Mission Tour Recap

As we make our journey home we all begin to reflect on these last 12 days.  First and foremost I believe that we honored our Savior and Lord,  Jesus Christ.  Secondly, I know that we were used to change lives as we saw several children pray to accept Christ as their personal Savior.  I know that we also planted many seeds for the Kingdom and we watered some seeds that had been planted by others.  All of these things were accomplished through the Holy Spirit working through us.  I am always amazed at how God chooses to use these weak imperfect vessels to fulfill His master plan for all humanity.

We have seen our students grow closer to each other as they worked in tandem to minister to the poor and lost.  I am so proud of how each student conducted themselves on this trip, the way they were willing to get outside their comfort zones and how they truly poured their hearts into each musical presentation.  I know that God our Father is also proud of these, His “children”.

We have been used to change lives, but our own lives have been changed as well.  We have all been made better because we have seen the hand of God and felt Him work in our lives.  As we return to PHBC may we all continue our “mission trip”, for there are many people in NLR who need to know Jesus and need to be given “a cup of water” in His name in order to understand that we the Church truly love them.

Thank you for this opportunity to share in service with you for our wonderful Lord.  May God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit alone be glorified!
Phillip Watts

NYC – Day Four Recap

Friday was our last day in NYC!  Physically we are tired; but spiritually we are renewed. 

In the morning we traveled to the Baruch Addition Senior Citizen Center in Manhattan.  The residents were so happy to see us and were truly blessed by the performance.  We were in the gym with no air…but guess what?  We didn’t get hot; the high temperature here was only 79 degrees!!! 

For lunch we headed toward the Empire State Building for a fast-paced lunch before the trip to the top.  Naturally we ran a little late so it was another fast pace to the subway and run to our vacation bible school site.  Small children are fast learners which was evident when we arrived to hear them singing “It’s a big, big house.” 

The prayer stations were once again most impressive.  Total strangers stopping total strangers to ask if they would like prayer adds up to changed lives without a doubt.  During our last day of VBS, several other children accepted Christ and many seeds were without a doubt planted. 

As we walked away from the Johnson Apartments in Harlem, which by the way were built in 1945 and are a group of about ten high rises about 12 stories high, I thought of the history of this location and I believe without a doubt that Park Hill Baptist will be remembered for years to come for the positive impact that was made in the area. 

I guess the biggest scare for me was the subway rides, as a matter of fact, our last ride at about 5:30 Friday afternoon was on a car that had to have over 400 riders!  In counting our times on the subways, we finished with over 25 rides and transfers and we didn’t lose anyone!!  So that friends is another answered prayer for sure!

Fridayf night for Senior Night, our seniors headed to a New York Mets baseball game and another surprise or two. Our seniors did a great job and they will be missed without a doubt.  The rest of us headed out in all directions for one last night on the town.

Kaley Scott did our devotion and encouraged each of us to take what we have done home and apply it to those that we might not be friends with but those that we know.  Kaley summed it up by saying, we prayed with strangers; surely we can begin to pray for our classmates and neighbors.   

Park Hill family: THANKS!!!  Thanks for your prayers and your financial support.  We all love you.  Tonight is a night of praise for our new Christian friends, our safety for the week and our healthy students.  Tonight praise God and pray for our travel to Bristol, Va. for Sunday morning worship at Euclid Avenue Baptist Church and then home to the Rock Sunday night! Our approximate time for arrival home is about 11 p.m.

Captain D

NYC – Day Three Recap

We started Thursday with a long subway ride to Coney Island to the Salt and Sea Mission.  In our pre-visit to the mission the food pantry was observed to be almost empty. Phillip headed down to Times Square and came back with enough food to help feed several dozen of the homeless on Coney Island. 

Pastor Debbie was excited to see us and our food and immediately put several of our kids to work cleaning the mission and moving furniture. She also shared her concerns for the homeless and the need that they have to provide food to those in need. When it was time to head to the Boardwalk for our performance, some of our youth stayed behind to complete their assigned tasks.  Please pray for Pastor Debbie and her ministry on Coney Island.

VBS Day #3 at Spanish Harlem continued to grow in numbers and results.  The Prayer Stations on the street are becoming a story in themselves.  Our kids are reaching out to many who are passing by on the way home from work or school.  Today I noticed the store owners along the way waiting on us as we exited from the underground subway.  They see we are different and wonder what we are all about.  Our prayer is that tomorrow on our last day we will be able to reach everyone we need to reach.  We don’t want to let anyone pass by without an opportunity to learn about our Savior. 

Our Vacation Bible School also grew.  Our one VBS has really grown into three.  We are spread out pretty thin but our kids have been flexible and done crafts, recreation, puppets and bible stories at each location.  Nathan Owens, also known as Paul, has crossed several streets in Harlem dressed as Paul and is getting quite a bit of attention! 

Pray for Friday’s VBS and Prayer Station from 3-5 p.m. (2 p.m Park Hill time).  With the Park Hill body praying for our kids and those that we encounter, many lives may be changed eternally.  As one of the little one’s said today, “I want to be in “that” house that you are going to when you die too!”

Lastly, about our kids, they have been great!  The prayers that have been lifted up for this trip are evident.  Changes are happening; both in our lives and those that we are encountering.  Everyone’s getting pretty tired, so continue to pray for strength and for us to remain alert to our surroundings.

Mike Davis

NYC – Day Three

It’s hard to believe it’s already Thursday. We are leaving at 8:15 a.m. for an hour-long subway ride to Coney Island in Brooklyn. We will be singing at the park and ministering with the Salt & Sea Mission. We also bought food last night and passed it out to the students to donate to the mission today.

We’ll have lunch there and then head back to Harlem for another session of vacation bible school and manning prayer stations.

Pls continue to pray for safe travel and that God will use our students in a mighty way to touch hearts and lives.

David Avery

NYC – Day Two Recap

We had another full, but very rewarding day. I count it an extreme privilege to be on this trip. It is an awesome experience to watch our students sing and interact with kids and adults that they encounter. Julie Jenkins and Phillip Watts have done an outstanding job planning even the smallest of details, but can adjust when needed to keep things running smoothly.

I wouldn’t say our group would qualify as veteran subway riders, but parents you should be proud of the great job the students are doing getting around NYC. Kumar is a big help with this, but the students are stepping up and taking responsibility for themselves and others in the group.

Our first stop was the USS Intrepid, a huge aircraft carrier that housed approximately 3,400 individuals at the height of its service. Our students sang several songs on the deck of the carrier as visitors entered the vessel and walked around. Afterward we all went down to the mess deck and enjoyed a box lunch. Pretty cool!

We then caught the subway back to Harlem for day two of vacation bible school and our prayer station. The number of kids were down today since the children’s camp director took several youngsters swimming. Our students are doing a great job interacting with the kids and playing games with them.

The students manning the prayer stations around the housing development again had great experiences over the two-hour period. It is amazing to see the reactions of people when you ask them if you can pray for them. Some just keeping walking, but others are humbled that someone would care enough about their lives to pray for them.

I met a retired nurse named Gloria today who each afternoon typically sits in her wheelchair outside watching people pass by the complex. She accepted Christ as her Savior at a young age and is concerned about the youth in her area today. She appreciated seeing and hearing about the work of our students in her neighborhood this week and is hopeful God will use the seeds sown this week to change hearts and lives.

We ended the day with a surprise sunset boat ride around the New York harbor. The students got to see the skyline from the water and take pictures of local landmarks. From there we walked around Times Square for a couple of hours before making our way back to the hotel.

Emily Deaver led the evening devotional and reminded everyone that this trip is not about us or for our enjoyment, but the real purpose is to be on mission for God and to make the most of our time here investing in eternal things. Wise and timely counsel. Thank you Emily!

David Avery

NYC – Day Two

The students get to sleep in a little bit this morning. We leave around 9 a.m. to head to the USS Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, home to the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier, which was commissioned in 1943 and participated in World War II and the Vietnam War. We will sing  on the deck of the carrier and have lunch on the boat. Pretty cool stuff!

In the afternoon, we head back to Harlem to lead Vacation Bible School and man prayer stations. We’ll end the night with dinner and sightseeing in the Big Apple.

Keep your comments coming to the guestbook. We read the new ones each night at the end of devotional. Thank you for your love and commitment to continue praying for us.

David Avery

 

NYC – Day One Recap

Wow – what a first day in NYC! We got up early, passed out bag lunches to the students and headed for the subway. This would be the first experience for many on the trip to ride the subway, and thankfully we had no troubles getting on or off the cars all day. Kumar is very good directing us to the right cars and lines.

Our first stop was the Statue of Liberty, which just reopened its crown to the public on July 4. It was a beautiful sunny day and some groups ate lunch early at the base of the statue, which was neat.

Then it was on to Ground Zero, where we respectfully looked out the glass from a nearby building to see the current construction underway. Kumar also recounted his experience on 9/11 from the top of an apartment complex a couple of miles away.

We held our first vacation bible school in Spanish Harlem, which is near former President Clinton’s NY office, at a children’s summer youth camp.

The students did a great job organizing the crafts, games, puppets and music under the great direction from Suzanne Sims. There were about 30 kids ranging in age from 6 to 12 years of age. We’ll be back at the children’s camp every day this week.

Some students also participated in prayer stations on the street outside the complex. There was a little bit of nervousness, which is understandable, but Steve Jenkins encouraged the students to get out of their comfort zones and experience a special blessing from God. Afterward, some said it was the funnest thing they’ve ever done in their life.

Two guys were walking down the street when Cody Gray asked if he could pray for them. One said yes, the other no, but then turned back and said he didn’t know what he was thinking walking away. The man said he didn’t have a home and lived in a shelter and needed to find another shelter.

One woman appreciated being prayed for and encouraged, and said she was coming back on Wednesday so that we can pray with her again.

After two hours, we headed back to the subway and ate dinner at Grand Central Station before making our way to Broadway. Little Mermaid was a huge hit with the students and received a standing ovation. Everyone was grinning ear-to-ear when we left. The sets, lighting and costumes were super impressive. Since so many of our students are involved in drama tech at school, there was as much interest in the technology as the musical itself.

Nathan Owens led the devotional back at the hotel and challenged everyone to see if their lives were led by God or themselves. John Cowling followed up and led the share time. It was evident the first day in NYC had a big impact on our students. Pls continue to pray for safety and God’s direction for the rest of the week.

Steve Jenkins & David Avery

NYC – Day One

NYC Skyline

We hold our first vacation bible school this afternoon. Pls pray the children’s hearts will be open to learning about God’s love. Also pray for our students as they lead this important effort. Suzanne Sims has put a lot of work into planning for VBS. But as we all know, we have to be flexible depending on what we encounter when we get to the site. 

We”ll also have the opportunity to tour the Statue of Liberty at Ellis Island and catch a Broadway play before ending the day.

BTW, I wish I could take credit for taking this fabulous photo of New York’s skyline, but I found it through Google while listening to Frank Sinatra sing New York, New York in the hotel lobby.

David Avery

Philadelphia Rewind

Liberty Bell

Monday was a whirlwind day! We started the day singing at the Historic Christ Church. Even though the crowd is always light here since the facility is primarily a walk-thru venue, it’s important for our students to sing in this historic site. It has wonderful acoustics and serves as a warm-up for the event later that afternoon at the Betsy Ross House.

We set up in the courtyard of the Betsy Ross House, which attracts a lot visitors. The students did a great job ministering to both the visitors and employees.

Afterward, we walked quickly to Independence Hall and saw the room where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were framed and signed.

We thought were were going to miss seeing the Liberty Bell; however, an incredibly nice security guard welcomed us into the museum with minutes to spare before the facility closed so that we could see this important piece of our nation’s history and take a group photo. 

Philly Cheesesteaks

Since we were in the City of Brotherly Love, we had to indulge in Philly Cheesesteaks for lunch. Very tasty! 

Then it was back on the bus for the ride into New York City. The view of the skyline re-energized all the students and sponsors. The students tried to hold their breath through the Lincoln Tunnel. Obviously no one could since it’s a very long tunnel. Fortunately, no one passed out either.

Then something amazing happened. After turning onto 42nd Street and then onto 8th Avenue, we were in front of the Hampton Inn in Times Square in literally just a few minutes. The traffic was incredibly light and we pulled up to the front door. The courteous hotel staff had our keys waiting for everyone, and we were in our rooms. Check-in could not have gone any smoother. Thank you for your continued prayers for safe travel!

Before heading to our rooms, we had the pleasure of meeting one of our missionary hosts for the week – Kumar with Mission NYC. He was born in India, but has lived in New York City for more than 30 years. He has a powerful testimony of how God is impacting his life daily. We are excited about getting to serve with him this week!

Kumar Hiwale and Callie Mellinger

Carrie Mellinger gave the devotional to end the day and challenged us to examine our lives this week while serving God in NYC. Thank you for your words of encouragement, Carrie!

David Avery