The summer of 2011 has been one that we would consider a success story. As AIM staff, we have had the privilage of watching high school students transform and grow in the course of a week. We have seen people who thought they didn't matter to anyone see their own worth in a simple act of prayer. The Lord has done many things this summer both in the people we have met in ministry and the paticipants we have been privilaged to work along side. We have watched each other grow and change. We have received direction from the Lord for our lives, and confirmations as well. The Lord is good, always.
In many ways this summer has proven to be much more than we anticpated. Our team has actually served in two other locations besides New York, including Appalachia and Alabama. We have traveled as a team over 2,200 miles in 10 weeks. All of the locations we have served in have been amazing and God has worked in ways that only he can. In Appalachia, we watched a youth group go from being stone faced in worship to all out worshiping God and asking for prayer and crying out before the Lord. It was amazing. In Alabama, we worked along of the AIM staff there and the adult participants to complete a roof and work on the home of an elderly couple. They have been though much in the last year, from a car accident leaving the husband bed-ridden to a tornado that destroyed much on their property. It was truly a blessing to hear the people of Alabama tell us all that they had and all that had been spared, even though much of what they had lost many of us couldn't live without. Their testimonies were truly inspiring.
In New York Metro, God shed his love upon all of his children reguarless of their social standing, race, creed, or willingness to accept. We served in soup kitchens, street ministry, prayer walks, taking time for people, and with a simple smile. That is how people could tell you weren't from the City, if you smiled or took time to help them with something. What a blessing it is to people when we take time out of our daily lives to share a smile, a hello, a moment to really understand them or their life. We can make a difference in someone's life by just praying with them. Thank you Lord for giving us the tools to spread your love with those around us!
One week, the same week that it was 100 degrees across the country, we walked the streets of Manhattan passing out 12 cases of water to people in transition and on the street. As we passed them out, we prayed with the people we encountered. Later we found out that 20-some people had died from the heat on the streets that week. It made us wonder how many people our team may have saved from the heat and touched them with our simple prayers.
A youth group from Ohio wanted to tour the city on a Thursday. We agreed to take them on the condition that they continued to exercise the lessons they had learned that week (prayer walking, street ministry, etc). We were amazed by this group because not one person was missed as we walked the streets. They stopped and handed out water, asked to pray with people, and gave their own food away until there was none left. They sang on the streets as we walked, and then they and the group from New Jersey serinaded the people waiting to get on the Staten Island Ferry with songs like Our God and Amazing Grace. Both groups that week served above and beyond.
On our fourth week, we had groups from Tennessee and Pennsylvania. They were eager to get into ministry and worship! On our first night of worship, the Spirit fell so heavily on the room. During the second song, the kids were on their faces praying with each other and worshiping. They were all in tears and the Spirit was moving SO strongly. We ended up worshiping for over two hours that night! So many chains were broken and kids were set free from intense emotional and spiritual bondage they had been trapped in for years. It was a powerful night! Seeing the kids worshiping on their knees was also a fulfilment of a prophecy given to me (Lydia Morris) while I was at training camp. It was alltogether a very encouraging night in the Lord's presence.
Week after week, we had amazing youth groups, and we could write something special about each one. The Lord has done an amazing work this summer. He has shown Himself to be mighty, true, glorious, personal, everything that his word says about him. He has revealed the true identities of people through his word as well. We have been blessed and all glory and honor we give back to God in praise!
