NYC- Week 4: A Time to Stress and a Time to Crash

Another week has flown by and I am left standing in the aftermath. Was my week good or bad? Both. But ultimately good. I can feel refreshed as I sit here in Dunkin Donuts watching a Hispanic family enjoy their afternoon ice cream. My feet are dirty, my clothes are limp, and my eyes fall closed every few words…but I am happy.

Last Sunday morning, I attended Followers of Jesus Mennonite Church in Brooklyn with most of the people from MTC. Many of FJMC's members were in PA for a wedding so church was pretty empty. I enjoyed the service although I was tired (Hmmm.... I'm tired a lot). We had Dunkin Donut doughnut holes during Sunday school. After the service, Lauren and I went to Erleen's apartment for lunch. She lives in the "Lancaster County" of NYC-- funny how those Mennonite idiosyncrasies follow us around. After a delicious lunch, we animatedly discussed Mennonite Colonies. Later that evening we went to Dunkin Donutes with Hubert and Joanna (more affectionately called Huey and Jo).

On Monday, Gary Troyer joined our class at MTC to talk with us about spiritual gifts. For outreach, we went to the bottom of the subway stairs on Roosevelt to pass out tracts. I think I was a spectacle in the middle of Hispanic territory. One man wanted to know what a tall, white, green-eyed girl was doing there. I gave him "La Palabra de Dios."

Allen Roth teaching.

Tuesday was Ellen’s birthday. I’ll nicely refrain from exposing her age publicly. We discussed spiritual gifts during class. We went to Elmhurst Park for outreach and met a Hindu woman and her nephew. Ellen and I learned about traditional Indian weddings. Sheldon was able to talk with a homeless man and lead him to Christ. Horray! After dinner, Bob and I discussed the inconsistencies of Catholicism. Rachel, Lauren, and I went down to the basement to watch The Scarlet Pimpernel. Myreya made us popcorn. Yum!

Wednesday was one of the longest days of my life. It stretched on and on and on and on with no end in sight. We fasted as usual which somehow makes the hours drag. I don't mind the hunger, but I do mind the lack of energy. I can't imagine being a Muslim during Ramadan. Class was intense and right after we were done, we headed out to the other side of Brooklyn for outreach. We passed out tracts and talked and prayed with people when we had the opportunity. Huey, Jo, and I went to an Arabic restaurant for a long overdue dinner. Afterwards we attended the prayer meeting and didn't get home until close to 10:30. I was so tired I wasn't sure that I would last until morning.

But I did and thus began Thursday. I had to lead morning worship for the ladies. I was nervous. Need I say more? I don't remember much from Thursday besides our Ghanaian meals. Hooray for Ghana! Africans eat some really good food...like fufu. Our mission for outreach was to purchase something from the country we are headed to and talk with people from that country. (In Corona, finding a Mexican is not at all difficult.) Myreya took me too a nearby laundromat and forced me to talk with two different ladies. I had a hard time hearing over the roar of the washers and dryers and rowdy children. One lady gave me her address and told me to visit before I leave for Mexico. She was adamant that I need more practice before crossing the border. I thought I was fluent by now. I made a really funny mistake in Spanish that afternoon, but I won't write it on my blog because it's embarrassing....but really funny. Hee hee.

Eating fufu-- our delicious Ghanaian meal.

Me drinking Ghanaian tea.

Friday was a strange day. I explained it in my journal (which I must proudly insert that I have written in every day since I got to NYC) as "a roller coaster ride where every time the tracks dove downward, I remained supernaturally suspended until they came back up to greet me." I'm not sure how much sense that makes now. During outreach, Ellen and I met Jonathan (a young boy on a bike with a flat tire) and Maribel (a JR higher longing for acceptance), and a lady from Cuenca, Ecuador during outreach. I spent the evening quietly, catching up on everything I needed to do.

Saturday finally came--the last day of the week. I was very ready for the week to be over. The day started at the laundromat. Okay, not quite. Lauren got up early and hauled our clothes down four blocks to the laundromat. I joined her as soon as I could roll out of bed. The day was beautiful and we enjoyed it as we waited for our clothes. I told the lovely Ecuadorian laundromat lady goodbye. She told me to stop by when I get back from Mexico and practice my Spanish on her. Lauren and I hitched a ride with Rachel to the FJMC picnic. We had fun just hanging out and eating food and taking pictures with people we really didn't know. We had just enough time in between the picnic and the evening service at FJMC to eat at the Ecuadorian restaurant down the street.

Our album cover (minus the head on the bottom): Ingred, me, Annlyn, and Lauren.

Eating mango shakes and fries at the Ecuadorian restaurant.

That was my week...The extended version. I don't think I'll edit it because it will take too long. LOL. I hope you all are doing good and getting more sleep than I am. A week from today I'll be in Mexico, Lord willing (if I'm not apprehended at the border). Hooray!!!