Day 1 - Chelsea Park

Day 1 done - well, the prep, serve, freeze, packup, cleanup, and debrief.

I got to go to the Portuguese bakery to pick up the bread we would hand out.  One different thing this time was that we also got bagels and loaves of bread (already sliced).  We did not know this was a fairly new thing....until we got to Chelsea Park.  We filled bins for sure, but came away with some empty bins as well.  If I had not seen a couple pictures from when Chuck went a couple years ago....well, I would not have believed this is where we got bread.  I'll post pics in another blog after I have the chance to upload pics.

As we pulled into the Relief Bus base, the soup was made, hot cocoa made, and all things loaded to the buses.  We got the bread loaded when we arrived.  One last potty break, prayer, and our battle cry - "These things we do that others might live" -  and we were off.  

the bus ride in was relatively uneventful.  We were in the old bus.  The bus with no heat.  The bus with natural air-conditioning...even in the winter.  I'm pretty sure there are no shocks left on this bus either, and there are plenty of potholes and little holes and bumps and I think thin lines that felt like potholes!  Anyway - we had a good time of worship (although the music was quite loud for even my taste) that was for personal use.  It was quite important and valuable for me to prepare my heart and mind.  A time of prayer and then we were at Chelsea Park....15 minutes early.  There was already someone waiting...and QUICKLY there was a line that formed.  

Today was a different kind of day for me.  Spent the first 2.5 hours serving hot chocolate.  Got to greet hundreds of people.  Many people smiled.  Many people met my eyes.  And....many didn't.  Some said "thank-you" and some did not.  Some actually said, "God bless you."  and...many did not.  Some people seemed very....."normal."  Others came with all their belongings in a couple bags.  There were a few shopping carts parked along the fence.  There were the few men who loved to "flirt" in their own way.  Compliments on beautiful eyes (and that is NOT something that is a usual compliment to me).   We had many ethnicities represented.  Many Hispanics and Asians.  The Asians spoke almost no English.  They mostly pointed.  And....the women seemed a bit angry and demanding.  I tried very hard to speak to each person whether they received hot chocolate or not.  The lines were long and some guys would get angry if the line did not move quickly.  There were several men who came back for seconds...and thirds...and one guy up to a FIFTH cup of hot chocolate.  Those folks were usually very friendly and began to joke a bit about their returns for more.  It was nice to have a tiny bit of familiarity build even if it was based on cups of hot chocolate.  

this blog will only be SOME of my experiences and early thoughts I've had thus far.  In fact....as I type I am keenly aware that I really haven't thought much yet about anything...and...I need to continue this later.

It's time to shower - when typically I would take the time to ponder.  However, there is the little matter of seemingly unpredictable hot water supply.  

Know these things though:

• Our soup ROCKS 
• Our hot chocolate (Swiss Miss) must really ROCK based on how much we went through today
• "Bread" really means "rolls" - of a particular size and shape....and I guess it MATTERS to many peeps at Chelsea Park.
• Life in New York City - on the whole - is ROUGH.  UNFAIR.  
• The people we see are often hardened, hurt, angry, bitter.
• The Relief Bus is a light in the darkness....
• The Relief Bus brings .... relief....and light....and hope.
• People need Jesus.
• Jesus is the Hope of the World.

For one of the least of these...and we saw approximately 900 people between our site at Chelsea Park and the other bus at West Harlem.  10 of whom had "office visits" requesting serious prayer and intention for taking a next step.  4 people got immediately into that next step program.  

until my next blog....