Loving People From STL to NYC
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Love changes everything…..I not only believe in this idea, but plan to put these words into action next year as I travel to New York City for the next 10 months. I’ve been accepted to a program to serve others through the NYC DreamCenter Discipleship program http://www.dreamcenter.nyc/ and am asking for help to make this happen, as we are required to fundraise a portion of our living and program expenses.
Beginning in September I will be moving to NYC for 10 months to engage in an internship and leadership program through the NYC DreamCenter. On a daily basis we will be engaging in community outreach through giveaways, adpot-a-blocks, client services, homeless outreach and so much more. We will primarily be working in Chelsea public housing areas, the Bronx and Harlem. In addition, I will be learning crucial leadership skills and how to become a Christian leader in this ever-changing world.
This program costs $9000 to attend. This will be a huge challenge to raise and it is a lot of money, but I am excited for the challenge. Being a part of this program is something I feel called to do over the next year. A college education is still part of my plan in the future, but I know next year will be an incredible learning experience itself. I know that "it is in giving that we truly receive" – and this will become even more evident for me next year. I can’t wait to see how I can share or “give” God’s love to others in NYC.
To learn more about my story and how I got here, read more below. And thank you for supporting me in this new journey.
A little backstory to how I got here...
A year and a half ago if you would have asked me what I would be doing with my life at this point, my answer would surely NOT be moving to New York City to engage in 10 months of ministry work! But over the last 9 months my life has done a 360 turn and changed drastically – and changed in the best way possible.
When I decided to take a mission trip with St. John Church during the summer of 2015 to the DreamCenter in Los Angeles I never knew the effect it would have on my heart. My eyes were opened to a world I never had been exposed to before. A life filled with despair, poverty, food insecurity, danger and homelessness. I had an overwhelming sense of need to do something more. I couldn't just leave LA and not be part of a solution.
This is when my passion started to grow and I would begin to find opportunities to get involved and give back. I began by organizing a school-wide service project, at my high school Ursuline Academy, to benefit homeless teen mothers in the St. Louis area. Ursuline then gave me the opportunity of heading to New York City to participate in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women where I learned about the exploitation and inequalities of women around the world. Then in May of my junior year, just a short nine months ago, what I saw in LA became real when I saw it firsthand in my own city.
On May 17th, I went to the St. Louis DreamCenter http://stldreamcenter.org/ for the first time. It’s located off Kingshighway and Natural Bridge, an area of St. Louis so different from my own neighborhood. I was originally serving at the STL DreamCenter (A Joyce Meyer Ministry) as part of my junior service requirement through Ursuline, but it became much more than a two week service project. I have continued to serve at the Stl DreamCenter twice a week since then and the people there have become like family to me. I also initiated a book drive to benefit the children in North City the DreamCenter serves through St. John Lutheran School (also my grade school and church). It was an incredible success and a great way to have immediate impact for kids.
In late July this past summer, these experiences came full circle for me when I traveled to New York City with St. John Church to serve at the New York City DreamCenter. My time in New York made me realize that God has been preparing me for this my entire life and all the puzzle pieces started to click. This is what I love to do, this is what I find joy in; this is what I would do everyday of my life if I could. Working with people who are often on the fringe of society, who deserve the same love we do, who have been dealt a difficult deck from the start is what pulls at my heart.
I believe that this is what God intended for my life and this is who He created me to be. Because of these experiences and after much prayer, I am so excited and blessed to be part of the New York City DreamCenter Discipleship Program next year! And I thank you for being part of my story to get here.
Beginning in September I will be moving to NYC for 10 months to engage in an internship and leadership program through the NYC DreamCenter. On a daily basis we will be engaging in community outreach through giveaways, adpot-a-blocks, client services, homeless outreach and so much more. We will primarily be working in Chelsea public housing areas, the Bronx and Harlem. In addition, I will be learning crucial leadership skills and how to become a Christian leader in this ever-changing world.
This program costs $9000 to attend. This will be a huge challenge to raise and it is a lot of money, but I am excited for the challenge. Being a part of this program is something I feel called to do over the next year. A college education is still part of my plan in the future, but I know next year will be an incredible learning experience itself. I know that "it is in giving that we truly receive" – and this will become even more evident for me next year. I can’t wait to see how I can share or “give” God’s love to others in NYC.
To learn more about my story and how I got here, read more below. And thank you for supporting me in this new journey.
A little backstory to how I got here...
A year and a half ago if you would have asked me what I would be doing with my life at this point, my answer would surely NOT be moving to New York City to engage in 10 months of ministry work! But over the last 9 months my life has done a 360 turn and changed drastically – and changed in the best way possible.
When I decided to take a mission trip with St. John Church during the summer of 2015 to the DreamCenter in Los Angeles I never knew the effect it would have on my heart. My eyes were opened to a world I never had been exposed to before. A life filled with despair, poverty, food insecurity, danger and homelessness. I had an overwhelming sense of need to do something more. I couldn't just leave LA and not be part of a solution.
This is when my passion started to grow and I would begin to find opportunities to get involved and give back. I began by organizing a school-wide service project, at my high school Ursuline Academy, to benefit homeless teen mothers in the St. Louis area. Ursuline then gave me the opportunity of heading to New York City to participate in the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women where I learned about the exploitation and inequalities of women around the world. Then in May of my junior year, just a short nine months ago, what I saw in LA became real when I saw it firsthand in my own city.
On May 17th, I went to the St. Louis DreamCenter http://stldreamcenter.org/ for the first time. It’s located off Kingshighway and Natural Bridge, an area of St. Louis so different from my own neighborhood. I was originally serving at the STL DreamCenter (A Joyce Meyer Ministry) as part of my junior service requirement through Ursuline, but it became much more than a two week service project. I have continued to serve at the Stl DreamCenter twice a week since then and the people there have become like family to me. I also initiated a book drive to benefit the children in North City the DreamCenter serves through St. John Lutheran School (also my grade school and church). It was an incredible success and a great way to have immediate impact for kids.
In late July this past summer, these experiences came full circle for me when I traveled to New York City with St. John Church to serve at the New York City DreamCenter. My time in New York made me realize that God has been preparing me for this my entire life and all the puzzle pieces started to click. This is what I love to do, this is what I find joy in; this is what I would do everyday of my life if I could. Working with people who are often on the fringe of society, who deserve the same love we do, who have been dealt a difficult deck from the start is what pulls at my heart.
I believe that this is what God intended for my life and this is who He created me to be. Because of these experiences and after much prayer, I am so excited and blessed to be part of the New York City DreamCenter Discipleship Program next year! And I thank you for being part of my story to get here.
Organizer
Samantha Abel
Organizer
Ballwin, MO