Day 29 of 20/30

I am writing this : Post journey.

I completed my journey and my All You Can Jet [AYCJ] pass expired on October 8Th.

This is an update of my last trip. I visited New York City to close out the ticket. I wanted to spend 1-2 days there because I had to go through Jet Blue's Terminal #5 at JFK many times throughout my 30 day journey. So I decided to go here one last time and actually visit the city and the people of New York.

I took an early AM flight out of Fort Lauderdale [FLL].
Flt #4 FLL-JFK 5:30 Am arriving JFK 8:44 AM.
Flt Deck: Wayne and Wes
Cabin Crew: Nancy, Al and Debbie.

As always for the past 30 days the flight was great,and the crew was perfect. Jet Blue has the most personable people in the air, and on the ground. I don't know what they do or how, but they run a really great airline at a great price, and I will fly them every chance I get.

Sitting across the aisle from me I met Maria. She told me her story about her father being forced from the Dominican Republic during the Allende years [1970's], and so the family moved to New York City. In fact, Maria was on the way to visit her brother who still lives there. Maria had noticed Tim Donohos book, and asked jokingly if I had an argument with God.
"No. Not I.: I said.
I added, "However, there are many people who for some reason or another feel they must argue with God over things in the world they do not like."

"Well, I guess that is me then," she said.
"Do you want to tell me about it, Maria?" I asked.

"Are you with a church or something?" she asked.

"I attend First Baptist in Fort Lauderdale." I replied.

"Every church I see is arguing with each other." Maria said. She was obviously not happy about this.

"I mean," she continued,"If all these churches are preaching about God, Why are they all arguing with each other. It makes no sense." She was opening up to what was bothering her about Christianity, and possible getting in the way of her own salvation.

"I guess it does seem that way sometimes, but a believer can know a church by the Spirit they feel within it." I said.
I added," First, though, one has to know their own spirit and establish a personal relationship with God."

"Have you done that, Maria," I asked?

"I was raised a Catholic, but even they are fighting with the Protestants and themselves." she said.

Maria was very frustrated. She had a Catholic background, but she was not aware of what a personal relationship with Christ meant.

We went over what it meant to have a personal relationship with God. I demonstrated how "Sin" can keep us from God and how Jesus Died on the cross and by doing so took on our sin to remove that barrier to God. She had never heard it explained this way. Maria was very happy to hear this, and she said she never knew it was so simple and uncomplicated. Like many people, God and the Bible seems so complex and far removed from our daily life. Yet when it is made clear and the barriers of ritual and theology no longer clutter our outlook, then God becomes more available to us. He is no longer a being who requires an interpreter to understand. He becomes a personality we can begin to see as someone we can talk and share our thoughts with.

Maria is now able to go directly to God with the issues of "Church" differences.

Also, we had a good discussion about the many arguments people use to stay away from God. I shared a copy of Tim's book with Maria. She was grateful, and only asked if it was available in Spanish. Maria could speak English quite well, but she had difficulty reading it. She told me with a smile, " I will get my daughter to read it to me,and that way she will get the message too.

New York City:

I was amazed to find the public transportation good and very reasonable. As a senior, a bus ticket was $1.10. I quickly found that one had to have about 10 pounds of quarters in their pocket. Exact change only and no paper money accepted.

At Jamaica Tpk. I was advised to purchase an all day pass for rail or bus [good for 24 hours] only $8.75. This was still a good value because I took at least 8 or nine bus and subway rides.

I took the E train to the Twin Towers. I got off and walked to Battery Park. I could have taken the bus, but it was a nice bright and windy sunny day. Besides with my Manhattan map I noticed this would take me past Wall Street and the Smithsonian.
Wow! I love to walk too.

Evey place was historical or famous. I thought of all the movies where I had seen all these places. I was a real "Rube" wondering the city wide-eyed and with my camera on all the time. Only the Japanese tourists were taking more photos than me.

I had a wonderful day there, but the pace is so fast and people are all running around getting to "somewhere" quickly. I don't think they have much time to communicate.

I thought I may have had a moment with a man who got on the train when I was traveling back "Uptown". He had battered milk carton and he made a grand announcement on entering the train. No one was listening. He shouted and pushed his way through the crowded subway. His message was that he was poor and everyone who did not give him money was a sinner destined for Hell. I asked him if he would like to discuss a salvation greater than a small donation. Without hesitation he scowled at me, saying, "Don't mess with my area boy" He was quite angry and I could see he had no intention of having me share Christ's message. I gave him some money as we slowed for the station. He got off and gave me a look of disdain.

A fellow passenger said, "see that sign over there?" I looked. It said "Dial 311 and we will send aid to the homeless. " It had some other instructions which basically said that giving "change" to the homeless will not "Change"their situation, but by calling 311 the city workers would come to the location and find the person and give them real help. The man who pointed this out acted like he had been through this ten thousand times. I still feel that if the person would listen for God's help it would be the best help he could get anywhere.

You can see the Photo Journal for other places I visited in NYC:

Times Square; Rockefeller Center; Empire State Building; Top of the Rock; Trump Tower; Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island; Central Park, and the Stage Door Deli; and Stews Fruit stand near the Jamaican Restaurant on Stuphin Blvd. next to Jamaica Station.
I had a good and educational time in NYC. I would like to return, but next time I will nee a whole week to visit the museums and see some shows.

DAY 30 JFK to FLL 10/08/09
Flt 601 7:34 AM FLL 11:11 Arrive
Flt Deck: Rick and Steve
Cabin Crew: Wayne, Jimmy and Marcella

Nothing new to report. The flight and crew was great. I spoke with the pilot on exiting, He said he thinks the AYCJ was a great success and he thinks they will do it again. I hope he is correct. I will be the first in line to buy another ticket!!