Graffiti

My church is pretty much amazing. The people there come from every possible background, and it's so interesting to see how, as children of God, we are all one in the same, despite our differences. The general atomosphere of it all is undescribable. I cannot imagine how anyone could ever possibly feel uncomfortable there.

Today we had a meal after small group time. I made Potato Salad, South Louisiana Style... It went over pretty well, from what I could tell, unless everyone was lying to make me feel better. Either way, I enjoyed it, and since I don't cook very often, when something I make goes over well, I am very proud. (Like that macaroni casserole for thanksgiving.....)

Back to the point.

Fellowship meals at my church are so great. There are no cliques. No particular person is expected to sit by any other particular people. This is how it should always be at a church. Sure, after the meal is done we sortof migrated over toward our friends, but eating a meal together is one of the best ways to get to know other people, so there is no reason not to sit by at least one person you don't know very well.

We do the same thing on Wednesday nights, only the Wednesday meal is more of a community outreach, and it's not potluck.

People from the neighborhood and the church come in and get a free hot meal, which is served to them at the table by volunteers from within the church. This is such a special time to me, as it is to the other summer missionaries. We really get to know the people we are reaching out to and thier stories. Many of the people who come don't have much of anything or anyone, and it's such a great time for them to get to come and tell us their stories. I love to hear what they have to say. We've got former artists, pilots, you name it. There is so much to learn from these people and I'm so glad I get the opportunity to do it. After the meal, there is a Bible study, which has become one of my favorite times of the week. Some people don't stay, but there are many that do.

Saturdays is F.L.I.P. (Free Lunch in the Park). The church is but a half a block away from Tompkins Square Park, which is a charming little place. Many people live in the park, or in squats and tenaments around it. On Saturdays, volunteers from Graffiti, and mission teams, prepare a bag lunch, for these people. They line up in massive numbers. Then Vaughn, one of the most faithful and amazing servant-hearted people I've ever met, leads a Bible study for those that want to stay. If ever you are in New York on a Saturday, you should contact the church about helping with FLIP because it is a true blessing.

This weekend was Graffiti's first Paint the Town project. Throughout the week a mission team helped paint the school at the corner of our block: St. Brigids. Then on Saturday, we invited people from the church and the community to help us finish painting and to do some general cleaning, gum scraping, tape removing, etc.... We didn't have as many show up as expected, but it all got done.

One of the guys who came to help was someone I'd called a few weeks ago when looking for volunteers. He told me he had work the night before, but he'd be there. I told him it was okay if he couldn't make it, or if he wanted to sleep in and come by later on, but he insisted it would be no problem. Sure enough, he got off work at 7, and was at church at 9, having only one hour of sleep, and ready and willing to do whatever was needed of him.

This is the type of person we should all look up to.

I'm so thankful that God has blessed me with a church in the city with such amazing people who have a heart to serve the community. There are a million more things I could talk about, but you'd get sick of reading them. Check out the website if you get a chance though!

This is the Life

Where do I even begin?

This week I have been pretty busy with Paint the Town stuff. It's down to the wire so there have been lots of last minute phone calls and accomodations to be made. Even still, I've had much time to reflect, especially since my phone has been broken...

My phone stopped working Monday afternoon for good, and each day I have thought that I'd only be without it for one more day, but little things have kept that from happening. The new phone is officially in the mail and I should get it tommorrow! In the meantime, I've learned to use landlines again (BTW- if ever you call me at the landline number I've been giving out you have to leave a message at my extension, otherwise I never know you've called!).

The big thing I'd been looking forward to this week was the Graffiti Staff Fun Day at Coney Island on Thursday. Come Wedenseday, I was all pumped. It had been two summers since my last trip to America's Playground, and I was super psyched to get to go back and brave the Cyclone once again! Unfortunately, the weather report was grim. Wednesday night we even sent a few people home from church for fear of blackouts and the inability to get home as a result. Plans were changed and it was decided that we would meet at Outback for lunch. Not quite as exciting as Coney Island, but it ended up being a blast. Taylors rule was that we all must come with stress-free minds and not think about anything work-related. We showed up, got to hang out with so many of the awesome people I've been blessed with this summer, and the church payed for the meal. Free meals in New York are ALWAYS a blessing. I cannot describe how much fun I had.

The other summer missionaries and I had been talking to Kevin from church about going to Coney Island later to make up for it. So Friday, we headed out as a group, along with his interns who were SO MUCH FUN, to brave a day of all that is sketchy and awesome about one of America's truly great neighborhoods. It was cloudy at first, so no one was there, then the sun came out. We had a great spot right near one of the jetties and relaxed on the beach. Of course, I had to ride the Cyclone again (I was excited just to get to do it ONCE in my life, but now I've done it twice!!!!!). Ashely and I walked up to the boardwalk, rode the Cyclone, and, in the grand tradition of boardwalks and carnivals, ate a funnel cake. We then met up with the rest of the group and made our way back to Manhattan.

I'd heard nothing but amazing things about the famous Magnolia Bakery, and since Lydia, one of the other Graffiti missionaries, works there, Charlotte, Ashley, and I went there when we got back. I'd never made my way out to the West Village/ Greenwhich Village area before, and I must say, it is my new favorite Manhattan neighborhood (next to my own dear Upper West Side that is). For those that don't know, that is the neighborhood where the characters from Friends lived, so if you can imagine the area.... It was really really really nice. We stood in line for a while, the smell of fresh cupcakes keeping us from ever getting frustrated with the wait. Though not quite Maw Maw's cakes, they were definitely awesome, in a different kind of way. I give it my seal of approval. We then went to the Thai restaraunt in Hell's Kitchen where I first hung out with Bethany, and I got my first taste of Bangkok cuisine on my first trip to the city two and a half years ago. I'd been wanting to go back ever since, and it was EXACTLY how I remembered it (which I can't say for many of the places I've made repeat visits to).

Saturday morning, I thought I was going to have just another boring Saturday off, but I woke up and went down to Graffiti to help with FLIP (Free Lunch In the Park). There was a mission team of four ladies from South Carolina there. They wanted to go down to the financial district and see Ground Zero, ride the Staten Island Ferry, etc... Seeing as how that is my favorite of the "tourist" areas, and I'd never gotten around to the Staten Island Ferry, I was eager to be their "tour guide" when they were looking for one. We ended up having a blast. These three ladies were such a blessing to me! I cannot even describe how much fun I had with them! Such a wonderful group, we really bonded. We've exchanged numbers, emails, etc..., and I'm already planning a trip up to Charleston to see them (which works out since I've been dying to go to Charleston). Today after church we went out to Max Brenner, along with Lorie (our amazing youth director) and they ended up buying my lunch. Such sweet ladies! They're also planning on coming back around Christmas time, so we're gonna try to work it out so they come at the same time as the BCM and we can do mission work together! I cannot wait to get to hang out with them again!

This is the "condensed" version of my life for the past week or so. So much has happend and I've had so many blessings, ups-and-downs, and all in between that I could not possibly write about it all in one post. I guess I need to start doing this on a more nightly basis...

Having a Purpose

For a few days I was getting really frustrated.

I was starting to really miss home and all that comes with being in Louisiana. The sights, the sounds, the food, and most of all the people. I love New York, there's no doubting that. It has just about everything one could ask for (except for free high speed internet anywhere outside of the college communities- but thats a different rant for a different day), but sometimes this little office space I live in gets a little lonely.

I then started questioning my purpose. I know God has a reason for my being here, but seeing as how I've had ALOT of time off, and have done pretty much nothing related to my project since day one, it's hard to see. Why would I be so far away from all the people I love if there's not a good reason?

So Ema, my excellent supervisor, started making phone calls and has been helping me find things that I can do to help local churches, and has been looking for Paint the Town related stuff that I can work on until the project kicks into full gear. I've helped out at Graffiti the past two days and it has been WONDERFUL. I have felt alot more productive. Kareem, the young-adult minister at Graffiti, suggested that I visit all of my Paint the Town churches and see what they need help with to prepare for the upcoming workweeks. Something so simple and obvious, yet I didn't think of it!

I can tell that those I asked to pray for me to find a purpose have been doing so, and that is very comforting. I'm starting to see more and more what I am doing here, and with being more busy, I'm having less time to dwell on all the things I miss. I still haven't fully grasped what I'm doing here, but I know that will come in time. For now, I'm enjoying every minute of this city and what it has to offer.