NYC

What a trip!! We just got back from a week in New York City with our adult Worship Choir. It was an amazing week!! We worked very hard and played very hard :o). We worked with Metro Ministries while we were there. This organization ministers to children all across New York City and across the world. They reach somewhere around 40,000 kids each through their local and international ministries!! We were incredibly blessed to work with these people and to be exposed to a new way of "doing" ministry. What an eye-opening experience! They have an incredible way of teaching the Word of God to these kids and they help them understand how to live for God in a very simple but impacting way. One thing that really stuck with me was the "4 Important Points" that they taught the kids. This was set to a great hip-hop beat and was done in a rap format. The 4 points are:
1. God Loves Me
2. I have sinned
3. Jesus died for me
4. I need to decide to live for God
Those kids knew the points!! What an incredible way for them to be able to take the message home to their families and teach others about living for Christ!!  Metro Ministries focuses on so many aspects of reaching children for Christ that they do not have the time or man-power to keep up with their facilities. They are working to open their world headquarters in an old Jewish hospital that they acquired 5 years ago. Part of our time with them was spent working on the facilites: moving furniture that had been donated to them, cleaning up lots that were under city violation, working to prepare backpacks for their back-to-school ministry, and various other projects. With the man-power that we took with us (65 people!!!) we were able to complete all of the tasks that they had asked of us as well as a few more . God is good!!                                         

While we were in NYC, we also were able to attend choir rehearsal with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir as well as attend worship with them on Sunday morning. I think that's what heaven is going to be like!! That choir is just as amazing live as they are on their recordings -- and Pastor Cymbala is an amazing speaker! Such a blessing.

We did have a free day on Friday of our trip. Dave and I had a great time exploring NYC and hanging out together. We toured Radio City Music Hall, shopped on 5th Ave, enjoyed cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery, shopped for the kids at FAO Schwarz, and lots of other things, too! We finished that day off with a game at Yankees Stadium (yankees lost, but it was still fun!) We took in a few musicals while we were there; Wicked (a must-see!!), and The Lion King (great costumes!!).

It was the trip of a lifetime with people that were fun to be around! We made lots of memories and took lots of pictures that I will share another time!

And........while we were gone........Jackson and Madison were in Snyder with my family. They are now, even more rotten than they were before!! -- but, they had a blast!!    Thanks everybody for loving on our kids while we were gone. You guys are amazing!!

Love to all --

Karomy