Green Pastures

Hey everyone!

It’s hard to believe I am at the halfway point of my first semester on Staff at Metro Ministries. First of all, I would like to thank you all for your prayers, support and emails. It means a lot. In this first update, I hope to explain a little better what I am doing for those of you who aren’t familiar with the ministry.

I trained as an intern with Metro Ministries from September – December 2010. I worked in a team in Coney Island. I returned to Metro in March 2011 and joined the Sidewalk Sunday School Staff.

Sidewalk Sunday School is our outdoor evangelism programme. We have specially designed trucks, so we can drive to our locations and set up with a stage to preach from. Each team has their own truck and location. Sidewalk Sunday School runs Tuesday - Friday.

My team – Division 15 – works in Brooklyn. Our team looks like this:

Divisional Leader: Sarah

Staff Members: Fiona, Becky

Interns: Chantal, Robin, Rebekka

Each of us have our own site. One day a week we do not travel with the rest of the team to preach; we go to our sites and do home visits to each kid who attends our Sunday School Programmes. I do home visitation on Wednesdays, then we do Sidewalk at my site on Thursdays. On visitation I remind the kids we are coming and get the chance to build relationships with entire families. Through consistent visitation and building up relationships we earn the right to speak into these kids lives.

My site is called Marcy, and I really love it. My kids are so open and loving. This area needs a lot of prayer. Police cars are always around. Last week there was a shooting near our second site. We step out in God’s protection, but I am so aware of the environment my kids are growing up in.

For a lot of the kids we work with, their lives are not that of a typical child. Many have absent fathers – either deceased, in prison or not around. There are few stable role models in their lives. The conditions they are living are often unsanitary. A lot of our kids are dealing with abuse, rejection and growing up in surroundings where they are cursed at and shown little love. This is not true for every home of course, but as a ministry we aim to stand in the gap to show these precious children how loved they are.

Our Sidewalk Sunday School programmes are about an hour long. We have fun, play games, sing songs, and give away prizes, and then we have a lesson. Our lessons are relevant Bible truths for these kids lives. It is our responsibility to rise up and speak truth and life into their hearts when their surroundings are saying the opposite. For example, last week our lesson was based on God’s strength, and how when they rely on Him, He won’t let them down. They need this hope, when so many people in their lives walk away from them and give up on them.

Saturday is one of our biggest days as a ministry. This is our Indoor Sunday School, which takes place in our church in Bushwick. The kids closer to the Bushwick area are collected in big yellow school buses and brought to church to have fun and learn about God.

Indoor Sunday School is a safe place for so many of these children. The programme is similar to that of Sidewalk Sunday School. We have 3 sessions of Indoor every week. We have separate classes – Pre-School (3-6 years), Big Class 1 (7-12 years).

I am part of Big Class 1. Saturday is one of my favourite days. It is such a joy to see the kids having fun. They have time to come out of their home situations and really meet with God. Seeing them respond to the truth we teach is amazing.

The Bus journey is a big part of Metro Minstries. It is key time for Staff and interns to spend time talking with and loving the kids. Bus journeys can be crazy, but you get incredible opportunities as kids open up about how they feel about the lesson and what they are really going through.

Many of you are familiar with Pastor Bill, the founder of this ministry. Metro was birthed out of his tough upbringing and his passion for those who are living in similar circumstances. Pastor Bill travels every weekend raising money for the ministry.

Prayer Points:

• For Pastor Bill as he travels raising the finance for Metro. For protection and good health, and for complete financial provision for our work.
• For my Division – for wisdom and guidance as we prepare lessons and preach the Gospel to the children.
• For the Sidewalk Sunday School Department – we are facing a lot of issues with housing and sound permits. Currently for a lot of our sites we are unable to use microphones, which is problematic with large groups and fighting against outdoor elements.
• For Marcy (my site) – for protection for my kids, protection for our team as we work there, for peace to fill that place and violence to cease.
• For the Staff – that in the busyness we will ensure that our time with God is our priority, for strength and comfort as we are away from our families.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. It means a lot to know there are people covering us in prayer. Living in the ghetto can be draining. Pastor Bill often says that to do something, you have to get mad about it first. It can be overwhelming to be surrounded by things and situations that are heart-breaking. Please stand with us as we fight to bring hope and love into the lives of these precious children. Your prayers are so valuable. Thank you.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail. There is more information on our website: www.metroministries.org. For those of you on Facebook; on there you will find pictures of my site and kids.

Please keep in touch, it is always great to hear from you all. I miss home a lot, but I know I am exactly where God wants me.

I want to share with you a verse that I love:

“Sing to the Lord; praise His name.
Each day proclaim the good news that He saves.
Publish His glorious deeds among the nations,
Tell everyone about the amazing things He does.”
(Psalm 96:2-3)

It is a joy for me to daily take the gospel to these precious children. Wherever you are, remember each day is a precious opportunity to speak life and truth into the lives of those around you.

Love and prayers,
Becky