A local team of volunteers arrived back home safely Sunday evening after spending a week-end in NY city taking part in the Annual Don't Walk by Campaign held by Rescue Alliance. This is a mission to rescue the homeless.
Pictured above is Jon Andre', Pastor Mark Perkins, Elder Ron DeMena, Dave Holnbec k, Clint Schrider, Paul and Bridget Ohlson along with their team leaders Dave and Patty Rower from Street Light Missison of Elizabeth New Jersey.
250 volunteers particpated in training Saturday afternoon at the Trinity Baptist church.
Robin Walters, PR Director of Care-A-Van with Juan Galloway of NY City Relief Bus.
The section of NY city to be searched Sat evening was the East Side. Our team along with one other team was given Grand Central Station.
Many of you have seen the Care-A-Van bus rolling in the streets of Batavia, but here it is pulling into Grand Central Station. The bus was used as an anchor station where the homelss could be kept warm until one of the vans would arrive to pick them up to take them back to Trinity Baptist the anchor church. Here they would receive a hot meal, a place to have a warm bed, and many services and organizations were there to help them get a new start in life off of the streets including drug and alcohol rehab programs.
While part of the team stayed with the bus, others headed off to search the floors of Grand Central.
Here is Pastor Mark with Eddy, a homeless vet. Eddy took up the offer to go back and have a hot meal and to see what other services he could benefit from.
Here is another one of our new friends that got a ride back on one of the vans. Jon Andre' got to pray with this young man and give him hope. He has been struggling the past 9 months on the streets and wants a new life.
Many asked us if we were afraid. There were plenty of security guards and police around the station that welcomed us with open arms.
Dave Rower of Street Light Mission , our team leader leads a man out of the station to the waiting rescue van.
It was a heartbreaking night. Not all of the homeless encountered wanted to go back.
There were 250 volunteers scouring the east side. 206 people were engaged, 80 homeless went back to the anchor church and 25 got assessed for additional services.
I sat down with a 30 year old gal, who was sitting outside Grand Central with a paper cup, trying to get change. She just wanted enough money to get on the subway to go to a friends home. Prayers were offered to all.
Jon Andre' and Bridget kept busy outside offering cookies and blankets to those that did not want to go back to the anchor church.
I just could not imagine being homeless. There was a woman that came onto the bus who had sandals on with socks with holes in it, a skirt and a flimsy jacket. Patty Rower our team leader from Street Mission encountered her on the bottom floor of the station and encourged her to come for a hot meal.
When you first entered the station on the top floor where a bar and restaraunt is, all seemed business as usual. but as you went floor by floor , we found many homeless people in need. Our pockets were lined with granola bars, cookies and information cards given to us at training to give to the homeless.
At the end of the evening, Paul Ohlson founder of Care-A-Van Ministries drove the bus through the traffic, back to our destination of Elizabeth, NJ. He sure can manuever that bus even in NY city!
All in all, it was an sucessful night, searching for the lost. Each team member sponsored their own way to be able to go. Care-A-Van provided the transportation for the team. Our bus broke down twice! But with the help of our Lord and Clint and Jon and an awesome auto place in Bath, we were able to get there and be a blessing to many.
A special thanks to Austin Bonds, Director of Outreach for New York City Relief Bus for helping organizing our trip out and being our host and helping us to get to the city to participate in the Annual Don't Walk by Campaign. Rescue Alliance depends of many other organizations churches and volunteers to help with this event. It was held for 5 week-ends.
We also got the opportunity to see New York City Relief Bus in action Friday night on one of their missions out.
I must say after meeting my new friend Diamond pictured above, I truly know I am right where God wants me, helping giving hope to others and sharing the good news of the gospel and continuing to write and encourage others to get involved in their community. Diamond is a woman, who calls a hallway in an apartment complex her home. She has serious health needs and will be going for surgery this week. We may not have alot of homeless people here in Batavia, but we sure do have alot of people with many needs and alot who need love and encouragement from others.
God bless you all and Keep the Light On!
Robin
PS.. You can see here heading to the streets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCMTjt7oCkE
