Global Gates New York City Missions Trip

From May 27th through June 3rd I had the extreme privilege to go to New York City with Hope Rising Minsitries to partner with Global Gates! Little did our team know what challenges we would encounter or what God would bring us to. To each of those who have donated, prayed or played a part in any way to help me go on this trip-THANK YOU! I know that one day my children will get to go to The Bronx & Harlem and see a City changed by the Gospel because we got to be pinpoints of light to those who walk in darkness!
Below is an abbreviated summary of our day by day activities (and couldn’t help but include the good eats):
***If you want to know more…let me know I would love to meet you and tell you all of the details! Email me: tyler.west@thevine.tv

Sunday, May 28th, 2017

HillSong NYC
We started the day with an amazing experience with HillSong NYC! It was exactly what one would expect a HillSong experience to be. The worship was amazing! The people were inviting and the experience created wasn’t one of a Church service…but a home coming! This Church the size of 10,000 only felt as if it were 100. That’s what making everyone feel welcome is all about! The cross section of people still makes my heart race as there were people of difference races, languages and backgrounds all gathered together for one thing-to worship the name of Jesus! It’s a beautiful picture of what Heaven will look like!

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Monday, May 29th, 2017 [Memorial Day]

MNYBA
Today we started off by meeting the missionary we got to spend the week with, Brian Stephens, at the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association (which is also where his Global Gates Office is). Seeing the weather was very dreary we headed on our first prayer walk of the trip.

Harlem
We spent the entire day getting familiar with the area of Harlem. We prayed as we walked past Muslim Markets, Masjids (Mosque) and every person we passed on the streets. We dove in to multiple businesses and prayed every step that we took from 110th street to 130th street in Harlem! It’s AMAZING how the world has literally been brought to New York City! Most of the day wasn’t filled with interaction on the street as much as it was filled with praying down every stronghold Satan has on every inch of Harlem.

Make My Cake
The cold and rain warranted for a stop at one of New York’s best cupcake shops…Make My Cake. The Hot Chocolate was definitely worth it. And then…I saw Banana Pudding. If you know you know…but I resisted the urge this trip knowing that Banana Pudding and I would have a date at Make My Cake before I departed NYC. Until then Banana Pudding…

African American Best Food
For Dinner as we prayed to meet more people as the sun set on Ramadan we set out to try our first taste of West African Cuisine and it brought us to 135th Street and African American Best Food. I tried Maafe for the first time and it was a little spicy but I can say that I have tried West African Cuisine. Whether it was on the bucket list or not I can say I did it!

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Tuesday, May 30th, 2017

The Bronx
Today we got to venture into the Bronx for the first time! It is so much more spread out than Harlem. The pop up rain showers continued as we worked our way into the Bronx with Brian for the first time. We started out by visiting local shops through Tremont Street. From the First moment we walked up the street we got to run into Mo’s Fashion and Meet Mohammed. Mohammed has been in America for 17 years and is of the Fulani Tribe in West Africa. He was more than open to learn about us as we were with him. His hospitality to shelter us in the storm will not be forgotten. He was able to tell us all about Tremont Street, Ramadan and where we need to visit if we get the opportunity to visit West Africa. From the moment we walked in we knew that we would get to see Mohammed again on this trip. We continued to walk on the street to meet more people from West Africa and got to spend time in multiple shops learning about West African culture, the Bronx and about the stories of each individual we met. And then…we got to meet someone we never thought we would–someone who spoke Soninke!

Harlem Shake
The spoils of a day getting to walk through the Bronx and ride the subway for more than 30 minutes had to be none other than Harlem Shake. To be honest this was our second encounter with Harlem Shake and once again it did not disappoint. With Music that you can’t help but dance too, smiles on every face and great food to share…Harlem Shake is a MUST if you are in New York City!

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Wednesday, May 31st, 2017

Today was a much needed rest day! This is the day that we all enjoyed getting to recoup, pray and refocus. And…to be honest it was the day I believe we all prayed for God to do what only He could do. At this point in the trip, I was really feeling down as we had found someone who could speak Soninke…but we were really looking for someone who could also read it. To this point we had walked over 25 miles in 4 days and I remember praying to God “I  know that you have all of this worked out but Lord I feel like we haven’t done all you wanted us to do on this trip. Give us belief in our unbelief! Show me how to not leave NYC feeling like I’ve failed in doing all you have called us to do here! Please Lord let us find the one who reads Soninke.” And let’s be real when I poured my heart out to the Lord I can’t tell you everything I said…but I can tell you He heard my cry & He never left me as I walked through growing deeper in faith and in patience to see Him do what He wanted to do in His timing!

Sylvia’s
If you know me…you know I’m going to find the Southern Cooking place no matter where I am in the world. And where better than Sylvia’s in Harlem. Another AMAZING Restaurant with portions so big there is no way you could finish your plate. What a great Cross Section of people eating, laughing and enjoying each other’s company! Truly worth the price and worth the experience.

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Thursday, June 1st, 2017

The Bronx
Today we continued to hang out on Tremont Street in the Bronx. We walked around to make more connections, met our friend Mohammed and decided we would check out a local Masjid (Mosque) that had some people from the Soninke tribe there! After trouncing around various side streets (and getting lost for the 1000th time with Google Maps in the New York City)…we decided to go for broke and go to the Bronx Islamic Cultural Center to see who we could meet there. On the way we decided to change it up and make another pit stop in the Bronx. On our arrival we walked straight to the closest Masjid. As we got there, we ran into a gentleman going to pray…walls were up & there we got the familiar “I don’t know anyone” when we asked about Soninke. Defeated, feeling like we’ve totally failed the week…we decided walk back to the Subway & try to go one more place before we had to go back to the apartment for the day. I remember praying “God…show me something/someone who can help us…please”! And then right before the Subway stairs…we ran into 2 gentleman who were on their way to pray. I knew I had to ask! Feeling weaker than ever and in total submission for God to move…I introduced myself and asked “Is there anyone you know who can read Soninke?” Awaiting the inevitable “NO”…my heart jumped out of my chest when I heard “YES! Let me walk you to him”! As we wiggled through back streets and side conversations we ran into some new friends…and met Mohammed (not the first friend we met named Mohammed)…who speaks Soninke, writes Soninke, reads Soninke and multiple other languages. We spent more time than we could count getting to meet with Mohammed and his friends in his shop. We talked about West Africa, Ramadan, America and everything in between. We had finally found who we were on mission to find. God came through…as He always does! His timing > My Timing! Had we made the connection any sooner…we would have been too prideful-any later, and we would have missed our opportunity!

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Friday, June 2nd, 2017

The Bronx
Last day for Ministry in the Bronx. To be completely honest, I was so tired from the week…I didn’t feel like moving on Friday! Wore out, tired and not wanting to “waste” a trip to the Bronx on Holy Day for our Muslim friends…I went to the Bronx kicking and screaming! Little did I know that the day would turn into us getting to meet Mohammed again…find some glasses that we thought were forever donated to New York City and we got to get on the subway knowing exactly where we were going (did we finally figure the New York Metro out? We think…maybe…well sort of :D). We got to tell Mohammed “we’ll see you again soon”, pray for blessings on him during Ramadan and be Jesus to him to show him the Gospel–what we were here for in the first place!

Chic Fil A
Yes…there are multiple ones in in New York City and YES they have sweet tea! Highly recommend checking it out as you will see it definitely brings back the comforts of home in South Carolina. Frosted Lemonade…just saying :D! Chic Fil A NYC

Settepani
To cap off the trip we got to CELEBRATE Brittany Hanvey’s birthday a little early in NYC at a place near our apartment Settepani. It was a great way to cap off the trip…but we weren’t quite finished. I still had a promise to keep I made on Monday…

Make My Cake
As we walked in to finish the CELEBRATION…I knew one thing was still left for me to do at Make My Cake. Banana Pudding here I come! And yes it was GREAT…and there wasn’t anything left over. It’s not my Moma’s Nanner Pudding–but it definitely fit the bill being far from home!

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So you say…that’s it? No Massive Numbers of lives surrendering to Christ? No street conversations that resulted in addicts being set free, homeless now walking in hope? I tell you NO…and I don’t regret it. The reason we were sent to New York City was to be a pinpoint of light in the darkness that shows who Jesus is! It is not our job, or calling for that matter, to save the masses…that is Jesus’ job! We are just called to be obedient to go where He has called us to go when He calls us! And that my friends is why we went to New York City…because God called us to!

I want to say Thank You To Each and Every Person who helped me get to be a part of this trip! From helping others find their new home in Real Estate, to multiple Preaching Opportunities, countless Encouraging Cards and many random acts of generosity…I can’t say THANK YOU enough! Too Many of you to list…but you know who you are! May God’s favor continue to shine on you!

The Best Is Still Yet To Come!
Tyler West
John 15:5