Interacting with the children of Newark

Hey everyone, this is Amanda Aguzzi. Today I finally got to leave the building we are staying in. We all went to a park where we got to talk and interact with the people of Newark. We began with a big group prayer and from there I went straight to play with the children. I had rolls of stickers as bracelets which the children loved. Most of the children I spoke to spoke Spanish so it was a little difficult but I was able to understand them. I had an immediate connection with the children.

After the park, we walked around the city of Newark handing out flyers for VBS. I have been praying that God will use me completely and give me the words I need when talking to the people of Newark. God definitely answered my prayers today. As we walked throughout Newark it was easy for me to approach and talk to the children. I also felt strangely comfortable despite the huge crime rate. I found it surprising that the people in Newark were very open to us. They loved hearing what we were doing and asked to hear more.

Today was a great day. I saw God work in so many ways because of our prayer and faith. Tomorrow we have a ton of activities lined up for us to do.  My group will be doing the first day of VBS. Hopefully I will see some of the kids that I met today. I cannot wait for God to use me more!

New Experiences On A Sunday Morning

Today started out just like any other Sunday morning, with everyone going to church. Sunday morning service is nothing new to most of the people on the trip, but Sunday morning services in Newark definitely are. Different groups split up to go to different churches around Newark, and the group I went with traveled to New Hope Baptist Church. I had no idea what to expect, but New Hope does a REALLY good job of grabbing your attention.

At first, you walk into a beautiful sanctuary, and are grasped by a loud and energetic congregation and band. What is so amazing is that New Hope Baptist Church does the same basic things that the churches in Westchester do, but they do them in a different way. Offering was broken into different colored baskets, each devoted to different areas of the church. Worship was less structured, which surprisingly made it better. The congregation was moved by the music, and responded with praise, clapping, and dancing. The pastor, Joe A. Carter, who half spoke/half sung his messages, was filled with energy. The message was based around one of the last chapters in Revelation, which referred to Jesus as the bright morning star. His references and analogies were easily understood and applicable to our everyday lives. All in all, I felt energized and refreshed after church, and motivated to get out of my comfort zone for the rest of this week. If I get out of my comfort zone and am rewarded by an experience like New Hope every time, I’m definitely going to be looking to get out of my comfort zone more often.     -Chris Neral

First Day, First Scares, First Night

Hi this is Ben torres putting up the first post. So far this trip HAS BEEN GREAT. Although the place were staying in is no looker but the inside is great. It has an amazing game room, a good view from the roof, and soso rooms to sleep in. We have had a lot of free time today but i fear that tomorrow that is all going to change. We wake up at 8:45 for breakfast then its a full day of work. So far we have a great dinner and were wrapping up the day. I eagerly await tomorrow’s adventures and pray that god guides me through them safely. Ben Torres