Our day began at 7:00 AM when Monica announced that the baked oatmeal and coffee was ready. We gathered into the Center’s second floor and quietly absorbed the good food and drink. After breakfast, we moved to the first floor where Nathan led a time of reflection, prayer and Worship. After this, Joel took over and gave two classes. The first was “Tools for Evangelism” and the second was “Introduction to Islam.” The first class provided helpful tips for helping others to understand their need for the Gospel and effectively communicating it to them. The second class walked us through the basic beliefs of Islam, it’s similarities with Christianity, and its stark differences. This second class served as helpful preparation for our next activity: visiting a mosque.
The path to the mosque involved both walking on the sidewalk, a subway ride, and a picnic in the park that was along our route.
With lunch in our bellies, we approached the mosque. Friendly staff welcomed us at the door and showed the women to the balcony and the men to the back of the main auditorium. The service involved a series of recited prayers and a sermon from the imam. The imam spoke about judgement day, the questions God might ask, and recommendations for pious living.
After the service ended, the imam gave us his time to respond to our questions about Islam.
Central Park is near the Mosque, so we walked there, scattered across the park, and spent time in solo prayer and journaling.
About the time we were becoming hungry, we gathered back together at the exit to the park and set out for Staten Island. Our journey took us on a ferry and past the Statue of Liberty.
As the city fell behind us, we saw its skyline with buildings reflecting the remaining rays of sunlight set against a deep pink sunset.
On Staten Island, we broke into two groups: one for ordering takeout Yemeni food and the other for ordering pizza. The two groups joined each other on a board walk by the Bay to dine in view of the golden, gleaming cityscape.
After our long return journey, we spent time together reflecting on the events of the day, especially what we observed and heard at the mosque. The long, good day ended with prayer and journaling.
Ministry Apprenticing Blog 