Jay- Z and Alicia Keys, not bad timing for a trip to New York, though I promise no one is taking Ambein as the Yankees battle the Phillies for the World Series. A common stereotype exists of rude New Yorkers, and while they may be a city of incessant horn-honkers, it is also a city of great camaraderie during a time as crucial as a World Series pennant. The city’s dedication can be noted from a “pep rally” held by Mayor Bloomberg (who also unofficially declared the first game day “Wear Your Yankee Gear To Work Day”) held in Times Square during a torrential downpour.
That’s right, a truly committed people will not let a small thing like major road flooding or non-functioning traffic lights keep them from celebrating. Nor, apparently, will an area director, which is how I found myself arriving to meeting after meeting with water sloshing out my shoes, a slight puddle forming under the chairs where I sat, and my hair increasingly acquiring eau de “Wet Dog” as the day progressed. And so, as Philadelphia dominated Game 1 despite foreign ground, so did I take heart and manage to meet many of the kind souls who embody Brooklyn.
I had the joy of stumbling upon the dear Norwegian Christian Home during their October Celebration which can only be described with the words: Elvis Impersonator. I am also quite confident through Arnie’s YW montage I have now seen every volunteer who has ever been to Brooklyn. Sister Mary, of CHIPS, had volunteers busy preparing a beef stew for the stormy day and multiple food donations were carted in by trusty volunteers who could have benefited from the gear lobstermen wear to stay dry. David of East New York Farms prepared himself for a wet afternoon at their farm stand and Sunset Park remained desolate, its green grass hidden by soaked leaves and puddles. The seniors at AMICO arrived smiling, despite the inclement weather, umbrellas shielding their faces and spirits from the dismal, dripping weather. Our beloved seniors everywhere, remained lighthearted, years of weather giving them the wisdom to know that tomorrow would be a new day and a detail as slight as a monsoon was no reason to miss cribbage, aerobics or bingo.
59th St Lutheran Brethren and all of our friends remain well. Pastor Roger awaits a season of transition for their church body that shows the fruit of abiding in God’s will and looks forward to the ministry that their church will be able to continue doing in the Brooklyn area. The dungeon remains dark and full of doom, and though perhaps fitting for a Halloween visit, stayed quite happily unexplored.
Since my visit, I can only imagine the heightened excitement that floods the streets of Brooklyn and all of New York, as the Yankees return home awaiting a celebratory parade and, oh yeah, one more game to win. I can assure you that every hour, on the hour, in case you might forget during your time there, you can be reminded—”New York… concrete jungles where dreams are made of… there’s nothing you can’t do…these streets will make you feel brand new… and of course, big lights will inspire you. That’s right, let’s hear it for New York.”
