Saturdays in the Bronx: a first-person account of service in the city
During my time at Messiah, groups of students and I piled into 15-passenger vans and drove up to New York during our fall, winter and spring breaks. We’d serve with different organizations across the city, but one in particular, Manna of Life, was always my personal favorite. Located in the Bronx, Manna is a faith-based, non-profit program serving those less fortunate in the community.
After moving to New York recently, I reconnected with Manna, and now spend Saturday mornings back in the Bronx. Thankfully, a bus two blocks from my apartment takes me there in no time.
We spend Saturday mornings serving soup, handing out clothing and distributing prepackaged pantry bags to members of the community. On occasion, we’ll go upstairs and have a church service. You may find me (attempting) to play the piano and leading worship before a pastor delivers the word. Lydia—the woman who makes the soup every Saturday—doesn’t hesitate to sneak me a donut or fill my water bottle with a super-sweet iced tea she just made.
In many ways, Manna has become my church community. On any given Saturday–and throughout the week–you’ll find high schoolers, twentysomethings, moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas serving side by side, doing whatever they can to serve those in the neighborhood. And more than just serving together, the leaders and volunteers truly look out for one another, meaning that you’re never without a hug, a helping hand or a bagful of extra food to take home for you and your roommate.
Spending Saturday mornings at Manna is one way I’m able to continue the work of reconciliation, something those at Messiah inspired me to do long after leaving campus. Mirna, a woman who I’ve known for six years now, says, “Here, it’s all love.” On the fence outside the building, Isaiah 58:10 continually reminds us, “…if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noonday.” I’m grateful to experience that light week in and week out here in New York.
— Jake Miaczynski ’20