Week #1

To be honest I am not even sure where to begin. I can tell you I appreciate all emails, prayers, and phone calls I have received from everyone at home! This week has been the most exhausting, trying, and rewarding weeks of my life. The first week of my journey has shown me a world I was not familiar with. It is a challenge to try and convey the things I have seen, heard, and learned over the last week. The sheer size of the Newark/New York City area is unbelievable! I heard this week that 1/10th of the U.S population lives within 100 miles of my home here in Elizabeth, NJ. The traffic is crazy, and I don’t think that anyone knows what a turn signal, stop sign, or speed limit is. There are 170 languages spoken daily in New York City. For the first time in my life I wish I would have paid more attention in Spanish class! There is an estimated 70,000 homeless in the NYC area. Our goal at New York City Relief is to provide a pathway to help and hope to the poor and oppressed. We use food and clothes as an in to get to the more serious needs of those who we serve. There are two relief buses that go to Newark, Bronx, Harlem, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. We are able to give out 450 to 1050 servings of soup, bread, and hot chocolate per day. It does make a difference, but the need goes way beyond what you can even comprehend. The use of drugs is noticeable at every stop. The difference between each stop is noticeable as well. Most of the people we serve are open and receptive to help, but it has amazed me how picky, unappreciative, and greedy some can be. Greed doesn’t appear to have a tax bracket attached. It is more exhausting than I ever imagined. I have had jobs that were physically and even emotionally exhausting, but the added spiritual element, that has been amazing, take so much more out of me. There is so much that I do not understand, and can’t comprehend. There have been 3 events that have stuck out in my mind this week. We were in the Bronx at Love Gospel, and a lady came in who was a severe drug addict and suicidal. We got her to come inside the bus, and talked to her about getting help that she so desperately needed. We called the ambulance and prayed that she would stay until it got there, which she did! The second was in Harlem, which was by far the roughest of all the areas I went. The crack house, prostitutes, and people were incredible. To the left of where we parked was a hotel that rents rooms by the hour and too our right was a well known crack house. The area is also well known for the number of homeless. The homeless are very resourceful… the things that we would just toss aside in a trash can they would find a way to use. The third event that sticks out was today when we were in Brooklyn. The site is where a lot of children come hang out and get something to eat. I was able to stand outside and make balloon animals for the kids there. The smile on those kids faces is something that I will never forget! I have so many stories and observation I could go on for pages! I have posted a slideshow that I hope is working correctly, and I hope you take the time to look through. It is just a few of the pictures I have taken. I will be sure to post more as they come in! Again thank you so much for your support, prayers, and encouragement.

God Bless

Andy