New York Mission Trip Wednesday Night Reflections

Tonight the group went over to view ground zero at the World Trade Center and were going over to China Town. No, we haven't been sightseeing the entire trip. We have been hard at it all day today doing more painting, cleaning up the rooms we've already painted, and then more painting of classrooms and hallways at the middle school here on Staten Island. It's been a great experience! Yesterday was our sightseeing day. We worked in the morning and then took the afternoon and evening to see the city. We went over to the Rockefeller Plaza, then caught an off broadway play called "Altar Boys," and then headed over to the ESPN Zone for a while before heading on home. Our days have been long. We've worked hard and played hard. Tomorrow we will do touch up on the school hallways and classrooms and then head back to South Carolina. We will travel all night in our two SUVs by switching drivers every couple of hours. It has been a great trip and I hope to double if not triple our group for next summer.

I am staying at the hotel tonight because I've got to finish the message for Sunday. Anyway, I shared with our group this morning a passage from 2 Corinthians 5 which Paul states, "The love of Christ compels us..." He goes on to say later in the chapter that we are "ambassadors for Christ." It's been a great trip up here to NYC/Staten Island and the people of New York are great. We've seen some awesome sights in the city. But, that's not why we came. We came to help be a bridge of God's love to the people of New York. The "love of Christ compels" us! We have been wonderful ambassadors for Christ this week. Thank you to those who took a week of their lives to be Christ's ambassadors: Gerri Jefferson, Rahel Wilson, Dave & Thor Yearick, Tyler Smith, Logan Yarlett, Patrick Knorr, and Milo Wilson.