Mission Trip to Staten Island
By Sarah Wengert

Eight Senior High youth went on a mission trip this past July to Staten Island, New York for 5 days to work with Project Hospitality, an interfaith effort to help the homeless and those living with HIV/AIDS.  Sarah Wengert, Michael Dorfman, Franzi Rudorf, Hanna Rudorf, Bion West, Dan Mahr, Kirsten Holland, and Brittany Bethune were the eight participants, and they were chaperoned by Richard Malmberg and Dale Bengston. 

In Staten Island, we were housed in the Faith United Methodist Church only a couple of blocks away from the Project Hospitality headquarters.  We were able to use all of the church’s facilities which were very nice, and we could cook our own meals if we wanted to.  In truth we ended up venturing into new areas to find interesting places to eat to broaden our understanding of the area we were in.  We were in Staten Island from Sunday until the following Friday, and we worked in the main soup kitchen for the project on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  We did a variety of tasks including cooking, sorting clothes, serving meals, and managing the food pantry.  Thankfully we were able to interact with a lot of people who were helped by Project Hospitality, and we learned a lot.   

We took Tuesday, July 4^th off to see Manhattan because most of the projects going on were suspended for that day.  We were able to see and be on the Today Show, and we also found the time to watch the Italy vs. Germany World Cup game.  We stayed on Manhattan to watch the fireworks which were amazing.

This trip gave everyone involved a really great chance to see New York City in a different way.  I think I can speak for everyone involved saying that we had a great time and learned a lot.  It was very educational because we were in an area very different from Newton, which many of us had not been exposed to before.  We also learned a great deal about how hard the lives of some people are, and we came to appreciate everything that we have and take for granted.   

Richard and Dale were the best chaperones any of us could have wished for.  They really stepped up to the plate to help us make this trip happen, and we are all incredibly grateful.

 All of the youth would like to thank everyone in the church community for helping us make this mission trip happen this year.  It was an amazing experience that wouldn’t have been able to happen without the generous support of our church.  Thank you all very much, and make sure you ask all the youth who went on the trip about their personal experiences.  We were all greatly changed by it.  We are also planning to post pictures and the banner that was seen on the Today Show in Fellowship Hall.

		The group slept, worshipped, and had several meals at Faith United Methodist Church, about two blocks from the Project Hospitality offices.
Dan's ready to shine, but not quite ready to rise		A sleepy breakfast in the church kitchen.
Orientation at in the Project Hospitality conference room at 100 Park Ave
Kitchen Crew		Suiting up to prepare meals.  The kitchen where the group did most of its work prepares meals that are served in various locations.
Pete, a Project Hospitality staff member is a life-long Staten Island resident.
Sorting donated clothes in the warehouse		Taking a breather in the dining room at the end of our first day.
		With many staffers taking the day off, the group had July Fourth to themselves.  Up at 5:00 a.m., on the 6:00 a.m. Staten Island Ferry, and in Manhattan before 7.  They watched the Today Show broadcast live from Rockefeller Plaza, their Second Church sign was seen on camera by many back home.  The day was spent wandering around midtown, strolling through Central Park and topped off the day with fireworks over the East River.  The FDR Expressway was closed to traffic, and the group watched from an overpass, directly in from of the barge from which the fireworks were launched.
Catching the sunrise from the Staten Island Ferry		On Rockefeller Plaza, with the Today Show news desk in the background
Just outside Central Park		July 5th was a pantry day.  Nicki, a PH staffer in the food pantry.
Real New York pizza!		Times Square
Playing cards on the FRD, waiting for the fireworks to start.		Fireworks!
Dale and Sarah prep chicken for Thursday lunch		Packing up meals for another location.
Unloading bread donations.		Richard and Dale with Robert, a PH staffer.
On Wednesday night, the group served dinner, and met Ron, one of the guests.  Ron is person living with HIV, and is now studying to become a peer counselor.
		In the prayer chapel next to the room where the group slept, each person lit a candle of hope and articulated a hope for the trip.  These candles became the centerpiece of the group's worship services in Staten Island.
Richard and Mike, ready for action.		Dale and Judy, Project Hospitality's executive chef.
Saying goodbye on our last day of work		Dinner in Little Italy, the night before the group headed home
The group thanks their chaperones.		One last ride on the Staten Island Ferry.