Only The Beginning….

Today marks exactly one week since our students arrived in NYC for the summer. It has been a busy, busy week for our staff and students as they got oriented to the city and navigating around, went through lots of briefing from the history of NYC to how to spend time in the Word to how to share their faith, did a scavenger hunt around the city, spent two days on campus sharing getting into spiritual conversations, went to our first Ethnic dinner at an amazing restaurant in Chinatown, had our first family dinner at a local apartment, spent time getting to know each other, and so much more! Here are a few of the students and staff joining us this summer:

We have loved meeting them, hearing their stories, and watch how amazed they are with this city (and how tired from navigating it) and it is so fun to think that in 4 weeks, they will be radically different. As the staff were sharing about our week this morning, it was fun to hear the staff who paired up with students who were here last year (3 students came back this summer who were here last summer!) talk about how fearless and confident and faith-filled those students were as they went on campus for the first time this week. It is just such a reminder that ALL of our students will be like this by the end, Lord-willing.

And some fun, fun news! This week, our team went on different campuses like Columbia, NYU, and LaGuardia Community College on Wednesday and Thursday this week and both days, someone in our group saw a student place their faith in Jesus. The first day was a guy named Gabriel at LaGuardia Community College and the second was a girl named Joscelyn (pictured below) at LaGuardia Community College. Now, we will attempt to meet up with them regularly, helping them to grow in their new faith and get plugged into Christian community through a church.

Students spent time reading their Bible and journaling this morning and then we have a student social in Central Park and at Top of the Rock (seeing the city from way high up!) this afternoon. Then, they and the staff (who have been here 10 days now) get a much needed Saturday and Sunday morning off/free. Here are a few fun pictures of their time so far in the city – the first few are the scavenger hunt they did in the city.

5 people squeezed into the back of a taxi cab!

22 people squeezed into a small NYC apartment! Prayer walking around NYU!

Eating our first Ethnic dinner in Chinatown!

Our kids are loving that project has started – they feel like they have 21 new best friends to play with!

While it is hard to balance project responsibilities with the girls in school and real life continuing for us with church and friends, we are enjoying our staff team and students and are excited about what God is going to do this summer. Thanks for your prayers and support!

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