Being on mission in New York City was an emotional rollercoaster. So was coming home. But I would go back and do it all over again! I miss waking up with 27 people, un-showered, no make-up, at 7AM after sleeping on a deflated air mattress.

Here is one story. On Thursday we split into groups, each with a designated site. We were given questions which required us to talk to strangers about homelessness in NYC. Examples: “How is homelessness affecting New York City?”, “Where's a good spot to get a free meal?”

My group's area was Times Square. March 17: St. Patrick’s Day. The streets were flooded with drunk, hung-over teens. One of our tasks was to buy lunch for a stranger. My group spent over an hour trying to buy someone lunch. Some people ignored us and kept walking. Others thanked us but declined.

 Lewis was leaning against a pole on a street corner. When we explained that we were a church group from Canada, reaching out to the people of NYC, he replied, “Oh, I’m not homeless!” We said that we wanted to buy him lunch, and we were reaching out to not only the homeless, but others as well. He said, “Sure!” It was music to our ears.

When we returned with a hotdog and coffee, Lewis was surprised. “I didn’t think you guys would come back! Thanks!” He smiled and we did too… it was contagious. Lewis was 23. His parents had died when he was 16, within 20 days of each other. He had lived on Long Island, then Florida, and finally New York City. He said we had made his day! (which of course made ours.) “You didn’t help a homeless man, but you helped someone who really needed it.”

I found that most people have a lot to say… you just have to listen. Sometimes I think God is like Lewis - standing silently at the street corner. You have to talk to God, invite him into your heart. He won't barge in. God has a lot to say, you just have to listen.