Tour of the world on the 7 train

A bit after 8 this morning John Ramirez arrived to begin my grand tour of the world, that is the world that has come to America and consolidated in the borough of Queens. John explained that at least four distinct cultures could easily be explored at four stops along the tracks traversed by the 7 train. After a quick cup of coffee and a bagel we began our jaunt traveling just across the river from Manhattan and meeting fellow Georgian and former Georgia Baptist Convention State Missionary Patrick Thompson at a local diner. While Patrick ate breakfast and we nibbled on some sausage and a croissant and drank another cup of coffee he told us about his work beginning to plant New City Church in this rapidly growing area. He has been there three months and has only found one church in this, the fastest growing area of New York. He talked about his dream of hosting sports camps over the summers and of having visiting collegians mingle with area residents, mostly young families of diverse ethnicity, in the park by the river so he and his wife could begin to meet them in a non-threatening place. He talked about the need for more teams of students to come help to conduct spiritual surveys and prayer walks of the area before he could even make solid plans to begin hosting services of worship. He talked about the need to have a ministry center so they would have a home base for mission groups to stay, for ongoing ministry to occur, and for the planned for church to meet for weekly worship. We even looked at a few vacant buildings that might be possibilities for such a center as we walked the neighborhood after leaving the diner. As Patrick and I walked and talked and dreamed I shared with him the names of a few students and alumni who came to mind whom I thought might be perfect to minister here. Perhaps I can bring them up soon!

After leaving Patrick we traveled farther along the 7 line and stopped in little Chinatown. Like its namesake in Manhattan all of the signage and people were Asian - in fact, there were few English words visibly or audibly evident. Even the smells reminded me of my journeys to China and Korea. This place was much less touristy than the larger and more famous version across the river. John took me to a huge food court so I could try an novel import - "bubble tea." Of the appearance of iced chai with milk, the drink had blue pea-sized beads on the bottom of the glass mingling with the ice cubes. Using a large 1/2 inch diameter straw inserted through cellophane seal on top, I followed John's example of stirring the drink, then slurping up drink and beads. The drink was much like iced chai - slightly sweet and refreshing. The beads were a textual surprise - similar to very soft, yet chewy gummies. John informed me they were actually tapioca.

As we left he food court enjoying our bubble tea, John told me that a church was being planted in this area and that students were needed to assist with the early work. He and I begin to discuss how so many students are called to foreign missions and falsely believe they have to leave the United States to work with people groups from other parts of the world. As we walked and talked we were in a place in almost identical to those I have visited in Asia, but yet only a few subway stops away from the largest American city center. Just like overseas, in this vast area of Asian culture here on American soil there are few Christian influences.

Our next stop was in "little India." Again, the smells were other worldly, heavy with curry and garlic and cumin, and the sights of men with the long beards worn by Hindu mystics and of women wearing saris. Shops along the streets sold goods imported directly from India while Patel's Market displayed fruits and vegetables that I have never even seen on the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods or at the Dekalb Farmers Market in Atlanta. I felt oddly out of place as the only white person on the street. John explained that there was one church plant in the area and another one was in the planning stages. As with the previous spots visited, students who feel called to missions or who want to make a difference in another culture are needed to come and spend time getting to know the people groups living here and helping with much of the ground work required to start a church.

Back on the train I was still the lone Gringo as we headed to an area known as Corona. As we exited the raised subway platform the sights and smells of Latin and South America greeted my senses. Our first stop was Iglesias Canaan, a church that was in the middle of a noontime service. We said hello to those at the door and in the office. John waved to the pastor who waved back mid-sentence. As we excited John explained that each church in this area catered to specific groups of Spanish speakers. I ignorantly assumed that any Spanish speaking church would be a place any Spanish speaker would attend. Just like churches back home, culture is just as important as language. While one church might house primarily Peruvians another might be comprised of Dominicans or Mexicans. I naturally began to think of all of our students at UGA who have taken many years of Spanish classes, many of whom have also studied abroad in Spain or South or Central America. How might they use their language skills, their energy, and their passion for Jesus in this area? As we went in search for an Empanada to snack on we talked about ways to begin to introduce students from UGA to the many worlds just across the river from Manhattan.

As we travelled back along the tracks on the 7 train John told me that tomorrow morning I would join the staff for their weekly meeting and we would all begin to talk about how we could possibly implement some of the ideas we discussed today. How can the MNYBA and the BCM at UGA partner together over the next 3-5 years to be a conduit for students to come to Queens NYC and to engage the world with the gospel by assisting the four areas I visited today along with ConnectionNYC?

I continued to ponder that question as Kyle Herring and I traversed the city this afternoon and evening. As an alumnus he too is vitally interested in having his more of his fellow Georgia Bulldogs join him in spreading the love of Christ across the city and potentially around the world through the new churches being planted here.