DAY 5

Today marked a significant shift in our tour. For numerous members of the group, this felt like perhaps the first day that conversations with strangers and ministry started to flow naturally. It was a day in which many group members felt a new level of camaraderie with their teammates. It was a day in which the routine of spending 1-2 hours of time on the train at the beginning and end of the day along with significant jaunts on the train throughout the day began to feel normal. The men began the tour as navigators through the labyrinth of subway stations, train numbers/letters and directions and the transfers from train to train as we traverse the city. Increasingly ladies are becoming involved in and (at times) leading navigation through the metro system. Finally, today was a day in which fatigue hit the group in a widespread way as day after day of traversing by foot and rail from morning till night is beginning to take it’s toll. Overall, though, it was a great day!

Today was Hindu Day. This morning we headed north to the Woodside and Jackson Heights neighborhoods of Queens. Our team worked today under the direction of Urban Nations Outreach (UNO). One group left early this morning to assist with English language classes at UNO. The remaining group followed a bit later and a number of folks from the second group made a side excursion to Calvary Cemetery.

We also discovered a ghost in the graveyard…

…or it could have been Richard in a raincoat.

We arrived at UNO and found our comrades busily handing out flyers to recruit new students for free English classes.

While the neighborhood included plenty of Hindus, it really was a cornucopia of Asian/Middle Eastern cultures. We discovered that many inhabitants were the product of hospitality cultures and their friendliness was remarkable. Additionally, it was quite obvious that this culture greatly appreciated the modesty of our ladies and was visibly drawn to them. In many cases throughout the day, we were accosted by them instead of needing to start conversation on our own volition.

Students generally found that passing out flyers for free English classes was much easier than trying to distribute tracts.

After completing a competitive Scavenger Hunt in the neighborhood to encourage interactions with the people and culture, students were welcomed to UNO’s 2nd floor facility.

We were oriented to the Hindu religion and then set out via rail and bus for The Hindu Temple Society of North America located in Flushing.

We discovered that the temple congregation was in a 9 day festival to it’s primary diety, Lord Ganesha. Great white tents were set up outside the temple. We removed our shoes and socks under the tent and then padded our way over wet concrete, past the holy plants offered for sale (we were informed that we were not allowed to touch them and that Hindus could take this plant home and pray to it), past the coconut breaking area and into the temple. Photography of the deities was not permitted, however, the temple was filled with idols that were revered by the worshippers. Our tour guide informed us that a certain chant (perhaps 30 words long) would be recited 400,000 times in the 9 day festival as a great gift to the universe. We watched partially clothed priests busily making preparations for the evening activities. Our tour guide informed us that the idol in that part of the building was sleeping and that the chanting and considerably sized fire that would be launched later in the evening would wake him up. Our guide informed us that the temple needed to be cleansed every few years and that the process involved bringing a live cow or elephant into the temple and offering prayers to it. We learned about the attributes of the patron god of the temple and then watched a priest chanting and pouring milk and water over a god and worshipers circling the deities and giving their respect. It tugged at our hearts to watch children being led to give obeisance to these metal images by their parents. It was a sobering time.

Time fails me to tell of the person that got hit on the street by UNO, the Middle Eastern man who found us on the street and would like to send his son to Winter Term or my experience of inquiring about the availability of goats at a live meat market and due to language barrier difficulties…instead nearly having a chicken slaughtered and cleaned for (very) fresh eating. Fortunately, my increasingly urgent protestations stopped the process and resulted in the large rooster being re-deposited into his cage with his head still intact by a rather disgruntled poultry salesman.

We split into groups for supper and found our way to ethnic restaurants in the neighborhood. As my group blundered our way into a Pakistani restaurant and tried to figure out procedures, we were accosted by a Pakistani man who told us he loved Jesus. He insisted on buying our entire group cups of chai tea. We gratefully thanked him and made our way to the dining area. Soon he showed up and began conversing with the wait staff. I was hoping that we had not somehow offended him and made my way over to invite him to join us at our table. Soon thereafter, he came and informed us that he had purchased our entire meal and left a cash tip (nearly $100 in all). We were dumbfounded by his generosity and kindness. If anyone needs diamonds (real ones) or a high end watch, you can find his shop across the street from UNO.

We found our way to Hart Playground (a park) for debriefing before separating into travel groups for the train ride home.

Please pray for us as we turn our attention “kal” to a group that is known for being one of the least hospitable people groups toward strangers in the city.