Catching Up

We'll be coming home tomorrow after a full and busy 5 days. On Thursday, we went out to the Bronx, to St. Peter's Episcopal Church. This church, formerly spiritual home to wealthy people with summer estates out near Long Island Sound, has fallen on harder times as the neighborhood has changed around it. We were there on the day of their weekly lunch soup kitchen. Four of the youth worked there, four of the youth helped pick up trash out of the historic graveyard (ask one of our youth to tell you some stories about that graveyard!) and the rest of us cleaned the entire enormous church until it shone. A highlight was getting to go up into the bell tower.

Friday, we rotated groups into the same three projects where we served on Wednesday. Ask our youth about the seniors they met at the senior center in Brooklyn, or about the range of men, women and children who ate at the soup kitchen on the Lower East Side, or about how the food bank on the West Side is set up like a store. Ask our youth who they spoke to, and what they learned about how people get by when they are not rich, in a city focused on and powered by incredible wealth.

Having Fun

In between, we are managing to have a good time. Staten Island Ferry ride, Top of the Rock, Central Park and Times Square. Today, we had an exclusive backstage tour of "The Lion King" and saw how all the puppets and special illusions work. Tonight, the Yankees play the Colorado Rockies.

Faith Walk at Ground Zero

We are still filling in Wednesday activities. Here are some pictures from our Faith Walk at the World Trade Center site. Rev. Kathy, a Lutheran deacon, took us all around the site, telling stories of firefighter heroics, miraculous rescues and the love of God that was visible everywhere, even in the midst of that destruction. The church photos are at St. Paul's, where responders came for solace, food, companionship, music and support. The construction photos show you how the reconstruction at the WTC site is developing.

Working in the City

Three groups went three different directions yesterday. One to a soup kitchen/food pantry on the lower East Side, one to a soup kitchen in Brookly, and a small group to a food pantry on the upper West Side. On Friday, the groups will rotate around at these same locations. More than 500 people were fed at the two soup kitchens. Some folks got blisters from chopping so many onions, potatoes and watermelons. We met interesting people who came to eat. Here are some snapshots from the day.

Snapshots of the Journey

Yesterday was a long day of travel. Here are some photos that capture the spirit of the day.

Time to get to work

Today our group splits into three. We will be going to work at a soup kitchen, a food bank and a senior center that has a food bank. We will be hitting the subway early, starting at about 7:30 a.m. We then plan to meet up at 3 at St Paul's at Ground Zero for the Faith Walk.

We are here

We have arrived at LaGuardia and are waiting for the vans to take us into the city.

One Day AWAY!

Everyone should be packing and preparing today. Tomorrow, ASEC folks gather at 11:15 in the All Saints lot, ULC folks gather at 11:30 in the ULC lot. Then it's off to the Big Apple. Don't forget to pack your journal or a small notebook. Bring snacks if you think you'll get hungry.

Pray for positive spirits, good work, and safe travels.

Getting Ready to Go!

Our last planning meeting for the trip is Sunday, June 12, at 5:30 p.m. at University Lutheran Church. All travelers and their parents must attend. We gather at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21, to begin our adventure. Keep us in your prayers.