What happened in New York City?

Well I wanted to write an update for anyone who is wondering what happened over my spring break. I hope this message finds you well as well as I am, refreshed to know God is certainly good. For one week a group of us from VCU stayed in Harlem and traveled on the subway everyday to Washington Heights to work with an organization called Operation Exodus. If I had any expectations before going, they were certainly shattered the first day.

When we first got to New York we had the opportunity to go to times square and walk around the city with all the bright lights. Sunday we went to a church called Redeemer which I was super excited about because the pastor there is an author that I like a lot. His sermon was the prefect set up for the week. He spoke about examining what our rightgeousness hangs on. Do we rely on our jobs or skills or kids or money to be what makes us who we are? Do my grades in school make me right with God? No Christ is our righteousness and to cling to him is essential in all aspects of life.
Monday through Friday was essentially the same with fun notes here and there. We would spend four hours in the morning working on organizing and cleaning up the facility that the kids come to after school. When the kids would arrive at 3 in the afternoon the choas would start. It was quite sobering to see the lack of respect the kids had for authority but their willingness to spend time working and talking with us was surprising. I think the main goal of the week for us was to make God's grace clear to these children. Most of them were of Catholic backgrounds or apart of homes that were very legalistic in nature. It is so important that we all know that it is nothing that can be done on our part but all of what God has done on our behalf. To make the impression on these kids that they are not good enough on their own, but need to embrace Jesus to be right with God was what the week was about (for them and us).

We want to continue to pray for this organization, the people who work there and the children who attend. We want to pray that God will use it for his glory and to bring people to understanding of his wonderful grace that is so essential in eternity. I am very thankful for the outpouring of grace by the people in my life who provided the finances, way more than was need for me alone but benefitted the group. I am extremely humbled by the many many things God has been teaching me over the last week in numerous ways.

"What do you think God's favorite color is?" --A first grader

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