The highlight of our day today was going to St James Square park in the south Bronx! This park had everything and there were people everywhere. Some of the guys found a soccer game to join, some played basketball. Watching playground ball in the Bronx is an education and I will never ever again complain for getting fouled in a game as it would be a like pat on the back compared to the "muggings" I witnessed!! We also played with children playing in the playground. Many people saw the love of God and heard the truth of the Gospel yesterday.
We would like to share about the people that we have encountered, encouraged, touched, listened to, played with, hugged, sang with, cried with, and loved. These are people that God loves and hopefully, by telling some of their stories here, you will see that they affected us as well.
Rico - a young man that was by the basketball court that trusted Christ after Josh, Moses and Brooks tag-teamed in sharing of the Gospel. Brooks later got to play a game of 3 on 3 with Rico and some other guys and then prayed with them before we left.
Isael - a young man who trusted Christ as his friends Brandon, Passion and a few others listened.
Steve - a homeless man from Pennsylvania who was looking for employment.
Philip - a man from Jamaica Josh and I met on the subway. He travels all over the world cleaning up sites from hazardous materials like lead and asbestos. He had never heard that God loves him and had a look of amazement as he heard that Jesus took his place. Our conversation was cut short when we had to get of the subway, but we left him with a tract and we are praying that God will put someone in his path to reap what was planted.
Lauren, Genesis, Lilliana, Jared, Michelle, Kevin - kids we loved on at the playground who begged us to come back when we left.
James - a veteran that Caleb got to know. He asked that we pray for his daughter Lashaunda who is joining the Air Force.
Karen - a victim of identity theft that resulted in her losing her apartment. She doesn't have the money for attorney fees to get her life back. Lauren and Ryan gave her a lunch, shared the Gospel and prayed with her.
Cassie - a young girl that Nancy showed love to even through a language barrier.
James and Darren - Buddhists that Josh and Paige met in Times Square.
Joe - a friendly homeless man who knows the Lord He encouraged us more than we could imagined. He selflessly took the lunch we gave him and gave it to another homeless person. He asked us to pray for a boy who had cancer. He talked with the group, laughed with them and challenged them. When the group left he said "I felt like I was with family."
Arthur - another friendly homeless man who loves the Lord.
Junior, Fernando, and Alvin - three of the young men we played soccer with on Monday who trusted Christ.
Jose, Jose, and Raul - played soccer with Ryan and Tad and heard the Gospel.
Stephanie - a girl that Jamie witnessed to and got to know.
