New York Mission Trip, Day 1
The day started out early as the group gathered at 6:00 AM for prayer and departure. We then loaded up in our vehicles and headed down to Milwaukee. Traffic wasn’t too bad as we drove through the big city. Once at the airport we got through security just fine and before we knew it, we were up in the air! Bumpy flight but we made it in one piece to Laguardia. At Laguardia, Pastor Hollmann and several members picked us up and brought us to Christ Lutheran, Woodside, Queens, which is where we will be doing the majority of our work. Pastor Hollmann welcomed us by leading us in Responsive Prayer and delivering a message about how the the unity that all people have in Christ, a unity that transcends race or nationality or tribe, is lived out in the life of Christ Lutheran. He then gave us a tour of the church before we were on our way to the Hindu temple for a visit. Of course, we did not worship there, but we did learn much about this different religion and how it is different from Christianity. We then went on a walking tour of the neighborhood around Christ, an area called “Little India.” This was the favorite part of the day for many of them: being minorities for the first time in their lives, seeing the beautiful saris hanging in the windows, experiencing the bustle of a neighborhood market – all of this was a new and different experience. We then came back, got unpacked, and ended the day by praying Vespers.
