We loaded up the van and left the ABT hill at 8:30. Half an hour later, we met Javon at the 80, and we headed east. It was a perfect day to drive with both fog and sun on the colorful leaves. We took the opportunity to stop at a scenic overlook and get some fresh air while several ambitious ones climbed rocks above the overlook.
By 2:00, we arrived at Mission Training Center in Elmhurst, New York. This will be our base for the next few days. Seth Lehman helped us find a parking space, welcomed us to the city, and sent us off in groups of four for an “Experience New York City” activity. We had a list of things to do, such as:
- Ask someone what country they were born in.
- Find out the average price of eels or turtles to eat.
- Find a Hindu or Buddhist temple and pray for light against the darkness.
- Buy an empanada or bubble tea.
The activity ended at a train station where we joined three interns with MTC, and they went with us to via subway to Fathers Love Church, an Indonesian church. Pastor Rene welcomed us warmly and ushered us to the front of the sanctuary. After a time of worship, he gave a talk on Indonesia and shared tips for communicating cross-culturally. Pastor Rene is from Japanese background, grew up in Indonesia, and has a wealth of stories of how culture differs between Indonesian islands and countries around the world.
At the end of the sermon, he taught us how to sing “God is So Good” in Indonesian, and ushered us to the front to face the audience because he wanted us to sing it in four parts. We sang “For the Beauty of the Earth” for them and then they ushered us to the basement for a fellowship meal.
They divided us into small groups so that we could talk with their people while we ate delicious food. We had wonderful conversations, and felt enormously welcomed and loved!
Back at the center, Monica, hospitality manager, served us another (!) supper, then Seth had a short orientation for us. He told us about New York City, this neighborhood in particular, and best practices for our stay in the city.
Elmhurst is said to be the most culturally diverse neighborhood in the world. The local hospital offers translation services for 150 languages, and over 70% of this population was born in another country. We’re at a strategic location to interact with more nationalities than we could ever travel to. We’re excited about the opportunities of the next days!
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