The New York City Mission Project was a tremendous opportunity for our kids to put their ministry skills to work and to serve the needy in a densely populated urban environment.  It also gave them a great opportunity to see the country as we drove 2,000 miles east to the Atlantic Ocean!  

For this project we partnered with Street Life Ministries who created opportunities for us to do ministry in each of the boroughs of New York City during the week.  In this way the kids were able to experience the great diversity of the city and see firsthand the needs of each area while helping to bring the hope of the Gospel to this dark place.

Our group of 40 was divided into ministry teams who spread across the city and rotated through the ongoing ministry sites.  On a given day one team was in a large city park in Harlem where they interacted with the people gathered there.  We had prepared meals that were served from the Street Life mobile kitchen and used this service to create opportunities for ministry.  We shared the Gospel with the homeless, the poor immigrants from Eastern Europe, teenage runaways, and with people who were just out for a day at the park.  Those desiring help with addictions or other serious problems over our heads were brought to the Street Life staff for ongoing help while we ministered to the needs we could meet.

Another team worked in a soup kitchen at a large Hispanic church in the Bronx by cooking, serving food, leading worship, and talking with the indigent who had come in for a meal.  The kids were able to share Christ and pray with the people who came in.  They also were able to interact with the church’s staff and learn from them about ministry in this environment.

Another team manned a Prayer Station in Queens outside of a railroad and bus station.  Here they handed out tracts and prayed with the multitudes who were passing through this busy place.  Many kids had significant conversations and opportunities to share their faith.  Some were blessed by Christian people who prayed for them and encouraged them in this ministry.

One day of the week one team went to Brooklyn and manned a prayer station in an area that was predominantly inhabited by Orthodox Jews.  This created a very interesting and educational dynamic as our kids had the chance to converse about the Lord with a highly antagonistic populace.

On Wednesday of the week the whole team went to Manhattan to see Ground Zero, the Empire State Building and the other sites of this crowded metropolis.  While walking through the city the team interacted with the people of this wealthier area and gave them a spiritual survey as a way of opening conversation in hopes of sharing Christ.

Each night of the trip the team met for worship, teaching, and reflection.  These times provided opportunities for the kids to put into context the events of the day and to better understand what they were seeing and learning during the day.

All in all the New York project was a great opportunity for our kids to share Christ, grow in their ministry abilities, and develop a missional lifestyle.  We anticipate returning to NYC sometime in the future.