Answer: I have a good friend from College Michelle who has been in Brooklyn New York doing a Side Walk Sunday School ministry with Metro Ministries for 3 months now. I decided to add a few days on to the end of my Thanksgiving break and go and visit her.
It has been an eye opener to understand the conditions so many kids live in, in the projects of New York. It's heart breaking.
It has also been very exciting to be a part of a vibrant ministry that reaches 20,000 kids a week by pulling up trucks with a fold down side in their projects (apt buildings) and bringing Sunday school to them. The hope this ministry is able to communicate to these children is so important, it is life transformational. The gospel of Christ's love always transforms lives.
I guess what I mean is that some how the light shines brightest when the darkness is deep.
And is the darkness deep. Many of these kids have experienced verbal, physical or sexual abuse. An untold number grew up with young, young mothers in their teens. Most of them don't have fathers. Many have siblings who have been involved in or killed by neighborhood gangs. They have many fears and hurts that a child shouldn't be plagued with. They live fearful and bear the weight of feeling unsafe. Not all have experienced these horrors first hand, but each has grown up in a culture where they are aware of it. Yet that is the reality in a broken and fallen world. The good news is that there are people that care for them.
And greater still the truth that there is a God who knows each of their stories, each of their wounds and worries and grieves with them.
Isn't that an amazing thought!!
As hard as it has been to see the pain and fear in some of these kids eyes and walk the often dirty and dark halls of their buildings it has been amazing to see this ministry live out the vision they have for these kids so effectively. It is a joy to see the passion in the interns hearts as I watch them serve these children day after day taking little time to rest or even sit down for a meal (it is a very busy schedule).
I love hearing them talk about the children as "my kids." I love that God has used their words to heal hearts and speak the truth with authority in an environment where many other influences are speaking much louder. I love that each intern (there are 52 from 10 or more different countries) have caught a vision for these children, have taken ownership of the neighborhoods assign to them and are pushing into the darkness with light and hope.
It is not safe here and yet these people are willing to even lay aside their "need" or "right" for safety and in courage walk the path Christ has called them to.
It's hard not get caught up in a ministry when so many around you are living out a vision.
And the vision is powerful. I will never think of New York the same, I know. And I think that I will forever remember the faces of the kids in the ghetto.
What a blessing it has been for me to come and develop a heart to pray for this ministry and these kids. What a blessing to see what my dear friend has been describing these months. It is such a blessing to see another piece of what our God is doing in the world.
Praise the Lord for His power to change lives and pray that he continues to rescue children from the dominion of darkness to bring them into the kingdom of the son he loves. (Col 1:13)
Mary
Here's a Picture of Michelle and I last year:
I hope to put up pictures soon.
For more info on this ministry visit http://www.metroministries.org
So cool! Praise God you had this opportunity to teach you so much! What a blessing, and what better way to celebrate Thanksgiving?
ReplyDelete