College Heights Baptist Church

Day One - Sunday was our travel day to Brooklyn. We left Elyria with our team of twenty-one around 8 am. We have one grade schooler, seven teenagers, three college students, and ten adults-nine guys and twelve ladies. As with any trip, we had some challenges. One of our vehicles began to overheat and we had to stop a few times with it. Bless their hearts, the people in that van had to run most of the trip with no a/c and with the heater running. Furthermore, we hit a traffic snarl in New Jersey and the last thirty minutes of our trip took over two hours. Subsequently, we arrived a few hours behind schedule and managed to get to dinner a little before ten. It was neat as we filled out this corner pizzeria and I stood up in the middle of it to bless our food. The team was great. No one had an attitude about the ninety-plus degree heat and lack of a/c at the church where we are staying We are really confident that it’s going to be a great week.

Day Two - I should have mention this earlier, but forgive any typos. I’m posting these articles with my iPhone. We have had an awesome Monday so far. This morning our guys began working on one of the church’s bathrooms. Others began stamping tracts and bagging them. We brought six-thousand with us. Once the rain cleared, one team began to distribute fliers to neighborhood kids inviting them to the daily kids clubs. After lunch, we fixed sack lunches for homeless people and distributed them along with bottles of cold water. Later in the afternoon, one group began working the kids club while the rest of the team either prayer-walked or cleaned at the church (or both). I couldn’t be more proud of these guys. They are really sharing the love of Christ. We’re all excited about what is going to happen next. Tonight we’ll be grabbing our subway passes and hitting the Big Apple.

Day Three - Tuesday was another busy day for our Mission Team (fortunately, it was only really hot instead of really, really hot). Our guys continued to work repairing the ceiling in one of the bathrooms, and began installing a new ceiling in another one. While they did that, our ladies worked in a clothes closet and helped reorganize a tract closet (thousand of tracts in at least four languages). After lunch, everyone kept working on their projects and our kids club team went a few blocks away to hold today’s kids club. In between, a team walked down to a gathering of homeless men and took them lunches, water bottles, and tracts. In addition, a couple of our men helped replace the battery in the Spanish church’s van (it had broken down on front of the church). A few of our ladies had a neat experience whole shopping for the food we use to pack lunches for the homeless. A produce clerk in the grocery store overheard them talking about it and gave our ladies money so they could include fruit in the lunches. Our team has been real excited to touch lives in different ways, even during our free time. Last night while we were walking to the Staten Island Ferry, a lady on the street stopped me to make a sales pitch for her charity. I had the chance to tell her that we were in New York to share the love of Jesus and ask her if anyone had ever shared that with her. We can’t wait to see what Hod is going to do next.

Day Four - We had another great day today. We had a team prayer walk this morning and they handed out a ton of tracts. A second team set up a table where they handed out cups of water and tracts. Both groups had the chance to interact with several people. Our guys finished one bathroom today and have the other one almost done. We also had a team work in a lady’s apartment. She was trying to get it back together after a fire We hung curtain rods and a mirror. We also moved quite a bit of furniture and a couple of our girls even washed her dishes. Before we left, we prayed with her. Another team also handed out more lunches for the homeless. Some of our team is really building some great relationships. This afternoon, out kids club team did a great job and some of our folks had the chance to talk to parents while they kids were taught their Bible stories. Once again, were looking for a great tomorrow.

Day Five - Day five was a different sort of day. We tried to tie up a lot of loose ends since Friday will take us in some different directions The guys had a few minor things to do on one of their bathroom projects. We also continued with what has now become our regular practices – distributing lunches, holding prayer stations, prayer walking, and kids clubs. In addition, our guys all felt like we wanted to do something more for the lady we helped the day before so we decided to buy her an air conditioner and install it for her. As you can imagine, she was pretty excited once we showed her the box and she realized what we were talking about. She stood in the street and threw up her hands and said how blessed she was. It was especially neat for us too when we realized it was her birthday. On Friday, we will spend most of the day preparing for a community cook-out and concert. During that event, we will be handing out tracts and staffing a free flea market. We plan to leave early Saturday morning to begin the trek home. We have been blessed in so many ways. Not once have I heard any of our team complain about what we have asked if them. Each and every one has willingly served in whatever opportunity presented itself – whether it was big or small. Even the little things on a trip like this take time and effort. I’ve watched some in our group kick soccer balls with preschoolers who don’t speak any English. I’ve been amazed as some of our ladies spend time going to the market each day and then work in a kitchen thats the hottest room in the church (and remember, we’re talking no a/c or working windows in the midst of a heat wave) to prepare our breakfast and lunch. I’ve been blessed by the way Individuals on our team have developed a heart for store clerks, restaurant staff, and grocery baggers. I’ve seen them go out of their way to engage thee folks in some way or another. I am so pleased with the desire to do whatever, whenever, however-whether going the extra mile on a project, or standing on the street corner singing VBS songs. Everyone has ministered faithfully regardless of heat or fatigue. I couldn’t be more proud of their work or behavior. They all have represented our Lord and our church well.