Today was a great day! After waking up, packing our lunches and watching
Jeff Hall eat his cinnamon chex (A group event), we departed on a journey as Donn Truax led us to the Change of 1 Ministry building. It is very impressive and definitely being filled with and used by God. Donn later guided us through the jungles of the G-Ville streets. He educated us on the communities struggles and issues surrounding three main parks: Waddell Park, Boulevard Elementary playground, and Melchoir Park. At each of these three parks we prayed for the people and area around it for God to awake them for His Name. Donn fondly remembers
Duncan Tennant (a youth member who wanted to go on this trip) who came to Gloversville last year mention the abrupt division between the other parks and Melchoir Park.
As we discovered, this town was once very wealthy because of its leather industry, even reaching the third richest county in New York State, but is now the poorest. We learned that schools are constantly filled with gossip about who got high, drunk or pregnant, and here, seeing sixteen year old girls pushing their toddler(s) in strollers is "normal". We learned that domestic abuse is common and that the kids have
nothing to do, so they resort to dealing or doing drugs in abandon houses or playgrounds, promiscuity, etc. We realized that the family unit, the basic foundation of human civilization, is very distorted if not mostly absent here, with countless missing fathers, runaway kids, and . And the result? Kids are being raised without motivation, without support, but mostly,
without hope.
We then contemplated why these divisions are in our world, why are all relationships broken,
why are we broken? The answer is something that we will attempt to share on this trip, but something that a lifetime will still not even start to comprehend: We are sinful, and the solution is
Jesus Christ. Donn's heart in his ministry is this concept that we can't change everyone for Christ, but we can
Change the World for One. As we have seen this area, it is easy to realize that Change of 1 Ministry and the people of God here are the light. Although hundreds of boats could be lost at sea in a storm, it only takes one lighthouse to help them see the direction they need to go in- that is C1 in Gloversville. Despite all the current economy decay, employment decay, drug use increase, pregnancy increase, etc, C1 glows and welcomes people in with the Name of Jesus as a safe place. C1 has a sign out front which says, "Check your status at the door," meaning: It doesn't matter what your race or socioeconomic background is, or what is in your past. At C1, we realize we are all on the same exact foundation: we were made in the Image of God, giving us all equal dignity and worth.
As we first pulled up to the C1 building this morning, Tyler Lynn's friend from last year, Frank, was waiting for him at the curb of C1. When some from our group approached Frank, all he responded with was,"Where is Tyler?" It is truly amazing the impact that the relationships from last year, such as this one, has made. Jeff Hall talked with and encouraged a new acquaintance, Dave, who was doubting God and had many questions. I realized today that although this city is amazingly humbling in its dire depravity, but there is something peculiar about it. Even in a place as seemingly dark as here, hope is here and is universal, because God is omnipresent. I met a local rising senior in high school named Zack on our prayer walk (where we prayed with C1 people around the community) who told me of his dreams to be a local band teacher or sports coach so he could make a positive change for God here. He led our group's prayer walk with enthusiasm and yet sorrow, reminiscing on the towns deep devastation but yet the hope in God. A local C1 youth girl named Bethanne told me of her recent car accident which led to serious chest and back surgery. Today was her first day out of her back brace, and she laughed at how happy she was in her flexibility now. Wow, am I proverbially living in the ball pit at Chuck-E-Cheese. We are being slowly humbled at how, what we consider suffering, is nothing compared to the circumstances here and elsewhere. Ultimately, that leads us all to the foot of the Cross. Only He can be our foundation and our salvation. Praise be to the God who is forever Holy and Good! Amen
P.s. Pictures will be coming tomorrow!
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