January 2012's W&W10: The Father's Heart Ministries

photos via The Father's Heart

A little boy got a seat on the train today and smiled at me- and I felt instantly better. I looked over and saw an old man smiling too, pointing out to a stranger who had accidentally dropped something. On rough days like today, a crowded NYC train commute usually only makes things worse. But today- I saw a glimpse of how it should be- passengers polite and considerate to each other, and giving up their seats for the elderly and for children. The "happy place" I go to on bad days is a re-imagination of how things should be; with things working properly, of us reaping everything we sow, and having satisfying relationships and communication with one another. An imagination of how God intended things to be, or just a longing for heaven. Today I saw what a restored train ride could look like. 


Its said that the things of God's Kingdom are upside down and backwards, in which the last are first, and the first are last. This past Saturday I volunteered at a soup kitchen in which this kingdom logic was applied and the poor were considered the first. The poor and homeless were brought in from the cold streets and seated at the head of the table and served restaurant style breakfast and waited on by servers. 


It was my first real experience with the homeless in NYC. I grew up in a middle class suburb and had very little exposure to the poor and homeless. But since moving to New York City, I encounter them every day. Other than the occasional dollar I've given away, or my apple that was denied the other day, ("But it's organic!" I insisted), my interactions with them have been very limited. And truthfully, I'm not sure what the right response is. Once, after giving a dollar to a man on the street, he proceeded to follow me for a block or two. I think he may have just been lonely, but as a young female, it had made me feel uneasy. And I'm often hesitant to give money because I'm not sure what harmful things it could buy.


The soup kitchen I volunteered at is called The Father's Heart Ministries and its located in the East Village. I was surprised at how many volunteers showed up, and to find that most of the volunteers looked very much like me, young working professionals. I wondered if they had like me, felt somewhat unsure of what our appropriate reaction was to be for the many people we passed on the streets, and wondered if there was something more we should be doing. The soup kitchen gave us that opportunity we were looking for- a safe environment to interact with the homeless of New York City and really engage with them. 


The morning begins with a live band playing music to welcome our "guests" (the homeless, the unemployed, those having a hard-time financially) and we clapped and stood at the entrance to welcome them in. We were told that the ministry really wanted to restore dignity and value back to their guests, and reminded us to treat them like we were serving them.


After seating our guests, we served them hot breakfasts at their seats and offered unlimited seconds. It was a snowy day, so we only had about half of the normal visitors as they usually do- which can be up to 700 each Saturday. This was also a time to sit and chat with them and pray for them.


The Father's Heart does an amazing job of preparing the place every Saturday, cooking the food, and giving out bags of goodies in their food pantry for the many individuals and families that walk through their doors. It was very impressive that they are also able to do everything very efficiently and organized. They explained they are run by donations and volunteers, and by the looks of their facility, its evident there's still a lot of need for building repairs and help. 


I am definitely interested in volunteering again, and its something I would recommend for anyone. It was liberating to be able to see the homeless just as people. Its as if all of the volunteers and guests alike were forced to check all our baggage at the door– our job titles, resumes, wallets, prejudices, and all else that divides us– and we entered a place where we would just be guests and servers. It helped me further envision what a restored city could look like.


For those located in the area, this program is available every Saturday except for the first Saturday of the month. They also offer other volunteer opportunities such as ESL classes and a children's ministry on Tuesday nights. 


Check out their website if you'd like to volunteer or donate to them: http://fathersheartnyc.org/ 
Father's Heart Ministries, our first WW10 for 2012!