This morning we awoke to bid farewell to State College and Penn State and to meet New York City. On our departure, we had breakfast at Sowers Harvest Café one last time. Over the food and coffee, Bryant spoke to us about Alan Kreider’s The Patient Ferment of the Early Church, a book that has captured his attention. He then sent us off with a prayer.
On the four-hour drive, we passed through beautiful mountains painted with colors of yellow, red, and orange fall leaves. Ryan dexterously navigated the big van into the city and brought the crew to the Ministry Training Center safely.
We arrived at 3:00 PM at the Ministry Training Center in Elmhurst, New York. This will be our base for the remainder of our trip.
The Center’s staff and interns graciously welcomed us, showed us to our rooms, oriented us to the week, and sent us out on our first assignment, a scavenger hunt.
The scavenger hunt included 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 and bubble tea.
Since the Center is located in a region of the city that has many first-generation immigrants, many languages, many cultures, and numerous religions, the scavenger hunt allowed us to become acquainted with this area of the city, its people, and its cultures.
Some scavenging groups initiated conversation by giving away flowers. Others found less mediated entries into conversation. Others prayed while they walked. All found good food.
After the activity, we returned to the Center, shared stories of our experiences, completed journaling assignments, shared a snack, and went to bed in America’s most populous city.
Ministry Apprenticing Blog 