FOUR HOURS TO CROSS THE GLOBE

Did you know that a four-hour flight from DFW Airport can take you to the other side of the world? On July 22, Andy Beams, Jeanna Wright, Robert Slaughter, Jennifer Montgomery, Jonathan Blissit, Aaron Geoghan, Herb Alfrey, and Donna Gleason met at DFW to head to New York for a week of ministry with West Africans living in Harlem. The flight to New York City is not long but one can experience just about any culture in the world in New York.

New York City 's population is more than 60% foreign born and in 2005, over 170 different languages were spoken in the city. As one of the most populated cities in the world, this means that there is a huge population of immigrants and refugees, many of whom still have strong connections in their home countries. Where are all these people coming from?

In 2005 about 3.5% of the city's population was South Asian, making it home to a quarter of our nation's South Asians. Chinatown in Manhattan became the largest community of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere in the 1980's. Since then, the Chinatown area of Queen's has surpassed the population of Chinese in Manhattan. New York City has historically been home to large populations of German, Irish, and Italian immigrants but in more recent years populations of Brazilians, Puerto Ricans, and Africans have grown into enclaves throughout the city.

The team from 121 spent the majority of their time in the Little Africa area of Harlem. Here they were able to interact with African people from West African countries such as Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso. Many West Africans began immigrating to America in the 1980's but since 9/11, immigration has slowed considerably. Most of the West Africans living in New York are Muslim and have had few opportunities to hear the gospel.

Chris and Nicole have spent a year building relationships and seeking ways to plant a church among these people. Chris lived in West Africa for almost two years before a serious illness forced him home to America. After recovering he returned to Africa and once again became so sick he was unable to stay. Nicole also spent time working in West Africa. Because of their knowledge of Africa and Chris being able to speak a West African dialect, they have already built some key relationships with many West Africans.

One of the first steps in church planting, especially among unreached peoples, is mass seed sowing, which simply means sharing the gospel. Short-term teams are very important in completing this task. The week in Harlem was spent manning tables where free copies of chronological Bible stories in various West African languages were given away. Two tables were set up, one on the main street in a community where a large number of Senegalese live and do business and the other on 125th Street just a block away from the Apollo Theatre.

Some very important contributions that 121 volunteers were able to make are relationships that were built with the Senegalese community. Up until that time Chris and Nicole had very little interaction with the Senegalese community. The majority of the Senegalese in NYC are Wolof; there are about 30,000 of them living in the Metro area and they are less than 2% Evangelical Christians. Their primary religion is a sect of Islam known as Muridism. Ironically, one of their most important religious events of the year took place the last Saturday the 121 team was in New York. The Murids from all over America converged in NYC to take part in an annual parade that honored their leader, Amadou Bamba. Earlier in the week the group that set up tables on 116th Street were able to meet the leader of the Senegalese Association of New York who in turn invited them to the mosque to meet the Imam and then also to attend the parade on Saturday. So early on Saturday morning the team met up with Chris and walked to the area where the parade was set to begin. A large crowd of Senegalese had already gathered, all in traditional dress. The team was ushered from one spot to another and it wasn't long before they realized they were not just watching the parade but they were in the parade! By walking about a half a mile with this group the doors were opened for work to be continued among the Wolof of New York City.

The trip made quite an impression on 121er's as well. For several of the members this was their first venture into organized missions. Robert Slaughter began the trip somewhat hesitant but left New York with a new sense of God's desire to make Himself known through us. “I don't feel like an evangelist, much less a good one. Yet in spite of my self-perceived shortcomings, God used me to reach the unreached. It's important to be patient, not to give up and let God unfold things in His way. I don't think one should be cavalier about missions, but it's not mandatory to be totally prepared in a ‘professional' kind of way. God's much bigger than that and is not thrown off by one's lack of knowledge or spiritual education… even one's shyness, for that matter. I think He just wants obedient, earnest hearts. So, if God can use me, feeling inadequate, overwhelmed, nervous and out of place, He can use anyone who is willing.”

New York is truly a melting pot for the world. What better place to share Christ and have it effect nations on the other side of the world? Most major cities in America have a fair number of immigrants and refugees from all over the world. Missions today does not mean that you have to live in a mud hut in Africa – it can mean living in a New York apartment in Harlem or frequenting the Indian restaurant down the street from your home in Houston. Take a look around the Dallas/Fort Worth Metro area and see where you can touch lives on the other side of the world! It's all about opening your eyes and being willing to be used by a Global God who is bringing the Nations to our doorstep!

::Donna Gleason

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