delicious, but nothing quite compares to New England clam chowder :)
We headed back to our housing to relax until our next engagement at 5 PM. During our free time, we watched yet another movie (thanks to Netflix online streaming) and simply relaxed.
At 5 PM, Katy Aleshire, Dani Bothe, Jared Doyle, and I made our way to the chapel area on the first floor of the MNYBA building for a prayer meeting with the Russian Church group. Only three people showed up for the meeting (they are still in the very preliminary stages of setting up their church), but it does not say where 500 are gathered in His name…only two or more!
Slova, the leader, played his guitar and sang a few songs. Most he sang one verse in English so we could sing along and another in Russian. It was beautiful! Then the four of us told our testimonies (they were all very similar actually) and Slova began the praying. Before heading out (they had to be out by 6 PM), we tried some of the Russian food they brought. It was interesting and one of my favorites was made from sunflower seeds. I love trying new food!
Around 6:30, Jared and I set out for Central Park with the intention of finding food along the way. We walked through the park and found ourselves on the Upper East Side on 58th Street. On the Upper East Side, we found a really interesting Apple (Mac computers, etc) store. The majority of the store was underground. The only thing on top was a big glass square with the Apple emblem and an entrance with stairs and an elevator heading down. Naturally, we had to go in. It was a really neat store, but we did not stay long.
Once back out on the street, we began our trek downtown towards Time Square (42nd Street). Along the way we grabbed supper (gyros), saw Gucci, Armani, and Prada stores, gasped at the outlandish prices of things, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!
The only thing we did at Times Square before heading back to the MNYBA building was buy candy at Toys R Us. We picked our choice and set on our way back, happily enjoying our purchase.
Saturday May 21, 2011
We (Kate Aleshire, Dani Bothe, James Leezer, Jared Doyle, and I) started our Saturday adventures around 11 AM and met Geumbee, Katy Aleshire’s Korean friend, at the Subway. Geumbee was an exchange student to Katy’s high school several years ago and now lives as a fashion designer in New York! She took us to Korean Town for lunch and it was delicious! Jared and I used our chopsticks like pros!
From there we traveled to the Upper East Side of Manhattan and spent several hours in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When we arrived, the front steps of the museum were cluttered with people, but the line was not extremely long. Thanks to Geumbee’s observations and knowledge of New York, we only paid $1 to get in. The $20 admission fee is only suggested, and therefore, you are not required to pay the full amount. What a deal!
We walked all over that HUGE art museum! It was so incredible to see the many different types of art. We saw pieces by Van Gogh, Degas, sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome, and so much more! Naturally, some of the art we were not fond of and we skipped right over it. However, I do not think it is possible to really appreciate everything that The Met has to offer in just one day. I would love to go back!
We decided to leave The Met around 5 or 6 PM. Upon walking out, we realized it was raining, and rather steadily. We decided not to wait it out because we were tired and beginning to feel the pangs of hunger. Our rain walking finally led us to the Subway and we headed for the one that would take us back to our lodgings. We were wet, cold, and hungry, but we had experienced so much culture and history from the art that our moods were light!
Once we found our way back to the MNYBA building, Jared and I cleaned up before sitting down to a movie to relax after a long day on our feet.
From there we traveled to the Upper East Side of Manhattan and spent several hours in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When we arrived, the front steps of the museum were cluttered with people, but the line was not extremely long. Thanks to Geumbee’s observations and knowledge of New York, we only paid $1 to get in. The $20 admission fee is only suggested, and therefore, you are not required to pay the full amount. What a deal!
We walked all over that HUGE art museum! It was so incredible to see the many different types of art. We saw pieces by Van Gogh, Degas, sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome, and so much more! Naturally, some of the art we were not fond of and we skipped right over it. However, I do not think it is possible to really appreciate everything that The Met has to offer in just one day. I would love to go back!
We decided to leave The Met around 5 or 6 PM. Upon walking out, we realized it was raining, and rather steadily. We decided not to wait it out because we were tired and beginning to feel the pangs of hunger. Our rain walking finally led us to the Subway and we headed for the one that would take us back to our lodgings. We were wet, cold, and hungry, but we had experienced so much culture and history from the art that our moods were light!
Once we found our way back to the MNYBA building, Jared and I cleaned up before sitting down to a movie to relax after a long day on our feet.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Friday May 20, 2011
Our group of five, who traveled to Brooklyn the two days before, was enlarged by three (Lacey Colborn, Seth Smith, and Lacey Colborn). We left on time that morning and were able to make the egg (yup, egg this time) salad sandwiches and give them to the homeless people on time. While half worked on the sandwiches, the rest of us worked in the clothing closet.
To the homeless, gave several sandwiches and bottles of water. Many in our group were able to chat with the people for a while. Charlie takes sandwiches to these people almost every day, so he has a good relationship already established.
Upon returning, we worked more in the clothing closet. Once finishing in there, all except for Seth Smith, Jared Doyle, and I, left to evangelize. The three of us that stayed behind stamped tracts for the church. We left the church at 1 PM to head back to the MNYBA building.
Once back in our building, we had time to simply hang out. Around 4 PM, John and Anna Ramirez required the assistance of our group in helping them move from the 4th floor apartment to their new 6th floor apartment. After helping them move, John treated all of us to those amazing cookies from that bakery we visited on our first night in Manhattan. The cookies were amazing!! Jared and I had peanut butter chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies.
After our cookie overstimulation (they were soooooo delicious!), Jared and I sat down to finish our movie and watch another one. We were tired and simply needed a bit of time to be rejuvenated. At the end of our movie, we set out for an evening walk around the Upper West Side.
During our walk, we encountered a rather large, fancy building. We soon discovered that it was Julliard, the amazing school for music, drama, and dance. We walked around that area for a while, taking in the beautiful lights and seeing many people dressed in formal attire exiting one of the buildings. We assumed that a performance had just finished and all of the guests were leaving.
We walked around the area for a bit longer, and then began our trek back to the MNYBA building so we could rest before our free day!
To the homeless, gave several sandwiches and bottles of water. Many in our group were able to chat with the people for a while. Charlie takes sandwiches to these people almost every day, so he has a good relationship already established.
Upon returning, we worked more in the clothing closet. Once finishing in there, all except for Seth Smith, Jared Doyle, and I, left to evangelize. The three of us that stayed behind stamped tracts for the church. We left the church at 1 PM to head back to the MNYBA building.
Once back in our building, we had time to simply hang out. Around 4 PM, John and Anna Ramirez required the assistance of our group in helping them move from the 4th floor apartment to their new 6th floor apartment. After helping them move, John treated all of us to those amazing cookies from that bakery we visited on our first night in Manhattan. The cookies were amazing!! Jared and I had peanut butter chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies.
After our cookie overstimulation (they were soooooo delicious!), Jared and I sat down to finish our movie and watch another one. We were tired and simply needed a bit of time to be rejuvenated. At the end of our movie, we set out for an evening walk around the Upper West Side.
During our walk, we encountered a rather large, fancy building. We soon discovered that it was Julliard, the amazing school for music, drama, and dance. We walked around that area for a while, taking in the beautiful lights and seeing many people dressed in formal attire exiting one of the buildings. We assumed that a performance had just finished and all of the guests were leaving.
We walked around the area for a bit longer, and then began our trek back to the MNYBA building so we could rest before our free day!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday May 19, 2011
Our group of five (the same that had gone the day before) set out that morning a little behind schedule due to a short meeting with John and Anna Ramirez. We arrive in Brooklyn at Park Slop Baptist Church at 10:30 AM, about 45 minutes to an hour behind schedule.
Upon arriving, we split up, with some making tuna salad sandwiches, and others tackling the mess of a Clothing Closet. Charlie’s wife told us that a group of poor/homeless women had recently worked their way through the Clothing Closet and left it a bit unorganized. We spent most of that morning hanging up shirts and pants.
About half way through organizing the Clothing Closet, we stopped to take the tuna salad sandwiches to the homeless. Because we were so late in arriving, most of the people had already gone, and we only gave out seven bags and bottles of water.
We soon started on our way back to the church, and took up our posts in the clothing closet once again. We organized and hung and placed size tags on the shirts/pants until approximately 2:30 PM. We left shortly after due to a lack of things for us to do.
Back at the ole homestead, Jared and I made supper. Well, we opened a box and put the food in the oven…haha. After eating, we ventured down to 14th street for a bit of adventure and exploration. After walking around Union Square, visiting a few stores and simply spending time together, Katy Aleshire and Dani Bothe joined us.
We explored the area further and soon found ourselves on what appeared to be a movie set. The big give away…HUGE lights being set up in the streets at 10 PM. We asked the lighting crew which movie was being filmed and we were present with the title, Fiona’s Tale.
Dani, using her sophisticated phone with internet capabilities, searched until she found out that Fiona’s Tale was actually an alias for the new Spiderman movie (The Amazing Spiderman)! We snapped a few pictures to document our discovery and soon began on our way. We ended our excursion by stopping at Wendy’s for a late night snack before heading back to the comfort of our beds.
Upon arriving, we split up, with some making tuna salad sandwiches, and others tackling the mess of a Clothing Closet. Charlie’s wife told us that a group of poor/homeless women had recently worked their way through the Clothing Closet and left it a bit unorganized. We spent most of that morning hanging up shirts and pants.
About half way through organizing the Clothing Closet, we stopped to take the tuna salad sandwiches to the homeless. Because we were so late in arriving, most of the people had already gone, and we only gave out seven bags and bottles of water.
We soon started on our way back to the church, and took up our posts in the clothing closet once again. We organized and hung and placed size tags on the shirts/pants until approximately 2:30 PM. We left shortly after due to a lack of things for us to do.
Back at the ole homestead, Jared and I made supper. Well, we opened a box and put the food in the oven…haha. After eating, we ventured down to 14th street for a bit of adventure and exploration. After walking around Union Square, visiting a few stores and simply spending time together, Katy Aleshire and Dani Bothe joined us.
We explored the area further and soon found ourselves on what appeared to be a movie set. The big give away…HUGE lights being set up in the streets at 10 PM. We asked the lighting crew which movie was being filmed and we were present with the title, Fiona’s Tale.
Dani, using her sophisticated phone with internet capabilities, searched until she found out that Fiona’s Tale was actually an alias for the new Spiderman movie (The Amazing Spiderman)! We snapped a few pictures to document our discovery and soon began on our way. We ended our excursion by stopping at Wendy’s for a late night snack before heading back to the comfort of our beds.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Wednesday May 18, 2011
Our schedule for Wednesday was relatively light, for in the morning we were to clean our housing area and then tackle the mounds of laundry, both ours and the linens and towels of the MNYBA. After cleaning up our kitchen/hang out area, Erin Jeffries, Katy Aleshire, Jared Doyle, and I headed out to the Laundromat to do our laundry while Matt Lange stayed at the MNYBA to conquer the rest (for he had done his a few days before). The Laundromat was small, but it more than satisfied our needs. We cleaned our clothing and made it back to the building before noon.
That afternoon, John Ramirez took our group of five to a church in Brooklyn. We would be working there the next few days, and John wanted to introduce us to Charlie, the pastor of Park Slope Baptist Church. The travel time to Charlie’s church was approximately an hour, and while on the way, we were caught in a downpour of rain! Once we arrived, Charlie gave us towels with which we could dry off, which was great! Once seated in the lounge area of the church, Charlie told us the entire story of Park Slope Baptist Church. It was really long…
Once leaving there, we only had a short time to change our clothes and prepare to leave for Harlem to help with the ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching. That night I worked with Sory. He had been in the States for approximately six years and had a wife and children still in Mali. He had been working to save money, both to help support them and to hopefully bring them here. Because Sory has been in the States for so long, he spoke English relatively well. I only had to help him with some word pronunciations and a few small grammar mistakes. He told me much about Mali, and it was extremely interesting to listen to him share. Sory speaks French and Bumbra fluently, and was a history and geography professor at a university in Mali. He had also studied philosophy, and was an all around brilliant man. As like the week before, around 8 or 8:30, all of the people, including Sory, left to attend the Muslim prayer time.
After leaving Harlem and arriving back in the Upper West Side, Jared and I stopped in at Trader Joe’s for a few more groceries. We soon made our way up the five flights of stairs to our common area and relaxed for a few minutes before finally heading to bed.
Days in New York City are exciting and exhausting, no matter the work!
That afternoon, John Ramirez took our group of five to a church in Brooklyn. We would be working there the next few days, and John wanted to introduce us to Charlie, the pastor of Park Slope Baptist Church. The travel time to Charlie’s church was approximately an hour, and while on the way, we were caught in a downpour of rain! Once we arrived, Charlie gave us towels with which we could dry off, which was great! Once seated in the lounge area of the church, Charlie told us the entire story of Park Slope Baptist Church. It was really long…
Once leaving there, we only had a short time to change our clothes and prepare to leave for Harlem to help with the ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching. That night I worked with Sory. He had been in the States for approximately six years and had a wife and children still in Mali. He had been working to save money, both to help support them and to hopefully bring them here. Because Sory has been in the States for so long, he spoke English relatively well. I only had to help him with some word pronunciations and a few small grammar mistakes. He told me much about Mali, and it was extremely interesting to listen to him share. Sory speaks French and Bumbra fluently, and was a history and geography professor at a university in Mali. He had also studied philosophy, and was an all around brilliant man. As like the week before, around 8 or 8:30, all of the people, including Sory, left to attend the Muslim prayer time.
After leaving Harlem and arriving back in the Upper West Side, Jared and I stopped in at Trader Joe’s for a few more groceries. We soon made our way up the five flights of stairs to our common area and relaxed for a few minutes before finally heading to bed.
Days in New York City are exciting and exhausting, no matter the work!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Tuesday May 17, 2011
Our morning started out early, as we traveled to Union Square (14th Street) to meet up with Susanne for a tour of NYU (New York University). Although it was raining, we were still able to see the beautiful buildings and even saw the arch that was in the movie August Rush!
Once inside of the buildings of the University, we sat in a lounge and listened while Susanne told us all about her chaplain position at the school and how God has used her in that place. After hanging out for a while, our group traveled down a few flights of stairs to the Christian office/department and had a prayer time before heading back out to find our lunch.
Our group split up for lunch, with the majority of people (including Dr. Brown) stopping at a pizza place. However, Jared was craving Mexican food, so we stopped at Qdoba, the closest to Mexican food that we could find.
From there, John Ramirez took our group to Queens to a Hispanic church, Iglesia la Palabra. They had some extra food from their lunch that they fed to us and it was delicious! Before heading out and leaving three of our team members there to work (Lacey Colborn, Seth Smith, and Kyle Morrison), our group prayed with the pastor, Winston, for his church and the community.
Promptly after praying, our group began our long journey back to the Upper West Side of Manhattan. We had just arrived back at Grand Central Station when Jared received a call from Kyle that Lacey had hit her head on a low hanging iron bar and needed to go to the emergency room for stitches. After hearing that, Dr. Brown corralled those of us left (Matt Lange, Erin Jeffries, Katy Aleshire, Jared Doyle, and I) and we quickly headed back toward the area from which we had just come.
On our way to the hospital, we learned that Lacey was okay, and that we were traveling to Flushing, a stop farther north than where we had previously been. However, we were not sure which hospital to go to or how to make our way there, but thankfully a nice woman on the subway informed us that she was going that way and would show us! The people of NYC are so willing to offer help when anyone seems even a slight bit lost!
So, we exited the train and followed her to our bus. She showed us which stop to get off and viola, we were at the hospital. We soon learned that we were at the wrong hospital. After quickly learning directions to the correct hospital, we were soon on our way. Upon our arrival at the correct hospital, we tried three different entrances before we found the right one and were soon taken to Lacey, and then to the waiting room.
I have no idea how long we were at the hospital, for Jared and I both fell asleep. As soon as Lacey was released (with staples!), we all headed back toward Manhattan. Jared and I stopped off at 34th Street for supper and a stop at K-Mart (since again we had no time for laundry), and then headed back toward Times Square to meet up with the rest of the group.
After arriving back at our housing, Jared and I went out for a dual purpose, ice cream and to check the hours of the Laundromat. We were determined to do laundry one way or the other! Before heading to bed, we learned that the five members of our group that did not have previous assignments were to work in the MNYBA building, freeing us to do laundry all day if we needed that much time.
The day was a long one for everyone and we were all glad that it was nearing its end.
Once inside of the buildings of the University, we sat in a lounge and listened while Susanne told us all about her chaplain position at the school and how God has used her in that place. After hanging out for a while, our group traveled down a few flights of stairs to the Christian office/department and had a prayer time before heading back out to find our lunch.
Our group split up for lunch, with the majority of people (including Dr. Brown) stopping at a pizza place. However, Jared was craving Mexican food, so we stopped at Qdoba, the closest to Mexican food that we could find.
From there, John Ramirez took our group to Queens to a Hispanic church, Iglesia la Palabra. They had some extra food from their lunch that they fed to us and it was delicious! Before heading out and leaving three of our team members there to work (Lacey Colborn, Seth Smith, and Kyle Morrison), our group prayed with the pastor, Winston, for his church and the community.
Promptly after praying, our group began our long journey back to the Upper West Side of Manhattan. We had just arrived back at Grand Central Station when Jared received a call from Kyle that Lacey had hit her head on a low hanging iron bar and needed to go to the emergency room for stitches. After hearing that, Dr. Brown corralled those of us left (Matt Lange, Erin Jeffries, Katy Aleshire, Jared Doyle, and I) and we quickly headed back toward the area from which we had just come.
On our way to the hospital, we learned that Lacey was okay, and that we were traveling to Flushing, a stop farther north than where we had previously been. However, we were not sure which hospital to go to or how to make our way there, but thankfully a nice woman on the subway informed us that she was going that way and would show us! The people of NYC are so willing to offer help when anyone seems even a slight bit lost!
So, we exited the train and followed her to our bus. She showed us which stop to get off and viola, we were at the hospital. We soon learned that we were at the wrong hospital. After quickly learning directions to the correct hospital, we were soon on our way. Upon our arrival at the correct hospital, we tried three different entrances before we found the right one and were soon taken to Lacey, and then to the waiting room.
I have no idea how long we were at the hospital, for Jared and I both fell asleep. As soon as Lacey was released (with staples!), we all headed back toward Manhattan. Jared and I stopped off at 34th Street for supper and a stop at K-Mart (since again we had no time for laundry), and then headed back toward Times Square to meet up with the rest of the group.
After arriving back at our housing, Jared and I went out for a dual purpose, ice cream and to check the hours of the Laundromat. We were determined to do laundry one way or the other! Before heading to bed, we learned that the five members of our group that did not have previous assignments were to work in the MNYBA building, freeing us to do laundry all day if we needed that much time.
The day was a long one for everyone and we were all glad that it was nearing its end.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Monday May 16, 2011
Monday was an informative and exploratory day. Our group traveled with Leslie, a semester missionary staying at the MNYBA, to Graffiti 2 in Mott Haven (the Bronx). When we arrived, we were introduced to Chris and his dog Proof (who are a part of the New York VBS mission curriculum for 2011!) and he told us the history behind Graffiti 2 and the work that the church does in Mott Haven. According to data, Mott Haven is the worst borough of New York City to raise children, and over half of the population of Mott Haven is children.
After a quick introduction, our small group split up to prayer-walk the area for approximately 30 minutes. It sprinkled the entire time until the last few minutes where it completely poured and we were all soon soaked through. We rested a bit and were preparing to leave when we were asked to help unload carpentry tools and housing items and carry those up to a second floor apartment. We quickly tackled the job and soon had the truck unloaded and the apartment full.
Our group then set out for the MNYBA building so we could obtain our afternoon assignments. Upon arriving, we were told that we were to spend the rest of the afternoon doing Soularium. Due to the rain, Jared, Katy and I decided to find a coffee shop in which we could set up. Starbucks is the most common coffee shop and can be found every couple of blocks (no exaggeration either). However, also because of the rain, every Starbucks near 72nd and Broadway were full with no empty tables.
With that, we set out for 34th street (Herald Square) where we knew of many more Starbucks locations. But alas, every single one was once again full! So, for about two and a half hours, Katy, Jared and I walked around in search of a place to set up with no avail. It was a disheartening afternoon.
We traveled back to our housing after a while and relaxed until supper time. When we became hungry, Jared and I traveled back to 34th street to eat at a Chinese restaurant. It was delicious! We spent a bit of time walking around the area and then headed back to our housing.
After arriving back, we realized that laundry was a must. However, it was 7:30 PM and the Laundromat closed at 8 PM. We realized we would simply have to wait until the next day.
Dr. Brown (our sponsor) arrived for a two night, one day stay in New York around 7:30 PM. At 10 PM, we had a small worship service with Brett, Lacey, and Matt leading the singing and Dr. Brown giving a word. It was greatly needed and well timed. He spoke on knowing God’s plans for us, and that we should realize that we do not deserve to know. God always tells us what He knows we need and what we can handle. Nothing more, nothing less.
After a quick introduction, our small group split up to prayer-walk the area for approximately 30 minutes. It sprinkled the entire time until the last few minutes where it completely poured and we were all soon soaked through. We rested a bit and were preparing to leave when we were asked to help unload carpentry tools and housing items and carry those up to a second floor apartment. We quickly tackled the job and soon had the truck unloaded and the apartment full.
Our group then set out for the MNYBA building so we could obtain our afternoon assignments. Upon arriving, we were told that we were to spend the rest of the afternoon doing Soularium. Due to the rain, Jared, Katy and I decided to find a coffee shop in which we could set up. Starbucks is the most common coffee shop and can be found every couple of blocks (no exaggeration either). However, also because of the rain, every Starbucks near 72nd and Broadway were full with no empty tables.
With that, we set out for 34th street (Herald Square) where we knew of many more Starbucks locations. But alas, every single one was once again full! So, for about two and a half hours, Katy, Jared and I walked around in search of a place to set up with no avail. It was a disheartening afternoon.
We traveled back to our housing after a while and relaxed until supper time. When we became hungry, Jared and I traveled back to 34th street to eat at a Chinese restaurant. It was delicious! We spent a bit of time walking around the area and then headed back to our housing.
After arriving back, we realized that laundry was a must. However, it was 7:30 PM and the Laundromat closed at 8 PM. We realized we would simply have to wait until the next day.
Dr. Brown (our sponsor) arrived for a two night, one day stay in New York around 7:30 PM. At 10 PM, we had a small worship service with Brett, Lacey, and Matt leading the singing and Dr. Brown giving a word. It was greatly needed and well timed. He spoke on knowing God’s plans for us, and that we should realize that we do not deserve to know. God always tells us what He knows we need and what we can handle. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sunday May 15, 2011
Sunday morning we headed out early to travel to the Lower East Side of Manhattan to attend Graffiti Church. This is the church that half of our group went to help feed the homeless and ended up cleaning out the bedbug infested house. After church, some of our group attended a small Bible study (like Sunday School) and others helped out with the children. Once finished there, we then received training in the evangelism tool known as Soularium (a random grouping of picture cards that people choose when asked what their life is like, how they wish it was, how their relationship with God is portrayed, etc.). This tool really opens the door for many conversations with many different types of people.
After the training, we began our trip back to the Upper West Side. Jared and I bought a pizza from Domino’s and ate as soon as we could (it was around 1:30 or 2 PM and we were starving!).
Around 4 PM, our entire group headed out toward New Hope Christian Church in Jamaica, Queens. This church’s pastor, Tom Richter, visited Hannibal-LaGrange in September of 2009 as the keynote speaker for HLGU’s annual Three Days in September.
The service began at 6 PM, and after, the church gave us cake and then we headed back to the Upper West Side.
After the training, we began our trip back to the Upper West Side. Jared and I bought a pizza from Domino’s and ate as soon as we could (it was around 1:30 or 2 PM and we were starving!).
Around 4 PM, our entire group headed out toward New Hope Christian Church in Jamaica, Queens. This church’s pastor, Tom Richter, visited Hannibal-LaGrange in September of 2009 as the keynote speaker for HLGU’s annual Three Days in September.
The service began at 6 PM, and after, the church gave us cake and then we headed back to the Upper West Side.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Saturday May 14, 2011
Dani, Katy, Jared and I decided to spend our first full free day exploring Manhattan between the streets of 34th and 52nd. So many interesting things to see exist in those 18 blocks (and we did not even explore in a straight line! We walked all over that area!).
The Subway tracks were undergoing construction, so we waited what seemed an eternity for the train we wanted to 34th Street. From what I’ve heard, there was once a miracle there. ;)
Our first stop was the first and oldest Macy’s store ever. It had eight floors, and each floor was HUGE! We stopped to look at a few items, but never kept in one place too long, for the prices were a little high for our liking.
After we left Macy’s, Jared and I grabbed lunch at an Italian place known as Sbarro. From there we walked in the direction of the Rockefeller Center and continually stopped at stores that caught our fancy. When we arrived at the Rockefeller Center, a rapid snapping of photos began as we all tried to capture the beauty of the plaza that was graced by flowers, fountains, and flags. At the Rockefeller Center, Jared and I explored the Lego shop (which was amazing!) and awed at the skill of the people who made the many Lego creations that were displayed. We then discovered the NBC place and found the bronze plaque where the famous Christmas tree is annually placed.
From there Dani, Katy, Jared, and I continued our trek and stopped to take pictures of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Approximately 20 minutes beforehand, we noticed a funeral procession leaving, and as we passed it the second time around, a wedding ceremony was beginning.
Our next choice of site to see was the United Nations Building. On our way, we passed Trump Tower (a building built by Donald Trump…I think...?) and a large sidewalk with strange, non-gender statues both sitting on benches and standing. After taking a few photographs and resting a bit, we continued on toward the UN Building. We thought about going in but decided against it, and began on yet another hunt, this time for the Chrysler Building. We walked through what we decided was the Irish part of New York, for it was littered with many, many Irish Pubs and flags.
However, while on the way, we all decided to stop for a quick restroom break and randomly chose what we thought was some type of shopping mall in hopes of a restroom. Unbeknownst to us, we had just entered Grand Central Station (the train station in the beginning of the DreamWorks movie Madagascar), which actually happened to be another sight on our list of things to see. The station was gorgeous! The high ceilings and the beautiful clock that sat in the middle of the main lobby area were wonderful to see.
As soon as we exited Grand Central Station and obtained our bearings, we noticed we were a very short distance from the Chrysler Building. We quickly headed in that direction and were able to fulfill Katy’s desire to see it. From there, we traveled in the direction of Times Square (42nd Street). Seeing as it was a Saturday, Times Square was overrun by a ton of people (mostly which were probably tourists) who walked slowly, took pictures, and constantly seemed lost. Even though we are still technically tourists, we (especially Jared and I) feel like we live here and have been here for a long time.
For supper, Katy and Dani headed to McDonald’s while Jared and I ate chicken kebobs from a street vendor. The chicken was absolutely delicious! After our quick supper, we hit up a few stores (and quickly left due to the prices) and then traveled back to our housing.
After a long yet successful day of sightseeing, we all looked forward to an evening of rest and relaxation.
The Subway tracks were undergoing construction, so we waited what seemed an eternity for the train we wanted to 34th Street. From what I’ve heard, there was once a miracle there. ;)
Our first stop was the first and oldest Macy’s store ever. It had eight floors, and each floor was HUGE! We stopped to look at a few items, but never kept in one place too long, for the prices were a little high for our liking.
After we left Macy’s, Jared and I grabbed lunch at an Italian place known as Sbarro. From there we walked in the direction of the Rockefeller Center and continually stopped at stores that caught our fancy. When we arrived at the Rockefeller Center, a rapid snapping of photos began as we all tried to capture the beauty of the plaza that was graced by flowers, fountains, and flags. At the Rockefeller Center, Jared and I explored the Lego shop (which was amazing!) and awed at the skill of the people who made the many Lego creations that were displayed. We then discovered the NBC place and found the bronze plaque where the famous Christmas tree is annually placed.
From there Dani, Katy, Jared, and I continued our trek and stopped to take pictures of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Approximately 20 minutes beforehand, we noticed a funeral procession leaving, and as we passed it the second time around, a wedding ceremony was beginning.
Our next choice of site to see was the United Nations Building. On our way, we passed Trump Tower (a building built by Donald Trump…I think...?) and a large sidewalk with strange, non-gender statues both sitting on benches and standing. After taking a few photographs and resting a bit, we continued on toward the UN Building. We thought about going in but decided against it, and began on yet another hunt, this time for the Chrysler Building. We walked through what we decided was the Irish part of New York, for it was littered with many, many Irish Pubs and flags.
However, while on the way, we all decided to stop for a quick restroom break and randomly chose what we thought was some type of shopping mall in hopes of a restroom. Unbeknownst to us, we had just entered Grand Central Station (the train station in the beginning of the DreamWorks movie Madagascar), which actually happened to be another sight on our list of things to see. The station was gorgeous! The high ceilings and the beautiful clock that sat in the middle of the main lobby area were wonderful to see.
As soon as we exited Grand Central Station and obtained our bearings, we noticed we were a very short distance from the Chrysler Building. We quickly headed in that direction and were able to fulfill Katy’s desire to see it. From there, we traveled in the direction of Times Square (42nd Street). Seeing as it was a Saturday, Times Square was overrun by a ton of people (mostly which were probably tourists) who walked slowly, took pictures, and constantly seemed lost. Even though we are still technically tourists, we (especially Jared and I) feel like we live here and have been here for a long time.
For supper, Katy and Dani headed to McDonald’s while Jared and I ate chicken kebobs from a street vendor. The chicken was absolutely delicious! After our quick supper, we hit up a few stores (and quickly left due to the prices) and then traveled back to our housing.
After a long yet successful day of sightseeing, we all looked forward to an evening of rest and relaxation.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Friday May 13, 2011
Friday morning began with our devotional and then another meeting with John and Anna. Shortly after, we all began painting. Around lunch time, Jared and I went to West Side for food and soon returned to finish painting primer on the backside of the bathroom door.
Once we finished painting, our entire group headed out to Chinatown around 1:30 PM (John gave us the afternoon off seeing as it was such a nice day and we had a long day of painting the day before). Chinatown was so incredibly busy and our entire group of 11 could not stay together. Jared, Katy, Dani and I ended up exploring the town together and had a blast! We did run in to a few pushy Chinese vendors and one Middle Eastern fellow who tried to guilt trip us into buying something. We fled those stores as soon as we could and then avoided them like the plague.
After buying a few things here and there (and bargaining for a MUCH cheaper price than what the vendors first gave us), we found ourselves in Little Italy, the Italian part of NYC. It was a neat little part of town with a lot of quaint shops and restaurants. We soon headed back to Chinatown to finish our shopping and look for a place to eat supper. We bought a few more things, ate at a good Chinese restaurant, and headed toward the Brooklyn Bridge.
In Chinatown, Katy accidentally purchased (she thought the vendor said free, when he actually said 3) a Statue to Liberty Crown hat and wore it all over, including across the Brooklyn Bridge and on our way home. She received many compliments on her hat and deemed her purchase successful.
On our way to the bridge, we were distracted by beautiful buildings and random statues and had to take pictures (like normal). We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and took a bajillion pictures (or so it seemed). The view was beautiful and the walk was nice, but long (especially after Chinatown). No matter how long it was or how tired we all were, it was definitely worth the time and energy to walk it!
We headed back to Manhattan after crossing the bridge and went directly to our housing. We were all exhausted and relaxed the rest of the evening. Another successful day ended for us, with many memories made.
Once we finished painting, our entire group headed out to Chinatown around 1:30 PM (John gave us the afternoon off seeing as it was such a nice day and we had a long day of painting the day before). Chinatown was so incredibly busy and our entire group of 11 could not stay together. Jared, Katy, Dani and I ended up exploring the town together and had a blast! We did run in to a few pushy Chinese vendors and one Middle Eastern fellow who tried to guilt trip us into buying something. We fled those stores as soon as we could and then avoided them like the plague.
After buying a few things here and there (and bargaining for a MUCH cheaper price than what the vendors first gave us), we found ourselves in Little Italy, the Italian part of NYC. It was a neat little part of town with a lot of quaint shops and restaurants. We soon headed back to Chinatown to finish our shopping and look for a place to eat supper. We bought a few more things, ate at a good Chinese restaurant, and headed toward the Brooklyn Bridge.
In Chinatown, Katy accidentally purchased (she thought the vendor said free, when he actually said 3) a Statue to Liberty Crown hat and wore it all over, including across the Brooklyn Bridge and on our way home. She received many compliments on her hat and deemed her purchase successful.
On our way to the bridge, we were distracted by beautiful buildings and random statues and had to take pictures (like normal). We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and took a bajillion pictures (or so it seemed). The view was beautiful and the walk was nice, but long (especially after Chinatown). No matter how long it was or how tired we all were, it was definitely worth the time and energy to walk it!
We headed back to Manhattan after crossing the bridge and went directly to our housing. We were all exhausted and relaxed the rest of the evening. Another successful day ended for us, with many memories made.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Thursday May 12, 2011
Our morning began with a short meeting with John and Anna to talk about our progress and what still needed to be accomplished around the building. Katy, Jared, and I worked on folding laundry and sheet/towel sets for visitors while the others worked on painting. Once we finished with the laundry, the three of us headed upstairs to help with the painting. Jared and I mostly tackled the cutting (the painting around the doors and next to the floor and ceiling, etc.).
Somewhere amidst all of the painting, we took a break for lunch (Little Italy’s Pizza) and finally quit painting around 7 PM due to hunger.
After eating a quick bite of left over pizza, Katy, Dani, Jared and I headed out for the Subway toward the Staten Island Ferry that would allow us to see the Statue of Liberty at night. Directly after boarding, we made our way to the upper deck and stood outside (it was freezing!!) so we could watch the lights of lower Manhattan fade away and see the Statue of Liberty’s bright glow against the night sky and dark water. It was beautiful!!
Once arriving on Staten Island, we stepped off of the ferry and looked around the island for a few minutes (even if we did not know what buildings we were looking at because signs were nonexistent, it was still beautiful). Shortly after our little exploring excursion (and Jared almost convincing me that the statue in the courtyard moved), we headed back to the ferry and back toward our housing.
Our evening ended quickly after arriving back in Manhattan and we all went to bed rather happily and feeling very accomplished. :)
Somewhere amidst all of the painting, we took a break for lunch (Little Italy’s Pizza) and finally quit painting around 7 PM due to hunger.
After eating a quick bite of left over pizza, Katy, Dani, Jared and I headed out for the Subway toward the Staten Island Ferry that would allow us to see the Statue of Liberty at night. Directly after boarding, we made our way to the upper deck and stood outside (it was freezing!!) so we could watch the lights of lower Manhattan fade away and see the Statue of Liberty’s bright glow against the night sky and dark water. It was beautiful!!
Once arriving on Staten Island, we stepped off of the ferry and looked around the island for a few minutes (even if we did not know what buildings we were looking at because signs were nonexistent, it was still beautiful). Shortly after our little exploring excursion (and Jared almost convincing me that the statue in the courtyard moved), we headed back to the ferry and back toward our housing.
Our evening ended quickly after arriving back in Manhattan and we all went to bed rather happily and feeling very accomplished. :)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Wednesday May 11, 2011
Wednesday morning began with a group devotional at 9:45 and by 10, we began our work. Several went up to paint again and the rest of us went to John and Anna’s apartment and began boxing up their knick knacks and breakables into tubs to take up to the 6th floor for storage. After we finished with that, our group headed out for lunch. Several stopped at a restaurant called Big Nick’s, while Katy, Jared and I went on a bit further and bought our food from a street vendor. For $4, you can buy one of the tastiest gyros EVER! I’ve had both lamb and chicken, and they are delicious!
Once finished with our food, Jared and I headed toward Fairway, a market that offers anything from packaged Twinkies to organic food. The market was very busy and we only purchased peanut butter (all natural), strawberry jelly, and 2 packages of rice crackers. We then went down to another grocery store called Trader Joes and purchased bread and orange juice.
Shortly after we arrived back at the MNYBA building, we had a meeting with John to decide our evening ministry assignments. Six of us (Matt Lange, Lacey Colborn, Kyle Morrison, Erin Jeffries, Jared, and I) were to go to Harlem/Bronx to help Chris Clayman with English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for West African Muslims from Mali. The other five (Katy Aleshire, Dani Bothe, Brett Jones, James Leezer, and Seth Smith) traveled to Graffiti (a very well known NY church in the Lower East Side of Manhattan) to work with their homeless ministry. However, we later learned that they did not work with the homeless, but instead cleaned out the home of a man who had bedbugs.
The group I was in left our housing around 3:30 and headed to Central Park to walk around and begin our trip a little early. We left for Harlem/Bronx around 4:30 and arrived around 5, which led us on the search for supper. We found a small pizza place, called Obama Pizza, and ate our food outside.
Soon after that we headed to the place where we were to be helping with ESL. We arrived around 5:40 (which was a bit early seeing as Chris didn’t arrive until 6 PM and the class did not begin until 6:30). We sat on the couch and chilled until Chris arrived, and then he began briefing us on what we needed to know. People began arriving shortly after and we were split up. I worked with a lady named Fatka (I am not sure on the spelling). Her English, as far as reading went, was good, but her speaking (and understanding of what I said) was broken and a tad difficult to decipher. But we managed and laughed quite a bit (and if she did not understand at all, she asked Chris who either spoke to her in Bumbra or French).
Fatka and all of the other students left around 8 PM to go to a Muslim prayer time, and our group set out for Manhattan shortly after. That part of NYC was a bit scarier at night, but we made it back just fine, and in time for Jared and I to go to Starbucks again with James Leezer. James was heading for the airport so he could begin his cross-country adventure to attend a friend’s wedding in Spokane, Washington.
Working with the ESL class was amazing. Seeing the dedication of all of the students (25 years old and older) and knowing that many of them had only been in the States for a very short amount of time was such an encouragement. In broken English, Fatka told me that learning our language was very difficult, but I could tell that she was (and is!) determined to learn! She asked if I was coming back next week, and I told her that I would. Our group is going back and I am excited to help Fatka achieve her goal, even if it is only a little bit.
Once finished with our food, Jared and I headed toward Fairway, a market that offers anything from packaged Twinkies to organic food. The market was very busy and we only purchased peanut butter (all natural), strawberry jelly, and 2 packages of rice crackers. We then went down to another grocery store called Trader Joes and purchased bread and orange juice.
Shortly after we arrived back at the MNYBA building, we had a meeting with John to decide our evening ministry assignments. Six of us (Matt Lange, Lacey Colborn, Kyle Morrison, Erin Jeffries, Jared, and I) were to go to Harlem/Bronx to help Chris Clayman with English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for West African Muslims from Mali. The other five (Katy Aleshire, Dani Bothe, Brett Jones, James Leezer, and Seth Smith) traveled to Graffiti (a very well known NY church in the Lower East Side of Manhattan) to work with their homeless ministry. However, we later learned that they did not work with the homeless, but instead cleaned out the home of a man who had bedbugs.
The group I was in left our housing around 3:30 and headed to Central Park to walk around and begin our trip a little early. We left for Harlem/Bronx around 4:30 and arrived around 5, which led us on the search for supper. We found a small pizza place, called Obama Pizza, and ate our food outside.
Soon after that we headed to the place where we were to be helping with ESL. We arrived around 5:40 (which was a bit early seeing as Chris didn’t arrive until 6 PM and the class did not begin until 6:30). We sat on the couch and chilled until Chris arrived, and then he began briefing us on what we needed to know. People began arriving shortly after and we were split up. I worked with a lady named Fatka (I am not sure on the spelling). Her English, as far as reading went, was good, but her speaking (and understanding of what I said) was broken and a tad difficult to decipher. But we managed and laughed quite a bit (and if she did not understand at all, she asked Chris who either spoke to her in Bumbra or French).
Fatka and all of the other students left around 8 PM to go to a Muslim prayer time, and our group set out for Manhattan shortly after. That part of NYC was a bit scarier at night, but we made it back just fine, and in time for Jared and I to go to Starbucks again with James Leezer. James was heading for the airport so he could begin his cross-country adventure to attend a friend’s wedding in Spokane, Washington.
Working with the ESL class was amazing. Seeing the dedication of all of the students (25 years old and older) and knowing that many of them had only been in the States for a very short amount of time was such an encouragement. In broken English, Fatka told me that learning our language was very difficult, but I could tell that she was (and is!) determined to learn! She asked if I was coming back next week, and I told her that I would. Our group is going back and I am excited to help Fatka achieve her goal, even if it is only a little bit.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
May 10, 2011
Our Tuesday morning began around 10 AM with a short meeting with John and Anna about the work we would be doing at the MNYBA building. We split ourselves into two groups, with four or five people painting the penthouse apartment on the 6th floor (where John and Anna are to move soon from the 4th floor) and the others moving office rooms and like items from the 6th to the 3rd floor and house items into storage from the 4th floor, and readying rooms on the 6th floor for visitors.
I was in the moving and organizing group, and our first task at hand was to box up two different offices sets, both in a room roughly the size of a small cell (maybe an 8x12ft room). No matter the dimensions, the room was tiny, let alone to hold the offices of two people. We boxed up some things, used carts to carry others, and hauled it all to the 3rd floor with the assistance of Anna on the elevator. The elevator old (and awesome!) and is manually operated and requires a key (and someone who knows how to use it). With that being the case, we always tried to pack as much as we could into one load.
We then began working on the storage closet, taking some of the items to the 4th floor and others in the visitor rooms on the 6th floor (including desks, chairs, dressers, etc). We removed all of the laundry (linens, towels, pillows, etc.) for guests from one room and put it in the storage closet until we could fold it at a later date.
That evening, the MNYBA was hosting a Get Connected gathering for the Metropolitan New York churches and pastors that included a supper of deli style sandwiches, a tour of the building, training with the evangelism tool known as Soularium, and an informative session about what the MNYBA can offer the churches (such as student missionaries like us!). At the end of the meeting, John invited everyone who wished to pray, to do so, and in their native tongue. Several attendees did so, and approximately 10 languages were heard, including Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, Haitian Creole, English and more! It was amazing to listen to their prayers, knowing that the God we serve hears ALL!
After the end of the meeting, Jared, Katy, James Leezer, and I headed out for coffee at Starbucks. The trip consisted of many funny and random events, lots of laughter, and great memories made. We even saw Trinity Church that was used in the movie National Treasure!
We wrapped up our night and headed back to our home for the month, ready to rest and prepare ourselves for another day’s work.
I was in the moving and organizing group, and our first task at hand was to box up two different offices sets, both in a room roughly the size of a small cell (maybe an 8x12ft room). No matter the dimensions, the room was tiny, let alone to hold the offices of two people. We boxed up some things, used carts to carry others, and hauled it all to the 3rd floor with the assistance of Anna on the elevator. The elevator old (and awesome!) and is manually operated and requires a key (and someone who knows how to use it). With that being the case, we always tried to pack as much as we could into one load.
We then began working on the storage closet, taking some of the items to the 4th floor and others in the visitor rooms on the 6th floor (including desks, chairs, dressers, etc). We removed all of the laundry (linens, towels, pillows, etc.) for guests from one room and put it in the storage closet until we could fold it at a later date.
That evening, the MNYBA was hosting a Get Connected gathering for the Metropolitan New York churches and pastors that included a supper of deli style sandwiches, a tour of the building, training with the evangelism tool known as Soularium, and an informative session about what the MNYBA can offer the churches (such as student missionaries like us!). At the end of the meeting, John invited everyone who wished to pray, to do so, and in their native tongue. Several attendees did so, and approximately 10 languages were heard, including Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, Haitian Creole, English and more! It was amazing to listen to their prayers, knowing that the God we serve hears ALL!
After the end of the meeting, Jared, Katy, James Leezer, and I headed out for coffee at Starbucks. The trip consisted of many funny and random events, lots of laughter, and great memories made. We even saw Trinity Church that was used in the movie National Treasure!
We wrapped up our night and headed back to our home for the month, ready to rest and prepare ourselves for another day’s work.
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