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| Times Square |
Before we started our free day the Lord did provide us with a way to serve. There was a truckload of 3000 blankets that had to be unloaded in the
morning. So again up at 7 for breakfast then unloading a Semi. Then we headed out on our free day I probably walked about a million miles but it was awesome.
I spent the whole day with a group of my friends (Luke, Cody, Naomi, Emily, and Dean). We went all day from 11 to 11. We walked Manhattan and Queens for most of the day.
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| Me And Cody |
I spent the whole day with a group of my friends (Luke, Cody, Naomi, Emily, and Dean). We went all day from 11 to 11. We walked Manhattan and Queens for most of the day.
I was able to see pretty much all the major landmarks.
We stopped at the 9/11 memorial, which was the one thing I had to see if I couldn't see anything else. We hit up Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Tree out in front of the Rock, Times Square and we took the Staten Island ferry out the night before and saw the skyline and Lady Liberty! We also just wandered a good little bit taking it all in. As it is quite, quite vast and amazing how much there is.
Friday morning our schedule was about worked out. Our large group was split into 3 smaller groups for the trip. My team was able to go to a food pantry over in the Bronx and sort, stack, and handout to those in need.The pantry we were helping was in the Bronx and was actually a Puerto Rican church body, as that area of the city has a very large Latino population. we started about 9 and went till about 2:30. Again after being up late and then up very early. We then headed back to NYSUM for a quick little break and dinner and then we were out again.
We headed to Rockefeller Center and we caroled under the tree for a few hours. That was an awesome experience. We then split into our groups again. My group went and set up a food truck in front of Penn Station where we gave out hot dogs, water, and hot coco. While doing that we went in groups down into the station with blankets, water, and toiletries, looking for the homeless. We would assist however we could. We helped quite a few people that night. The one instance that stuck out to me most that night was with a man named Scotty. He had lost his job and started drinking, he did claim to know Jesus, and did seem to know quite a good amount of Scripture. We talked for awhile, just asking about him and his story. So me and my group brought him some food, water, and blankets then we prayed over him. As we were heading out I was the last to leave from the area, as a couple of officer's came along and told him he had to go. He then became rather hostile towards the officers. So I stepped in talked him down from arguing and yelling at them and got him to move along. If we hadn't been there he probably would have been arrested that evening. I believe that God put us there that night for him and his good.
Saturday our entire group went out in the morning to a very large church that helps underprivileged kids and runs a school there also. We gave out presents, snag songs, made balloon animals, and did face painting. All to make a child's Christmas better.
Later that night we were out again handing out blankets, water, and toiletries. We also went around caroling and I did a little bit of street preaching. I laid out the Gospel for people passing by.
Sunday I went to the Brooklyn tabernacle. Let me just say it was, loud and amazing! Good teaching and good music. After church me and a couple of buddies walked around Brooklyn for a little while and ate Pizza. We had the afternoon off for a bit more time to explore. Later in the day we went to Tom's diner which is the coffee shop that you see in Seinfeld. We had dinner there, I felt like I was in an episode of the show.
On Monday we went out to a soup kitchen and helped cook, serve food, stock and organize a pantry. I helped prepare food. Cutting, dicing, and stirring. Later that night we again went out for the blanket ministry. We stood outside of a shelter and gave out all we had to give. Food, water, blankets, toiletries. There were many opportunities for our whole group to share the Gospel, which we did.
For our final day of work on Tuesday we were at a recovery center. We had the privilege of leading worship, sharing testimonies, and giving a message. I had the joy of leading the worship team for the day. A few of my friends shared their stories and my buddy Evan shared a short Devo out of Job.
Because of our flight being extremely early the next morning we did not go out on the homeless ministry. We had a short time to go out and see or pickup anything that we wanted. I shot up to the Bronx real quick with some friends and saw Yankee stadium. then headed back.
We left for LaGuardia at 3:45 our flight was at 6:30. We made it back to Denver about 10:30 a.m. I did not leave to come home for another 14 hours as my flight was at 12:30 that night. I did not get home until 5:45 Thursday morning needless to say I was ready for a shower and a nap.
I am so happy I have chosen to take this year out at Timberline. Without doing it I would have never had this great opportunity. I enjoyed it very much. The city, the people, and the food was awesome! I was so happy that I was able to be a part of a group that was there to love on people.
I am so glad I was able to go on this trip. From being able to be hands on and help people to seeing the city and having lots and lots of food, it was an awesome week. Not to mention the subway is pretty cool.
As I try and apply some song lyrics to each post I thought of how these really apply well with what happened for me and the entire group in NYC.
In the Palace in the land of mercy
The King looked out from His throne
He saw the sick and the homeless and hungry
He saw me lost and without hope
And moved with compassion
He sent out His only Son
With the invitation
to come
This is your invitation
Come just the way you are
Come find what your soul has been longing for
Come find your peace
Come join the feast
Come in
This is your invitation
So I stood outside the gates and trembled
In my rags of unworthiness
Afraid to even stand at a distance
In the presence of Holiness
But just as I turned to go
The gates swung open wide
And the King and His only Son
They invited me inside
As the week went on and every time me or one of my friends was able to help someone and share Christ with them, I now can see a parallel to salvation. We all before Jesus were homeless, some of us accepted the invitation others have rejected it. In the same way I saw this when we tried to help a few people during our time on the streets.
So I want to leave you with this question, are you spiritually homeless, do you know someone who is? If so accept the invitation or give it.
Till Next Time
Love Jared
We stopped at the 9/11 memorial, which was the one thing I had to see if I couldn't see anything else. We hit up Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Tree out in front of the Rock, Times Square and we took the Staten Island ferry out the night before and saw the skyline and Lady Liberty! We also just wandered a good little bit taking it all in. As it is quite, quite vast and amazing how much there is.
Friday morning our schedule was about worked out. Our large group was split into 3 smaller groups for the trip. My team was able to go to a food pantry over in the Bronx and sort, stack, and handout to those in need.The pantry we were helping was in the Bronx and was actually a Puerto Rican church body, as that area of the city has a very large Latino population. we started about 9 and went till about 2:30. Again after being up late and then up very early. We then headed back to NYSUM for a quick little break and dinner and then we were out again. |
| Me, Caleb, Lissy |
We headed to Rockefeller Center and we caroled under the tree for a few hours. That was an awesome experience. We then split into our groups again. My group went and set up a food truck in front of Penn Station where we gave out hot dogs, water, and hot coco. While doing that we went in groups down into the station with blankets, water, and toiletries, looking for the homeless. We would assist however we could. We helped quite a few people that night. The one instance that stuck out to me most that night was with a man named Scotty. He had lost his job and started drinking, he did claim to know Jesus, and did seem to know quite a good amount of Scripture. We talked for awhile, just asking about him and his story. So me and my group brought him some food, water, and blankets then we prayed over him. As we were heading out I was the last to leave from the area, as a couple of officer's came along and told him he had to go. He then became rather hostile towards the officers. So I stepped in talked him down from arguing and yelling at them and got him to move along. If we hadn't been there he probably would have been arrested that evening. I believe that God put us there that night for him and his good.
Saturday our entire group went out in the morning to a very large church that helps underprivileged kids and runs a school there also. We gave out presents, snag songs, made balloon animals, and did face painting. All to make a child's Christmas better.
Later that night we were out again handing out blankets, water, and toiletries. We also went around caroling and I did a little bit of street preaching. I laid out the Gospel for people passing by. |
| Me, Cody, Luke, Naomi, Emily |
Sunday I went to the Brooklyn tabernacle. Let me just say it was, loud and amazing! Good teaching and good music. After church me and a couple of buddies walked around Brooklyn for a little while and ate Pizza. We had the afternoon off for a bit more time to explore. Later in the day we went to Tom's diner which is the coffee shop that you see in Seinfeld. We had dinner there, I felt like I was in an episode of the show.
On Monday we went out to a soup kitchen and helped cook, serve food, stock and organize a pantry. I helped prepare food. Cutting, dicing, and stirring. Later that night we again went out for the blanket ministry. We stood outside of a shelter and gave out all we had to give. Food, water, blankets, toiletries. There were many opportunities for our whole group to share the Gospel, which we did. |
| Luke, Lyndee, Kassy, Me |
Because of our flight being extremely early the next morning we did not go out on the homeless ministry. We had a short time to go out and see or pickup anything that we wanted. I shot up to the Bronx real quick with some friends and saw Yankee stadium. then headed back.
We left for LaGuardia at 3:45 our flight was at 6:30. We made it back to Denver about 10:30 a.m. I did not leave to come home for another 14 hours as my flight was at 12:30 that night. I did not get home until 5:45 Thursday morning needless to say I was ready for a shower and a nap.
I am so happy I have chosen to take this year out at Timberline. Without doing it I would have never had this great opportunity. I enjoyed it very much. The city, the people, and the food was awesome! I was so happy that I was able to be a part of a group that was there to love on people.
I am so glad I was able to go on this trip. From being able to be hands on and help people to seeing the city and having lots and lots of food, it was an awesome week. Not to mention the subway is pretty cool.As I try and apply some song lyrics to each post I thought of how these really apply well with what happened for me and the entire group in NYC.
In the Palace in the land of mercy
The King looked out from His throne
He saw the sick and the homeless and hungry
He saw me lost and without hope
And moved with compassion
He sent out His only Son
With the invitation
to come
This is your invitation
Come just the way you are
Come find what your soul has been longing for
Come find your peace
Come join the feast
Come in
This is your invitation
So I stood outside the gates and trembled
In my rags of unworthiness
Afraid to even stand at a distance
In the presence of Holiness
But just as I turned to go
The gates swung open wide
And the King and His only Son
They invited me inside
As the week went on and every time me or one of my friends was able to help someone and share Christ with them, I now can see a parallel to salvation. We all before Jesus were homeless, some of us accepted the invitation others have rejected it. In the same way I saw this when we tried to help a few people during our time on the streets.
Love Jared
