Subway Singing

“This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine!” Shine all over New York City. I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine till Jesus comes. I’m going to let it shine.”

I’m giving a shout out that the Pandemic is over! Join the masses walking through the Times Square Subway Station in the afternoon of the fourth Sunday of the month, and you will hear the Mennonite singers belting out, “There is power in the blood!”

Someone set up in “our spot” at the station, so the Mennonite group of around 30 people strung out through the long hallway that leads towards the 7, R, N, and Q train. Missionary Todd, houseparent Randy, Laurence, and the four young men took the lead. (Zach, the new boy, hauled the tracts. Some things don’t change. 😅.) We stopped in the corridor where these trains connect. Preston, the boy who’s here the longest, gave out song numbers. (This is also according to tradition.)

And we sang: loudly (to drown out the trains), beautifully, and most importantly, to the glory of God! We’ve been doing this for almost thirty years, but yesterday was different. I’m not sure I can explain; we’ve been through some hard valleys during the Pandemic. I understood the commuters passing through have likely also been broken, and I loved them. We could offer them hope in Jesus.

I passed out tracts for awhile and was encouraged by how people took them. A lady gave me a 👍, saying, “This is what we need.” A stooped Black man told me how people with the Holy Spirit identify with one another. After leaving, he turned back to give me some more words of cheer. I wonder if he was an “angel unaware.”

The Mexican vendors beside me sold clear cups filled with mango, pineapple, or watermelon. Another had a cart with churros. The police drove them away. Later, they returned. Once, they pretended to be waiting for the elevator instead of trying to make dinero when the authorities were in sight. They gladly took the Spanish tracts offered to them.

As the mission staff and PA group took the long hall towards the A train, Laurence and I went down the stairs to take the 7 train to our apartment in Elmhurst. We’d let the Light shine, and we’d been blessed.

Do you recall singing in the subway. What are your memories? (Who remembers being stung with pepper spray and losing their voice?)

Berniece

P.s. Youth sister Abigail Daramola got ahead of me with writing a blog about yesterday. 😊 https://abigaelmoyin.wixsite.com/meraki/post/bowery-sunday