Guitar Lessons

Yesterday my group and I went to a ministry site called Salt and Sea Mission in Coney Island. Salt and Sea ministers to the homeless of Coney Island and was started by a woman who was once herself homeless and living underneath the beach's boardwalk.

One of the boys in our group brought his guitar with him because we had been asked to lead worship for a short church service the mission has each day. And he and the girl that sang did a good job of it. Everyone enjoyed the songs and sang along, as well as played tambourines that had been passed out before the service. It was wonderful to watch as hands were raised, and hallelujahs were called out, and tambourines were played (sometimes not on beat, but it didn't matter). It was a joyful sound to the Lord.

Then after the service we were asked to help with the food pantry and do some cleaning around the building. Danny, the guy who led worship though, was requested for something else. Apparently just a couple days before a little boy, whose name was also Danny, had been saying he wanted to learn to play the guitar and so he and the pastor had prayed that God would send someone to help him get started. Well, suddenly here was big Danny with his guitar willing to do just that and so they sat together and big Danny showed little Danny where to put his fingers and how to hold the guitar. And together they plucked out a few notes and some chords.

After we left big Danny approached me and asked if there was anyway he could possible purchase a beginner's guitar book and have the group going to Salt and Sea take with them to give to little Danny on Thursday. So today since I had the day off I ventured into Manhattan in search of a beginner's guitar book. When I got off the train at the Rockefeller Plaza stop I was greeted by a torrential downpour (funny how you can get on the train with the sun shining and then 45 minutes later make your way above ground to find the weather is not how you left it). I tried waiting at the bottom of the stairs to the sidewalk, hoping that maybe it would slow but no such luck. So I bounded up the stairs and was instantly soaked through, dodging big puddles, practically wiping out a couple times because Old Navy flip flops have zero traction to begin with but are perilous in the rain. But big and little Danny were counting on me and I was on a mission. I finally made it to the music store, cold and thoroughly wet, but determined to find a good guitar book for little Danny. I'm not sure how long I stood there trying to figure out what book would be the best, but I finally picked one out that even my-not-so-musically-inclined self could understand.

So, Lord, please bless little Danny the budding musician. Thank you for big Danny and his love for little Danny and that he will be able to take what he will learn and use it for Your glory. Amen.

-Jessica Lewis, CSM New York Summer 2009 City Host